Shoals Technologies Group (SHLS) Risk Analysis

Our future success and ability to implement our business strategy depends, in part, on our ability to attract and retain key personnel, and on the continued contributions of members of our senior management team, key technical personnel and other qualified employees, each of whom would be difficult to replace. All of our employees, including our senior management, are free to terminate their employment relationships with us at any time. Competition for highly skilled individuals with technical expertise is extremely intense, and we face challenges in identifying, hiring and retaining qualified personnel in many areas of our business. An inability to attract and retain senior and middle management, an inability to effectively provide for the succession of senior management, or an inability to attract and retain other key or qualified personnel could limit or delay our ability to execute our business strategy, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Significant decreases in the price of electricity, whether in organized electric markets or with contract counterparties, may negatively impact owners of solar energy projects or make the purchase of solar energy systems less economically attractive and would likely lower sales of our products. The price of electricity could decrease as a result of: (i) construction of a significant number of new lower-cost power generation plants, including plants utilizing natural gas, nuclear energy, renewable energy or other generation technologies; (ii) relief of transmission constraints that enable distant lower-cost generation to transmit energy less expensively or in greater quantities; (iii) reductions in the price of natural gas or other fuels; (iv) subsidies impacting electricity prices; (v) utility rate adjustment and customer class cost reallocation; (vi) decreased electricity demand, including from energy conservation technologies and public initiatives to reduce electricity consumption; (vii) developments in the solar components allowing for electricity at costs lower than those that can be achieved by us and our customers, which could result in reduced demand for our products; (viii) development of smart-grid technologies that lower the peak energy requirements; (ix) development of new or lower-cost customer-sited energy storage technologies that have the ability to reduce a customer's average cost of electricity by shifting load to off-peak times; and (x) development of new energy generation technologies that provide less expensive energy. If the cost of electricity generated by solar energy installations incorporating our systems is high relative to the cost of electricity from other sources, then our business, financial condition and results of operations may be harmed.

We rely extensively on various information technology systems, including data centers, hardware, software and third-party applications to manage many aspects of our business, including to operate and provide our products and services, to process and record transactions, to enable effective communication systems, to track inventory flow, to manage logistics and to generate performance and financial reports. We depend on the integrity, security and consistency of these systems and related backup systems, some of which are entrusted to third-party service providers and vendors. In addition, some aspects of our business involve the collection, receipt, use, storage, processing and transmission of personal information (of our customers' and end users of our customers' solar energy systems, including names, addresses, e-mail addresses, credit information, energy production statistics), consumer preferences as well as confidential information and personal data about our employees, our suppliers and us. Our facilities and information systems, as well as those of the third-parties we rely on, are vulnerable to cybersecurity incidents; cyberattacks; acts of war, terrorism, vandalism and theft; computer viruses and, malware, phishing or distributed denial-of-service attacks; misplaced or lost data; design, programming and/or other human usage errors by our employees or contractors; power outages; computer and telecommunications failures; catastrophic events such as fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes; or other similar events, and there is no guarantee that inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure will not occur or that third parties will not gain unauthorized access to our and our third-party providers' systems, confidential information and personal data. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyberattacks or cyber intrusions, including by computer hackers, nation-state affiliated actors, and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased as well. We have been and expect to continue to be the target of fraudulent calls, emails and other forms of cyberattacks and have experienced certain immaterial cybersecurity incidents. While we maintain network security and cyber liability insurance, any such insurance coverage may be insufficient to cover all potential losses and may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Any perceived or actual unauthorized access to our information systems, or the use or disclosure of confidential information could harm our reputation, substantially impair our ability to attract and retain customers and have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, as the regulatory environment relating to companies' obligations to protect sensitive data and disclose certain cybersecurity incidents becomes increasingly rigorous, with new and constantly changing requirements, compliance with those requirements could result in additional costs, and a material failure on our part to comply could subject us to fines or other regulatory sanctions and potentially to lawsuits. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

