Item 1. Business Overview
Callaway Golf Company (the “Company,” “Callaway” or “Callaway Golf”) was incorporated in California in 1982 with the main purpose of designing, manufacturing and selling high quality golf clubs. The Company became a publicly traded corporation in 1992, and in 1999, reincorporated in the State of Delaware. The Company has evolved over time from a manufacturer of golf clubs to a leading manufacturer and distributor of a full line of premium golf equipment and accessories. More recently, in an effort to diversify and explore new growth opportunities, the Company expanded its soft goods business to include lifestyle product lines that are complementary to golf. In 2017, the Company expanded its soft goods business with the acquisitions of OGIO International, Inc. ("OGIO"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of premium storage gear for sport and personal use, and TravisMathew, LLC ("TravisMathew"), a leading designer and distributor of premium golf and lifestyle apparel, gear and accessories. In January 2019, the Company acquired JW Stargazer Holding GmbH, the owner of the international, premium outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment brand, Jack Wolfskin ("Jack Wolfskin"), which further enhanced the Company's lifestyle category and provided a platform in the active outdoor and urban outdoor categories.
In October 2020, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Topgolf International, Inc. (“Topgolf”) in an all-stock transaction (the "Merger"), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among the Company, Topgolf and 51 Steps, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Callaway (“Merger Sub”). The Merger is expected to close during the first quarter of 2021, after which the former Topgolf stockholders (other than the Company) are expected to own approximately 48.5% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis.
Reportable Segments and Products
Golf Equipment
The Company designs, manufactures and sells a full line of high quality golf equipment, which is comprised of the golf clubs and golf balls product groups. The Company designs its golf products to be technologically advanced and in this regard invests a considerable amount in research and development each year. The Company designs its golf products for golfers of all skill levels, both amateur and professional, and are generally designed to conform to the Rules of Golf as published by the United States Golf Association ("USGA") and the ruling authority known as The R&A.
Golf clubs include woods (drivers, fairway woods and hybrids) and irons (irons, wedges and packaged sets) sold under the Callaway brand, and putters sold under the Odyssey brand, including Toulon Design by Odyssey. This product group also includes Callaway and non-Callaway pre-owned golf clubs. The Company’s golf clubs compete at various price levels within the golf clubs product group. Golf clubs accommodate the preferences and skill levels of all golfers. Golf clubs are generally made of steel, titanium alloys, carbon fiber and various thermoplastic and thermoset materials.
Golf balls are sold under the Callaway Golf and Strata brands and compete at various price levels within the golf balls product group. The Company’s golf balls are generally either a 2-piece golf ball (consisting of a core and cover) or a multilayer golf ball (consisting of two or more components in addition to the cover). The Company’s golf ball products include covers that incorporate a traditional dimple pattern as well as covers that incorporate innovative designs, including the Company’s proprietary HEX Aerodynamics (i.e., a lattice of tubes that form hexagons and pentagons), Hybrid Cover, Triple Track Technology and Truvis patterns. Golf balls are generally made of various combinations of synthetic rubber, ionomer blends and urethane processed with other chemicals to optimize performance.
Apparel, Gear and Other
The Company designs, develops and sells high quality soft goods products under the Callaway, TravisMathew, OGIO and Jack Wolfskin brands. The brands deliver a range of premium performance and lifestyle products in the United States and select global markets.
Callaway soft goods products include golf apparel, footwear, and a full range of golf accessories, including golf bags, golf gloves, headwear and practice aids. Callaway golf apparel offerings include tops, bottoms and outerwear for men, women and children made of high-quality fabrics designed for style, comfort and performance.
TravisMathew soft goods includes two brands: TravisMathew and Cuater by TravisMathew ("Cuater"). TravisMathew offers golf and lifestyle apparel, hats, luggage and accessories designed to deliver superior performance that carries over into lifestyle. The brand's lifestyle-oriented aesthetic attracts golfers as well as non-golfers. Cuater's primary product is versatile, premium performance footwear. Cuater also offers belts, hats, socks and underwear.
OGIO offers storage gear for sport and personal use including backpacks, travel bags, duffle bags, golf bags and storage gear accessories, in addition to a line of outerwear, headwear and accessories. OGIO storage offers innovative organization features, durable waterproof construction, and ergonomic and aerodynamic designs.
Jack Wolfskin offers a full line of functional outdoor apparel including jackets, trousers and tops, in addition to footwear and outdoor equipment, including packs and bags, travel bags, tents, sleeping bags and accessories. Jack Wolfskin outdoor apparel is geared for a variety of outdoor sports including trekking and hiking, cycling, mountain sports, backpacking, and winter sports as well as for leisure. Jack Wolfskin outdoor apparel includes softshell jackets, fleece jackets, windbreakers, down jackets, functional jackets and rain jackets for men, women, and children, which are made of high quality textiles. Founded in Frankfurt, Germany, Jack Wolfskin is one of the largest outdoor retailers in Europe.
The following table sets forth the contribution to net sales attributable to the Company's principal product groups for the periods indicated:
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Years Ended December 31,
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2020
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2019
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2018
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(Dollars in millions)
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Golf Clubs
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$
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787.1
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49.5 %
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$
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768.3
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45.2 %
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$
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717.3
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57.7
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%
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Golf Balls
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195.6
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12.3 %
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210.9
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12.4 %
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195.7
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15.7
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%
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Golf Equipment
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982.7
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61.8 %
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979.2
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57.6 %
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912.9
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73.5
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%
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Apparel
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349.3
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22.0 %
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410.7
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24.1 %
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112.2
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9.0
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%
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Gear, Accessories & Other
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257.5
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16.2 %
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311.2
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18.3 %
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217.7
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17.5
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%
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Apparel, Gear & Other
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606.8
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38.2 %
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721.9
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42.4 %
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329.9
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26.5
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%
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Net sales
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$
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1,589.5
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100.0
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%
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$
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1,701.1
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100.0
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%
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$
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1,242.8
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100.0
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%
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For a detailed discussion regarding the changes in net sales for each product group from 2020 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2018, see below, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Results of Operations” contained in Item 7.
Product Design and Development
Product design at the Company for all of its brands is a result of the integrated efforts of its brand management, research and development, manufacturing and sales departments, all of which work together to generate new ideas for the Company's golf equipment and apparel and soft goods lines. The Company believes it has created a work environment in which new ideas are valued and explored. In 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company invested $46.3 million, $50.6 million and $40.8 million, respectively, in research and development. The Company intends to continue to invest substantial amounts in its research and development activities in connection with its development of new golf products and soft goods lines.
The Company designs its golf equipment products to be technologically advanced and has not limited itself in its research efforts by trying to duplicate designs that are traditional or conventional. The Company has the ability to create and modify product designs by using computer aided design (“CAD”) software, finite element analysis (“FEA”) software and structural optimization techniques employing Artificial Intelligence methods. Further, the Company utilizes a variety of testing equipment and computer software, including golf robots, launch monitors, a proprietary virtual test center, a proprietary performance analysis system, an indoor test range and other methods to develop and test its golf equipment products. Through the use of these technologies, the Company has been able to innovate and enhance product performance at the same time accelerating the design, development and testing of new golf clubs and golf balls.
The Company's soft goods under the Callaway, OGIO, TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin brands are designed and developed internally and created through manufacturing partners who source materials and create the products according to the Company's brands' specifications.
For certain risks associated with product design and development, see below, “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A.
Manufacturing and Distribution
The Company has its primary golf club assembly facility in Monterrey, Mexico, and maintains limited golf club assembly in its facilities in Carlsbad, California. In addition, used clubs that the Company receives from its Trade-In Trade-Up program are refurbished at its facility in Austin, Texas. The Company's golf clubs are also assembled in Tokyo, Japan, Swindon, England, Melbourne, Australia and other local markets based on regional demand for custom clubs. In addition, the Company utilizes golf club contract manufacturers in China and Vietnam. In 2020, 2019 and 2018, most of the Company’s golf club assembly volume was made in regions outside of the United States. Overall, the golf club assembly process is fairly labor intensive, requires extensive global supply chain coordination and utilizes raw materials that are obtained from suppliers both internationally and within the United States.
The Company has a golf ball manufacturing facility in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and also utilizes golf ball contract manufacturers in Taiwan and China. In 2020, approximately 70% of the Company's golf ball unit volume was manufactured in regions outside of the United States. In each of 2019 and 2018, approximately 60% of the Company's golf ball unit volume was manufactured in regions outside of the United States. The overall golf ball manufacturing process utilizes raw materials that are obtained from suppliers both internationally and within the United States.
The Company utilizes third-party contract manufacturers for its Callaway, OGIO, TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin soft goods products located in various countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Peru.
The Company has its primary distribution center in Fort Worth, Texas for the distribution of goods in North America, in addition to distribution centers in Toronto, Canada; Swindon, England; Melbourne, Australia; Hamburg, Germany; and Shanghai, China, and third-party logistical operations in Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, Korea to support the distribution needs of markets they serve.
For certain risks associated with manufacturing and distribution, see “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A.
Sales and Marketing
The Company sells its golf equipment and soft goods products in the United States and internationally in over 120 countries worldwide, directly and through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, to wholesale customers and directly to consumers through its retail locations and on-line through its websites. The Company also sells certified pre-owned golf clubs directly to consumers or through certain authorized retailers. In addition, the Company licenses its trademarks and service marks in exchange for a royalty fee to third parties for use on certain golf related apparel and accessories.
Of the Company’s total net sales, approximately 49%, 46% and 57% were derived from sales to customers within the United States in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and approximately 51%, 54% and 43% were derived from sales for distribution outside of the United States in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The increase in the Company's international business in 2019 was primarily due to the Jack Wolfskin acquisition completed in January 2019. Jack Wolfskin conducts its business predominantly in Europe and China.
The majority of the Company’s international sales are made through its wholly-owned subsidiaries located primarily in Europe, Japan, China, Korea, Canada and Australia. In addition to sales through its subsidiaries, the Company also sells through its network of distributors in over 50 foreign countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, and in numerous countries in Central and South America. Sales to distributors outside of the United States generally reflect an export pricing discount to compensate international distributors for selling and distribution costs.
Sales of the Company’s products in the United States and internationally are made and supported through its vast network of field representatives and in-house sales and customer service representatives who work together to initiate and maintain relationships with customers through frequent telephone calls and in-person visits.
For its golf equipment business, the Company also has a separate team of club fitting specialists who focus on the Company’s custom club sales. A portion of the Company’s custom club sales are generated from the utilization of club fitting programs, such as performance centers, which utilize high-speed cameras and precision software to capture relevant swing data. All performance centers and participating on- and off-course retail stores are equipped with custom fitting systems that incorporate the use of an extensive variety of clubhead and shaft combinations in order to find a set of golf clubs that fits a golfer’s personal specifications. The Company believes that offering golfers the opportunity to increase performance with custom club specifications increases sales and promotes brand loyalty.
In addition, the Company sells to corporate customers who want their corporate logo imprinted or embroidered on certain of the Company’s golf equipment, golf bags and apparel. The Company imprints or embroiders the logos on the majority of these corporate products directly or through third parties who adhere to the Company's quality control policies. The Company also pays a commission to certain on- and off-course professionals and retailers with whom it has a relationship for corporate sales that are initiated through such professionals and retailers.
The Company maintains various sales programs in the United States, including a Preferred Retailer Program. The Preferred Retailer Program offers potential rebates and discounts for participating retailers in exchange for providing certain benefits to the Company, including the maintenance of agreed upon inventory levels, prime product placement and retailer staff training. The Company’s sales programs in foreign countries are specifically designed based upon local laws and competitive conditions. Some of the sales programs utilized include the custom club fitting experiences and the Preferred Retailer Program or variations of those programs employed in the United States.
For certain risks associated with sales outside the United States, see “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A.
Wholesale and Direct to Consumer
The Company primarily sells its golf equipment as well as TravisMathew golf and lifestyle apparel, and Callaway and OGIO gear and accessories to golf retailers (including pro-shops at golf courses and off-course retailers), sporting goods retailers who sell quality golf and lifestyle products and who can also provide a level of customer service appropriate for the sale of golf equipment, on-line retailers, as well as to third party distributors. Certain golf equipment is also sold to mass merchants. In addition, TravisMathew products are also sold at luxury department stores and lifestyle specialty stores.
The Company also sells TravisMathew apparel, gear and accessories directly to consumers through its various TravisMathew retail locations in the United States and Japan, and Callaway apparel, gear and accessories through its various retail, outlet and store-in-store locations in Japan.
The Company sells Jack Wolfskin-branded outdoor apparel, gear and accessories in Europe, China, Canada, Japan, and in its first United States location which opened in Park City, Utah in 2020. Jack Wolfskin sells its products directly and through its wholly-owned subsidiaries to third party distributors and retail stores, on-line retailers, department stores, mail order stores, and directly to consumers through its various Jack Wolfskin retail stores primarily in Europe.
In addition, the Company sells its full line of golf equipment products, OGIO products, TravisMathew products and Jack Wolfskin products directly to consumers through its websites www.callawaygolf.com, www.odysseygolf.com, www.ogio.com, www.travismathew.com, and www.jackwolfskin.com.
Sales of Pre-Owned Clubs
The Company sells certified pre-owned golf products in addition to golf-related accessories through its website www.callawaygolfpreowned.com. The Company generally acquires the pre-owned products through the Company’s Trade In! Trade Up! program, which gives golfers the opportunity to trade in their used Callaway Golf clubs and certain competitor golf clubs at authorized Callaway Golf retailers or through the Callaway Golf Pre-Owned website for credit toward the purchase of new or pre-owned Callaway Golf equipment.
Licensing
The Company, in exchange for a royalty fee, licenses its trademarks and service marks to third parties for use on products such as golf apparel and footwear, and practice aids. With respect to its line of golf apparel, the Company has current licensing arrangements with Perry Ellis International for a complete line of men’s and women’s apparel for distribution in certain retail channels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa. With respect to OGIO-branded bags, the Company has a licensing arrangement with SanMar Corporation for OGIO products and SanMar-designed, OGIO-branded products for distribution in the corporate channel in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In addition, OGIO also has a licensing agreement with Jim O'Neal Distributing, Inc. for a line of motorsports products. With respect to the Callaway Golf-branded footwear line, the Company has a licensing arrangement with Klone Lab, LLC for a complete line of men’s and women’s golf footwear for distribution in certain retail channels in the United States and Canada. In addition, the Company licenses its trademarks to other third parties, including IZZO Golf for practice aids and sunglasses and Walman Optical for a line of prescription Callaway eyewear.
Advertising and Promotion
The Company develops and executes its advertising and promotional campaigns for its products based on the Company’s global brand principles. The Company's target audience varies by the different products and brands in its portfolio. For the golf equipment and golf related accessories products within the United States, the Company has focused its advertising efforts mainly on television commercials, primarily on The Golf Channel, and on network television during golf telecasts, web-based digital and social media advertising, printed advertisements in national magazines, such as Golf Magazine and Golf Digest, as well as in-store advertising. The Company also engages in non-traditional marketing activities through strategic investments in third parties, including Topgolf, with whom the Company entered into a Merger Agreement in October 2020.
Advertising of the Company’s golf equipment products outside of the United States is generally handled by the Company’s subsidiaries, and while it is based on the Company’s global brand principles, the local execution is tailored to each region based on its unique consumer market and lifestyles.
The OGIO, TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin soft goods product lines are marketed towards audiences beyond the golf equipment and golf related accessories products. The Company uses a variety of channels to advertise and promote such products, including social media, branded retail stores, traditional digital and print publications, and experiential events.
In addition, the Company establishes relationships with professional athletes and personalities in order to promote the Company’s products. The Company has entered into endorsement arrangements with members of the various professional golf tours to promote the Company’s golf club and golf ball products as well as golf bags and various golf accessories. The Company has also entered into arrangements with other athletes and personalities to promote its OGIO, TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin-branded products. For certain risks associated with such endorsements, see “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A.
Competition
The golf club markets in which the Company competes are highly competitive and are served by a number of well-established and well-financed companies with recognized brand names. With respect to drivers, fairway woods and irons, the Company’s major competitors are TaylorMade, Ping, Acushnet (Titleist brand), Puma (Cobra brand), SRI Sports Limited (Cleveland and Srixon brands), Mizuno, Bridgestone, and Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG). For putters, the Company’s major competitors are Acushnet (Titleist brand), Ping and TaylorMade. The Company believes that it is a technological leader in every golf club market in which it competes.
