Camtek (CMZ) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q4, 2019
Risk Change Over Time
No filing history is available.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1Shareholder rights and responsibilities are governed by Israeli law which differs in some respects from the rights and responsibilities of shareholders of U.S. companies.
Since we are incorporated under Israeli law, the rights and responsibilities of our shareholders are governed by our articles of association, as amended from time to time (our "Articles") and Israeli law. These rights and responsibilities differ in some respects from the rights and responsibilities of shareholders in United States-based corporations. In particular, a shareholder of an Israeli company has a duty to act in good faith and in a customary manner in exercising its rights and performing its obligations towards the company and other shareholders and to refrain from abusing its power in the company, including, among other things, in voting at the general meeting of shareholders on certain matters, such as an amendment to a company's articles of association, an increase of a company's authorized share capital, a merger of a company and approval of related party transactions that require shareholder approval. A shareholder also has a general duty to refrain from discriminating against other shareholders. In addition, a controlling shareholder or a shareholder who knows that it possesses the power to determine the outcome of a shareholder vote or to appoint or prevent the appointment of an Office Holder in a company, or who otherwise has the power to direct a company's operations, has a duty to act in fairness towards such company. Israeli law does not define the substance of this duty of fairness and there is limited case law available to assist us in understanding the nature of this duty or the implications of these provisions. These provisions may be interpreted to impose additional obligations and liabilities on our shareholders that are not typically imposed on shareholders of U.S. corporations.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2Our principal shareholders, Priortech and Chroma, hold a controlling interest in us and will be able to exercise their control in ways that may be adverse to the interests of our other shareholders. Our relationship with Priortech and Chroma may give rise to a conflict of interests.
Priortech Ltd. ("Priortech") and Chroma ATE Inc. ("Chroma"), beneficially hold in the aggregate 44.13% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. As a result of the Chroma Voting Agreement (as defined below), Priortech and Chroma are deemed to be joint controlling shareholders of the Company and have the ability to determine the outcome of certain matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including the election of members of our board of directors and the approval of significant corporate transactions. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of making it more difficult to obtain approval for a change in control of the Company. Mr. Rafi Amit, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Yotam Stern, a member of our Board, hold, as of March 1, 2020, an aggregate of approximately 31.24% of the voting power at Priortech's general meeting of shareholders, through a voting agreement with David Kishon, Itzhak Krell (deceased)¸ Haim Langmas (deceased), Zehava Wineberg and Hanoch Feldstien (including the estates of the foregoing deceased founders, the "Founding Members"), governing inter-alia joint voting at Priortech's general meetings of shareholders and the right of first refusal among themselves (the "Priortech Voting Agreement"), and as such may be deemed to control Priortech. Messrs. Amit and Stern also hold various positions in Priortech and its affiliated companies, which may give rise to conflicts of interest. Mr. Amit serves, who serves as our Chief Executive Officer on a 90% position, acts as Priortech's Chairman of the board of directors and provides consulting and management services to Priortech on a 10% basis, as well as serving as a director at Priortech's associated company - P.C.B Technologies Ltd., an Israeli public company ("PCB Technologies"). Mr. Stern holds several other positions in the Priortech group including the position of Chief Executive Officer at Priortech and serves as a director at P.C.B Technologies. In addition, in the framework of the Chroma Transaction (as defined below), Leo Huang, the chairman of the board of directors and a controlling shareholder of Chroma, and I-Shih Tseng, a director and Business Unit President of Chroma, were appointed to serve as members of our Board, which may give rise to conflicts of interest. Despite our efforts to conduct ourselves by Israeli law procedural requirements concerning interested party transactions, including with respect to audit committee, board of directors and shareholder approvals (including the special majority requirement in appropriate cases), we cannot be certain that the possible conflicts of interest in any of these transactions and activities is fully eliminated. For more details regarding our senior management arrangements, see Item 6.B below - "Compensation – Employment Agreements".
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3Being a foreign private issuer exempts us from certain SEC requirements and Nasdaq Rules, which may result in less protection than is afforded to investors under rules applicable to domestic issuers.
