Sportradar Group AG (1M4) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q4, 2023
Risk Change Over Time
- Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources and divert management's attention, and additional legal, accounting and compliance expenses may be greater than we anticipate.
We became a public company in 2021 and as such, we have incurred, and will continue to incur, significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and we are required to comply with the applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as the rules and regulations subsequently implemented by the SEC and the listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market, including changes in corporate governance practices and the establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls. Compliance with these rules and regulations can be burdensome, and our management and other personnel are required to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors. As discussed above in "Risk Factors-Risks Related to Our Business and Industry-We have identified a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting which could, if not remediated, result in a material misstatement in our financial statements and our ability to timely and accurately report our financial condition and results of operations or comply with applicable laws and regulations could be impaired, which may could materially and adversely affect investor confidence in us and, as a result, the value of our ordinary shares," we have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting which could result in an adverse reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial statements. As a result, the market price of our Class A ordinary shares could be negatively affected, and we could become subject to investigations by the stock exchange on which our securities are listed, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2023
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 60
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, our business or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our Class A ordinary shares adversely, our share price and trading volume of our Class A ordinary shares could decline.
The trading market for our Class A ordinary shares is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If any of the securities or industry analysts who cover us or may cover us in the future change their recommendation regarding our Class A ordinary shares adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of our Class A ordinary shares would likely decline. If any securities or industry analyst who covers us or may cover us in the future were to cease coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our share price or trading volume of our Class A ordinary shares to decline. Further, our quarterly results of operations are likely to fluctuate in the future in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including each of the factors set forth above. In addition, securities markets worldwide have experienced, and are likely to continue to experience, significant price and volume fluctuations and disruption. This market volatility, as well as general economic, market or political conditions, may affect the pricing of the Class A ordinary shares in the secondary market, the transparency and availability of trading prices, the liquidity of the Class A ordinary shares and the extent of regulation applicable to us. Our results of operations and the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may fluctuate in response to various factors, including the risks described above and we cannot predict the prices at which our Class A ordinary shares will trade.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2There may be difficulties in enforcing foreign judgments against us, our directors or our management.
Certain of our directors and management reside outside the United States. Most of our assets and such persons' assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for investors to effect service of process upon us within the United States or other jurisdictions, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws. In particular, investors should be aware that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of Switzerland or any other applicable jurisdictions would recognize and enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or our management predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States, or any state in the United States or entertain original actions brought in Switzerland or any other applicable jurisdictions' courts against us, our directors or our management predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3The rights of our shareholders differ from the rights of shareholders in companies governed by the laws of U.S. jurisdictions and may, inter alia, limit our flexibility to raise capital, issue dividends and otherwise manage ongoing capital needs.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our Articles and by the laws governing companies, including listed companies, incorporated in Switzerland. The rights of our shareholders and the responsibilities of members of our board of directors may be different from the rights and obligations of shareholders and directors of companies governed by the laws of U.S. jurisdictions. Specifically, Swiss law reserves for approval by shareholders certain corporate actions over which a board of directors would have authority in some other jurisdictions. For example, the payment of dividends and cancellation of treasury shares must be approved by shareholders. Swiss law also requires that our shareholders themselves resolve to, or authorize our board of directors to, increase our share capital. While our shareholders may authorize share capital that can be issued (or reduced) by our board of directors without additional shareholder approval, Swiss law limits this authorization to 50% of the issued share capital at the time of the authorization. Furthermore, such authorization under former Swiss law is limited for a duration of only up to five years and must be renewed by the shareholders from time to time thereafter in order to be available for raising capital. Additionally, subject to specified exceptions, including exceptions explicitly described in our Articles, Swiss law grants pre-emptive rights to existing shareholders to subscribe for new issuances of shares. Swiss law also does not provide as much flexibility in the various rights and regulations that can attach to different categories of shares as do the laws of some other jurisdictions. These Swiss law requirements relating to our capital management may limit our flexibility, and situations may arise where greater flexibility would have provided benefits to our shareholders. In addition, in the performance of its duties, our board of directors is required by Swiss law to consider the interests of our company, our shareholders, our employees and other stakeholders, in all cases with due observation of the principles of reasonableness and fairness. It is possible that some of these parties will have interests that are different from, or in addition to, shareholders' interests. Swiss law limits the ability of our shareholders to challenge resolutions made or other actions taken by our board of directors in court. Our shareholders generally are not permitted to file a suit to reverse a decision or an action taken by our board of directors, but are instead only permitted to seek damages for breaches of fiduciary duty. As a matter of Swiss law, shareholder claims against a member of our board of directors for breach of fiduciary duty would have to be brought to the competent courts in Switzerland, or where the relevant member of our board of directors is domiciled. In addition, under Swiss law, any claims by our shareholders against us must be brought exclusively to the competent courts in Switzerland. There can be no assurance that Swiss law will not change in the future, which could adversely affect the rights of our shareholders, or that Swiss law will protect our shareholders in a similar fashion as under U.S. corporate law principles.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4The implementation of the share capital increases may be challenged or blocked.
