12
Risks Relating to Domestic and Foreign Taxation
and Government Regulation and Oversight
Changes in tax laws could result in fluctuations in our effective tax
rate and have a material effect on our liquidity,
financial
position and results of operation.
We pay income
taxes in the U.S. and various foreign jurisdictions.
Our effective tax rate is derived from a combination of local
tax rates and tax attributes applicable to our operations in the various countries,
states and other jurisdictions in which we operate.
Our effective tax rate and respective tax liabilities could therefore
be materially affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries
with differing statutory tax rates, changes in tax rates, expiration
or lapses of tax credits or incentives, changes in uncertain tax
positions, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, or changes
in tax laws or in how they are interpreted or
enforced, including matters such as transfer pricing.
In addition, we are regularly under audit by tax authorities, and the final
decisions of such audits could materially affect our current
tax estimates and tax positions.
See Note 10 and Note 26 of Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report for a discussion
of certain income and non-income tax audits and
inspections.
Any of these factors or similar tax-related risks could cause our effective
tax rate and tax-related payments, including any
such payments related to tax liabilities of businesses we have acquired, to
significantly differ from previous periods and current or
future expectations which could have a material effect on our liquidity,
financial position and results of operations.
Pending and future legal proceedings including environmental
matters could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity,
financial position and results of operations, as well as our reputation in the markets it serves.
The Company and its subsidiaries are routinely party to proceedings, cases, and
requests for information from, and negotiations
with, various claimants and federal and state agencies relating to various
legal matters, including tax and environmental matters.
See
Note 10 and Note 26 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item
8 of this Report, which describes uncertain tax positions
and tax audits and inspections, as well as certain information concerning
pending asbestos-related litigation against an inactive
subsidiary, amounts
accrued associated with certain environmental, non-capital remediation costs and
other potential commitments or
contingencies.
An adverse result in one or more pending or ongoing matters or any potential future
matter of a similar nature could
materially and adversely affect our liquidity,
financial position, and results of operations, as well as our reputation in the markets
we
Failure to comply with the complex global regulatory environment in which we operate
could have an adverse impact on our
reputation and/or a material adverse effect on our liquidity,
financial position and results of operations.
We are subject to
government regulation in all of the jurisdictions in which we conduct our business.
Changes in the regulatory
environments
in which we operate, particularly,
but not limited to, the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, China, India, Thailand, Australia, the
U.K. and the EU, could lead to heightened regulatory compliance costs and
scrutiny, could adversely
impact our ability to continue
selling certain products in the U.S. or foreign markets, and/or could otherwise
increase the cost of doing business.
While we seek to
mitigate these risks through a variety of actions,
including receiving Responsible Care Certification, ongoing employee
training, and
employing a comprehensive environmental, health and safety program,
there is no guarantee these actions will prevent all potential
regulatory compliance issues.
For instance, failure to comply with the EU’s
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of
Chemicals (“REACH”) regulations or other similar laws and regulations
could result in our inability to sell certain products or we
could incur fines, ongoing monitoring obligations or other future business consequences,
which could have a material adverse effect
on our liquidity, financial
position and results of operations.
In addition, the U.S. Toxic
Substances Control Act (“TSCA”) requires
chemicals to be assessed against a risk-based safety standard and
that unreasonable risks identified during risk evaluation be
eliminated.
This regulation and other pending initiatives at the U.S. state level, as well as initiatives
in Canada, Asia and other
regions, could potentially require toxicological testing and risk assessments of
a wide variety of chemicals, including chemicals used
or produced by us.
These assessments may result in heightened concerns about the chemicals involved
and additional requirements
being placed on their production, handling, labeling or use.
These concerns and additional requirements could also increase the cost
incurred by our customers to use our chemical products and otherwise
limit their use which could lead to a decrease in demand for
these products.
A decrease in demand due to these issues could have an adverse impact on our business
and results of operation.
Further, we are subject to the U.S. Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”),
the U.K. Bribery Act and other anti-bribery,
anti-
corruption and anti-money laundering laws in jurisdictions around
the world.
These and similar laws generally prohibit companies
and their officers, directors, employees and third-party
intermediaries, business partners and agents, from making improper payments
or providing other improper items of value to government officials
or other persons.
While we have policies and procedures and
internal controls designed to address compliance with such laws, including
employee training programs, we cannot guarantee that our
employees and third-party intermediaries, business partners
and agents will not take, or be alleged to have taken, actions in violation
of such policies and laws for which we may be ultimately held responsible.
Detecting, investigating and resolving actual or alleged
violations can be extensive and require a significant diversion of time, resources
and attention from senior management.
Any
violation of these or other applicable anti-bribery,
anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws could result in whistleblower
complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, loss of export privileges,
and criminal or civil sanctions, penalties and fines, any
of which could adversely affect our business and financial
condition.
The shipment of goods, services and technology across international
borders subjects us to extensive trade laws and regulations.
Our import activities are governed by the unique customs laws and
regulations in each of the countries where we operate.
Moreover,
many countries, including the U.S., control the export and re-export of
certain goods, services and technology and impose related