We are a "foreign private issuer" within the meaning of rules promulgated by the SEC. As such, we are exempt from certain provisions under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") applicable to U.S. public companies, including: - the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K;- the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of securities registered under the Exchange Act, including extensive disclosure of compensation paid or payable to certain of our highly compensated executives as well as disclosure of the compensation determination process;- the provisions of Regulation FD aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information; and - the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and establishing insider liability for profit realized from any "short-swing" trading transaction (a purchase and sale, or sale and purchase, of the issuer's equity securities within less than six months). In addition, we are permitted to follow certain home country corporate governance practices and law instead of those rules and practices otherwise required by Nasdaq for domestic issuers. For instance, we have relied on the foreign private issuer exemption with respect to shareholder approval requirements for equity-based compensation plans, with respect to the Nasdaq requirement to have a separate compensation committee and a formal charter for such committee, and with respect to the quorum requirement for the convening of general meetings of shareholders; See in Item 16G. "Corporate Governance" below. Following our home country corporate governance practices, as opposed to the requirements that would otherwise apply to a U.S. company listed on Nasdaq, may provide less protection to investors than is afforded under the Nasdaq Rules applicable to domestic issuers.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4Provisions of Israeli law may delay, prevent or make undesirable an acquisition of all or a significant portion of our shares or assets.
Israeli corporate law regulates mergers and acquisitions and requires that a tender offer be effected when certain thresholds of percentage ownership of voting power in a company are exceeded (subject to certain conditions), which may have the effect of delaying, preventing or making more difficult a merger with, or acquisition of, us. See Item 10.B - "Memorandum and Articles - Anti-Takeover Effects of Israeli Laws; Mergers and Acquisitions Under Israeli Law" below. Further, Israeli tax considerations may make potential transactions undesirable to us, or to some of our shareholders whose country of residence does not have a tax treaty with Israel, granting tax relief to such shareholders from Israeli tax. With respect to mergers, Israeli tax law allows for tax deferral in certain circumstances but makes the deferral contingent on the fulfillment of numerous conditions, including a holding period of two years from the date of the transaction during which certain sales and dispositions of shares of the participating companies are restricted. Moreover, with respect to certain share swap transactions, the tax deferral is limited in time, and when such time expires, the tax becomes payable even if no actual disposition of the shares has occurred. See Item 10.E - "Taxation - Israeli Taxation" below. In addition, in accordance with the Restrictive Trade Practices Law, 1988 and under the Israeli Law for the Encouragement of Industrial Research and Development of 1984 and regulations promulgated thereunder (together, the "R&D Law"), approvals regarding a change in control (such as a merger or similar transaction) may be required in certain circumstances. For more information regarding such required approvals please see in Item 4.B - "Business Overview - The Israel Innovation Authority" below. In addition, as a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel, we are subject to the Israeli Economic Competition Law, 1988 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (formerly known as the Israeli Antitrust Law, 1988), under which we may be required in certain circumstances to obtain the approval of the Israel Competition Authority (formerly known as the Israel Antitrust Authority) in order to consummate a merger or a sale of all or substantially all of our assets. These provisions of Israeli law could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control and may make it more difficult for a third-party to acquire us, even if doing so would be beneficial to our shareholders, and may limit the price that investors may be willing to pay in the future for our ordinary shares.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2019
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 28
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1It may be difficult to enforce a U.S. judgment against us or our officers and directors, or to assert U.S. securities law claims in Israel.
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel. Service of process upon our directors and officers, all of whom reside outside the United States, may be difficult to obtain within the United States. Furthermore, because the majority of our assets and all of our directors and officers are located outside the United States, any judgment obtained in the United States against us or any of them may not be collectible within the United States. Further, it may be difficult for an investor to assert U.S. securities law claims in original actions instituted in Israel. Israeli courts may refuse to hear a claim based on an alleged violation of U.S. securities laws reasoning that Israel is not the most appropriate forum to bring such a claim. In addition, even if an Israeli court agrees to hear such a claim, it is not certain whether Israeli law or U.S. law will be applicable to the claim. If U.S. law is found to be applicable, the content of applicable U.S. law must be proved as a fact by an expert witness, which can be a time-consuming and costly process. Certain matters of procedure will also be governed by Israeli law. There is little binding case law in Israel addressing these matters.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2Our ordinary shares are traded on more than one market and this may result in price variations.
In addition to being traded on the Nasdaq Global Market, our ordinary shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange ("TASE"). Trading in our ordinary shares on these markets take place in different currencies (U.S. Dollars on Nasdaq and NIS on TASE) and at different times (resulting from different time zones, trading days and public holidays in the United States and Israel). The trading prices of our ordinary shares on these two markets may differ due to these and other factors. Any decrease in the price of our ordinary shares on one market could cause a decrease in the trading price of our ordinary shares on the other market.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3Our share price and trading volumes have demonstrated significant volatility in the past and may continue to fluctuate in the future. Such share price volatility could limit investors' ability to sell our shares at a profit, could limit our ability to raise funds successfully and may cause additional exposure for securities class action litigation.