From time to time, our information technology systems require modifications and updates, including by adding new hardware, software and applications; maintaining, updating or replacing legacy programs; and integrating new service providers and adding enhanced or new functionality. There are inherent risks associated with modifying or replacing systems, and with new or changed relationships, including accurately capturing and maintaining data, realizing the expected benefit of the change and managing the potential disruption of the operation of the systems as the changes are implemented. Potential issues associated with implementation of these technology initiatives could reduce the efficiency of our operations in the short term. In addition, any interruption in the operation of our websites or systems could cause us to suffer reputational harm or to lose sales if customers are unable to access our site or purchase merchandise from us during such interruption. The efficient operation and successful growth of our business depends upon our information technology systems. The failure of our information technology systems and the third-party systems we rely on to perform as designed, or our failure to implement and operate them effectively, could disrupt our business or subject us to liability and thereby have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The market for EBOS system solutions and components is competitive. Our principal competitors include TerraSmart, LLC (formerly SolarBOS, Inc.), Bentek Corporation, Voltage, LLC, Construction Innovation, Premier PV, and Hikam America, Inc. We compete on the basis of product performance and features, installation cost, reliability and duration of product warranty, sales and distribution capabilities, and training and customer support. Competition continues to intensify as new and existing competitors enter the market. If our competitors introduce new technologies that are successful in offering price competitive and technological attractive EBOS system solutions and components, it may become more difficult for us to maintain market share. Several of our existing and potential competitors may have, or obtain, the financial resources to offer competitive products at aggressive or below-market pricing levels, which could cause us to lose sales or market share or require us to lower prices for our products to compete effectively. In 2024, our revenue and gross profit were impacted, in part, by competitive pricing and volume discounts in our key markets. If we have to reduce our prices or effect discounts by more than we anticipate or if we are unable to offset any future reductions in our selling prices by reducing our costs and expenses, increasing our sales volume, or introducing new products, our revenue and gross profit will continue to suffer. In addition, competitors may be able to develop new products more quickly than us, may partner with other competitors to provide combined technologies and competing solutions and may be able to develop products that are more reliable or that provide more functionality than ours. Any failure by us to adopt alternative or enhanced technologies or processes, such as other forms of EBOS systems, or to react to changes in existing technologies, could result in product obsolescence, the loss of competitiveness of our products, decreased revenue and a loss of market share to competitors. Further, a slow product innovation lifecycle and/or challenges to identify and invest in the appropriate research, development and automation initiatives may result in loss of competitive differentiation and our inability to diversify revenue streams in the future.

Global markets have seen extensive volatility over the past few years owing to a variety of factors including, high inflation, volatility in the capital markets, interest and currency rate fluctuations, labor availability, supply chain disruptions, global pandemics and public health crises and the responses thereto, weather catastrophes and geopolitical instability, including growing tensions between China and the U.S., the Russia-Ukraine war, conflict in the Middle East, and acts of terrorism that have significantly increased economic uncertainty resulting in unfavorable macroeconomic conditions that have negatively affected demand for our products, elongated our sales cycle, made access to capital more difficult and costly and exacerbated some of the other risks that affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. For example, global inflationary pressures have resulted in increased energy prices, freight premiums, and other operating costs for us, which are expected to persist in 2025. High interest rates have also impacted our business, inflating costs related to borrowings, for both us and our customers. A reduction in the availability of project debt capital in the global financial markets and government actions taken to reduce inflation make it difficult for end customers to finance the cost of a solar energy system and reduce the demand for our products. Even though certain government subsidies and economic incentives are currently in place to encourage the adoption of solar energy, there is no guarantee that such incentives will remain in place and many end users still depend on financing to fund the initial capital expenditure required to construct a solar energy project. We believe that a significant percentage of end-users construct solar energy projects as an investment, funding a significant portion of the initial capital expenditure with financing from third parties. High interest rates could lower an investor's return on investment on a solar energy project, increase equity requirements or make alternative investments more attractive relative to solar energy projects and, in each case, could cause these end users to seek alternative investments. We continue to navigate, monitor and evaluate our strategy to reduce the negative impact on our business of macroeconomic conditions, however, no assurance can be given that if economic conditions worsen, that our business, financial results and liquidity would not be materially adversely impacted.

We continue to work on enhancing our geographic focus outside of the U.S., with a primary focus on Southern Europe, Australia and the Pacific Region. Our expansion outside of the U.S. involves developing region-specific products; entering into joint-venture or licensing arrangements with companies in certain markets; expanding our relationships with value-added resellers of our products in some countries; creating international subsidiaries to build credibility and market presence; and utilizing locally sourced components in our products in jurisdictions where locally sourced components are a regulatory or customer requirement. Our products and services to be offered outside of the U.S. may differ from our current products and services in several ways, such as the consumption and utilization of local raw materials, components and logistics, the reengineering of select components to reduce costs, and region-specific customer training, site commissioning, warranty remediation and other technical services. These markets have different characteristics from the markets in which we currently sell products, and our success will depend on our ability to adapt properly to these differences. These differences include differing regulatory requirements, including tax laws, trade laws, labor regulations, tariffs, export quotas, customs duties or other trade restrictions, limited or unfavorable intellectual property protection, international political or economic conditions, restrictions on the repatriation of earnings, longer sales cycles, warranty expectations, product return policies and cost, performance and compatibility requirements. In addition, expanding into new geographic markets increases our exposure to presently existing risks, such as fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies and difficulties and increased expenses in complying with U.S. and foreign laws, regulations and trade standards, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the "FCPA"). The FCPA generally prohibits companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Other countries in which we operate and may operate in the future may also have anti-bribery laws. Our policies mandate compliance with these anti-bribery laws. However, we currently operate in and intend to further expand into, many parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption to some degree and, in certain circumstances, strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. It is possible that our employees, subcontractors, agents and partners may take actions in violation of our policies and anti-bribery laws. Any such violation, even if prohibited by our policies, could subject us to criminal or civil penalties or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and reputation. Failure to manage the risks and challenges associated with our potential expansion into new geographic markets could adversely affect our revenue and our ability to achieve or sustain profitability.

