ESAB (ESAB) risk factors, FY2025 10-K

ESAB's FY2025 10-K, filed Feb 20, 2026, lists 36 risk factors in 3 groups. Against the prior year's 36: 1 new, 1 dropped, 9 substantially reworded.

Risk factors listed
363 groups
New this year
1vs 36 last year
Dropped
1since the prior 10-K
Substantially reworded
9of those kept
Section length
12k wordsItem 1A

What the changes say

  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning integration is a newly identified competitive and execution risk.
  • International exposure increased: 80% of sales and facilities in 16 countries outside the United States.
  • Debt rose to $1.2 billion, while revolving-credit access increased to $865 million and quarterly dividends increased.
  • Pension risk wording now focuses on publicly traded debt securities, omitting equity securities.

What changed since the prior 10-K

New

  • NewRisks Related to our Business

    Failure to successfully integrate new technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, could limit our ability to grow and maintain our competitive position and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flow

    Failure to integrate artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other new technologies could weaken competitiveness, innovation, operations, and financial results.

Dropped

  • DroppedRisks Related to Litigation and Regulatory Compliance

    could be substantially different than the estimates, and future revaluation of liabilities and insurance recoveries could result in material adjustments to these estimates, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations

Reworded

  • 44% rewrittenRisks Related to our Business

    The majority of our sales are derived from international operations. We are subject to specific risks associated with international operations

    International sales increased from 78% to approximately 80%, non-U.S. manufacturing locations from 14 to 16, and EMEA & APAC sales from 57% to 60%.

  • 41% rewrittenRisks Related to our Business

    Changes in our tax rates or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could adversely affect our financial results

  • 33% rewrittenRisks Related to Litigation and Regulatory Compliance

    We are exposed to certain regulatory and financial risks related to climate change, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows

  • 31% rewrittenRisks Related to Shares of Our Common Stock

    Certain provisions in our certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws (our “bylaws”), and of Delaware law, may prevent or delay an acquisition of us, which could decrease the trading price of our common stock

    The description abbreviates Board of Directors as BOD and omits the classified three-year staggered Board provision.

  • 31% rewrittenRisks Related to our Business

    Our existing and any future indebtedness could adversely affect our businesses and our ability to meet our obligations and pay dividends

    Outstanding indebtedness increased from $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion, while revolving-credit access rose from $750 million to $865 million under the A&R Credit Agreement.

  • 31% rewrittenRisks Related to Shares of Our Common Stock

    We cannot guarantee the payment of dividends on our common stock, or the timing or amount of any such dividends

    Quarterly dividends increased from $0.06/$0.08 per share in 2024 to $0.08/$0.10 per share in 2025, with Board of Directors terminology added.

  • 29% rewrittenRisks Related to our Business

    Our defined benefit pension plans and post-retirement medical and death benefit plans are or may become subject to funding requirements or obligations that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations

    The risk now refers to publicly traded debt securities, omitting the prior reference to publicly traded equity securities.

  • 24% rewrittenRisks Related to our Business

    A significant or sustained decline in the levels of new capital investment and maintenance expenditures by certain of our customers could reduce the demand for our products and services and harm our operations and financial performance

    The wording now says customer capital spending may be delayed or result in cancellation of existing orders, rather than simply delayed or cancelled.

  • 24% rewrittenRisks Related to our Business

    We may require additional capital to finance our acquisitions and operation needs, and such capital may not be available, impacting our ability to pursue our growth strategy

    Was: We may require additional capital to finance our operation needs, and such capital may not be available, impacting our ability to pursue our growth strategy

All 36 risk factors

Headings as the filing states them, in filing order.