The golf ball business is also highly competitive. There are a number of well-established and well-financed competitors, including Acushnet (Titleist and Pinnacle brands), SRI Sports Limited (Dunlop and Srixon brands), Bridgestone (Bridgestone and Precept brands), TaylorMade and others. These competitors compete for market share in the golf ball business, with Acushnet having a market share of over 50% of the golf ball business in the United States and a leading position in certain other regions outside the United States. The Company believes that it is a technological leader in the golf ball category.
For both golf clubs and golf balls, the Company generally competes on the basis of technology, quality, performance, customer service and price. In order to gauge the effectiveness of the Company’s response to such factors, management receives and evaluates Company-generated market trends for U.S. and foreign markets, as well as periodic public and customized market research for the U.S. and U.K. markets from Golf Datatech and NGF that include trends from certain on- and off-course retailers. In addition, the Company utilizes GfK Group for markets in Japan.
In addition, the Company's competitors in the soft goods market vary by product. For golf apparel and accessories, the competitors are generally other golf companies and premium golf apparel companies, as well as specialty retailers. While the TravisMathew business faces competition from the premium golf apparel companies, they also compete in department stores with other men’s apparel companies, including Bonobos, johnnie-O, Nike, Peter Millar, Ted Baker London and Vince. With the addition of the Jack Wolfskin business, there are a number of well-established and well-financed companies with recognized brand names with which the Company competes, including Patagonia, Columbia and The North Face. The Company seeks to differentiate itself through elevated design, premium materials and product innovation.
For certain risks associated with competition, see “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A.
Seasonality of Company's Business
Golf Equipment
In most of the regions where the Company conducts business, the game of golf is played primarily on a seasonal basis. Weather conditions generally restrict golf from being played year-round, except in a few markets, with many of the Company’s on-course customers closing for the cold weather months. The Company’s golf equipment business is therefore subject to seasonal fluctuations. In general, during the first quarter, the Company begins selling its golf club and golf ball products into the golf retail channel for the new golf season. This initial sell-in generally continues into the second quarter. Second-quarter sales are significantly affected by the amount of reorder business of the products sold during the first quarter. Third-quarter sales are generally dependent on reorder business but can also include smaller new product launches, typically resulting in lower sales than the second quarter as many retailers begin decreasing their inventory levels in anticipation of the end of the golf season. Fourth-quarter sales are generally less than the other quarters due to the end of the golf season in many of the Company’s key regions. However, third-quarter sales can be affected by a mid-year product launch, and fourth-quarter sales can be affected from time to time by the early launch of product introductions related to the new golf season of the subsequent year. This seasonality, and therefore quarter-to-quarter fluctuations, can be affected by many factors, including the timing of new product introductions as well as weather conditions. In general, because of this seasonality, a majority of the Company’s sales from its Golf Equipment operating segment and most, if not all, of its profitability from this segment generally occurs during the first half of the year.
Apparel, Gear and Other
Sales of the Company's golf and lifestyle apparel, gear and accessories generally follow the same seasonality as golf equipment, and are therefore generally higher during the first half of the year when the game of golf is mostly played. Sales of outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment related to the Jack Wolfskin business focus primarily on outerwear and consequently experience stronger sales for such products during the cold-weather months and the corresponding prior sell-in periods. Therefore, sales of Jack Wolfskin product are generally greater during the second half of the year.
Environmental and Social Responsibility
By being active and visible in the community and by embracing the principles of environmental stewardship, the Company believes it is acting in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. In 2019, the Company, at the direction of its Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors, launched the Sustainability Program, covering its global footprint with direction to enhance and improve the Company’s overall performance in the sustainability space. Core team members, known as Sustainability Champions, have been selected from throughout the organization to drive large scale global projects which build on the Company’s ongoing environmental and social sustainability efforts, as well as to promote smaller scale employee-driven initiatives at the local level. These projects and initiatives are benchmarked against the sustainability frameworks published by the Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board ("SASB") with respect to sustainability issues that are likely to affect the financial conditions or operating performances of companies in the consumer goods and apparel sectors. In connection with the launching of the Sustainability Program, the Company established the Executive Sustainability Committee comprised of its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and other executive officers. The progress made through the Sustainability Program is reported quarterly to the Executive Sustainability Committee and annually to the Board of Directors.
Environmental Matters
The Company’s operations are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that impose limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the environment and establish standards for the handling, generation, emission, release, discharge, treatment, storage and disposal of certain materials, substances and wastes and the remediation of environmental contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”). In the ordinary course of its manufacturing processes, the Company uses paints, chemical solvents and other materials, and generates waste by-products that are subject to these Environmental Laws. In addition, in connection with the Company's Top-Flite asset acquisition in 2003, the Company assumed certain monitoring and remediation obligations at its manufacturing facility in Chicopee, Massachusetts. In February 2013, the Company sold this facility and leased back a reduced portion of the square footage that it believes is adequate for its ongoing golf ball manufacturing operations. As part of the terms of this sale, the Company assumed certain ongoing environmental remediation obligations.
The Company endeavors to adhere to all applicable Environmental Laws and takes action as necessary to comply with these laws. The Company maintains an environmental and safety program and employs full-time environmental, health and safety professionals at its facilities located in Carlsbad, California, Chicopee, Massachusetts and Monterrey, Mexico. The environmental and safety program includes obtaining environmental permits as required, capturing and appropriately disposing of any waste by-products, tracking hazardous waste generation and disposal, air emissions, safety situations, material safety data sheet management, storm water management and recycling, and auditing and reporting on its compliance. The Company conducts third party social, safety and environmental responsibility audits to evaluate and improve its environmental performance through its global supply chain. The audits facilitate compliance with applicable Environmental Laws and good manufacturing practices within the global supply chain.
Historically, the costs of environmental compliance have not had a material adverse effect on the Company’s business. The Company believes that its operations are in substantial compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws. Due to the nature of the Company’s operations and the frequently changing nature of environmental compliance standards and technology, the Company cannot predict with certainty that future material capital or operating expenditures will not be required in order to comply with applicable Environmental Laws.
Social Matters
The Company maintains a Code of Conduct, Supplier Code of Conduct and Human Rights Policy, which establish the foundation of its Corporate Social Responsibility ("CSR") Program that was established in 2007. In 2019, the Company updated its CSR audit policy and procedure, benchmarking against the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Labor Organization Guidelines. The Company takes actions as necessary to ensure supplier compliance, and actively works with suppliers to improve performance through training, internal and third-party audits and corrective action plan validation. The Company employs a team to conduct and oversee corporate social responsibility audits globally and has not identified any material compliance issues with its suppliers to date.
In addition to the CSR Program, the Company participates in environmental, social and product compliance working groups through the American Apparel and Footwear Association ("AAFA") and is a signatory to the Responsible Recruiting Commitment and Cambodia (Worker’s Rights) Brand Letter. Also, Jack Wolfskin’s engagement in the Fair Wear Foundation promotes social responsibility and transparency in the supply chain.
Sustainability Program
The Company believes it is important to conduct its business in an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable manner. In this regard, the Company’s Sustainability Program focuses on initiatives across various environmental and social pillars, some of which are listed below, which have been benchmarked against recognized environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) guidelines. As part of the Sustainability Program, these efforts are discussed amongst the Sustainability Core Team to aid in collaboration and best practice sharing/implementation across the Company’s brands, product categories, and regions. Examples of these efforts are visible in the following areas within the Company:
Environmental Initiatives
Energy & Carbon/Climate
•Collaborated with large golf club supplier in China on its installation of a system to capture and treat at least 90% of harmful smog producing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and trialing water-based paints to further reduce emissions;
•Earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay Certification, which promotes environmentally-efficient transportation, improving efficiency and reducing the Company’s carbon footprint;
•100% green electricity used at Jack Wolfskin Idstein headquarters, Jack Wolfskin Hamburg distribution center and Jack Wolfskin retail stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland;
•Reduced the carbon emissions of the Company’s U.K.-based vehicle fleet by increasing the percentage of hybrid or electric vehicles in the fleet from 22% at the end of 2019 to 24% at the end of 2020, and updated
the Company’s policy in the U.K. to require that every new vehicle have a lower emissions output than the prior vehicle; and
•Installed high efficiency LED light bulbs in the Company’s Carlsbad headquarters, TravisMathew’s Huntington Beach headquarters and distribution center facilities located in Korea, which reduce energy consumption and increase bulb lifecycle.
Water
•Switched irrigation from city water to reclaimed water at the Company’s Carlsbad headquarters and performance center;
•Jack Wolfskin requested that tier 2 suppliers perform wastewater testing according to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (“ZDHC”) guidelines; and
•Since the Spring/Summer 2020 collection, Jack Wolfskin suppliers have saved approximately 760,000 liters of water and 23.8 tons of chemicals during production by using dyeing technologies that use less water and chemicals.
Natural Resources & Risks/Opportunities
•Implemented annual Jack Wolfskin Wolf Trail event in China where volunteers hike and pick up trash along the way; and
•Launched the “I Love a Green Callaway” program to make the Company’s Carlsbad headquarters and Australia subdivision more green (i.e., using less plastic and Styrofoam, providing reusable dishware options, improving labeling and placement for recycling bins, defaulting printers to duplex printing, etc.).
Waste, Recycling & Toxicity
•Reduced single-use plastics use in the Company’s U.K. Pre-Owned Golf Club packaging in 2020 by 53,000 pieces compared to 2019;
•Increased use of sustainable materials in Point of Sale advertising in the Company’s U.K. and Australian subdivisions;
•Increased use of digital information and processes (e.g., forms, invoices, etc.) to replace printed versions in several subdivisions, including U.K., Australia, Japan and China;
•Continued to execute New Material Review Process for new chemicals, such as paints and solvents, being used at the Company’s manufacturing/assembly facilities and suppliers to reduce impact to air quality and risk to worker/public health and safety, and to identify green alternatives;
•Jack Wolfskin continued to request that its partners use the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) which does not permit the use of prohibited chemicals, or that may not exceed strict concentration limits, throughout the complete production process;
•68% of the fabrics in Jack Wolfskin’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection are bluesign® approved (bluesign® reduces hazards and risks associated with chemicals used in the textile manufacturing process);
•Jack Wolfskin developed three recycled technologies (Texapore-Ecosphere, Nanuk-Ecosphere and Microguard-Ecosphere); and
•Jack Wolfskin implemented 100% recycled anti-mold polybags and biodegradable desiccants, allowing planned discontinuation of silica gel desiccants.
Social Initiatives
Human Rights
•Implemented a supplier product compliance scorecard designed to reduce risk and drive improvement of best practices with suppliers and to be used as a criterion for supplier selection;
•Since 2019, over half of the management level position new hires and promotions within the United States across the Company and its subsidiaries have been either women or diverse candidates;
•Participated in job fairs and career days in conjunction with and in support of PGA Works, which is a strategic initiative designed to diversify the golf industry’s workforce;
•Sponsored Howard University’s Golf Team through the Company’s partnership with Stephen Curry as part of efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in (and awareness of) golf; and
•TravisMathew donated over $500,000 to the Oscar de la Hoya Foundation, which aims to create more opportunities for people coming from underprivileged communities in the greater Los Angeles area, such as supporting various after-school programs and local medical centers.
Labor, Health & Safety
•Installed crown grinding dust collection boxes at golf club suppliers to limit operator exposure to harmful dust and chemicals;
•Supported automation efforts at golf club suppliers to reduce manual polishing and grinding activities by workers, which could cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) injuries;
•Qualified a new golf ball manufacturing process for injection molding, providing a safer environment for workers as an alternative to the existing process, which requires more handling of a hazardous chemical and therefore greater risk for exposure; and
•Established a global COVID-19 core team (including senior leadership) to strategize about impacts to employees and customers, develop and implement comprehensive COVID-19 policies, procedures, and reopening plans in support of country, federal, state, and local guidelines, and train employees on site-specific protocols.
Product Safety, Quality & Brand
•Maintained product safety and quality standards by means of the Jack Wolfskin Green Book, TravisMathew Quality Manual, and AAFA Restricted Substances List (RSL); and
•Experienced no product recalls due to safety or environmental compliance across all brands in 2020.
Intellectual Property
The Company is the owner of approximately 4,200 U.S. and foreign trademark registrations and over 1,900 U.S. and foreign patents relating to the Company’s products, product designs, manufacturing processes and research and development concepts. Other patent and trademark applications are pending and await registration. In addition, the Company owns various other protectable rights under copyright, trade dress and other statutory and common laws. The Company’s intellectual property rights are very important to the Company, and the Company seeks to protect such rights through the registration of trademarks and utility and design patents, the maintenance of trade secrets and the creation of trade dress. When necessary and appropriate, the Company enforces its rights through litigation. Information regarding current litigation matters in connection with intellectual property is contained in Note 14 “Commitments & Contingencies—Legal Matters” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K.
The Company’s patents are generally in effect for up to 20 years from the date of the filing of the patent application. The Company’s trademarks are generally valid as long as they are in use and their registrations are properly maintained and have not been found to become generic. For certain risks associated with intellectual property, see “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A.
Human Capital Resources
Employee Profile
As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, the Company and its subsidiaries had approximately 4,200 and 4,180 full-time and part-time employees, respectively. The Company employs temporary manufacturing workers as needed based on labor demands that fluctuate with the Company's seasonality.
The Company’s golf ball manufacturing employees in Chicopee, Massachusetts are unionized and are covered under a collective bargaining agreement with International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers A.F.L.-C.I.O. Local Lodge 1851, which expires on September 30, 2022. In addition, certain of the
Company’s production employees in Australia and Mexico are also unionized. The Company considers its employee relations to be good.
Culture and Values
Callaway Golf Company is a premium golf equipment and active lifestyle company with a portfolio of global brands, including Callaway Golf, Odyssey, OGIO, TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin. Through an unwavering commitment to innovation, The Company manufactures and sells premium golf clubs, golf balls, golf bags and golf accessories as well as active lifestyle apparel, footwear, backpacks, sport and travel bags, and other active lifestyle equipment and accessories. The Company’s culture supports this, and its employees are guided by its culture statement: be humble and hungry, act with integrity and respect, dare to be great, do what you say you’re going to do, put the team and customer before self and be “one team-one company.”
Diversity and Inclusion
The Company is headquartered in Carlsbad, California and maintains regional offices, distribution centers, and retail stores in numerous locations around the world. The Company’s employees bring a blend of experience and diverse backgrounds from around the world, and the Company is committed to recruiting, developing and promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce while offering unique opportunities and career paths for its employees. The Company seeks to hire the best qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and similar classifications. Since 2019, over half of the new hires and promotions into management level positions within the United States across the Company and its subsidiaries have been women or diverse candidates. The Company has an ongoing commitment to increase the number of women and diverse candidates throughout all levels of management. Diversity and Inclusion Training is a requirement for all employees.
Employee Well Being
The Company is committed to the health and well-being of its employees, and designs its compensation and benefits programs to demonstrate this commitment. For example, in addition to offering competitive compensation and a full suite of standard benefits, including comprehensive health, life and disability insurance coverage and a retirement plan with matching benefits, the Company offers its employees product discounts and the ability to participate in wellness programs. The Company offers benefit plan participants the opportunity to reduce employee health care costs through wellness incentives. Participants and their spouses, who choose to participate in an annual exam with their personal physician, receive discounts to their medical payroll deductions each pay period. In addition, participants can earn cash rewards through preventive care activities such as cancer screenings, dental check-ups, and weight loss or exercise programs. The Company provides an Employee Assistance program to all employees. Fitness facilities, yoga and exercise programs, and education addressing physical, mental, social, nutritional, and financial health are offered.
In addition, the Company's commitment to its employees’ and customers’ health and safety were paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company undertook various safety measures which were outlined in the Safe Reopening Plans at each location and included implementing work from home measures, establishing social distancing guidelines, increasing cleaning protocols at such sites, requiring face coverings to be worn at all offices and retail stores, and temperature checks upon entering the building. Additionally, the Company established a global COVID-19 core team (including senior leadership) to strategize about impacts to employees and customers, develop and implement comprehensive COVID-19 policies, procedures, and reopening plans in support of country, federal, state, and local guidelines, and train employees on site-specific protocols.
The Company provides a work environment where opportunities for training and development are provided to employees. The core training provided include Code of Conduct, Anti-Corruption, Safety and Diversity & Inclusion training. In addition to the on-the-job skills training, Callaway Golf offers various leadership programs including Emerging Leadership Programs, including Corporate, Operations and Sales, Callaway Leadership Academy, Global Operations Leadership Training, Sales Management Training, and various ad hoc leadership courses. The Company also offers product training to its customers and requires Supplier Code of Conduct training for its suppliers.
