Graco (GGG) Risk Analysis

The loss of, or substantial damage to, one of our facilities, our information system infrastructure or the facilities of our suppliers could make it difficult to manufacture products, fulfill customer orders and provide our employees with work. Flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, unusually heavy precipitation or other severe weather events, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, explosions, acts of war, terrorism, civil unrest or outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics of infectious diseases could adversely impact our operations.

The Company's business can be impacted by changes in U.S. trade policies, including tariffs, trade agreements and other related regulations, as well as trade restrictions and retaliatory actions imposed or taken by foreign governments. The U.S. government has imposed and significantly increased tariffs on foreign imports, with many foreign governments implementing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports into their countries. This has resulted in higher costs to the Company for certain raw materials and components it imports and uses in the manufacture of its products, as well as higher prices to purchasers of the Company's products in certain foreign geographies and opportunities for competitors to enhance their presence in markets in which we participate. The U.S.-imposed tariffs have been the subject of numerous legal challenges, including before the U.S. Supreme Court, the outcome of which has yet to be determined. Even if those challenges are successful, it is uncertain as to whether the Company will be able to recover any tariffs it has previously paid, or whether the U.S. government will attempt to reimpose the tariffs under some other authority. Further changes in U.S. or foreign trade policies, tariffs and other trade-related regulations, and continued uncertainty around the foregoing, could adversely impact the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

A substantial portion of our revenues is attributable to sales to customers in cyclical industries. Downturns in these industries could result in a deterioration of our customers' businesses and, in turn, a reduced demand for some of our products. Our business may be affected by fluctuations in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional building and remodeling activities. Changes in construction materials and techniques may also impact our business. Our business may also be affected by fluctuations of activity in the automotive, electronics, aerospace, semiconductor, and agriculture and construction equipment industries.

We rely on information systems and networks to conduct and support our business. Some of these systems and networks are managed, hosted and provided by third parties. We use these systems and networks to record, process, summarize, transmit and store electronic information, and to manage or support our business processes and activities. We may experience interruptions, delays and outages in service and availability from time to time, including infrastructure changes, human or software errors, upgrade disruptions and capacity constraints. We also face the risk that the measures we have implemented to secure our information systems and networks and prevent unauthorized access to or loss of sensitive data are not effective and our information systems, networks, and those of our third-party service providers may be exposed to risks, including unauthorized access, operational errors, fraudulent activities, system failures, poor password management, and other potential irregularities. Our employees, customers and others may be the subject of social engineering attacks and induced to disclose confidential, proprietary or other sensitive information, including their network credentials, to cybercriminals, who may then gain access to our and our customers' information, data and information technology systems. Cybersecurity threats are increasing in frequency, sophistication and severity. We have experienced and expect to continue to experience cybersecurity threats and attacks on our systems and networks and those of our third-party service providers. To date, none of the cybersecurity threats and attacks we have experienced have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our results of operations, business strategy or financial condition. The tactics and capabilities of cybercriminals are growing increasingly sophisticated, and they will continue to evolve in their sophistication as artificial intelligence is leveraged to perpetrate cyberattacks. It is virtually impossible for any organization, including us, to completely eliminate the risk of cyberattacks. Security breaches or intrusion into our information systems or networks or the information systems or networks of the third parties with whom we do business pose a risk to the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data and of our customers, suppliers and employees, and could lead to any one or more of the following: the compromising of confidential information; manipulation, unauthorized use, theft or destruction of data; product defects or malfunctions; production downtimes and operations disruptions; litigation; regulatory action; reputational harm, including loss of confidence by our customers, suppliers and employees in our ability to adequately protect their information; fines; ransoms; and other costs and adverse consequences. As a manufacturer, our operating technology assets and systems are susceptible to disruption through cyberattacks. We anticipate that meaningful investments in our operating technology infrastructure will be necessary as we continue to assess our operating technology posture and respond to the increasingly-pronounced risks posed by third-party cyber actors. The occurrence of a security breach or an intrusion into an information system or a network, or the breakdown, interruption or inadequate upgrading or maintenance of our information processing software, hardware or networks or the internet, may adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition. We do not currently maintain specific cyber insurance coverage. Any insurance coverage we do have may be inadequate to compensate for losses arising from any security breach or cybersecurity incident, and may in the future not be available to us on economically reasonable terms, or at all. The laws, regulations and customer-imposed controls governing cybersecurity and privacy continue to evolve and are becoming increasingly complex. We will be required to commit significant resources to keep pace with continued changes in information technology processes, legal, regulatory and customer requirements, and the increased frequency and severity of cyberattacks and the sophistication of the methods used by those who perpetrate them. There can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful. In addition, we are subject to new cybersecurity disclosure rules, and we may face increased costs and be required to incur significant costs in the event of an actual or perceived cybersecurity incident and to comply with these rules.