As with all share capital increases in Switzerland, (i) a third party, such as shareholders or creditors, may (subject to satisfaction of certain requirements) at least temporarily block the registration of the capital increases in the Commercial Register by requesting the competent court to grant an ex parte preliminary injunction, in which we would not be entitled to appear, and (ii) a shareholder may challenge the underlying shareholders' resolution within two months after such general meeting of shareholders and, therefore, prevent or delay the completion of any future share capital increases. In addition, the Commercial Register might be understaffed and may not review or record share capital increases within the anticipated timeframe. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the implementation of any future share capital increases will not be delayed, challenged or blocked.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5Anti-takeover provisions in our Articles may discourage or prevent a change of control, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our shareholders, which could depress the price of our Class A ordinary shares and prevent attempts by our shareholders to replace or remove our current management.
Our Articles contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. The provisions include the following: - allow our board of directors not to record any acquirer of ordinary shares, or several acquirers acting in concert, in our share register as a shareholder with voting rights with respect to more than 10% of our share capital registered in the Commercial Register;- restrict shareholders from exercising voting rights with respect to own or represented shares in excess of 10% of our share capital registered in the Commercial Register; and - require two-thirds of the votes represented at a general meeting of shareholders for amending or repealing the abovementioned registration and voting restrictions, and the provision for indemnification of the members of our board of directors and our executive management as set forth in our Articles. Taken together, these provisions may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6Optional and mandatory conversions of our Class B ordinary shares may be dilutive to holders of our Class A ordinary shares and we cannot predict the impact our dual class structure may have on the price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Our Articles provide for two classes of ordinary shares, Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Each ten shares of Class B ordinary shares are convertible at any time at the option of the holder into one share of Class A ordinary shares. Shares of Class B ordinary shares convert into shares of Class A ordinary shares upon certain mandatory conversion events, including (i) death of the Founder; (ii) dismissal of the Founder as Chief Executive Officer for good cause, being any dismissal and/or replacement of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to article 340c para. 2 of the Swiss CO; (iii) the occurrence of September 30, 2028; or (iv) if the holder of Class B ordinary shares ceases to hold, directly or indirectly, shares with an aggregate nominal value representing 15% or more of the aggregate nominal value of the total issued and outstanding share capital of the Company, from time to time.Such optional and mandatory conversions of our Class B ordinary shares may be dilutive to the holders of our Class A ordinary shares and may lead to an increase in the number of shares of Class A ordinary shares eligible for resale in the public market. Substantial dilution and/or a substantial increase in the number of shares of Class A ordinary shares available for future resale may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares. Further, we cannot predict whether our dual class structure results in a lower or more volatile market price of our Class A ordinary shares or in adverse publicity or other adverse consequences. For example, certain index providers have announced restrictions on including companies with multiple-class share structures in certain of their indexes and under the announced policies, our dual class capital structure would make us ineligible for inclusion in certain indices, and as a result, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles that attempt to passively track those indices will be precluded from investing in our shares. It is possible that these policies may make our Class A ordinary shares less attractive to other investors and depress the market price of our Class A ordinary shares compared to that of other similar companies that are included in such indices.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7The dual class structure of our ordinary shares has the effect of concentrating voting power with our Founder, which will limit a shareholder's ability to influence the outcome of important transactions, including a change in control.