Community Giving
The Company also has two existing programs focusing on the community: the Callaway Golf Company Foundation and the Callaway Golf Company Employee Community Giving Program. Through these programs, the Company and its
employees are able to give back to the community through monetary donations and by providing community services. Through the Callaway Golf Company Foundation, the Company strives to create healthy communities where its stakeholders live and work, by focusing on supporting programs that improve lives and contribute to communities on a select basis. Through the Callaway Golf Company Employee Community Giving Program, Company employees and their family members volunteer with local non-profit organizations. These projects are coordinated by a volunteer steering committee and focus on a variety of charitable endeavors, including improving the environment, youth empowerment, helping homeless and disadvantaged, animal care and military care. Additional information on both of these programs is available on the Company’s website www.callawaygolf.com.
Information About The Company's Executive Officers
Biographical information concerning the Company’s executive officers is set forth below.
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Name
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Age
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Position(s) Held
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Oliver G. Brewer III
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57
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President and Chief Executive Officer, Director
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Brian P. Lynch
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59
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Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
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Glenn Hickey
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59
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Executive Vice President, Callaway Golf
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Mark F. Leposky
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56
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Executive Vice President, Global Operations
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Joe B. Flannery
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49
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Executive Vice President, Apparel and Soft Goods
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Oliver G. Brewer III is a Director and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and has served in such capacity since March 2012. Since 2012 Mr. Brewer has served as a Director of Topgolf International, Inc. in which Callaway Golf has a minority ownership interest. Additionally, Mr. Brewer served on the National Golf Foundation's Board from 2014 to 2019. Before joining Callaway Golf, Mr. Brewer served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Adams Golf, Inc. beginning in January 2002. He was President and Chief Operating Officer of Adams Golf from August 2000 to January 2002 and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Adams Golf from September 1998 to August 2000. Mr. Brewer also served on the Board of Directors of Adams Golf from 2000 until his resignation effective February 2012. Mr. Brewer has an M.B.A. from Harvard University and a B.S. in Economics from the College of William and Mary.
Brian P. Lynch is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Legal Officer of the Company and has served in such capacity since January 2019. He served as the Company’s Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary commencing in June 2012 before being appointed the additional role of Interim Chief Financial Officer in April 2017 and Chief Financial Officer in July 2017. Mr. Lynch is responsible for the Company’s finance, accounting, law, information technology, corporate audit, and compliance functions. Mr. Lynch serves on the Board of Directors of the Callaway Golf Foundation. Mr. Lynch also formerly served as the Company’s Chief Ethics Officer from 2012 to 2018. Mr. Lynch first joined Callaway Golf in December 1999 as Senior Corporate Counsel and was appointed Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary in April 2005 and Vice President and Corporate Secretary in November 2008. Mr. Lynch received a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and a B.A. in Economics from Franklin and Marshall College.
Glenn Hickey is Executive Vice President, Callaway Golf and has served in such capacity since January 2019. Mr. Hickey leads the Company’s golf equipment business globally. Mr. Hickey joined Callaway Golf in 1991 and was a top-producing Inside Sales Representative for seven years prior to being promoted to Inside Sales - National Account Manager in March 1997, Regional Sales Manager - East U.S. in November 2002, Director of Special Markets in June 2006, Vice President, Special Markets and Mass Merchants in August 2008, and Senior Vice President, Americas Sales in July 2012. Prior to joining Callaway Golf, Mr. Hickey was a bond trader for four years in the Los Angeles and New York offices of First Interstate Bank through its transition to Wedbush Securities. He completed a Financial Analysis for Non-Financial Managers certification from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. He currently serves as a board member for the San Diego Junior Golf Association. Mr. Hickey received a B.S. in Business Administration from San Diego State University.
Mark F. Leposky is Executive Vice President of Global Operations and has served in this capacity since January 2019. He served as Senior Vice President, Global Operations since April 2012. Mr. Leposky is responsible for all areas of the Company’s global manufacturing, program management, sourcing, logistics operations and strategy, and golf accessories. Prior to joining Callaway, Mr. Leposky served from 2005-2011 as co-founder, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Gathering Storm Holding Company, LLC/ TMAX Gear LLC (collectively, “TMAX”), which, as exclusive licensee, designed, developed, manufactured, and distributed accessory products for TaylorMade-Adidas Golf. When the license agreement was terminated in 2011, TMAX exited the business and TMAX entered into a general assignment for the benefit of creditors. Prior to that, Mr. Leposky served in various operations roles for Fisher Scientific International, TaylorMade-Adidas Golf, the Coca-Cola Company and the United Parcel Service Company. Mr. Leposky began his career serving as a U.S. Army and Army National Guard Infantry Officer (Rank Major). Mr. Leposky received an M.B.A. from the Keller Graduate School of Management and a B.S. in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University.
Joe B. Flannery joined the Company in the first quarter of 2020 as its Executive Vice President, Apparel and Soft Goods. Mr. Flannery is responsible for the Company’s global apparel and soft goods business, including the TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin brands. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Flannery was Senior Vice President and General Manager of Newell Brands’ technical apparel division, consisting of Marmot, ExOfficio and Coleman apparel, where he worked since January 2016. Mr. Flannery’s experience also includes holding executive positions at The Meriwether Group from March 2008 to October 2012, in addition to serving as Vice President of Global Marketing at The North Face from March 2005 to March 2008, and as Global VP and GM of the Originals Division at Adidas Group AG from September 2000 to March 2005. Mr. Flannery received a B.S. in Business Administration from Miami University.
Information with respect to the Company’s employment agreements with its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and other three most highly compensated executive officers will be contained in the Company’s definitive Proxy Statement in connection with the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In addition, copies of the employment agreements for all the executive officers are included as exhibits to this report.
Access to SEC Filings through Company Website
Interested readers can access the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) through the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.callawaygolf.com. These reports can be accessed free of charge from the Company’s website as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company electronically files such materials with, or furnishes them to the Commission. In addition, the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Conduct and the written charters of the committees of the Board of Directors are available in the Corporate Governance portion of the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website and are available in print to any shareholder who requests a copy. The information contained on the Company’s website shall not be deemed to be incorporated into this report.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Certain Factors Affecting Callaway Golf Company
The Company’s business, operations and financial condition are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company urges you to carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including those risks set forth under the heading entitled “Important Notice to Investors Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” and in other documents that the Company files with the Commission, before making any investment decision with respect to the Company’s securities. If any of the risks or uncertainties actually occur or develop, the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and future growth prospects could be adversely affected. Under these circumstances, the trading prices of the Company’s securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment in the Company’s securities.
Risk Factors Summary
The following is a summary of the principal risks that could adversely affect our business, operating results, cash flows and financial conditions.
Risks Related to the Company's Industry and Business
•A reduction in the number of rounds of golf played or in the number of golf participants could adversely affect the Company’s sales.
•The Company may have limited opportunities for future growth in sales of golf clubs and golf balls.
•The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and is expected to continue to have, a material and adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
•Unfavorable economic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, could have a negative impact on consumer discretionary spending and therefore negatively impact the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
•A severe or prolonged economic downturn could adversely affect the Company's customers’ financial condition, their levels of business activity and their ability to pay trade obligations.
•The Company faces intense competition in each of its markets and if it is unable to maintain a competitive advantage, loss of market share, revenue, or profitability may result.
•The Company’s expanding apparel business, and operation of related retail locations, is subject to various risks and uncertainties, and the Company’s growth and strategic plans may not be fully realized.
•The Company may be unable to successfully manage the frequent introduction of new products that satisfy changing consumer preferences.
•The Company’s business depends on strong brands, and if the Company is not able to maintain and enhance the Company’s brands, its sales may be adversely affected.
•The Company’s business and operating results are subject to seasonal fluctuations, which could result in fluctuations in its operating results and stock price.
•The Company’s sales and business could be materially and adversely affected if professional athletes do not endorse or use the Company’s products.
•Any significant changes in U.S. trade or other policies that restrict imports or increase import tariffs could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.
Risks Related to Operations, Manufacturing, and Technology
•The Company has significant international operations and is exposed to risks associated with doing business globally.
•If the Company inaccurately forecasts demand for its products, it may manufacture either insufficient or excess quantities, which, in either case, could adversely affect its financial performance.
•The Company’s expanding international operations could be harmed if it fails to successfully transition its business processes on a global scale.
•The Company may be subject to product warranty claims that require the replacement or repair of products sold. Such warranty claims could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and relationships with its customers.
•Failure to adequately enforce the Company’s intellectual property rights could adversely affect its reputation and sales.
•Cyber-attacks, unauthorized access to, or accidental disclosure of, consumer personally-identifiable information that the Company collects may result in significant expense and negatively impact the Company's reputation and business.
Risks Related to Regulations
•Regulations related to “conflict minerals” require the Company to incur additional expenses and could limit the supply and increase the cost of certain metals used in manufacturing the Company’s products.
•Changes in, or any failure to comply with, data privacy laws, regulations, and standards may adversely affect the Company’s business.
Risks Related to Tax and Financial Matters
•Changes in tax lax, including as a result of the 2020 United States presidential and congressional elections, and unanticipated tax liabilities could adversely affect the Company’s effective income tax rate and profitability.
•The Company’s obligations and certain financial covenants contained under its existing credit facilities expose it to risks that could materially and adversely affect its liquidity, business, operating results, financial condition and limit its flexibility in operating its business.
Risks Related to the Merger with Topgolf
•There can be no assurance when or if the proposed Merger will be consummated.
•Callaway and Topgolf are both subject to various business uncertainties, contractual restrictions and requirements while the Merger is pending that could adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
•Any difficulties resulting from the Merger, including COVID-19-related disruptions, could adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
•Callaway has been and may continue to be targeted by securities class action and derivative lawsuits that could result in substantial costs and may delay or prevent the Merger from being completed.
•The market price of Callaway’s common stock may decline as a result of the Merger, and the issuance of shares of Callaway common stock to Topgolf stockholders in the Merger may have a negative impact on Callaway’s financial results, including earnings per share.
•Failure to complete the Merger may result in either Callaway or Topgolf paying a termination fee to the other party, which could harm the common stock price of Callaway and future business and operations of each company.
•The Merger may be completed even though a material adverse effect may result from the announcement of the Merger, industry-wide changes or other causes.
Risks Related to the Combined Company
•Following the Merger, Callaway may not be able to integrate Topgolf successfully into Callaway and many of the anticipated benefits of acquiring Topgolf may not be realized.
•Uncertainties associated with the Merger may cause a loss of management personnel and other key employees, and Callaway and Topgolf may have difficulty attracting and motivating management personnel and other key employees.
•Completion of the Merger will trigger change in control, assignment or other provisions in certain agreements to which Topgolf or its subsidiaries are a party. Failure to obtain the consent of the counterparty in these agreements may have an adverse impact on Topgolf’s or the combined company’s business and results of operations.
•Callaway and Topgolf will incur significant transaction and integration-related costs in connection with the Merger, and any such costs could adversely affect Callaway’s ability to execute on its integration plan.
•The market price of Callaway common stock may decline as a result of the Merger.
Risks Related to the Company's Industry and Business
A reduction in the number of rounds of golf played or in the number of golf participants could adversely affect the Company’s sales.
The Company generates a large majority of its revenues from the sale of golf-related products, including golf clubs, golf balls and golf accessories. In addition, the Company generates substantial revenues from the sale of golf-related soft goods, including apparel, gear and other accessories. The demand for golf-related products in general, and golf balls in
particular, as well as the demand for golf-related soft goods, is directly related to the number of golf participants and the number of rounds of golf being played by these participants. If golf participation decreases or the number of rounds of golf played decreases, sales of the Company’s products may be adversely affected. In the future, the overall dollar volume of the market for golf-related products may not grow or may decline.
In addition, the demand for golf products and other soft goods and apparel is directly related to the popularity of magazines, cable channels and other media dedicated to golf, television coverage of golf tournaments and attendance at golf events. The Company depends on the exposure of its products through advertising and the media or at golf tournaments and events. Any significant reduction in television coverage of, or attendance at, golf tournaments and events (whether as a result of COVID-19-related restrictions or otherwise) or any significant reduction in the popularity of golf magazines or golf television channels, could reduce the visibility of the Company’s brand and could adversely affect the Company’s sales.
The Company may have limited opportunities for future growth in sales of golf clubs and golf balls.
In order for the Company to significantly grow its sales of golf clubs or golf balls, the Company must either increase its share of the market for golf clubs or golf balls, develop markets in geographic regions historically underrepresented by the Company’s products, or the overall market for golf clubs or golf balls must grow. The Company already has a significant share of worldwide sales of golf clubs and golf balls and the golf industry is very competitive. As such, gaining incremental market share quickly or at all is difficult. Therefore, opportunities for additional market share may be limited given the challenging competitive nature of the golf industry, and the overall dollar volume of worldwide sales of golf clubs or golf balls may not grow or may decline.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and is expected to continue to have, a material and adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has created considerable instability and disruption in the U.S. and world economies. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and governmental authorities around the world have implemented measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including travel restrictions, “stay-at home” orders and “social distancing” measures and business shutdowns. These measures have adversely affected workforces, customers, consumer sentiment, economies, and financial markets, and, along with decreased consumer spending, have led to an economic downturn in many of the Company's markets. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in the Company’s supply and distribution chains for its golf equipment, apparel and other products sold globally, and resulted in temporary closures of its corporate offices and retail stores around the world. A majority of the Company's employees in the United States and Europe are continuing to work from home. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the cancellation of golf tournaments, restrictions on attendance at golf tournaments and related events, closures of golf courses and a significant decrease in demand for consumer products, including the Company's golf equipment, apparel and other products.
The Company is unable to accurately predict the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting disruptions will have on its operations going forward due to the currently unknowable duration, scope and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the timing and effectiveness of vaccine distribution. Also, the Company is unable to accurately predict the impact of the ongoing governmental regulations that have been imposed or new regulations that may be imposed in response to the pandemic. To date, such disruptions have resulted in, among other things, production delays and closures of the Company's manufacturing facilities, retail locations and warehouses, any or all of which could materially and adversely affect its supply and distribution chains and ability to manage its operations. The Company has also experienced staffing shortages as a result of remote working requirements or otherwise. Although certain aspects of the Company's business has improved and net sales increased in the third quarter of 2020 as compared to the third quarter of 2019, the Company expects to continue to be impacted by, the instability and disruption in global economic and market conditions, and the related decreases in customer demand and spending. To the extent that third parties on whom the Company relies for revenue, including, among others, its customers and licensees, are negatively impacted by COVID-19, such third parties may be unwilling or unable to make payments otherwise due to the Company on a timely basis, or at all. In the event of a nonpayment, default or bankruptcy by such third party, the Company’s cash flows may be adversely impacted, costs may be incurred to protect its contractual rights, and the Company may be unable to recognize the revenue that the Company otherwise expected to receive from such third party.
Although the Company has taken actions to significantly reduce costs, maximize liquidity and strengthen its operating and financial position, there can be no assurance that such actions will be able to counteract the global economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. If the Company experiences a decline in revenues, cash flows or earnings due to COVID-19, the Company may have difficulty paying interest and principal amounts due on its existing credit facilities or other indebtedness and meeting certain of the financial covenants contained in such credit facilities. Also, if additional financing is required to operate the Company's business, such financing may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all. While it is premature to predict the ultimate impact of these developments, the Company expects its results in the near-term and beyond will be adversely impacted in a significant manner. Furthermore, when conditions return to a more normal state, the Company may experience difficulties efficiently ramping up its operations to pre-COVID-19 levels in an effective manner.
To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this Item 1A and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under Item 7 below, including, without limitation, risks relating to changes in demand for the Company's products or the supply of the components and materials used to make its products, level of indebtedness, need to generate sufficient cash flows to service the Company’s indebtedness, ability to comply with the obligations and financial covenants contained in the Company’s existing credit facilities, availability of adequate capital, the ability to execute the Company's strategic plans, U.S. trade, tax or other policies that restrict imports or increase import tariffs, and regulatory restrictions. In addition, if in the future there is a further outbreak of COVID-19 or a variation thereof, or an outbreak of another highly infectious or contagious disease or other health concern, the Company may be subject to similar risks as posed by COVID-19.