The stock market in general and the market price of our ordinary shares, in particular, are subject to fluctuation. As a result, changes in our share price may be unrelated to our operating performance. The price of our ordinary shares has experienced volatility in the past and may continue to do so in the future. During the period from January 1, 2019 through March 18, 2020, the closing price of our ordinary shares ranged from $6.46 to $12.15 per share. The price volatility of our shares and periodic volatile trading volume may make it difficult for investors to predict the value of their investment, to sell shares at a profit at any given time or to plan purchases and sales in advance. A variety of factors may affect the market price and the trading volume of our ordinary shares, including: - global economic conditions, which generally influence stock market prices and volume fluctuations;- investors' views of the attractiveness of our new products;- changes in expectations as to our future financial performance and/or announcements of actual results that vary significantly from such expectations;- the announcement by us or our competitors of corporate transactions, merger and acquisition activities or other similar events impacting our financial performance;- changes in financial estimates by securities analysts;- our earnings releases and the earnings releases of our competitors;- market conditions relating to our customers' industries;- announcements of technological innovations or new products by us or our competitors;- other announcements, whether by us or others, referring to our financial condition, results of operations and changes in strategy;- large block transactions in our ordinary shares;- additions or departures of our key personnel;- future offerings or sales of our ordinary shares; and - announcements of significant claims or proceedings against us. Further, as a result of the volatility of our stock price, we could be subject, and were subject in the past, to securities litigation, which could result in substantial costs and could divert management's attention and Company resources from business. Securities class action litigations are being brought from time to time against companies following periods of volatility in the market price of their securities, and in the past, one was brought against us. Although this claim was dismissed, we cannot guarantee that similar litigation would not be brought against us in the future.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4ChangedShareholder rights and responsibilities are governed by Israeli law which differs in some respects from the rights and responsibilities of shareholders of U.S. companies.
Since we are incorporated under Israeli law, the rights and responsibilities of our shareholders are governed by our articles of association, as amended from time to time (our "Articles") and Israeli law. These rights and responsibilities differ in some respects from the rights and responsibilities of shareholders in United States-based corporations. In particular, a shareholder of an Israeli company has a duty to act in good faith and in a customary manner in exercising its rights and performing its obligations towards the company and other shareholders and to refrain from abusing its power in the company, including, among other things, in voting at the general meeting of shareholders on certain matters, such as an amendment to a company's articles of association, an increase of a company's authorized share capital, a merger of a company and approval of related party transactions that require shareholder approval. A shareholder also has a general duty to refrain from discriminating against other shareholders. In addition, a controlling shareholder or a shareholder who knows that it possesses the power to determine the outcome of a shareholder vote or to appoint or prevent the appointment of an Office Holder in a company, or who otherwise has the power to direct a company's operations, has a duty to act in fairness towards such company. Israeli law does not define the substance of this duty of fairness and there is limited case law available to assist us in understanding the nature of this duty or the implications of these provisions. These provisions may be interpreted to impose additional obligations and liabilities on our shareholders that are not typically imposed on shareholders of U.S. corporations.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5ChangedOur principal shareholders, Priortech and Chroma, hold a controlling interest in us and will be able to exercise their control in ways that may be adverse to the interests of our other shareholders. Our relationship with Priortech and Chroma may give rise to a conflict of interests.
Priortech Ltd. ("Priortech") and Chroma ATE Inc. ("Chroma"), beneficially hold in the aggregate 44.13% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. As a result of the Chroma Voting Agreement (as defined below), Priortech and Chroma are deemed to be joint controlling shareholders of the Company and have the ability to determine the outcome of certain matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including the election of members of our board of directors and the approval of significant corporate transactions. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of making it more difficult to obtain approval for a change in control of the Company. Mr. Rafi Amit, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Yotam Stern, a member of our Board, hold, as of March 1, 2020, an aggregate of approximately 31.24% of the voting power at Priortech's general meeting of shareholders, through a voting agreement with David Kishon, Itzhak Krell (deceased)¸ Haim Langmas (deceased), Zehava Wineberg and Hanoch Feldstien (including the estates of the foregoing deceased founders, the "Founding Members"), governing inter-alia joint voting at Priortech's general meetings of shareholders and the right of first refusal among themselves (the "Priortech Voting Agreement"), and as such may be deemed to control Priortech. Messrs. Amit and Stern also hold various positions in Priortech and its affiliated companies, which may give rise to conflicts of interest. Mr. Amit serves, who serves as our Chief Executive Officer on a 90% position, acts as Priortech's Chairman of the board of directors and provides consulting and management services to Priortech on a 10% basis, as well as serving as a director at Priortech's associated company - P.C.B Technologies Ltd., an Israeli public company ("PCB Technologies"). Mr. Stern holds several other positions in the Priortech group including the position of Chief Executive Officer at Priortech and serves as a director at P.C.B Technologies. In addition, in the framework of the Chroma Transaction (as defined below), Leo Huang, the chairman of the board of directors and a controlling shareholder of Chroma, and I-Shih Tseng, a director and Business Unit President of Chroma, were appointed to serve as members of our Board, which may give rise to conflicts of interest. Despite our efforts to conduct ourselves by Israeli law procedural requirements concerning interested party transactions, including with respect to audit committee, board of directors and shareholder approvals (including the special majority requirement in appropriate cases), we cannot be certain that the possible conflicts of interest in any of these transactions and activities is fully eliminated. For more details regarding our senior management arrangements, see Item 6.B below - "Compensation – Employment Agreements".