The Trump administration has threatened tougher trade terms with China, including increased tariffs on foreign imports into the U.S. from China, threatening to impose a 60% tariff on Chinese imports. In the event such tariffs are implemented, we expect certain raw materials used in our products will be subject to such tariffs, which could impact our ability to timely manufacture our components and system solutions. While the implementation and scope of these proposed tariffs is still uncertain, any significant new tariffs, which may last for an indefinite period of time, may result in increased prices for certain of our raw materials including steel, one of our main raw material inputs. The implementation of these proposed tariffs, any future increases in existing tariff rates, additional tariffs on other goods, or further retaliatory actions from other governments may result in higher costs for us, and there can be no assurance we will be able to pass on any of the increases in raw material costs directly resulting from the tariffs to our customers. Even if the Trump administration does not impose such tariffs, the mere threat of increased tariffs can disrupt markets and create uncertainty that could impact supply chains. Such actions may also result in more difficulty or the inability to obtain needed materials. Further, if tariffs increase significantly, we may be unable to source our required raw materials from alternative vendors due to increased demand, which could reduce or delay the supply of raw materials available to us. Escalating trade tensions, particularly between the U.S. and China over the last several years, have led to increased tariffs and trade restrictions, including tariffs applicable to certain materials and components for our products or for products used in solar energy projects more broadly, such as transformers and module supply and availability. These tariffs have directly and indirectly increased our materials costs. In particular, there have been recent tariffs that have particularly targeted the solar industry. In January 2018, the U.S. adopted a tariff on imported solar modules and cells pursuant to Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974. The tariff was initially set at 30%, with a gradual reduction over four years to 15%. This tariff may indirectly affect us by impacting the financial viability of solar energy projects, which could in turn reduce demand for our products. On February 4, 2022, President Biden extended the safeguard tariff for an additional four years, starting at a rate of 14.75% and reducing that rate each year to 14% in 2026, and directed the U.S. Trade Representative to conclude agreements with Canada and Mexico on trade in solar products. Furthermore, in July 2018, the U.S. adopted a 10% tariff on a long list of products imported from China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, including inverters and power optimizers, which became effective on September 24, 2018. In June 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative increased the rate of such tariffs from 10% to 25%. These tariffs could impact the solar energy projects in which our products are used, which could lead to decreased demand for our products. On January 15, 2020, the U.S. and China entered into an initial trade deal that preserves the bulk of the tariffs placed in 2018 and maintains a threat of additional tariffs should China breach the terms of the deal. In December 2021, President Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act ("UFLPA") into law, which became effective on June 21, 2022. The UFLPA seeks to block the import of products made with forced labor in certain areas of China and has identified a list of suppliers from which products are subject to a presumption of import denial. As a result, some suppliers of solar modules have seen shipments detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol pursuant to the UFLPA. These detainments have not significantly impacted any of our customers' projects to date; however, continued or future detainments could affect the industry and impact solar energy projects more broadly, which in turn could affect our business. We are continuing to monitor developments in this area. In addition, the U.S. currently imposes antidumping and countervailing duties on certain imported crystalline silicon PV cells and modules from China and Taiwan. Such antidumping and countervailing duties can change over time pursuant to annual reviews conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce ("USDOC"), and an increase in duty rates could have an adverse impact on our operating results. On August 23, 2023, as a result of an investigation, the USDOC determined that imports of certain crystalline silicone PV that have been completed in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam, using parts or components produced in the People's Republic of China are circumventing the antidumping and countervailing orders on solar cells and modules from China. However, on June 6, 2022, President Biden issued Proclamation 10414 that declared an emergency with respect to U.S. electricity generation capacity and stated that immediate action was needed to ensure access to a sufficient supply of solar cells and modules to assist in meeting the U.S.' electricity generation needs temporarily waiving for 24 months (through June 2024) the collection of antidumping and countervailing duties for certain cells and modules subject to USDOC's investigation. The ITC made a preliminary affirmative determination on June 7, 2024, and the USDOC made its preliminary affirmative determination on October 1, 2024. The preliminary tariff rates vary from below 1% to almost 300%, depending on the relevant company. Tariffs and the possibility of additional tariffs in the future, including as a result of the anticipated tariffs on foreign imports set by Trump administration, particularly on goods from China and any international responses, have created uncertainty in the industry. If the price of solar systems in the U.S. increases, the use of solar systems could become less economically feasible and could reduce our gross profits or reduce the demand of solar systems manufactured and sold, which in turn may decrease demand for our products. Additionally, existing or future tariffs or other trade restrictions may negatively affect key customers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners. Such outcomes could adversely affect the amount or timing of our revenue, results of operations or cash flows, and continuing uncertainty could cause sales volatility, price fluctuations or supply shortages or cause our customers to advance or delay their purchase of our products. It is difficult to predict what further trade-related actions governments may take, which may include additional or increased tariffs and trade restrictions, and we may be unable to quickly and effectively react to such actions.