Unfavorable economic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, could have a negative impact on consumer discretionary spending and therefore negatively impact the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The Company’s golf-related products are recreational in nature and are therefore discretionary purchases for consumers. Consumers are generally more willing to make discretionary purchases of golf products during favorable economic conditions and when consumers are feeling confident and prosperous. The Company’s soft goods and apparel products are similarly dependent on consumer discretionary spending and retail traffic patterns. In particular, the Company’s recently acquired outdoor apparel, gear and accessories brands are premium in nature and, therefore, the purchasing patterns of consumers can vary year to year. Discretionary spending is also affected by many other factors, including general business conditions, interest rates, the availability of consumer credit, taxes and consumer confidence in future economic conditions. Purchases of the Company’s products could decline during periods when disposable income is lower, or during periods of actual or perceived unfavorable economic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant or prolonged decline in general economic conditions or uncertainties regarding future economic prospects that adversely affect consumer discretionary spending, whether in the United States or in the Company’s international markets, could result in reduced sales of the Company’s products, which in turn would have a negative impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
A severe or prolonged economic downturn could adversely affect the Company's customers’ financial condition, their levels of business activity and their ability to pay trade obligations.
The Company primarily sells its products to retailers directly and through wholly-owned domestic and foreign subsidiaries, and to foreign distributors. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and generally requires no collateral from these customers. However, a severe or prolonged downturn in the general economy could adversely affect the retail market which in turn, would negatively impact the liquidity and cash flows of the Company's customers, including the ability of such customers to obtain credit to finance purchases of the Company's products and to pay their trade obligations. In addition, as a result of COVID-19 related restrictions or public safety measures, many retail stores have been and may continue to operate in a more limited capacity, which could result in fewer consumers purchasing our products. This could result in increased delinquent or uncollectible accounts for some of the Company’s customers. A failure by the Company’s customers to pay on a timely basis a significant portion of outstanding account receivable balances would adversely impact the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The Company faces intense competition in each of its markets and if it is unable to maintain a competitive advantage, loss of market share, revenue, or profitability may result.
Golf Equipment. The golf equipment business, which is comprised of golf club and golf ball products, is highly competitive, and is served by a number of well-established and well-financed companies with recognized brand names. The golf ball business, in particular, includes one competitor with an estimated U.S. market share of over 50%.
With respect to golf club sales, new product introductions, price reductions, consignment sales, extended payment terms, “closeouts,” including closeouts of products that were recently commercially successful, and significant tour and advertising spending by competitors continue to generate intense market competition. Furthermore, downward pressure on pricing in the market for new clubs could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s pre-owned golf club business as the gap narrows between the cost of a new club and a pre-owned club. Successful marketing activities, discounted pricing, consignment sales, extended payment terms or new product introductions by competitors could negatively impact the Company’s future sales.
With respect to golf ball sales, the Company’s competitors continue to incur significant costs in the areas of advertising, tour and other promotional support. The Company believes that to be competitive, the Company also needs to continue to incur significant expenses in tour, advertising and promotional support. In addition, the Company has invested, and may continue to invest in the future, significant capital into upgrades to its manufacturing and assembly facilities, including its golf ball manufacturing facility in Chicopee, Massachusetts, to remain on the forefront of technological and competitive innovation. Unless there is a change in competitive conditions, these competitive pressures and increased costs will continue to adversely affect the profitability of the Company’s golf ball business.
Apparel, Gear and Other. The Company’s apparel, gear and other business includes the Jack Wolfskin outdoor apparel, gear and accessories business, the TravisMathew golf and lifestyle apparel and accessories business, and the Callaway soft goods business and the OGIO business, which consists of golf apparel and accessories (including golf bags and gloves), storage gear for sport and personal use, and royalties from licensing of the Company’s trademarks and service marks for various soft goods products. The Company faces significant competition in every region with respect to each of these product categories. In most cases, the Company is not the market leader with respect to its apparel, gear and accessory markets.
If the Company is unable to grow or maintain its competitive position in any of its business areas, it could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company’s expanding apparel business, and operation of related retail locations, is subject to various risks and uncertainties, and the Company’s growth and strategic plans may not be fully realized.
The Company has been expanding its focus over the last several years to include soft goods and apparel, in addition to its core golf business, primarily through the acquisitions of OGIO and TravisMathew in 2017 and Jack Wolfskin in 2019. Jack Wolfskin is an international, premium outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment brand, and it designs products targeted at the active outdoor and urban outdoor customer categories. The scale and global scope of the Jack Wolfskin acquisition involves various risks and uncertainties described throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in this “Risk Factors” section, as well as the following:
•Maintaining its market share in its key markets such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and China in the face of increasing competition and new competitors;
•Difficulties in developing the Jack Wolfskin brand in the North American and other target markets;
•Significant competition from existing premium outdoor apparel companies in target markets;
•Continually changing consumer preferences; and
•Difficulties in managing or realizing sustainable profitability from Jack Wolfskin’s large network of global wholesale retail partners, consisting of hundreds of third party owned retail locations.
Additionally, as a result of the Company’s golf apparel joint venture in Japan in July 2016 and the acquisitions of TravisMathew in August 2017 and Jack Wolfskin in January 2019, the Company now maintains over 150 retail locations around the world. The Company’s retail operations are subject to various factors that pose risks and uncertainties and which could adversely impact the Company’s financial condition and operating results. Such factors include, but are not limited to, macro-economic factors that could have an adverse effect on retail activity generally; the Company’s ability to successfully manage retail operations and a disparate retail workforce across various jurisdictions; governmental
restrictions or public safety measures put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in such retail stores operating in a more limited capacity and with fewer in-person customers; to manage costs associated with retail store operations and fluctuations in the value of retail inventory; to manage relationships with existing retail partners; and to obtain and renew leases in quality retail locations at a reasonable cost and on reasonable and customary terms.
If the Company fails to realize the expected benefits from its expansion into soft goods and apparel or is unsuccessful in its operation of its retail locations, the Company’s growth and strategic plans may not be fully realized, and its business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
If the Company is unable to successfully manage the frequent introduction of new products that satisfy changing consumer preferences, it could significantly and adversely impact its financial performance and prospects for future growth.
The Company’s main golf equipment products, like those of its competitors, generally have life cycles of two years or less, with sales occurring at a much higher rate in the first year than in the second. Factors driving these short product life cycles include the rapid introduction of competitive products and consumer demands for the latest technology. In this marketplace, a substantial portion of the Company’s annual revenues is generated each year by products that are in their first year of their product life cycle.
These marketplace conditions raise a number of issues that the Company must successfully manage. For example, the Company must properly anticipate consumer preferences and design products that meet those preferences while also complying with significant restrictions imposed on golf equipment by the Rules of Golf (see further discussion of the Rules of Golf below) or its new products will not achieve sufficient market success to compensate for the usual decline in sales experienced by products already in the market. Second, the Company’s research and development and supply chain groups face constant pressures to design, develop, source and supply new products that perform better than their predecessors many of which incorporate new or otherwise untested technology, suppliers or inputs. Third, for new products to generate equivalent or greater revenues than their predecessors, they must either maintain the same or higher sales levels with the same or higher pricing, or exceed the performance of their predecessors in one or both of those areas. Fourth, the relatively short window of opportunity for launching and selling new products requires great precision in forecasting demand and assuring that supplies are ready and delivered during the critical selling periods. Finally, the rapid changeover in products creates a need to monitor and manage the closeout of older products both at retail and in the Company’s own inventory. Should the Company not successfully manage the frequent introduction of new products that satisfy consumer demand, the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be significantly adversely affected.
The Company’s soft goods and apparel business faces risks associated with consumer preferences and fashion trends.
The Company’s expanding apparel business is subject to pressures from changing consumer preferences on a global level and the Company’s ability to timely introduce products that anticipate and/or satisfy such preferences. Changes in consumer preferences, consumer purchasing behavior, consumer interest in recreational or other outdoor activities, and fashion trends could have a significant effect on the Company's sales related to its soft goods and apparel business. The Company’s success depends on its ability to identify and originate product trends as well as to anticipate, gauge and react to changing consumer demands and buying patterns in a timely manner. However, significant lead times for many of the Company’s products, including the OGIO, TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin-branded products, may make it more difficult for the Company to respond rapidly to new or changing product trends or consumer preferences. All of the Company’s products are subject to changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. The Company’s new products may not receive consumer acceptance as consumer preferences could shift rapidly to different types of lifestyle products or away from these types of products altogether, and its future success depends in part on its ability to anticipate and respond to these changes. In addition, decisions about product designs often are made far in advance of consumer acceptance. If the Company or its customers fail to anticipate and respond to consumer preferences or fail to respond in a timely manner or if the Company or its customers are unable to effectively navigate a transforming retail marketplace, the Company could suffer reputational damage to its products and brands and it may experience lower sales, excess inventories and lower profit margins in current and future periods, any of which could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company’s golf equipment business and its apparel, gear and other business has a concentrated customer base. The loss of one or more of the Company’s top customers could have a significant effect on the Company’s sales.
On a consolidated basis, no single customer accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s consolidated revenues in both 2020, 2019 or 2018. The Company's top five customers accounted for approximately 20% of the Company's consolidated revenues in 2020, 18% in 2019, and 22% in 2017.
The Company's top five customers specific to each operating segment represented the following as a percentage of each segment's total net sales:
•Golf Equipment customers accounted for approximately 25%, 23% and 24% of total consolidated Golf Equipment sales in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively; and
•Apparel, Gear and Other customers accounted for approximately 12%, 11% and 19% of total consolidated Apparel, Gear and Other sales in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
A loss of one or more of these customers would have a significant effect on the Company's net sales.
Consolidation of retailers or concentration of retail market share among a few retailers may increase and concentrate the Company’s credit risk, putting pressure on its margins and its ability to sell products.
The off‑course golf equipment retail markets in some countries, including the United States, are dominated by a few large retailers. Certain of these retailers have in the past increased their market share and may continue to do so in the future by expanding through acquisitions and construction of additional stores. Industry consolidation has occurred in recent years, and additional consolidation is possible. These situations may result in a concentration of the Company’s credit risk with respect to its sales to such retailers, and, if any of these retailers were to experience a shortage of liquidity or other financial difficulties, or file for bankruptcy, it would increase the risk that their outstanding payables to the Company may not be paid. This consolidation may also result in larger retailers gaining increased leverage, which may impact the Company’s margins. In addition, increasing market share concentration among one or a few retailers in a particular country or region increases the risk that if any one of them substantially reduces their purchases of the Company’s products, the Company may be unable to find a sufficient number of other retail outlets for the Company’s products to sustain the same level of sales. Any reduction in sales by the Company’s retailers could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company’s business depends on strong brands, and if the Company is not able to maintain and enhance the Company’s brands, its sales may be adversely affected.
The Company’s brands have worldwide recognition, and the Company’s success depends in large part on its ability to maintain and enhance its brand image and reputation. Maintaining, promoting and enhancing the Company’s brands may require the Company to make substantial investments in areas such as product innovation, product quality, intellectual property protection, marketing and employee training, and these investments may not have the desired impact on the Company’s brand image and reputation. The Company’s business could be adversely impacted if the Company fails to achieve any of these objectives or if the reputation or image of any of the Company’s brands is tarnished or receives negative publicity. In addition, adverse publicity about regulatory or legal action against the Company could damage its reputation and brand image, undermine consumer confidence in the Company and reduce long‑term demand for its products, even if the regulatory or legal action is unfounded or not material to its operations. Also, as the Company seeks to grow its presence in existing, and expand into new, geographic or product markets, consumers in these markets may not accept the Company’s brand image and may not be willing to pay a premium to purchase the Company’s products as compared to other brands. The Company anticipates that as it continues to grow its presence in existing markets and expand into new markets, further developing the Company’s brands may become increasingly difficult and expensive. If the Company is unable to maintain or further develop the image of the Company’s brands, it could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
International political instability and terrorist activities may decrease demand for the Company’s products and disrupt its business.
Terrorist activities and armed conflicts could have an adverse effect on the United States or worldwide economy and could cause decreased demand for the Company’s products as consumers’ attention and interests are diverted from golf and become focused on issues relating to these events. If such events disrupt domestic or international air, ground or sea
shipments, or the operation of the Company’s manufacturing facilities, the Company’s ability to obtain the materials and components necessary to manufacture its products and to deliver customer orders would be harmed, which would have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Such events can also negatively impact tourism, which could adversely affect the Company’s sales to retailers at resorts and other vacation destinations. In addition, the occurrence of political instability and/or terrorist activities generally restricts travel to and from the affected areas, making it more difficult in general to manage the Company’s international operations.
The Company’s business could be harmed by the occurrence of natural disasters or other emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic or other pandemic diseases.
The occurrence of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, tsunami, fire, flood or hurricane, or the further outbreak of a pandemic disease, such as COVID-19 or a variant thereof, could significantly adversely affect the Company’s business. A natural disaster or a pandemic disease could significantly adversely affect both the demand for the Company’s products as well as the supply of the components and materials used to make the Company’s products. Demand for golf products also could be negatively affected as consumers in the affected regions restrict their recreational activities and as tourism to those areas declines. If the Company’s suppliers experienced a significant disruption in their business as a result of a natural disaster or other emergency, including the COVID-19 pandemic or a further outbreak, the Company’s ability to obtain the necessary components to make its products could be significantly adversely affected. In addition, the occurrence of a natural disaster or the outbreak of a pandemic disease generally restricts travel to and from the affected areas, making it more difficult in general to manage the Company’s operations. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, travel and tourism has been restricted or limited around the world, resulting in various business disruptions.
The Company’s business and operating results are subject to seasonal fluctuations, which could result in fluctuations in its operating results and stock price.
The Company’s business is subject to seasonal fluctuations. The Company’s first-quarter sales generally represent the Company’s sell-in to the golf retail channel of its golf club products for the new golf season. The Company’s second and third-quarter sales generally represent reorder business for golf clubs. Sales of golf clubs during the second and third quarters are significantly affected not only by the sell-through of the Company’s products that were sold into the channel during the first quarter but also by the sell-through of products by the Company’s competitors. Retailers are sometimes reluctant to reorder the Company’s products in significant quantities when they already have excess inventory of products of the Company or its competitors. The Company’s sales of golf balls are generally associated with the level of rounds played in the areas where the Company’s products are sold. Therefore, golf ball sales tend to be greater in the second and third quarters, when the weather is good in most of the Company’s key regions and the number of rounds played increase. Golf ball sales are also stimulated by product introductions as the retail channel takes on initial supplies. Like those of golf clubs, reorders of golf balls depend on the rate of sell-through. The Company’s golf-related sales during the fourth quarter are generally significantly less than those of the other quarters because in many of the Company’s key regions fewer people are playing golf during that time of year due to cold weather. Furthermore, the Company generally announces its new golf product line in the fourth quarter to allow retailers to plan for the new golf season. Such early announcements of new products could cause golfers, and therefore the Company’s customers, to defer purchasing additional golf equipment until the Company’s new products are available. Such deferments could have a material adverse effect on sales of the Company’s current products or result in closeout sales at reduced prices.
In addition, due to the seasonality of the Company’s business, the Company’s business can be significantly adversely affected by unusual or severe weather conditions and by severe weather conditions caused by climate change. Unfavorable weather conditions generally result in fewer golf rounds played, which generally results in reduced demand for all golf products, and in particular, golf balls. Furthermore, catastrophic storms can negatively affect golf rounds played both during the storms and afterward, as storm damaged golf courses are repaired and golfers focus on repairing the damage to their homes, businesses and communities. Consequently, sustained adverse weather conditions could materially affect the Company’s sales.
The Company’s expanding apparel business is expected to experience stronger revenue during different times of the year than the Company’s golf-related business. A portion of the sales of the Company’s apparel products is dependent in part on the weather and likely to decline in years in which weather conditions do not stimulate demand for the Company’s apparel products. Periods of unseasonably warm weather in the fall or winter or unseasonably cold weather in the spring and summer could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Unintended inventory accumulation by customers resulting from unseasonable weather in one season generally negatively
affects orders in future seasons, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. In particular, the Company’s Jack Wolfskin business focuses primarily on outerwear and consequently experiences stronger sales for such products during the cold-weather months and the corresponding prior sell-in periods. A significant portion of the Jack Wolfskin business is highly dependent on cold-weather seasons and patterns to generate consumer demand for cold-weather apparel. Consumer demand for Jack Wolfskin-branded cold-weather products may be negatively affected to the extent global weather patterns trend warmer, reducing typical patterns of cold-weather events or increasing weather volatility, which could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in equipment standards under applicable Rules of Golf could adversely affect the Company’s business.