Risks Related to our Business

  1. 01The cyclical nature and maturity of the welding and cutting industry in developed markets may adversely affect our performance
  2. 02A significant or sustained decline in the levels of new capital investment and maintenance expenditures by certain of our customers could reduce the demand for our products and services and harm our operations and financial performance24% rewritten
  3. 03The majority of our sales are derived from international operations. We are subject to specific risks associated with international operations44% rewritten
  4. 04Our operations are exposed to risks related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and could be impacted by other wars and geopolitical turmoil
  5. 05Natural or man-made disasters, adverse weather events or conditions, epidemics, pandemics and other widespread health events have adversely impacted, and may in the future adversely impact, our results of operations, financial condition and overall financial performance
  6. 06Significant movements in foreign currency exchange rates have adversely impacted our financial results in the past and may adversely impact our results in the future
  7. 07Acquisitions are a significant part of our growth strategy. If we are unable to identify suitable acquisition candidates, complete proposed acquisitions or successfully integrate the businesses we acquire, our growth strategy may not succeed, and we may not realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions
  8. 08We may require additional capital to finance our acquisitions and operation needs, and such capital may not be available, impacting our ability to pursue our growth strategy24% rewritten
  9. 09Our restructuring activities may subject us to additional uncertainty in our operating results
  10. 10Any impairment in the value of our intangible assets, including Goodwill, would negatively affect our operating results and total capitalization
  11. 11Our existing and any future indebtedness could adversely affect our businesses and our ability to meet our obligations and pay dividends31% rewritten
  12. 12We may be unable to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful
  13. 13A material disruption at any of our manufacturing facilities could adversely affect our ability to generate sales and meet customer demand
  14. 14Interruptions in production could increase our costs and reduce our sales. Any interruption in production capability could require us to make substantial capital expenditures to remedy the situation or rely on third-party manufacturers, which could negatively affect our profitability and financial condition
  15. 15Failure to maintain and protect our intellectual property rights or challenges to these rights by third parties may affect our operations and financial performance
  16. 16We are dependent on the availability of raw materials, as well as parts and components used in our products
  17. 17The markets we serve are highly competitive. If we are unable to respond successfully to this competition, this could reduce our sales and operating margins
  18. 18Some of our competitors may also have greater financial, marketing and research and development resources than we have or stronger name recognition. As a result, those competitors may be better able to withstand the effects of periodic economic downturns or other disruptions or challenges
  19. 19Changes in our tax rates or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could adversely affect our financial results41% rewritten
  20. 20Our business subjects us to the possibility of product liability lawsuits, which could harm our business
  21. 21Our defined benefit pension plans and post-retirement medical and death benefit plans are or may become subject to funding requirements or obligations that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations29% rewritten
  22. 22Our hedging activity could negatively impact our results of operations, cash flows, or leverage
  23. 23The loss of key leadership could have a material adverse effect on our ability to run our business
  24. 24Failure to successfully integrate new technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, could limit our ability to grow and maintain our competitive position and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flowNew

Risks Related to Litigation and Regulatory Compliance

  1. 25We have done and may continue to do business in countries subject to United States sanctions. Failure to comply with various sanction laws may result in enforcement or other regulatory actions
  2. 26If we fail to comply with export control regulations, we could be subject to substantial fines or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations
  3. 27We are subject to a variety of continuously evolving and developing laws and regulations regarding privacy, data protection and data security
  4. 28We are subject to a variety of increasingly stringent environmental and health and safety laws for which compliance, or related liabilities, could be costly
  5. 29We are exposed to certain regulatory and financial risks related to climate change, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows33% rewritten
  6. 30Our businesses are subject to extensive regulation; failure to comply with those regulations could adversely affect our reputation and our business, financial condition and results of operations

Risks Related to Shares of Our Common Stock

  1. 31As a public company, we are required to maintain internal controls over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses in such internal controls
  2. 32Our stock price may fluctuate significantly, including from future sales of our common stock or the perception that such sales or resales may occur
  3. 33We cannot guarantee the payment of dividends on our common stock, or the timing or amount of any such dividends31% rewritten
  4. 34Issuance of our equity securities may significantly dilute our existing stockholders
  5. 35Certain provisions in our certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws (our “bylaws”), and of Delaware law, may prevent or delay an acquisition of us, which could decrease the trading price of our common stock31% rewritten
  6. 36Our certificate of incorporation designates the exclusive forum for the resolution of certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders. These forum selection provisions could discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, employees and stockholders

Other ESAB 10-Ks

  • FY2024 10-K risk factors
    36 risks

    International operations generate 78% of sales, making foreign exchange, geopolitics, and global supply chains critical risk factors.

    Filed Feb 20, 2025

About this page

The headings are the filing's own. The one-line readings and the overview are automated and can be wrong: read Item 1A of the 10-K for the exact wording.