UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
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TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes
The aggregate market value of the voting and non‑voting common equity held by non‑affiliates of the Registrant on June 30, 2019, computed by reference to the closing price reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market on such date was $
As of February 26, 2020, the Registrant had
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Registrant’s proxy statement to be filed in connection with its annual meeting of stockholders to be held May 26, 2020 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.
VERRA MOBILITY CORPORATION
FORM 10-K
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2019
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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk |
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. All statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, products, services, and technology offerings, market conditions, growth and trends, expansion plans and opportunities and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “potentially,” “preliminary,” “likely,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including those described under Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.” Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the effect of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.
You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements may not occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, performance, or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. We undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or to conform these statements to actual results or revised expectations.
Unless the context indicates otherwise, as used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the terms “Verra Mobility,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Verra Mobility Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.
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Explanatory Note
Verra Mobility Corporation, formerly known as Gores Holdings II, Inc. (“Gores”) was originally incorporated in Delaware on August 15, 2016, as a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more target businesses. On January 19, 2017, we consummated our initial public offering (the “IPO”), following which our shares began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”).
On June 21, 2018, Gores, AM Merger Sub I, Inc., a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Gores (“First Merger Sub”), AM Merger Sub II, LLC, a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Gores (“Second Merger Sub”), Greenlight Holding II Corporation (“Greenlight”), and PE Greenlight Holdings, LLC entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger as amended on August 23, 2018 by that certain Amendment No. 1 to Agreement and Plan of Merger (as amended, the “Merger Agreement”), which provided for, among other things, (i) the merger of First Merger Sub with and into Greenlight, with Greenlight continuing as the surviving corporation (the “First Merger”) and (ii) immediately following the First Merger and as part of the same overall transaction as the First Merger, the merger of Greenlight with and into Second Merger Sub, with Second Merger Sub continuing as the surviving entity (the “Second Merger” and, together with the First Merger, the “Merger” and, together with the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Business Combination”).
In connection with the closing of the Business Combination on October 17, 2018 (the “Closing Date”), Gores changed its name from Gores Holdings II, Inc. to Verra Mobility Corporation, changed its trading symbols on Nasdaq from “GSHT,” and “GSHTW,” to “VRRM” and “VRRMW,” and Second Merger Sub changed its name from AM Merger Sub II, LLC to Verra Mobility Holdings, LLC. As a result of the Business Combination, Verra Mobility Corporation became the owner, directly or indirectly, of all of the equity interests of Verra Mobility Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries.
For accounting purposes, the Business Combination is treated as a reverse acquisition and recapitalization, in which Greenlight is considered the accounting acquirer (and legal acquiree) and Gores is considered the accounting acquiree (and legal acquirer). Our financial statement presentation includes the financial statements of Greenlight and its subsidiaries as “Predecessor” for periods prior to the completion of the Business Combination and of Verra Mobility Corporation, including the consolidation of Verra Mobility Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries, for periods from and after the Closing Date.
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PART I
Item 1. Business
Overview
We are a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions and services throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. We provide integrated technology solutions and services which include toll and violations management, title and registration, automated safety solutions, and other data driven solutions to our customers, which include rental car companies (“RACs”), fleet management companies (“FMCs”), other large fleet owners, municipalities, school districts and violation issuing authorities. Our solutions simplify the smart mobility ecosystem by utilizing what we believe are industry leading capabilities, information and technology expertise, and integrated hardware and software to efficiently facilitate the automated processing of tolls and violations for hundreds of agencies and millions of end users annually, while also making cities and roadways safer for everyone.
Based in Mesa, Arizona, we operate through two primary segments – Commercial Services and Government Solutions. Through our Commercial Services segment, we believe we are the market leading provider of automated toll and violations management and title and registration solutions to RACs, FMCs and other large fleet owners in the United States and Canada. In Europe, we work with violation issuing authorities and specialize in the identification, notification, and collection of unpaid traffic, parking, and public transportation related violations incurred by vehicles registered in a country other than that in which the violation occurred. Through our Government Solutions segment, we believe we are the market leading provider of automated safety solutions to municipalities, counties, school districts and law enforcement agencies (which are collectively referred to herein as “local government agencies”), including services and technology that enable photo enforcement via road safety camera programs related to red-light, speed, school bus, and city bus lanes.
Segments
Commercial Services
Our Commercial Services segment generated approximately $276.5 million in revenue for 2019, or approximately 62% of our total revenue. The Commercial Services segment is the market leading provider of automated toll and violations management and title and registration solutions to RACs, FMCs and other large fleet owners in North America. Through our established relationships with more than 50 individual tolling authorities throughout the United States, we provide an automated and outsourced administrative solution for our customers while also providing a value-added convenience for vehicle drivers and benefits to the tolling and issuing authorities. Without our toll and violations management solutions, our customers would bear the expense and administrative burden of matching tolls or violations to the responsible vehicle and driver, and then either transferring liability or paying the fee or fine directly (for which it may then need to bill the driver) – in either case within specified time periods to avoid the potential imposition of penalties. We mitigate these risks by ensuring timely payment for tolls and violations incurred by our customers’ vehicles or by performing timely transfers of liability on our customers’ behalf, and then billing and collecting from the driver as applicable. We also manage regional toll transponder installation and vehicle association, an especially critical and highly complex component for RAC and FMC customers, to ensure that the transponder (and corresponding toll transactions) are associated with the correct vehicle.