The Company seeks to have its new golf club and golf ball products satisfy the standards published by the USGA and The R&A in the Rules of Golf because these standards are generally followed by golfers, both professional and amateur, within their respective jurisdictions. The USGA publishes rules that are generally followed in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and The R&A publishes rules that are generally followed in most other countries throughout the world. However, the Rules of Golf as published by The R&A and the USGA are virtually the same and are intended to be so pursuant to a Joint Statement of Principles issued in 2001.
In the future, existing USGA and/or R&A standards may be altered in ways that adversely affect the sales of the Company’s current or future products. If a change in rules were adopted and caused one or more of the Company’s current or future products to be nonconforming, the Company’s sales of such products would be adversely affected. For example, the USGA and The R&A published the Distance Insights Project Report discussing the impact of hitting distances on the game of golf. The USGA and The R&A will be exploring this topic further and it is possible that they may ultimately propose new rules that could affect the golf industry and the Company. Additionally, the USGA and The R&A will be gathering input from stakeholders and manufacturers in the golf community through 2021 and the Company is an active participant. Based on the study and the compiled input, it is possible that the USGA and/or The R&A may propose rule changes that could potentially have an adverse impact on the Company’s products.
The Company’s sales and business could be materially and adversely affected if professional athletes do not endorse or use the Company’s products.
The Company establishes relationships with professional athletes, celebrities and other endorsers in order to evaluate and promote Callaway Golf, Odyssey, OGIO and TravisMathew branded products. The Company has entered into endorsement arrangements with members of the various professional tours, including the Champions Tour, the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, the PGA European Tour, the Japan Golf Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour. While most endorsers fulfill their contractual obligations, some have been known to stop using a sponsor’s products despite contractual commitments. If certain of the Company’s endorsers were to stop using the Company’s products contrary to their endorsement agreements, the Company’s business could be adversely affected in a material way by the negative publicity or lack of endorsement.
The Company believes that professional usage of its golf clubs and golf balls contributes to retail sales. The Company therefore spends a significant amount of money to secure professional usage of its products. Many other companies, however, also aggressively seek the patronage of these professionals and offer many inducements, including significant cash incentives and specially designed products. There is a great deal of competition to secure the representation of tour professionals. As a result, it is expensive to attract and retain such tour professionals. The inducements offered by other companies could result in a decrease in usage of the Company’s products by professional golfers or limit the Company’s ability to attract other tour professionals. A decline in the level of professional usage of the Company’s products, or a significant increase in the cost to attract or retain endorsers, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s sales and business.
Any significant changes in U.S. trade or other policies that restrict imports or increase import tariffs could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.
A significant amount of the Company’s products are manufactured in Mexico, China, Vietnam and Bangladesh and other regions outside of the United States. In recent years, the U.S. government has implemented substantial changes to U.S. trade policies, including import restrictions, increased import tariffs and changes in U.S. participation in multilateral trade agreements, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to replace the former North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The U.S. government has assessed supplemental tariffs on certain goods imported from China, resulting in China's assessment of retaliatory tariffs on certain imports of U.S. goods into China. In addition, the
United States has assessed or proposed supplemental tariffs and quantitative restrictions on U.S. imports of certain products from other countries as well. U.S. trade policy continues to evolve in this regard. Such changes could prevent or make it difficult or more expensive for the Company to obtain the components needed for new products, which could affect the Company’s sales. The recent increase in import tariffs impacted the Company's business in 2019 and 2020, and it could continue to impact the Company's business in 2021. Further tariff increases could require the Company to increase its prices, which likely would decrease customer demand for its products. Retaliatory tariff and trade measures imposed by other countries could affect the Company’s ability to export products and therefore adversely affect its sales. Any significant changes in current U.S. trade or other policies that restrict imports or increase import tariffs could have a material adverse effect upon the Company’s results of operations.
The Company's current senior management team and other key executives are critical to the Company's success, and the loss of, and failure to adequately replace, any such individual could significantly harm the Company's business.
The Company's ability to maintain its competitive position is dependent to a large degree on the efforts and skills of the senior officers of the Company. The Company's executives are experienced and highly qualified with strong reputations in their industries, and the Company believes that its management team enables it to pursue the Company's strategic goals. The success of the Company's business is dependent upon the management and leadership skills of its senior management team and other key personnel. Competition for these individuals' talents is intense, and the Company may not be able to attract and retain a sufficient number of qualified personnel in the future. The loss of one or more of these senior officers could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its ability to achieve its strategic goals.
Risks Related to Operations, Manufacturing, and Technology
The Company has significant international operations and is exposed to risks associated with doing business globally.
The Company sells and distributes its products directly in many key international markets in Europe, Asia, North America and elsewhere around the world. These activities have resulted and will continue to result in investments in inventory, accounts receivable, employees, corporate infrastructure and facilities. In addition, there are a limited number of suppliers of golf club components in the United States, and the Company is dependent on suppliers and vendors located outside of the United States. The operation of foreign distribution in the Company’s international markets, as well as the management of relationships with international suppliers and vendors, will continue to require the dedication of management and other Company resources. The Company manufactures most of its products outside of the United States.
As a result of this international business, the Company is exposed to increased risks inherent in conducting business outside of the United States. These risks include the following:
•Adverse changes in foreign currency exchange rates can have a significant effect upon the Company's results of operations, financial condition and cash flows;
•Increased difficulty in protecting the Company’s intellectual property rights and trade secrets;
•Unexpected government action or changes in legal or regulatory requirements;
•Social, economic or political instability;
•The effects of any anti-American sentiments on the Company’s brands or sales of the Company’s products;
•Increased difficulty in ensuring compliance by employees, agents and contractors with the Company’s policies as well as with the laws of multiple jurisdictions, including but not limited to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, local international environmental, health and safety laws, and increasingly complex regulations relating to the conduct of international commerce, including import/export laws and regulations, economic sanctions laws and regulations and trade controls;
•Increased difficulty in controlling and monitoring foreign operations from the United States, including increased difficulty in identifying and recruiting qualified personnel for its foreign operations; and
•Increased exposure to interruptions in air carrier or ship services.
Any significant adverse change in these and other circumstances or conditions relating to international operations could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s operations, financial performance and condition.
The Company has significant international sales and purchases, and unfavorable changes in foreign currency exchange rates could have a significant negative impact on the Company’s results of operations.
A significant portion of the Company’s purchases and sales is international. In 2020, more than half of the Company's sales occurred outside of the United States. As a result, the Company conducts transactions in various currencies worldwide. The Company expects its international business, and the number of transactions that it conducts in foreign currencies, to continue to expand. Conducting business in such currencies exposes the Company to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar.
The Company’s financial results are reported in U.S. dollars, and as a result, transactions conducted in foreign currencies must be translated into U.S. dollars for reporting purposes based upon the applicable foreign currency exchange rates. Fluctuations in these foreign currency exchange rates therefore may positively or negatively affect the Company’s reported financial results and can significantly affect period-over-period comparisons.
The effect of the translation of foreign currencies on the Company’s financial results can be significant. The Company therefore engages in certain hedging activities to mitigate the annual impact of the translation of foreign currencies on the Company’s financial results. The Company’s hedging activities can reduce, but will not eliminate, the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. The extent to which the Company’s hedging activities mitigate the effects of foreign currency translation varies based upon many factors, including the amount of transactions being hedged. Other factors that could affect the effectiveness of the Company’s hedging activities include accuracy of sales forecasts, volatility of currency markets and the availability of hedging instruments. Since the hedging activities are designed to reduce volatility, they not only reduce the negative impact of a stronger U.S. dollar but also reduce the positive impact of a weaker U.S. dollar. The Company’s future financial results could be significantly affected by the value of the U.S. dollar in relation to the foreign currencies in which the Company conducts business.
Foreign currency fluctuations can also affect the prices at which products are sold in the Company’s international markets. The Company therefore adjusts its pricing based in part upon fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Significant unanticipated changes in foreign currency exchange rates make it more difficult for the Company to manage pricing in its international markets. If the Company is unable to adjust its pricing in a timely manner to counteract the effects of foreign currency fluctuations, the Company’s pricing may not be competitive in the marketplace and the Company’s financial results in its international markets could be adversely affected.
If the Company inaccurately forecasts demand for its products, it may manufacture either insufficient or excess quantities, which, in either case, could adversely affect its financial performance.
The Company plans its manufacturing capacity based upon the forecasted demand for its products. Forecasting the demand for the Company's products is very difficult given the manufacturing lead time and the amount of specification involved. For example, the Company must forecast well in advance not only how many drivers it will sell, but also (1) the quantity of each driver model, (2) the quantity of the different lofts in each driver model, and (3) for each driver model and loft, the number of left handed and right handed versions. Forecasting demand for specific soft goods and apparel products can also be challenging due to changing consumer preferences and competitive pressures and longer supply lead times. The nature of the Company’s business makes it difficult to adjust quickly its manufacturing capacity if actual demand for its products exceeds or is less than forecasted demand. If actual demand for its products exceeds the forecasted demand, the Company may not be able to produce sufficient quantities of new products in time to fulfill actual demand, which could limit the Company’s sales and adversely affect its financial performance. On the other hand, if actual demand is less than the forecasted demand for its products, the Company could produce excess quantities, resulting in excess inventories and related obsolescence charges that could adversely affect the Company’s financial performance.
The Company’s expanding international operations could be harmed if it fails to successfully transition its business processes on a global scale.
As the Company expands its global footprint, its business could be harmed if it fails to successfully transition its business processes on a global scale. This expansion to a global scale requires significant investment of capital and human resources, the re-engineering of many business processes, and the attention of many managers and other employees who would otherwise be focused on other aspects of our business. If the Company’s globalization efforts fail to produce planned operational efficiencies, or the transition is not managed effectively, the Company may experience excess inventories, inventory shortage, late deliveries, lost sales, or increased costs. Any business disruption arising from the Company’s expanding international operations, or its failure to realize operational efficiencies, could harm its business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company depends on single source or a limited number of suppliers for some of the components of its products, and the loss of any of these suppliers could harm its business.
The Company is dependent on a limited number of suppliers for its clubheads and shafts, some of which are single sourced. Furthermore, some of the Company’s products require specially developed manufacturing techniques and processes which make it difficult to identify and utilize alternative suppliers quickly. In addition, many of the Company’s suppliers are not well capitalized and prolonged unfavorable economic conditions could increase the risk that they will go out of business. If current suppliers are unable to deliver clubheads, shafts or other components, or if the Company is required to transition to other suppliers, the Company could experience significant production delays or disruption to its business. The Company also depends on a single or a limited number of suppliers for the materials it uses to make its golf balls. Many of these materials are customized for the Company. Any delay or interruption in such supplies could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s golf ball business. If the Company experiences any such delays or interruptions, the Company may not be able to find adequate alternative suppliers at a reasonable cost or without significant disruption to its business.
A significant disruption in the operations of the Company’s golf club assembly and golf ball manufacturing and assembly facilities could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s sales, profitability and results of operations.
A significant disruption at any of the Company’s golf club or golf ball manufacturing facilities or distribution centers in the United States or in regions outside the United States could materially and adversely affect the Company’s sales, profitability and results of operations. The Company’s manufacturing facilities and distribution centers are highly automated, which means that their operations are complicated and may be subject to a number of risks related to computer viruses, the proper operation of software and hardware, electronic or power interruptions, and other system failures. Risks associated with upgrading or expanding these facilities may significantly disrupt or increase the cost of the Company’s operations, which may have an immediate, or in some cases prolonged, impact on the Company’s margins. For example, in 2019 the Company substantially completed a significant expansion and technical upgrade to its golf ball manufacturing facility in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Difficulties in implementing new or upgraded technology or operational systems, including at its Chicopee facility, could disrupt the Company’s operations and could materially and adversely affect the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
A disruption in the service or a significant increase in the cost of the Company’s primary delivery and shipping services for its products and component parts or a significant disruption at shipping ports could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business.
The Company uses United Parcel Service (“UPS”) for substantially all ground shipments of products to its U.S. customers. The Company uses air carriers and ocean shipping services for most of its international shipments of products. Furthermore, many of the components the Company uses to build its golf clubs, including clubheads and shafts, are shipped to the Company via air carrier and ship services. If there is any significant interruption in service by such providers or at airports or shipping ports, the Company may be unable to engage alternative suppliers or to receive or ship goods through alternate sites in order to deliver its products or components in a timely and cost-efficient manner. As a result, the Company could experience manufacturing delays, increased manufacturing and shipping costs and lost sales as a result of missed delivery deadlines and product demand cycles. Any significant interruption in UPS services, air carrier services, ship services or at airports or shipping ports could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business. Furthermore, if the cost of delivery or shipping services were to increase significantly and the additional costs could not be covered by product pricing, the Company’s operating results could be materially adversely affected.
The cost of raw materials and components could affect the Company’s operating results.
The materials and components used by the Company and its suppliers involve raw materials, including synthetic rubber, thermoplastics, zinc stearate, zinc oxide and lime stone for the manufacturing of the Company’s golf balls, titanium alloys carbon fiber and steel for the assembly of the Company’s golf clubs, and various fabrics used by suppliers in the Company’s apparel business. Significant price fluctuations or shortages in such raw materials or components, including the costs to transport such materials or components, the uncertainty of currency fluctuations against the U.S. dollar, increases in labor rates, trade duties or tariffs, and/or the introduction of new and expensive raw materials, could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, prolonged periods of inflationary pressure on some or all input costs may result in increased costs to produce the Company’s products that could have an adverse effect on profits from sales of the Company’s products, or require the Company to increase prices for its products that could adversely affect consumer demand for its products.
Many of the Company’s products are manufactured outside of the main sales markets in which the Company operates, which requires these products to be transported by third parties, sometimes over large geographical distances. Shortages in ocean, land or air shipment capacity and volatile fuel costs can result in rapidly changing transportation costs or an inability to transport products in a timely manner. Similarly, disruption to shipping and transportation channels due to labor disputes could cause the Company to rely more heavily on alternative modes of transportation to achieve timely delivery to customers, resulting in significantly higher freight costs. Because the Company prices its products prior to shipment, and as changes in transportation and other costs may be difficult to predict, the Company may not be able to pass all or any portion of these higher costs on to its customers or adjust its pricing structure in a timely manner in order to remain competitive, either of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company may be subject to product warranty claims that require the replacement or repair of products sold. Such warranty claims could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and relationships with its customers.
The Company manufactures and/or distributes a variety of products and has a stated two-year warranty policy for its golf clubs and certain Jack Wolfskin gear, as well as a limited lifetime warranty for its OGIO line of products. From time to time, such products may contain manufacturing defects or design flaws that are not detected prior to sale, particularly in the case of new product introductions or upon design changes to existing products. The failure to identify and correct manufacturing defects and product design issues prior to the sale of those products could result in product warranty claims that result in costs to replace or repair any such defective products. Because many of the Company’s products are sold to retailers for broad consumer distribution and/or to customers who buy in large quantities, there could be significant costs associated with such product warranty claims, including the potential for customer dissatisfaction that may adversely affect the Company’s reputation and relationships with its customers, which may result in lost or reduced sales.
The Company’s growth initiatives require significant capital investments and there can be no assurance that the Company will realize a positive return on these investments.
Initiatives to upgrade the Company’s business processes and invest in technological improvements to the Company’s manufacturing and assembly facilities involve many risks which could result in, among other things, business interruptions and increased costs, any of which may result in the Company’s inability to realize returns on its capital investment. Expansion of business processes or facilities, including the significant expansion and technical upgrade to the Company’s golf ball manufacturing facility in Chicopee, Massachusetts, requires significant capital investment. If the Company has insufficient sales or is unable to realize the full potential of its capital investment, it may not realize a positive return on its investment, which could impact the Company’s margins and have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Failure to adequately enforce the Company’s intellectual property rights could adversely affect its reputation and sales.
The golf club industry, in general, has been characterized by widespread imitation of popular club designs. The Company has an active program of monitoring, investigating and enforcing its proprietary rights against companies and individuals who market or manufacture counterfeits and “knockoff” products. The Company asserts its rights against infringers of its copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade dress. However, these efforts may not be successful in reducing sales of golf products by these infringers. Additionally, other golf club manufacturers may be able to produce successful golf clubs which imitate the Company’s designs without infringing any of the Company’s copyrights, patents, trademarks
or trade dress. With respect to the Company’s apparel business, counterfeits are known to exist in the industry, including in the premium outdoor apparel segment within which Jack Wolfskin operates. The failure to prevent or limit such infringers or imitators could adversely affect the Company’s reputation and sales.