As the nominal value of Class B ordinary shares is ten times lower than the nominal value of Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shareholders have more voting power with the same amount of capital invested as Class A shareholders on all matters presented to our shareholders for their vote or approval, except for (i) the matters set forth in article 693 para. 3 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (the "Swiss CO") (e.g., election of the independent auditor; appointment of experts to audit the company's business management or parts thereof; any resolution concerning the instigation of a special audit and any resolution concerning the initiation of a liability action) and (ii) selected important matters under Swiss law that require an absolute majority of the nominal value of shares represented. As of December 31, 2023, our Founder, Carsten Koerl, holds all of the issued and outstanding shares of our Class B ordinary shares, which, together with his outstanding Class A ordinary shares, constitutes 81.6% of the total voting power of our outstanding share capital. Accordingly, our Founder is able to significantly influence matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other major corporate transactions. Our Founder may have interests that differ from a holder of shares and may vote in a way which may be adverse to the interests of other shareholders. This concentrated control may have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control of our company, could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their share capital as part of a sale of our company and might ultimately affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, our Articles of Association ("Articles") contain provisions stating that if an individual or legal entity acquires Class A ordinary shares and, as a result, directly or indirectly, has voting rights with respect to more than 10% of the share capital registered in the Commercial Register, the Class A ordinary shares exceeding the limit of 10% shall be entered in the share register as shares without voting rights. However, any shareholders holding more than 10% of the share capital prior to the registration with the Commercial Register of our Articles will remain registered with voting rights for such shares. This may, in certain instances, allow our existing shareholders to exercise more influence over us than our other shareholders despite holding the same amount of Class A ordinary shares. Future transfers by the holder(s) of Class B ordinary shares will result in those shares converting into 90,367,070 shares of Class A ordinary shares. In addition, each ten shares of Class B ordinary shares will convert automatically into one Class A ordinary share upon: - death of the Founder;- dismissal of the Founder as Chief Executive Officer for good cause, being any dismissal and/or replacement of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to article 340c para. 2 of the Swiss CO;- September 30, 2028; or - the holder of Class B ordinary shares ceases to hold, directly or indirectly, shares with an aggregate nominal value representing 15% or more of the aggregate nominal value of the total issued and outstanding share capital of the Company, from time to time.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8A significant portion of our total issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares are eligible to be sold into the market, which could cause the market price of our Class A ordinary shares to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.
Sales of a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares in the public market, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of Class A ordinary shares intend to sell, could reduce the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. The Class A ordinary shares sold in our initial public offering or issuable pursuant to the equity awards we grant are freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act, except for any of our Class A ordinary shares that may be held or acquired by our directors, executive officers and other affiliates, as that term is defined in the Securities Act. Restricted securities may not be sold in the public market unless the sale is registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration is available. In the future, we may also issue additional securities if we need to raise capital or make acquisitions, which could constitute a material portion of our then-issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares. Under Swiss law, shareholders have pre-emptive rights or advance subscription rights to subscribe on a pro rata basis for issuances of equity or other securities that are convertible into equity that can be withdrawn or limited in certain instances by a resolution passed at a general meeting of shareholders by two-thirds of the votes represented and the absolute majority of the nominal value of the shares represented that authorizes the board of directors to withdraw or limit the pre-emptive rights or advance subscription rights. However, due to the laws and regulations in certain jurisdictions, shareholders in certain jurisdictions may not be able to exercise such rights, unless the company registers or otherwise qualifies the rights offering, including by complying with prospectus requirements under the laws of that jurisdiction. There can be no assurance that we will take any action to register or otherwise qualify an offering of subscription rights or shares under the laws of any jurisdiction where the offering of such rights is restricted, other than the United States. If shareholders in such jurisdictions are unable to exercise their subscription rights, their ownership interest will be diluted.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9We are subject to reputational risks related to betting-related match fixing, doping and other sports integrity threats.
Many factors influence our reputation and the value of our brands, including the perception held by our customers, business partners, investors, other industry stakeholders and the communities in which we operate. Our Sportradar Integrity services supplies sports integrity solutions for sports' governing bodies, anti-doping organizations, law enforcement agencies, among others, to support them in the fight against betting-related match-fixing, doping and integrity threats. As a leading supplier of integrity solutions, we have faced, and will likely continue to face, increased scrutiny related to our solutions and consulting services, and our reputation and the value of our brands can be materially adversely harmed if a user of our solutions is involved in a major match-fixing or doping scandal. Fraud, corruption or negligence by our employees or contracted statisticians collecting data on behalf of us or third parties could also potentially have an impact on our reputation. Operational errors, whether by us or our competitors, could also harm our reputation or the sports data, sports betting, online gaming and sports marketing industries. Any association with the illegal, unethical or fraudulent activities of our customers or our partners could expose us to potential reputational damage and financial loss. Any harm to our reputation could impact employee engagement and retention, and the willingness of customers and partners to do business with us, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business operations, financial conditions or results of operations.
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