Callaway Golf (CALY) Risk Analysis

Our ability to maintain our competitive position is dependent to a large degree on the efforts and skills of senior officers. Our executives are experienced and highly qualified with strong reputations in our industries, and we believe that our management team enables us to pursue our strategic goals. The success of our business is dependent upon the management and leadership skills of our senior management team and other key personnel. Competition for these individuals' talents is intense, and we 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 us and our ability to achieve our strategic goals.

The costs and availability of the finished products, product components and raw materials needed in our products and services can be volatile as a result of numerous factors, including inflationary pressures and rising interest rates; general, domestic, and international economic conditions; labor costs; production levels; competition; consumer demand; import duties; tariffs; and currency exchange rates. This volatility can significantly affect the availability and cost of these items for us which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The materials, components and ingredients used by us and our suppliers involve raw materials, including synthetic rubber, thermoplastics, zinc stearate, zinc oxide and limestone for the manufacturing of our golf balls, titanium alloys, carbon fiber, steel and tungsten for the assembly of our golf clubs and various fabrics used by suppliers in our 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, interest rates, trade duties or tariffs, and/or the introduction of new and expensive raw materials, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The United States and many areas of the world, including areas in which we and our suppliers operate, have recently experienced historically high levels of inflation. In addition, prolonged periods of inflationary pressure on some or all input costs may result in increased costs to produce our products that could have an adverse effect on profits from sales of our products, or require us to increase prices for our products that could adversely affect consumer demand for our products.

We typically do not own any real property and generally lease properties associated with the TravisMathew retail business. Payments under non-cancelable leases account for a portion of operating expenses, and we expect to lease new properties in the future. Historically, our leases typically provide for escalating rent provisions over the initial term and any extensions. We generally cannot cancel these leases without substantial economic penalty. If an existing or future retail location is not profitable, and we decide to close it, we may nonetheless be committed to perform our obligation under the applicable lease, including, among other things, paying all or a portion of the base rent for the remainder of the lease term, unless we are unable to negotiate a termination agreement with the applicable landlord, which we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do without incurring significant additional payment and other obligations or at all.

Our apparel, gear and other business is subject to pressures from changing consumer tastes and preferences on a global level and, as a result, we are dependent on our ability to timely introduce products and services 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 our sales. Our success depends on our 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 our products, including Callaway Golf, OGIO and TravisMathew-branded products, may make it more difficult for us to respond rapidly to new or changing product trends or consumer preferences. All of our products are subject to changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. Our 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 our future success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to these changes. In addition, decisions about product designs often are made far in advance of consumer acceptance. If we or our customers fail to anticipate and respond to consumer preferences or fail to respond in a timely manner or if we or our customers are unable to effectively navigate a transforming retail marketplace, we could suffer reputational damage to our products and brands and may experience lower sales, excess inventories and lower profit margins in current and future periods, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business is subject to both seasonal and non-seasonal fluctuations. In the golf equipment business, our first-quarter sales generally represent our sell-in to the golf retail channel of our golf club products for the new golf season. Our 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 our products that were sold into the channel during the first quarter but also by the sell-through of products by our competitors. Retailers are sometimes reluctant to reorder our products in significant quantities when they already have excess inventory of products from us or our competitors. Our golf ball sales are generally associated with the number of rounds played in the areas where our 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 our key regions and the number of rounds played increases. 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. Our golf-related sales during the fourth quarter are generally significantly less than those of the other quarters because in many of our key regions fewer people are playing golf during that time of year due to cold weather. Furthermore, we generally announce our 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 our customers, to defer purchasing additional golf equipment until our new products are available. Such deferments could have a material adverse effect on sales of our current products or result in closeout sales at reduced prices. Our apparel business is expected to experience stronger revenue during different times of the year than our golf-related business. A portion of the sales of our apparel products are dependent in part on the weather and are likely to decline in years in which weather conditions do not stimulate demand for our 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 our 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 our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, due to the seasonality of our business, our 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, extreme storms or temperatures, or droughts or other water shortages, may negatively affect golf rounds played both during the weather event or shortage and afterward, as golf courses damaged by storms or shortages are repaired, and golfers may focus on repairing other damage to their homes, businesses and communities. Consequently, sustained adverse weather conditions could materially affect our sales across our different business lines.