The Company may become subject to intellectual property claims or lawsuits that could cause it to incur significant costs or pay significant damages or that could prohibit it from selling its products.
The Company’s competitors also seek to obtain patent, trademark, copyright or other protection of their proprietary rights and designs for golf clubs, golf balls and other products. From time to time, third parties have claimed or may claim in the future that the Company’s products infringe upon their proprietary rights. The Company evaluates any such claims and, where appropriate, has obtained or sought to obtain licenses or other business arrangements. To date, there have been no significant interruptions in the Company’s business as a result of any claims of infringement. However, in the future, intellectual property claims could force the Company to alter its existing products or withdraw them from the market or could delay the introduction of new products.
Various patents have been issued to the Company’s competitors in the golf industry and these competitors may assert that the Company’s golf products infringe their patent or other proprietary rights. If the Company’s golf products are found to infringe third-party intellectual property rights, the Company may be unable to obtain a license to use such technology, and it could incur substantial costs to redesign its products, withdraw them from the market, and/or to defend legal actions.
The Company’s brands may be damaged by the actions of its licensees.
The Company licenses its trademarks to third-party licensees who produce, market and sell their products bearing the Company’s trademarks. The Company chooses its licensees carefully and imposes upon such licensees various restrictions on the products, and on the manner, on which such trademarks may be used. In addition, the Company requires its licensees to abide by certain standards of conduct and the laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which they do business. However, if a licensee fails to adhere to these requirements, the Company’s brands could be damaged. The Company’s brands could also be damaged if a licensee becomes insolvent or by any negative publicity concerning a licensee or if the licensee does not maintain good relationships with its customers or consumers, many of which are also the Company’s customers and consumers.
Sales of the Company’s products by unauthorized retailers or distributors could adversely affect the Company’s authorized distribution channels and harm the Company’s reputation.
Some of the Company’s products find their way to unauthorized outlets or distribution channels. This “gray market” for the Company’s products can undermine authorized retailers and foreign wholesale distributors who promote and support the Company’s products, and can injure the Company’s image in the minds of its customers and consumers. On the other hand, stopping such commerce could result in a potential decrease in sales to those customers who are selling the Company’s products to unauthorized distributors or an increase in sales returns over historical levels. While the Company has taken some lawful steps to limit commerce of its products in the “gray market” in both the United States and abroad, it has not stopped such commerce.
The Company relies on research & development, technical innovation and high‑quality products to successfully compete.
Technical innovation and quality control in the design and manufacturing process is essential to the Company’s commercial success. Research and development plays a key role in the Company’s technical innovation and competitive advantage. The Company relies upon experts in various fields to develop and test cutting edge performance products, including Artificial Intelligence. While the Company believes it is at the forefront of golf equipment innovation, if the Company fails to continue to introduce technical innovation in its products, or is unable to effectively utilize new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, consumer demand for its products could decline, and if the Company experiences problems with the quality of its products, the Company may incur substantial brand damage and expense to remedy the problems, any of which could materially adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company relies on complex information systems for management of its manufacturing, distribution, sales and other functions. If the Company’s information systems fail to perform these functions adequately or if the Company experiences an interruption in their operation, including a breach in cyber security, its business and results of operations could suffer.
All of the Company’s major operations, including manufacturing, distribution, sales and accounting, are dependent upon the Company’s complex information systems. The Company’s information systems are vulnerable to damage or interruption from:
•Earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane and other natural disasters;
•Power loss, computer systems failure, Internet and telecommunications or data network failure; and
•Hackers, computer viruses, software bugs or glitches.
Any damage or significant disruption in the operation of such systems, the failure of the Company’s or the Company's IT vendors' information systems to perform as expected, the failure to successfully integrate the information technology systems of the businesses that the Company has recently acquired or any security breach to the information systems (including financial or credit/payment frauds) would disrupt the Company’s business, which may result in decreased sales, increased overhead costs, excess inventory and product shortages and otherwise adversely affect the Company’s reputation, operations, financial performance and condition.
Cyber-attacks, unauthorized access to, or accidental disclosure of, consumer personally-identifiable information including payment card information, that the Company or the Company's vendors collects through its websites or stores on its servers may result in significant expense and negatively impact the Company's reputation and business.
There is heightened concern and awareness over the security of personal information transmitted over the Internet, consumer identity theft and user privacy. While the Company has implemented security measures, the Company’s computer systems and those of its third party vendors of IT and data security systems and services, may nevertheless be susceptible to electronic or physical computer break-ins, viruses, fraud, and other disruptions and security compromises involving the loss or unauthorized access of confidential information because technologies used to obtain unauthorized access to or sabotage systems are constantly evolving, change frequently, and generally are not recognized until they are launched against a target. Any perceived or actual unauthorized or inadvertent disclosure of personally-identifiable information, whether through a compromise of the Company’s or its third party vendors’ networks by an unauthorized party, employee theft, misuse or error or otherwise, could harm the Company’s reputation, impair the Company’s ability to attract website visitors, require us to notify payment brands if payment card information is accessed or compromised, compel us to comply with federal and/or state breach notification laws and foreign equivalents, subject us to costly mandatory corrective action, or subject the Company to claims or litigation arising from damages suffered by consumers, all of which could adversely affect the Company’s operations, financial performance and condition.
Risks Related to Regulations
Regulations related to “conflict minerals” require the Company to incur additional expenses and could limit the supply and increase the cost of certain metals used in manufacturing the Company’s products.
The Commission's rules require disclosure related to sourcing of specified minerals, known as conflict minerals, that are necessary to the functionality or production of products manufactured or contracted to be manufactured by public companies. The rules require companies to, under specified circumstances, undertake due diligence, disclose and report whether or not such minerals originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo or an adjoining country. The Company’s products may contain some of the specified minerals. As a result, the Company incurs additional expenses in connection with complying with the rules, including with respect to any due diligence that is required under the rules. In addition, the Commission's implementation of the rules could adversely affect the sourcing, supply and pricing of materials used in the Company’s products. There may only be a limited number of suppliers offering “conflict free” conflict minerals, and the Company cannot be certain that it will be able to obtain necessary “conflict free” minerals from such suppliers in sufficient quantities or at competitive prices. Because the Company’s supply chain is complex, the Company may also not be able to sufficiently verify the origins of the relevant minerals used in the Company’s products through the due diligence procedures that the Company implements, which may harm the Company’s reputation.
The Company could be adversely affected by any violations of economic sanctions laws and regulations, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), the U.K. Bribery Act, and other foreign anti-bribery laws.
The FCPA generally prohibits companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to non-U.S. government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Other countries in which the Company operates also have anti-bribery laws, some of which prohibit improper payments to government and non-government persons and entities, and others (e.g., the FCPA and the U.K. Bribery Act) extend their application to activities outside of their country of origin. Economic and trade sanctions laws and regulations administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Department of State, and foreign jurisdictions impose requirements on the Company’s operations and may prohibit or restrict transactions in certain countries and with certain designated persons. The Company’s policies mandate compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and sanctions laws. In certain regions of the world, strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. In addition, the Company may conduct business in certain regions through intermediaries over whom the Company has less direct control, such as subcontractors, agents, and partners (such as joint venture partners). Although the Company has implemented policies, procedures, and, in certain cases, contractual arrangements designed to facilitate compliance with applicable economic and trade sanctions and anti-bribery laws, the Company’s officers, directors, employees, associates, subcontractors, agents, and partners may take actions in violation of the Company’s policies, procedures, contractual arrangements, economic sanctions and anti-bribery laws. Any such violation, even if prohibited by the Company’s policies, could subject the Company and such persons to criminal and/or substantial civil penalties or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flows, and reputation.
The Company is subject to environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, which could subject the Company to liabilities, increase its costs or restrict its operations in the future.
The Company’s properties and operations are subject to a number of environmental, health and safety laws and regulations in each of the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. These laws and regulations govern, among other things, air emissions, water discharges, handling and disposal of solid and hazardous substances and wastes, soil and groundwater contamination and employee health and safety. The Company’s failure to comply with such environmental, health and safety laws and regulations could result in substantial civil or criminal fines or penalties or enforcement actions, including regulatory or judicial orders enjoining or curtailing operations or requiring remedial or corrective measures, installation of pollution control equipment or other actions.
The Company may also be subject to liability for environmental investigations and cleanups, including at properties that the Company currently or previously owned or operated, even if such contamination was not caused by the Company, and the Company may face claims alleging harm to health or property or natural resource damages arising out of contamination or exposure to hazardous substances. The Company may also be subject to similar liabilities and claims in connection with locations at which hazardous substances or wastes the Company has generated have been stored, treated, otherwise managed, or disposed. Environmental conditions at or related to the Company’s current or former properties or operations, and/or the costs of complying with current or future environmental, health and safety requirements (which have become more stringent and complex over time) could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in, or any failure to comply with, data privacy laws, regulations, and standards may adversely affect the Company’s business.
Data privacy and data security have become significant issues in the United States, Europe, and in many other jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The regulatory framework for data privacy and security issues worldwide is rapidly evolving and is likely to remain uncertain and continue evolving for the foreseeable future. Federal, state, or foreign government bodies or agencies have in the past adopted, and may in the future adopt additional, laws and regulations affecting data privacy and in the United States, these include rules and regulations promulgated under the authority of federal agencies and state attorneys general and legislatures and consumer protection agencies. Many states in the United States have recently enacted statutes and rules governing the ways in which businesses may collect, use, and retain personal information. One such example is the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which came into effect in 2020. Similar laws relating to data privacy and security have been proposed in other states and at the federal level, and if passed, such laws have potentially conflicting requirements that could make compliance challenging, require us to expend significant resources to come into compliance, and restrict our ability to process certain personal information. Internationally, many
jurisdictions in which the Company operates have established or enhanced their own data security and privacy legal framework with which the Company or its customers must comply, including but not limited to, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), which imposes stringent operational requirements, including, for example, requiring expanded disclosures about how personal information is used, limitations on retention of information, mandatory data breach notification obligations, and higher standards for obtaining consent to process personal information. The GDPR provides that EU member states may make their own additional laws and regulations in relation to certain data processing activities. Recent legal developments in the EU have created complexity and uncertainty regarding transfers of personal information from the EU to “third countries,” especially the United States. For example, last year the Court of Justice of the EU invalidated the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework (a mechanism for the transfer of personal information to the EU to the US) and made clear that reliance on standard contractual clauses (another mechanism for the transfer of personal information outside of the EU) alone may not be sufficient in all circumstances. In addition, after the United Kingdom, or UK, left the EU, the UK enacted the UK GDPR, which together with the amended UK Data Protection Act 2018 retains the GDPR in UK national law, but also creates complexity and uncertainty regarding transfers between the UK and the EU, which could further limit our ability to use and share personal data and require localized changes to our operating model. In many jurisdictions, enforcement actions and consequences for noncompliance are also rising. In addition to government regulation, privacy advocates and industry groups may propose new and different self-regulatory standards that either legally or contractually apply to the Company. The changing legal and regulatory landscape could in the future further limit our ability to use and share personal information and require changes to our operating model. Any inability or perceived inability to adequately address data privacy and security concerns, even if unfounded, or comply with applicable data privacy and data security laws, regulations, and policies, could result in additional compliance costs, penalties and liability to the Company, damage its reputation and adversely affect its business.
Risks Related to Tax and Financial Matters
Changes in tax laws, including as a result of the 2020 United States presidential and congressional elections, and unanticipated tax liabilities could adversely affect the Company's effective income tax rate and profitability.
The Company is subject to income taxes in the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. The Company's effective income tax rate in the future could be adversely affected by a number of factors, including: changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in tax laws, the outcome of income tax audits in various jurisdictions around the world, and any repatriation of non-US earnings for which the Company has not previously provided for U.S. taxes. The Company regularly assesses all of these matters to determine the adequacy of its tax provision, which is subject to significant discretion.
In addition, new income, sales, use or other tax laws, statutes, rules, regulations or ordinances could be enacted at any time, or interpreted, changed, modified or applied adversely to the Company, any of which could adversely affect the Company’s business operations and financial performance. In particular, the recent presidential and congressional elections in the United States could result in significant changes in, and uncertainty with respect to, tax legislation, regulation and government policy directly affecting the Company’s business or indirectly affecting the Company because of impacts on the Company’s customers and suppliers. For example, the U.S. government may enact significant changes to the taxation of business entities including, among others, a permanent increase in the corporate income tax rate, an increase in the tax rate applicable to the global intangible low-taxed income and elimination of certain exemptions, and the imposition of minimum taxes or surtaxes on certain types of income. No specific U.S. tax legislation has been proposed at this time and the likelihood of these changes being enacted or implemented is unclear. The Company is currently unable to predict whether such changes will occur and, if so, the ultimate impact on its business. To the extent that such changes have a negative impact on the Company, or its suppliers or customers, including as a result of related uncertainty, these changes may materially and adversely impact the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The Company’s ability to utilize all or a portion of its U.S. deferred tax assets may be limited significantly if the Company experiences an “ownership change.”
The Company has a significant amount of U.S. federal and state deferred tax assets, which include net operating loss carryforwards ("NOLs") and credit carryforwards. The Company’s ability to utilize its NOLs and credits to offset future taxable income may be limited significantly if the Company were to experience an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In general, an ownership change will occur if there is a cumulative change in ownership of the Company’s stock by “5-percent shareholders” (as defined in the Code)
that exceeds 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. The determination of whether an ownership change has occurred for purposes of Section 382 of the Code is complex and requires significant judgment. The extent to which the Company’s ability to utilize the losses and credits is limited as a result of such an ownership change depends on many variables, including the value of the Company’s stock at the time of the ownership change. The Company continues to monitor changes in ownership. If such a cumulative increase did occur in any three-year period and the Company were limited in the amount of NOLs and credits it could use to offset taxable income or liability for income taxes, the Company’s results of operations and cash flows would be adversely impacted. The Company may experience an ownership change in the future as a result of subsequent shifts in the Company’s stock ownership, some of which changes are outside of the Company’s control. In particular, it is likely that each of the Company and Topgolf will experience an ownership change as a result of the Topgolf Merger. The Company does not currently expect that the resulting limitation caused by the Merger, if any, will have a significant impact on either the Company’s or Topgolf’s financial statements.
The Company’s obligations and certain financial covenants contained under its existing credit facilities expose it to risks that could materially and adversely affect its liquidity, business, operating results, financial condition and limit the Company’s flexibility in operating its business, including the ability to make any dividend or other payments on its capital stock.
The Company’s primary credit facility is a senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility (as amended, the “ABL Facility”), comprised of a U.S. facility, a Canadian facility and a United Kingdom facility, in each case subject to borrowing base availability under the applicable facility. The amounts outstanding under the ABL Facility are secured by certain assets, including cash (to the extent pledged by the Company), the Company's intellectual property, certain eligible real estate, inventory and accounts receivable of the Company’s subsidiaries in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The maximum availability under the ABL Facility fluctuates with the general seasonality of the business, and increases and decreases with the changes in the Company's inventory and account receivable balances. The Company is also party to a Term Loan B facility (the “Term Loan Facility”), the proceeds of which were used to finance the Jack Wolfskin acquisition in January 2019. The Term Loan Facility is secured by certain assets of the Company and includes restrictions similar to those described below.
The ABL Facility includes certain restrictions including, among other things, restrictions on the incurrence of additional debt, liens, dividends, stock repurchases and other restricted payments, asset sales, investments, mergers, acquisitions and affiliate transactions. In addition, the ABL Facility imposes restrictions on the amount the Company could pay in annual cash dividends, including meeting certain restrictions on the amount of additional indebtedness and requirements to maintain a certain fixed charge coverage ratio under certain circumstances. If the Company experiences a decline in revenues or adjusted EBITDA, the Company may have difficulty paying interest and principal amounts due on its ABL Facility or other indebtedness and meeting certain of the financial covenants contained in the ABL Facility. If the Company is unable to make required payments under the ABL Facility, or if the Company fails to comply with the various covenants and other requirements of the ABL Facility or other indebtedness, the Company would be in default thereunder, which would permit the holders of the indebtedness to accelerate the maturity thereof. Any default under the ABL Facility or other indebtedness could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity, business, operating results and financial condition and ability to make any dividend or other payments on the Company’s capital stock. See Note 7 “Financing Arrangements,” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K for further discussion of the terms of the ABL Facility, the Term Loan Facility and the Company's Japan ABL Facility.