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6ChangedBeing a foreign private issuer exempts us from certain SEC requirements and Nasdaq Rules, which may result in less protection than is afforded to investors under rules applicable to domestic issuers.
We are a "foreign private issuer" within the meaning of rules promulgated by the SEC. As such, we are exempt from certain provisions under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") applicable to U.S. public companies, including: - the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K;- the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of securities registered under the Exchange Act, including extensive disclosure of compensation paid or payable to certain of our highly compensated executives as well as disclosure of the compensation determination process;- the provisions of Regulation FD aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information; and - the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and establishing insider liability for profit realized from any "short-swing" trading transaction (a purchase and sale, or sale and purchase, of the issuer's equity securities within less than six months). In addition, we are permitted to follow certain home country corporate governance practices and law instead of those rules and practices otherwise required by Nasdaq for domestic issuers. For instance, we have relied on the foreign private issuer exemption with respect to shareholder approval requirements for equity-based compensation plans, with respect to the Nasdaq requirement to have a separate compensation committee and a formal charter for such committee, and with respect to the quorum requirement for the convening of general meetings of shareholders; See in Item 16G. "Corporate Governance" below. Following our home country corporate governance practices, as opposed to the requirements that would otherwise apply to a U.S. company listed on Nasdaq, may provide less protection to investors than is afforded under the Nasdaq Rules applicable to domestic issuers.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7ChangedProvisions of Israeli law may delay, prevent or make undesirable an acquisition of all or a significant portion of our shares or assets.
Israeli corporate law regulates mergers and acquisitions and requires that a tender offer be effected when certain thresholds of percentage ownership of voting power in a company are exceeded (subject to certain conditions), which may have the effect of delaying, preventing or making more difficult a merger with, or acquisition of, us. See Item 10.B - "Memorandum and Articles - Anti-Takeover Effects of Israeli Laws; Mergers and Acquisitions Under Israeli Law" below. Further, Israeli tax considerations may make potential transactions undesirable to us, or to some of our shareholders whose country of residence does not have a tax treaty with Israel, granting tax relief to such shareholders from Israeli tax. With respect to mergers, Israeli tax law allows for tax deferral in certain circumstances but makes the deferral contingent on the fulfillment of numerous conditions, including a holding period of two years from the date of the transaction during which certain sales and dispositions of shares of the participating companies are restricted. Moreover, with respect to certain share swap transactions, the tax deferral is limited in time, and when such time expires, the tax becomes payable even if no actual disposition of the shares has occurred. See Item 10.E - "Taxation - Israeli Taxation" below. In addition, in accordance with the Restrictive Trade Practices Law, 1988 and under the Israeli Law for the Encouragement of Industrial Research and Development of 1984 and regulations promulgated thereunder (together, the "R&D Law"), approvals regarding a change in control (such as a merger or similar transaction) may be required in certain circumstances. For more information regarding such required approvals please see in Item 4.B - "Business Overview - The Israel Innovation Authority" below. In addition, as a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel, we are subject to the Israeli Economic Competition Law, 1988 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (formerly known as the Israeli Antitrust Law, 1988), under which we may be required in certain circumstances to obtain the approval of the Israel Competition Authority (formerly known as the Israel Antitrust Authority) in order to consummate a merger or a sale of all or substantially all of our assets. These provisions of Israeli law could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control and may make it more difficult for a third-party to acquire us, even if doing so would be beneficial to our shareholders, and may limit the price that investors may be willing to pay in the future for our ordinary shares.
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