In order for us to significantly grow our sales of golf clubs or golf balls, we must either increase our share of the market for golf clubs or golf balls, develop markets in geographic regions historically underrepresented by our products, or the overall market for golf clubs or golf balls must grow. We already have 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 and 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 off-course golf equipment and apparel, gear and other 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. Consolidation of our retailers may result in a concentration of our credit risk with a smaller set of retailers, any of whom may experience declining sales or a shortage of liquidity as well as result in larger retailers gaining increased leverage, which would increase the risk that their outstanding payables to us may not be paid. Consolidation may also result in larger retailers gaining increased leverage, which may impact our 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 our products, we may be unable to find a sufficient number of other retail outlets for our products to sustain the same level of sales. Any reduction in sales by our retailers could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our 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. As a result, demand for our products is highly sensitive to downturns in the economy and the corresponding impact on discretionary consumer spending. Any actual or perceived deterioration or weakness in general, regional or local economic conditions, unemployment levels, the job or housing markets, consumer debt levels or consumer confidence, as well as other adverse economic or market conditions due to inflation or otherwise may lead to customers having less discretionary income to spend on recreational activities, and may result in significant fluctuations and spending patterns 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. A significant or prolonged decline in general economic conditions, a period of lower discretionary spending or disposable income, or uncertainties regarding future economic prospects that adversely affect consumer discretionary spending, whether in the United States or internationally, could result in reduced sales of our products, which in turn would have a negative impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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 we operate 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 our operations and may prohibit or restrict transactions in certain countries and with certain designated persons. Our 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, we may conduct business in certain regions through intermediaries over whom we have less direct control, such as subcontractors, agents, and partners (such as joint venture partners). Although we have implemented policies, procedures, and, in certain cases, contractual arrangements designed to facilitate compliance with applicable economic and trade sanctions and anti-bribery laws, our officers, directors, employees, associates, subcontractors, agents, and partners may take actions in violation of our policies, procedures, contractual arrangements, economic sanctions and anti-bribery laws. Any such violation, even if prohibited by our policies, could subject us and such persons to criminal and/or substantial civil penalties or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows, and reputation.

Data privacy is a significant issue in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Global regulatory frameworks for data privacy are rapidly evolving and are likely to continue changing for the foreseeable future. Federal, state and foreign government bodies or agencies have adopted, and may continue to adopt, additional laws, regulations and standards that apply to us and our vendors governing data privacy, direct marketing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, consumer protection and other issues related to the processing of personal information. In the United States, these include rules and regulations promulgated under the authority of federal agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC"), state attorneys general and legislatures and consumer protection agencies. At the federal level, for example, the FTC Act grants the FTC authority to take enforcement actions against "unfair or deceptive practices." The FTC has interpreted the FTC Act to require companies to handle personal information in compliance with the commitments posted in their privacy policies and to adequately protect personal information. With respect to the use of personal information for direct marketing, advertising and other activities conducted by telephone, email and the Internet, we are subject to the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act ("CAN-SPAM Act"), which establishes specific requirements for commercial email messages and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"), which restricts telemarketing and the use of technologies that enable automatic calling and/or SMS messaging without proper consent, and is a highly litigated issue with numerous class action lawsuits filed in recent years resulting in multi-million dollar settlements to the plaintiffs. Many U.S. states have enacted statutes and rules governing the ways in which businesses like ours may collect, use, and process personal information. For example, we are subject to the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"), which came into effect in 2020. Other states have also passed and will likely continue to pass similar laws whose restrictions and requirements differ from those of California, and similar laws have been proposed at the federal level as well. Such laws can be enforced by state regulators (and the CCPA has a limited private right of action) and require, amongst other things, disclosures to individuals regarding our processing of personal information, providing rights to access, delete, correct and opt out of certain uses and disclosures of their personal information (including for advertising purposes). These laws have overlapping but conflicting requirements that add complexity and potential legal risk, could make compliance even more challenging, require us to expend significant resources to come into and maintain compliance, restrict our ability to process certain personal information and could result in changes to business practices and policies. Internationally, many jurisdictions in which we operate in have established or enhanced their own data security and privacy legal frameworks with which we or our partners must comply, including the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation ("EU GDPR"), the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act ("UK GDPR") (the EU GDPR and UK GDPR together referred to as the "GDPR"), which imposes stringent operational requirements, including higher standards for obtaining consent to process personal information. Non-compliance with the GDPR can trigger fines up to the greater of €20 million/£17.5 million or 4% of global turnover, and since we are under the supervision of relevant data protection authorities in both the EU and the UK, we may be fined under both the EU GDPR and the UK GDPR for the same breach. Recent legal developments have created complexity and uncertainty regarding cross-border transfers of personal information outside the EEA and UK, including to the United States. We currently rely on the EU standard contractual clauses, UK Addendum to the EU standard contractual clauses and the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, as relevant, to transfer personal data outside the EEA and the UK with respect to both intragroup and third-party transfers. However, reliance on standard contractual clauses alone may not be sufficient in all circumstances. and we expect the existing legal complexity and uncertainty regarding international personal data transfers to continue. As regulatory guidance and enforcement landscape in relation to data exports continue to develop, we could experience additional costs, complaints and/or regulatory investigations or fines, and/or if we are otherwise unable to transfer personal data between and among countries and regions in which we operate, it could affect the manner in which we provide our products, the geographical location or segregation of our relevant systems and operations, and could adversely affect our operations and financial results. We are also subject to evolving laws on cookies, tracking technologies and e-marketing. In the European Union and United Kingdom, informed consent is required for the placement of certain cookies or similar tracking technologies on an individual's device and for direct electronic marketing. Recent European court and regulator decisions are driving increased attention to cookies and similar tracking technologies, which may lead to additional costs and increase our overall risk exposure. 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 us. The laws and other legal requirements are in some cases new and the interpretation is uncertain, and the continuing changing legal and regulatory landscape could in the future further limit our ability to use, share and process 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, direct marketing, cybersecurity and consumer protection laws, regulations, standards, and other legal requirements (including contractual requirements), could result in additional compliance costs, proceedings (including class actions) and regulatory action, penalties and liability to us, damage to our reputation, an erosion of trust and changes to our business. If any of these events were to occur, our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.