The Company’s ability to generate sufficient positive cash flows from operations is subject to many risks and uncertainties, including future economic trends and conditions, demand for the Company’s products, foreign currency exchange rates and other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company and its business. No assurances can be given that the Company will be able to generate sufficient operating cash flows in the future or maintain or grow its existing cash balances. If the Company is unable to generate sufficient cash flows to make its required payment obligations under the Term Loan Facility or to fund its business, the Company will need to increase its reliance on its ABL Facility for needed liquidity. If its ABL Facility is not then available or sufficient and the Company is not able to secure alternative financing arrangements, the Company’s future operations would be materially, adversely affected.
The Company may need to raise additional funds from time to time through public or private debt or equity financings in order to execute its growth strategy.
The Company may need to raise additional funds from time to time in order to take advantage of opportunities, including the expansion of its business or the acquisition of complementary products, technologies or businesses; develop
new products; or respond to competitive pressures. For example, in May 2020, the Company issued approximately $258.8 million of 2.75% Convertible Senior Notes. Any additional capital raised through the sale of equity or securities convertible into equity will dilute the percentage ownership of holders of the Company’s common stock. Capital raised through debt financing would require the Company to make periodic interest payments and may impose restrictive covenants on the conduct of its business. Furthermore, additional financings may not be available on terms economically favorable to the Company, or at all, especially during periods of adverse economic conditions, which could make it more difficult or impossible for the Company to obtain funding for the operation of its business, for making additional investments in product development and for repaying outstanding indebtedness. A failure to obtain any necessary additional funding could prevent the Company from making expenditures that may be required to grow its business or maintain its operations.
Increases in interest rates could increase the cost of servicing the Company’s indebtedness and have an adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations and cash flows.
The Company’s indebtedness outstanding under certain of its credit facilities, including the ABL Facility and the Term Loan Facility, bears interest at variable rates. As a result, increases in interest rates would increase the cost of servicing the Company’s indebtedness and could materially reduce the Company’s profitability and cash flows. An increase in interest rates could also make it difficult for the Company to obtain financing at attractive rates, which could adversely impact the Company’s ability to execute its growth strategy or future acquisitions. Additionally, rising interest rates could have a dampening effect on overall economic activity, which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s business.
Goodwill and intangible assets represent a significant portion of the Company’s total assets, and any impairment of these assets could negatively impact the Company's results of operations and shareholders’ equity.
The Company’s goodwill and intangible assets consist of goodwill from acquisitions, trade names, trademarks, service marks, trade dress, patents and other intangible assets. Accounting rules require the evaluation of the Company’s goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives for impairment at least annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of such assets may not be recoverable. Such indicators include a sustained decline in the Company’s stock price or market capitalization, adverse changes in economic or market conditions or prospects, and changes in the Company’s operations.
An asset is considered to be impaired when its carrying value exceeds its fair value. The Company determines the fair value of an asset based upon the discounted cash flows expected to be realized from the use and ultimate disposition of the asset. If in conducting an impairment evaluation the Company determines that the carrying value of an asset exceeded its fair value, the Company would be required to record a non-cash impairment charge for the difference between the carrying value and the fair value of the asset. If a significant amount of the Company’s goodwill and intangible assets were deemed to be impaired, the Company’s results of operations and shareholders’ equity would be significantly adversely affected.
Risks Related to the Merger with Topgolf
There can be no assurance when or if the proposed Merger will be consummated.
Even if the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement and approve the transactions contemplated thereby (the “Topgolf Merger Proposal”) is approved by the stockholders of Topgolf and the proposal to approve the issuance of shares of common stock of Callaway to stockholders of Topgolf pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement (the “Callaway Merger Proposal”) is approved by the Callaway stockholders, specified conditions must be satisfied or waived to complete the Merger, including, among others, the absence of laws in the United States and certain specified jurisdictions enjoining or prohibiting the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and the absence of any material adverse effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) on Callaway or Topgolf. On November 23, 2020, the FTC granted early termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act with respect to the Merger, effective immediately. There can be no assurance that Callaway and Topgolf will be able to satisfy the closing conditions or that closing conditions beyond Callaway’s or Topgolf’s control will be satisfied or waived. The Merger Agreement also contains certain customary termination rights, including, among others, the right of either party to terminate the Merger Agreement with mutual written consent and in other specified circumstances.
Callaway and Topgolf are both subject to various business uncertainties, contractual restrictions and requirements while the Merger is pending, that could adversely affect Callaway's and Topgolf's business, financial condition and results of operations.
During the pendency of the Merger, it is possible that customers, suppliers, vendors, commercial partners and/or other persons with whom Callaway or Topgolf has a business relationship may elect to delay or defer certain business decisions or decide to seek to terminate, change or renegotiate their relationships with Callaway or Topgolf, as the case may be, as a result of the Merger, which could significantly reduce the expected benefits of the Merger and/or adversely affect Callaway and/or Topgolf’s revenues, earnings and cash flows, and the market price of Callaway’s common stock, regardless of whether the Merger is completed. Uncertainty about the effects of the Merger on employees may impair Callaway’s and Topgolf’s ability to attract, retain and motivate key personnel during the pendency of the Merger and, if the Merger is completed, for a period of time thereafter. If key employees depart because of issues related to the uncertainty and difficulty of integration or a desire not to remain with Callaway or Topgolf following the completion of the Merger, Callaway and Topgolf may have to incur significant costs in identifying, hiring and retaining replacements for departing employees and may lose significant expertise and talent. Callaway and Topgolf will also incur significant costs related to the Merger, some of which must be paid even if the Merger is not completed. These costs are substantial and include financial advisory, legal and accounting costs.
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Callaway and Topgolf are also subject to certain restrictions on the conduct of their respective businesses prior to the completion of the Merger, which may adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s ability to execute certain of their respective business strategies. Such limitations could adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s business, strategy, operations and prospects prior to the completion of the Merger.
Any difficulties resulting from the Merger, including COVID-19-related disruptions, could adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Following the completion of the Merger, Callaway may not be able to integrate the Topgolf business successfully or operate the Topgolf business profitably. Integrating any newly acquired business, including Topgolf, is typically expensive and time-consuming. Integration efforts often take a significant amount of time, place a significant strain on managerial, operational and financial resources and could prove to be more difficult or expensive than predicted. The diversion of management’s attention and any delay or difficulties encountered in connection with any such acquisitions could result in the disruption of on-going business or inconsistencies in standards and controls that could negatively affect Callaway’s ability to maintain third-party relationships. Moreover, Callaway may need to raise additional funds through public or private debt or equity financing, or issue additional shares, to continue operating the Topgolf business, which may result in dilution for stockholders or the incurrence of indebtedness.
As part of Callaway’s efforts to acquire companies, businesses or products or to enter into other significant transactions, including Topgolf, Callaway conducts business, legal and financial due diligence with the goal of identifying and evaluating material risks involved in the transaction. Despite Callaway’s efforts, Callaway ultimately may be unsuccessful in ascertaining or evaluating all such risks and, as a result, might not realize the intended advantages of Merger. In addition, it is not possible to accurately predict the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business, financial condition and results of operations of Topgolf, due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent of its impact across industries and geographies and numerous other uncertainties. There can be no assurance that any efforts taken by Topgolf to address the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic or actions taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic or its impact will be effective or will not result in significant additional costs. If Topgolf is unable to recover from a business disruption on a timely basis or otherwise mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business, financial condition and results of operations of Topgolf could be materially and adversely affected, which could make the Merger less attractive, and the Merger and efforts to integrate the businesses of the two companies may be delayed or become more costly or difficult.
If Callaway fails to realize the expected benefits from the Merger, whether as a result of unidentified risks, integration difficulties, complexities associated with managing the combined business, performance shortfalls at one or both of the companies as a result of the diversion of management’s attention caused by completing the Merger and integrating the companies’ operations, COVID-19-related disruptions, litigation with current or former employees and other events, Callaway’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
There has been no public market for Topgolf’s capital stock and the lack of a public market makes it difficult to determine the fair market value of Topgolf.
The outstanding capital stock of Topgolf is privately held and is not traded on any public market. The lack of a public market may make it more difficult to determine the fair market value of Topgolf than if the outstanding capital stock of Topgolf was traded publicly. The value ascribed to Topgolf’s securities in other contexts, including in private valuations or financings, may not be indicative of the price at which the outstanding shares of Topgolf’s capital stock may have traded if they were traded on a public market. The Merger Consideration to be paid to Topgolf stockholders was determined based on negotiations between the parties and likewise may not be indicative of the price at which the outstanding shares of Topgolf capital stock may have traded if they were traded on a public market. As a result, it is possible that the value of the Callaway common stock to be received by Topgolf stockholders will be less than the fair market value of Topgolf’s capital stock, or Callaway may pay more than the aggregate fair market value for Topgolf’s capital stock.
Callaway has been and may continue to be targeted by securities class action and derivative lawsuits that could result in substantial costs and may delay or prevent the Merger from being completed.
Securities class action lawsuits and derivative lawsuits are often brought against public companies that have entered into merger agreements. Even if the lawsuits are without merit, defending against these claims can result in substantial costs and divert management time and resources. An adverse judgment could result in monetary damages, which could have a negative impact on Callaway’s liquidity and financial condition. Additionally, if a plaintiff is successful in obtaining an injunction prohibiting completion of the Merger, then that injunction may delay or prevent the Merger from being completed, or from being completed within the expected timeframe, which may adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s respective businesses, financial condition and results of operation.
Six purported stockholders of Callaway have filed complaints against Callaway and its directors related to the Merger Agreement—three in the Southern District of New York captioned Rioux v. Callaway Golf Company, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-10818 (the “Rioux Complaint”); Ciccotelli v. Brewer, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-10896 (the “Ciccotelli Complaint”); and Ryder v. Callaway Golf Company, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-11012; one in the District of New Jersey captioned Frank v. Callaway Golf Company, et al., Case No. 2:21-cv-00089; and two in the Southern District of California captioned Bushansky v. Callaway Golf Company, et al., Case No. 21-cv-0034 GPC MSB, and Anderson v. Callaway Golf Company, et al., Case No. 3:21-cv-00171-GPC-MSB. The complaints name as defendants Callaway and each member of Callaway’s Board of Directors (the “Callaway Board”), and in the case of the Ciccotelli Complaint, Topgolf. The complaints allege that the registration statement on Form S-4 omits material information or contains misleading disclosures and that, as a result, defendants violated Sections 14(a) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act. The Rioux Complaint also alleges that each member of the Callaway Board breached its fiduciary duties of candor and disclosure. The complaints seek, among other things, (i) injunctive relief preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (ii) damages and (iii) plaintiff’s attorneys’ and experts’ fees and expenses. Callaway believes the claims asserted in the complaints are without merit and intends to vigorously defend against them.
The market price of Callaway’s common stock may decline as a result of the Merger, and the issuance of shares of Callaway common stock to Topgolf stockholders in the Merger may have a negative impact on Callaway’s financial results, including earnings per share.
The market price of Callaway common stock may decline as a result of the Merger, and holders of Callaway common stock (including Topgolf stockholders who receive Callaway common stock in connection with the Merger) could see a decrease in the value of their investment in Callaway common stock, if, among other things, Callaway and the surviving corporation are unable to achieve the expected growth in earnings, or if the anticipated benefits from the Merger are not realized, or if the Merger and integration-related costs related to the Merger are greater than expected. The market price of Callaway common stock may also decline if Callaway does not achieve the anticipated benefits of the Merger as rapidly or to the extent expected by financial or industry analysts or if the effects of the Merger on Callaway’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows are not otherwise consistent with the expectations of financial or industry analysts. The issuance of shares of Callaway common stock in the Merger could on its own have the effect of depressing the market price for Callaway common stock. In addition, some Topgolf stockholders may decide not to continue to hold the shares of Callaway common stock they receive as a result of the Merger, and any such sales of Callaway common stock could have the effect of depressing their market price. Moreover, general fluctuations in stock markets could have a material adverse
effect on the market for, or liquidity of, Callaway common stock, regardless of Callaway’s actual operating performance following the completion of the Merger.
The exchange ratio will not be adjusted based on the market price of Callaway common stock so the Merger Consideration at the closing may have a greater or lesser value than at the time the Merger Agreement was signed.
At the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), outstanding shares of Topgolf capital stock will be converted into right to receive a number of shares of Callaway common stock equal to its pro rata portion of the Merger Consideration, after taking into account the applicable liquidation preferences set forth in Topgolf’s organizational documents. Immediately after the Merger, Callaway stockholders as of immediately prior to the Merger are expected to own approximately 51.5% of the outstanding shares of the combined company on a fully-diluted basis and former Topgolf stockholders, other than Callaway, are expected to own approximately 48.5% of the outstanding shares of the combined company on a fully-diluted basis, subject to certain assumptions. Any changes in the market price of Callaway stock before the completion of the Merger will not affect the number of shares Topgolf stockholders will be entitled to receive pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
Therefore, if before the completion of the Merger, the market price of Callaway common stock increases from the market price on the date of the Merger Agreement, then Topgolf stockholders could receive Merger Consideration with substantially more value for their shares of Topgolf capital stock than the parties had negotiated when they established the Merger Consideration. Similarly, if before the completion of the Merger the market price of Callaway common stock declines from the market price on the date of the Merger Agreement, then Topgolf stockholders could receive Merger Consideration with substantially lower value. The Merger Agreement does not include a price-based termination right.
Failure to complete the Merger may result in either Callaway or Topgolf paying a termination fee to the other party, which could harm the common stock price of Callaway and future business and operations of each company.
If the Merger is not completed, Callaway and Topgolf are subject to the following risks:
•if the Merger Agreement is terminated under specified circumstances, Callaway or Topgolf will be required to pay the other party a termination fee of $75.0 million;
•the price of Callaway common stock may decline and could fluctuate significantly; and
•a majority of the costs related to the Merger, such as legal and accounting fees and a portion of financial advisors’ fees, must be paid even if the Merger is not completed.
If the Merger Agreement is terminated and the board of directors of Callaway or Topgolf determines to seek another business combination, there can be no assurance that either Callaway or Topgolf will be able to find a partner with whom a business combination would yield greater benefits than the benefits to be provided under the Merger Agreement.
The Merger may be completed even though a material adverse effect may result from the announcement of the Merger, industry-wide changes or other causes.
In general, neither Callaway nor Topgolf is obligated to complete the Merger if there is a material adverse effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) affecting the other party between October 27, 2020, the date of the Merger Agreement, and the closing of the Merger. However, certain types of changes are excluded in the Merger Agreement from the concept of a “material adverse effect.” Such exclusions include, but are not limited to, changes resulting from the announcement or the execution of the Merger Agreement and the pendency or consummation of the Merger, including the impact thereof on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, licensors, distributors, partners, providers and employees and, to the extent such changes or events do not have a disproportionate impact on Callaway or Topgolf (as applicable), as compared with other industry participants: changes or developments in applicable laws or accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP") or changes in governmental orders, guidelines or recommendations regarding COVID-19; changes or developments in interest rates or United States or global economic, political, business, financial, commodity, currency, regulatory or market conditions generally; industry wide changes, any earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, tornado, flood, mudslide, wild fire or other natural disaster, changes in or effects in weather, meteorological conditions or climate, explosion, fire, act of God or other force majeure event, any epidemic, disease outbreak or pandemic (including COVID-19), public health emergency or widespread occurrence of infectious disease. Therefore, if any of these events were to occur impacting Callaway or Topgolf, the other party would still be obliged to consummate the closing of the Merger. If any such adverse changes occur and Callaway and Topgolf consummate the closing of the Merger, the stock
price of the combined company may suffer. This in turn may reduce the value of the Merger to the stockholders of Callaway, Topgolf or both.
Some of Callaway executive officers and Topgolf directors and executive officers have interests in the Merger that are different from those of Callaway’s and Topgolf’s stockholders generally and that may influence them to support or approve the Merger without regard to the companies’ stockholders’ interests.