Changes in corporate tax rates, tax incentives for renewable energy projects, the realization of net deferred tax assets relating to our U.S. operations, the taxation of foreign earnings, and the deductibility of expenses under future tax reform legislation could have a material impact on the value of our deferred tax assets, could result in significant one-time charges in the current or future taxable years, and could increase our future U.S. tax expense or that of our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

Federal, state, local and foreign government regulations and policies concerning the broader electric utility industry, as well as internal policies and regulations promulgated by electric utilities and organized electric markets with respect to fees, practices, and rate design, heavily influence the market for electricity generation products and services. These regulations and policies often affect electricity pricing and the interconnection of generation facilities, and can be subject to frequent modifications by governments, regulatory bodies, utilities and market operators. For example, changes in fee structures, electricity pricing structures, and system permitting, interconnection and operating requirements can deter purchases of renewable energy products, including solar energy systems, by reducing anticipated revenue or increasing costs or regulatory burdens for would-be system purchasers. Any resulting reductions in demand for solar energy systems could harm our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. Chief among policies intended to promote renewable electricity generally, or solar electricity in particular, are renewable portfolio standards ("RPS") and clean energy standards ("CES"). Currently, over half of the U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have implemented some form of RPS/CES policy, which mandates that a certain portion of electricity delivered by regulated utilities to customers come from a set of eligible renewable or clean energy resources by a certain compliance date. Additionally, several states have set voluntary renewable energy goals. RPS/CES policies vary widely by jurisdiction. In some areas, requirements have been satisfied and utilities must only prevent reductions in qualifying energy purchases and sales, while in other jurisdictions, RPS/CES policies continue to require substantial increases, up to 100 percent renewable electric generation, with final compliance dates typically 20 or more years out. Proposals to extend compliance deadlines, reduce renewable requirements or solar set-asides, or entirely repeal RPS/CES policies emerge periodically in various jurisdictions. There can be no assurance that state RPS/CES policies or other policies supporting renewable energy will continue. Additionally, states, counties, and municipalities have the ability to slow or obstruct the development of new solar projects by using permitting, zoning and siting laws. Many states that support the renewable energy sector have tried to limit the ability of counties or municipalities to block solar development in this way. In some states, the public utility commissions or other State agencies have authority to preempt local zoning decisions that unreasonably interfere with solar development. Other states effectively allow municipalities and counties to exercise their standard land use powers. In the future, the approach taken in individual states may change and will be driven by the political climate in those states. There is no guarantee that states will continue to enact zoning and permitting laws that support the renewable energy sector. Net metering policies for on-site solar have also promoted solar electricity by allowing solar PV system owners to only pay for power usage net of production from the solar PV system. Under a net metering program, the customer typically pays for the net energy used or receives a credit against future bills if more energy is produced than consumed. While most U.S. states have adopted some form of net metering for small solar projects, these programs have recently come under regulatory scrutiny in some jurisdictions due to allegations that net metering policies inequitably shift costs onto non-solar ratepayers. A number of states have made changes to net metering programs that lessen the benefits associated with net metering. Net metering policies may in the future be modified or even eliminated in some states. The absence of favorable net metering policies or of net metering entirely, or the imposition of new charges that only or disproportionately affect end-users that use net metering would significantly limit demand for our products and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and future growth. Additionally, as new solar projects are planned and built, as part of the interconnection process, the developers typically are required to pay for any required upgrades to the local distribution lines or to the electric transmission system. In particular areas, as the number of solar projects increases, the costs of these upgrades are likely to increase. This may have the effect of reducing the economic benefits of these projects and may lead to the cancellation of marginal projects. Certainly, federal and state regulatory policies may have an impact on how these interconnection costs are calculated and on the amount of time needed to complete the necessary interconnection studies. There may be risks that federal or state regulators will develop interconnection rules or procedures that are more burdensome than they are today for developers of solar projects. Changes in other current laws or regulations applicable to us or the imposition of new laws, regulations or policies in the U.S. or other jurisdictions in which we do business could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any changes to government, utility or electric market regulations or policies that favor electric utilities, non-solar generation, or other market participants, or that make construction or operation of new solar generation facilities more expensive or difficult, could reduce the competitiveness of solar energy systems and cause a significant reduction in demand for our products and services and adversely impact our growth.