Zoetis (ZOE) Risk Analysis

From time to time, we may implement new business lines or offer new products and services within existing lines of business. There may be substantial risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts. We may invest significant time and resources in researching, developing, marketing, or acquiring new lines of business and/or offering new products and services. Initial timetables for the introduction and development or acquisition of new lines of business and/or the offering of new products or services may not be achieved, and price and profitability targets may prove to be unachievable. Our lack of experience or knowledge, as well as external factors, such as compliance with new or evolving regulations, legislative changes, regulatory interactions, competitive alternatives and shifting market preferences, may also impact the success of an acquisition or the implementation of a new line of business or a new product or service. New business lines or new products and services within existing lines of business could affect the sales and profitability of existing lines of business or products and services. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the implementation or acquisition of new lines of business or the offering of new products or services could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Our future success depends on both our existing product portfolio and our pipeline of new products, including new products that we may develop through joint ventures and products that we are able to obtain through license or acquisition. We commit substantial effort, funds and other resources to R&D, both through our own dedicated resources and through collaborations with third parties. We may be unable to determine with accuracy when or whether any of our products now under development will be approved or launched, or we may be unable to develop, license or otherwise acquire product candidates or products. In addition, we cannot predict whether any products, once launched, will be commercially successful or will achieve sales and revenue that are consistent with our expectations. The animal health industry is subject to regional and local trends and regulations and, as a result, products that are successful in some of our markets may not achieve similar success when introduced into new markets. Furthermore, the timing and cost of our R&D may increase, and our R&D may become less predictable. If we are unable to generate new products or expand the use of our existing products, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be materially adversely affected. New product R&D leverages discoveries of pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D. We have and expect to continue to enter into collaboration or licensing arrangements with third parties to provide us with access to molecules, compounds and other technology for purposes of our business. Such agreements are typically complex and require time to negotiate and implement. If we enter into these arrangements, we may not be able to maintain these relationships or establish new ones in the future on acceptable terms or at all. In addition, any collaboration that we enter into may not be successful, and the success may depend on the efforts and actions of our collaborators, which we may not be able to control. If we are unable to access these technologies to conduct R&D on cost-effective terms, our ability to develop some types of new products could be limited.