Callaway’s executive officers and Topgolf’s executive officers and certain non-employee directors have interests in the Merger that may be different from, or in addition to, the interests of Callaway and Topgolf stockholders generally. These interests with respect to Callaway’s executive officers may include, among other things, the determination by the Callaway Board, in connection with the Merger, to award PRSUs and RSUs to Callaway’s executive officers, in each case subject to and effective upon the closing of the Merger. These interests with respect to Topgolf’s directors and executive officers may include, among others, certain of Topgolf’s directors and executive officers have options, subject to vesting, to purchase shares of Topgolf common stock which, after the Effective Time, will be converted into and become options to purchase shares of the common stock of Callaway, certain Topgolf executive officers are eligible to receive a grant of Callaway RSUs and PRSUs following the Effective Time as a retention and incentive award, and will be eligible to receive an annual grant of Callaway RSUs and PRSUs in an amount to be determined following the Effective Time, and all of Topgolf’s directors and executive officers are entitled to certain indemnification and liability insurance coverage pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement. Further, certain current members of the Topgolf Board will become directors of Callaway after the Effective Time, and, following the closing of the Merger, will be eligible to be compensated as non-employee directors of Callaway pursuant to Callaway’s director compensation program following the Effective Time. The Callaway and Topgolf boards of directors were aware of and considered these interests to the extent such interests existed at the time, among other matters, in approving the Merger Agreement and, in the case of Callaway, in recommending that the Callaway Merger Proposal be adopted by the Callaway stockholders, and in the case of Topgolf, in recommending that the Merger Agreement be adopted by Topgolf stockholders. These interests, among other factors, may have influenced the directors and executive officers of Callaway and Topgolf to support or approve the Merger.
Callaway stockholders may not realize a benefit from the Merger commensurate with the ownership dilution they will experience in connection with the Merger.
If the combined company is unable to realize the full strategic and financial benefits currently anticipated from the Merger, Callaway stockholders will have experienced substantial dilution of their ownership interests without receiving any commensurate benefit, or only receiving part of the commensurate benefit to the extent the combined company is able to realize only part of the strategic and financial benefits currently anticipated from the Merger.
Callaway and Topgolf stockholders will have a reduced ownership and voting interest in, and will exercise less influence over the management of, the combined company following the completion of the Merger as compared to their current ownership and voting interests in the respective companies.
After the completion of the Merger, the current stockholders of Callaway and Topgolf will own a smaller percentage of the combined company than their ownership of their respective companies prior to the Merger. Immediately after the Merger, Callaway stockholders as of immediately prior to the Merger are expected to own approximately 51.5% of the outstanding shares of the combined company on a fully-diluted basis and former Topgolf stockholders, other than Callaway, are expected to own approximately 48.5% of the outstanding shares of the combined company on a fully-diluted basis, subject to certain assumptions.
During the pendency of the Merger, Callaway and Topgolf may not be able to enter into a business combination with another party on more favorable terms because of restrictions in the Merger Agreement, which could adversely affect their respective business prospects.
Covenants in the Merger Agreement impede the ability of Callaway and Topgolf to make acquisitions during the pendency of the Merger, subject to specified exceptions. As a result, if the Merger is not completed, the parties may be at a disadvantage to their competitors during that period. In addition, while the Merger Agreement is in effect, each party is generally prohibited from initiating, soliciting or knowingly encouraging or knowingly facilitating any inquiries or requests for information with respect to, or the making of, any inquiry regarding, any proposal or offer that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to result in or lead to, certain transactions involving a third party, including a Merger, sale of assets
or other business combination, subject to specified exceptions. Any such transactions could be favorable to such party’s stockholders, but the parties may be unable to pursue them.
Certain provisions of the Merger Agreement may discourage third parties from submitting competing proposals, including proposals that may be superior to the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement.
The terms of the Merger Agreement prohibit each of Callaway and Topgolf from soliciting competing proposals or cooperating with persons making unsolicited takeover proposals, except in certain limited circumstances. In addition, the Merger Agreement further provides that, upon termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, either party may be required to pay the other party a termination fee of $75.0 million. This termination fee may discourage third parties from submitting competing proposals to Callaway or its stockholders, and may cause the Callaway Board to be less inclined to recommend a competing proposal.
The Merger may not be accretive, and may be dilutive, to Callaway’s diluted earnings per share in the first full fiscal year after close or beyond, which may negatively affect the market price of shares of Callaway common stock.
The impact of COVID-19, adverse changes in market conditions, additional transaction and integration-related costs and other factors that may be exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19, such as the failure to realize some or all of the anticipated benefits of the Merger, may cause the Merger to be dilutive to Callaway’s diluted earnings per share in the first fiscal year after close or beyond. Any dilution of Callaway’s non-GAAP diluted earnings per share could cause the price of shares of Callaway’s common stock to decline or grow at a reduced rate.
Risks Related to the Combined Company
If the Merger with Topgolf closes, the combined company will be subject to additional risks, including each of those described below.
Following the Merger, Callaway may not be able to integrate Topgolf successfully into Callaway and many of the anticipated benefits of acquiring Topgolf may not be realized.
The Merger involves the combination of two companies which currently operate as independent companies. Following the Merger, the combined company will be required to devote significant management attention and resources to integrating its business practices and operations. The combined company may fail to realize some or all of the anticipated benefits of the Merger if the integration process takes longer than expected or is more costly than expected. Callaway and Topgolf entered into the Merger Agreement with the expectation that the Merger will result in various benefits, including, among other things, leveraging various assets, operating efficiencies, synergies and cost savings. Achieving the anticipated benefits of the Merger is subject to a number of uncertainties, including whether the businesses of Callaway and Topgolf can be integrated in an efficient and effective manner.
It is possible that the integration process could take longer than anticipated and could result in the loss of valuable employees, the disruption of each company’s ongoing businesses, processes and systems or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures, practices, policies and compensation arrangements, any of which could adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the Merger. Callaway and Topgolf’s results of operations could also be adversely affected by any issues attributable to either company’s operations that arise or are based on events or actions that occur before the closing. Callaway and Topgolf may have difficulty addressing possible differences in corporate cultures and management philosophies.
The integration process is subject to a number of uncertainties, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated benefits will be realized or, if realized, the timing of their realization. Failure to achieve these anticipated benefits could result in increased costs or decreases in the amount of expected net income and could adversely affect Callaway’s and Topgolf’s future business, financial condition, operating results and prospects.
The combined company may need to raise additional capital in the future, and such funds may not be available on attractive terms, or at all.
The combined company may need to raise additional funds through public or private debt or equity financing, or issue additional shares, to continue operating the Topgolf business, which may result in dilution for stockholders or the incurrence of indebtedness. The combined company cannot be certain that additional capital will be available as needed or on acceptable terms, or at all. If the combined company requires additional capital at a time when an investment in the
combined company, in companies within Callaway’s and Topgolf’s industry, or the market in general is limited, the combined company may not be able to raise additional funds at the time that it desires, or at all. If the combined company does raise additional funds through public or private debt or equity financing or the issuance of additional shares, the percentage ownership of holders of its stock could be significantly diluted and these newly issued securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of holders of the common stock. Any debt financing the combined company enters into may involve covenants that restrict its operations. These restrictive covenants may include limitations on additional borrowing and specific restrictions on the use of the combined company’s assets, as well as prohibitions on its ability to create liens, pay dividends, redeem its stock or make investments.
Uncertainties associated with the Merger may cause a loss of management personnel and other key employees, and Callaway and Topgolf may have difficulty attracting and motivating management personnel and other key employees, which could adversely affect the future business and operations of the combined company.
Callaway and Topgolf are dependent on the experience and industry knowledge of their respective management personnel and other key employees to execute their business plans. The combined company’s success after the completion of the Merger will depend in part upon the ability of Callaway and Topgolf to attract, motivate and retain key management personnel and other key employees. Prior to completion of the Merger, current and prospective employees of Callaway and Topgolf may experience uncertainty about their roles within the combined company following the completion of the Merger, which may have an adverse effect on the ability of each of Callaway and Topgolf to attract, motivate or retain management personnel and other key employees. In addition, no assurance can be given that Callaway and Topgolf will be able to attract, motivate or retain management personnel and other key employees of Callaway and Topgolf to the same extent that Callaway and Topgolf have previously been able to attract or retain their own employees. If key employees terminate their employment, Callaway’s and Topgolf’s business activities may be adversely affected and management’s attention may be diverted from successfully integrating Callaway and Topgolf to hiring suitable replacements, all of which may cause the combined company’s business to suffer.
Completion of the Merger will trigger change in control, assignment or other provisions in certain agreements to which Topgolf or its subsidiaries are a party. Failure to obtain the consent of the counterparty in these agreements may have an adverse impact on Topgolf’s or the combined company’s business and results of operations.
The completion of the Merger will trigger change in control, assignment and other provisions in certain agreements to which Topgolf or its subsidiaries are a party. If Topgolf is unable to negotiate waivers of or obtain written consent pursuant to those provisions, the counterparties may exercise their rights and remedies under the agreements, potentially terminating the agreements or seeking monetary damages. Topgolf’s failure to obtain the consent of the counterparty to these agreements may result in damages for breach of these agreements, disrupt Topgolf’s business and result in Topgolf having to obtain other suitable suppliers and vendors to replace these counterparties, which may not be available at all or may not be available under terms acceptable to Topgolf or, following the Merger, the combined company. As a result, the failure to obtain such consents may have an adverse impact on Topgolf’s or the combined company’s business and results of operations.
Callaway and Topgolf will incur significant transaction and integration-related costs in connection with the Merger, and any such costs could adversely affect Callaway’s ability to execute on its integration plan.
Callaway expects to incur a number of non-recurring costs associated with the Merger and combining the operations of the two companies. Additionally, each of Callaway and Topgolf will incur significant transaction costs related to the Merger, some of which must be paid even if the Merger is not completed. These costs are substantial and include financial advisory, legal and accounting costs. Callaway also will incur significant integration-related fees and costs related to formulating and implementing integration plans, including facilities and systems consolidation costs and employment-related costs. Callaway continues to assess the magnitude of these costs, and additional unanticipated costs may be incurred in the Merger and the integration of the two companies’ businesses. Although Callaway expects that the elimination of duplicative costs, as well as the realization of other efficiencies related to the integration of the businesses, should allow Callaway to offset integration-related costs over time, this net benefit may not be achieved in the near term, or at all.
Future sales of shares by existing stockholders could cause the combined company’s stock price to decline.
If existing stockholders of Callaway and Topgolf sell, or indicate an intention to sell, substantial amounts of the combined company’s common stock in the public market after legal restrictions on resale discussed in this proxy statement/
prospectus/consent solicitation lapse, the trading price of the common stock of the combined company could decline. Based on shares outstanding as of January 8, 2021, and approximately 90,138,613 shares expected to be issued upon completion of the Merger the combined company is expected to have outstanding a total of approximately 184,340,853 shares of common stock immediately following the completion of the Merger. Under the Stockholders Agreement entered into with certain Topgolf stockholders in connection with the Merger (the “Stockholders Agreement”), each of such Topgolf stockholders party thereto, together with their successors and permitted transferees, subject to certain limited exceptions, have agreed not to lend, offer, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, in each case whether effected directly or indirectly, any shares of Callaway common stock (other than shares of Callaway common stock received in exchange for Series H preferred stock of Topgolf) and securities convertible into shares of Callaway common stock held by them, including shares received in the Merger, until 180 days after the closing date of the Merger. All other outstanding shares of common stock, other than shares held by affiliates of the combined company, will be freely tradable, without restriction, in the public market. In addition, shares of common stock that are subject to outstanding options of Topgolf will become eligible for sale in the public market to the extent permitted by the provisions of various vesting agreements and Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act. If these shares are sold, the trading price of the combined company’s common stock could decline.
After completion of the Merger, certain of the combined company’s principal stockholders will have the ability to significantly influence all matters submitted to the combined company’s stockholders for approval.
Upon the completion of the Merger, it is anticipated that PEP TG Investments LP (“Providence”), DDFS Partnership LP and Dundon 2009 Gift Trust (together, “Dundon”), TGP Investors, LLC, TGP Investors II, LLC and TGP Advisors, LLC (together, “WestRiver”) will beneficially own approximately 15%, 10% and 11%, respectively of the combined company’s outstanding shares of common stock, and, in the aggregate, beneficially own approximately 36% of the combined company’s outstanding shares of common stock. Mr. Marimow is affiliated with Providence, Mr. Dundon is affiliated with Dundon and Mr. Anderson is affiliated with WestRiver, and each of Messrs. Marimow, Dundon and Anderson are expected to be appointed to the Callaway Board at the closing of the Merger. In addition, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, Providence and certain Topgolf stockholders affiliated with Dundon and WestRiver will have the right to designate one person (for a total of three persons) to be appointed or nominated, as the case may be, for election to the Callaway Board for so long as such stockholder maintains beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the shares of Callaway common stock owned by them on the closing date of the Merger.
As a result, if these stockholders were to choose to act together, they would be able to significantly influence all matters submitted to the combined company’s stockholders for approval, as well as the combined company’s management and affairs. For example, these persons, if they choose to act together, would have significant influence over the election of directors and approval of any Merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the combined company’s assets. This concentration of voting power could delay or prevent an acquisition of the combined company on terms that other stockholders may desire.
The market price of Callaway common stock may decline as a result of the Merger.
The market price of Callaway common stock may decline as a result of the Merger, and holders of Callaway common stock could see a decrease in the value of their investment in Callaway common stock, if, among other things, Callaway and the combined company are unable to achieve the expected growth in earnings, or if the anticipated benefits, including synergies, cost savings, innovation and operational efficiencies, from the Merger are not realized, or if the transaction costs related to the Merger are greater than expected. The market price may also decline if Callaway does not achieve the perceived benefits of the Merger as rapidly or to the extent anticipated by financial or industry analysts or if the effect of the Merger on Callaway’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows is not consistent with the expectations of financial or industry analysts. The issuance of shares of Callaway common stock in the Merger could on its own have the effect of depressing the market price for Callaway common stock. In addition, many Topgolf stockholders may decide not to hold the shares of Callaway common stock they receive as a result of the Merger. Other Topgolf stockholders, such as funds with limitations on their permitted holdings of stock in individual issuers, may be required to sell the shares of Callaway common stock they receive as a result of the Merger and other Callaway stockholders may also decide not to hold their shares of Callaway common stock following the Merger. Any such sales of Callaway common stock could have the effect of depressing the market price for Callaway common stock. Moreover, general fluctuations in stock markets
could have a material adverse effect on the market for, or liquidity of, the Callaway common stock, regardless of the actual operating performance of the combined company.
General Risk Factors
Significant developments stemming from the U.K.'s withdrawal from the European Union could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Following a national referendum and enactment of legislation by the government of the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom formally withdrew from the European Union and ratified a trade and cooperation agreement governing its future relationship with the European Union (commonly referred to as “Brexit”). The agreement, which is being applied provisionally from January 1, 2021 until it is ratified by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, addresses trade, economic arrangements, law enforcement, judicial cooperation and a governance framework including procedures for dispute resolution, among other things. Because the agreement merely sets forth a framework in many respects and will require complex additional bilateral negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union as both parties continue to work on the rules for implementation, significant political and economic uncertainty remains about how the precise terms of the relationship between the parties will differ from the terms before withdrawal.
These developments, or the perception that any related developments could occur, have had and may continue to have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and financial markets, and may significantly reduce global market liquidity, restrict the ability of key market participants to operate in certain financial markets or restrict the Company’s access to capital. The Company's business in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and worldwide could be affected during this continued period of uncertainty, and perhaps longer, by the impact of Brexit. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects, or result in a further strengthening of the U.S. dollar which would also adversely affect the Company's reported operating results.
The Company’s insurance policies may not provide adequate levels of coverage against all claims and the Company may incur losses that are not covered by its insurance.
The Company maintains insurance of the type and in amounts that the Company believes is commercially reasonable and that is available to businesses in its industry. The Company carries various types of insurance, including general liability, auto liability, workers’ compensation and excess umbrella, from highly rated insurance carriers. Market forces beyond the Company’s control could limit the scope of the insurance coverage that the Company can obtain in the future or restrict its ability to buy insurance coverage at reasonable rates. The Company cannot predict the level of the premiums that the Company may be required to pay for subsequent insurance coverage, the level of any deductible and/or self‑insurance retention applicable thereto, the level of aggregate coverage available or the availability of coverage for specific risks. In the event of a substantial loss, the insurance coverage that the Company carries may not be sufficient to compensate the Company for the losses the Company incurs or any costs the Company is responsible for.
If the Company’s estimates or judgments relating to its critical accounting policies prove to be incorrect, its financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, as discussed below in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” contained in Item 7. The results of these estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities and equity, and the amount of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant assumptions and estimates used in preparing the Company’s consolidated financial statements include those related to revenue recognition; allowance for doubtful accounts; inventories; long-lived assets, goodwill and non-amortizing intangible assets; warranty policy; income taxes and provisional estimates due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") enacted in December 2017; share-based compensation; and foreign currency translation. The Company’s financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected if its assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in its assumptions, which could cause its results of operations to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the price of its common stock.