We have long-standing relationships with the three largest RACs in the United States – The Hertz Corporation, Avis Budget Group and Enterprise Holdings, Inc. – among others, as well as the six largest FMCs in the United States, which are Element, ARI, Enterprise Fleet Management, Wheels, LeasePlan and Donlen. We provide coverage for more than 95% of all toll roads in the United States and currently one toll road in Canada, processing more than 250 million toll transactions and 2.4 million traffic violations in 2019. Following the acquisition of Euro Parking Collection (“EPC”) in April 2018, we extended our customer base to include violation issuing authorities in Europe and expanded our commercial services to include identification, notification, and collection of unpaid traffic, parking, and public transportation related violations incurred by vehicle drivers not originating in the country where the violation occurred. We expanded our presence in Europe to include electronic toll collection on highways and car parks throughout Spain, Portugal, France and Italy through our acquisition of Pagatelia, S.L. (“Pagatelia”) in October 2019.
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Government Solutions
Our Government Solutions segment generated approximately $172.3 million in revenue for 2019, or approximately 38% of our total revenue. This segment works with local government agencies to help make cities and roadways safer for everyone through automated safety solutions. We provide local government agencies with road safety cameras to detect and process traffic violations for red-light, speed, school bus, and city bus lanes. Our proprietary hardware and software technologies provide local government agencies the information, data, and automated end-to-end administrative capabilities to enforce traffic violations through photo enforcement. On behalf of our customers, we own, install, maintain, and manage automated safety solution hardware and software that processes event data, applies customer specific rules and connects a traffic violation to the responsible driver or vehicle owner. Additionally, upon law enforcement’s determination that a violation has occurred, we manage the citation mailing, billing, and other administrative tasks on behalf of many of our customers.
We are a critical partner to local government agencies across the United States, helping to facilitate and increase public safety, improve public transportation, enhance law enforcement officer safety and act as a police force multiplier by allowing law enforcement to focus on serious crimes rather than routine traffic violations. We currently have more than 4,700 red-light, speed, school bus and city bus lane road safety cameras installed across nearly 160 jurisdictions and school districts in 18 states and the District of Columbia. On an annual basis, we process approximately 9.3 million violations on behalf of our municipality and school district customers, including New York City, Seattle, Washington D.C., Austin Independent School District, Philadelphia, Orlando and Atlanta Public Schools.
The Industries in Which We Operate
Tolling
Tolling is an important feature of the United States transportation landscape, with United States tolling authorities collecting nearly $21 billion in toll revenues in 2018. As a result, tolling is one of the most effective and equitable ways to pay for highway infrastructure. In addition to the overall growth in tolling as reflected in the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s tracking of total toll bridge, tunnel and road mileage, there is also a growing movement towards cashless and all-electronic tolling, which allows for more convenient, accurate and reliable processing and collection of toll incurrence fees and mitigates congestion on toll roads. The tolling industry is highly fragmented and complex as it is comprised of more than 50 tolling authorities, each operating as independent organizations with specific coverage regions and disparate technology platforms.
Commercial Fleet
Our Commercial Services customers consist of RACs, FMCs and other large fleet owners. The nearly $32 billion United States RAC industry is highly consolidated, with three companies accounting for a significant majority of United States RAC revenues in 2019. In addition to these larger nationwide RACs, smaller independent companies operate regionally throughout the United States. The industry is currently being driven by an increase in the average number of days a vehicle is rented. The industry is also being impacted by the rapid growth in the ride sharing market through recent partnerships with ride share providers like Uber and Lyft to rent vehicles to their independent drivers, leading to additional rental transactions. Management believes the European RAC market, while more fragmented than the U.S. market, is large in size. According to Automotive Fleet Magazine, there are nearly 8.5 million fleet vehicles in the United States, approximately 3.2 million of which are under management by FMCs. The fleet industry in North America is primarily centered on vocational vehicles utilized for transporting people along with the tools, parts and equipment required to perform their jobs, largely insulating the industry from disruptions caused by today’s ride share and car share services. In Europe, the FMC market is estimated to be more than 6 million vehicles, with over half under management by the top five European FMCs.
Automated Safety
As the number of vehicle miles traveled continues to increase and cities and municipalities struggle to deal with the challenges of managing traffic enforcement, red-light, speed and school bus stop arm cameras continue to play a prominent role in comprehensive safety initiatives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding and red-light running cause around 10,000 fatalities each year. Studies from organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (“IIHS”) have found cameras to be an effective tool for law
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enforcement and other agencies to reduce the number of traffic-related violations, collisions, injuries and fatalities. A 2017 IIHS study found that red-light cameras reduce fatalities by as much as 21%, and a 2015 IIHS study found that speed cameras reduced incapacitating or fatal crashes by as much as 39%. Additionally, programs like Vision Zero, a collaborative campaign helping communities reach their goals of eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, across most major U.S. cities, are driving capital investment to make meaningful strides in traffic safety.
Growth Strategies
Benefit from Strong Industry Tailwinds
We believe there is significant opportunity in both Commercial Services and Government Solutions to leverage strong industry momentum and trends. In Commercial Services, the number of toll roads is continuing to increase and there is continued migration towards cashless and all-electronic tolling. In Government Solutions, the public attention given to traffic safety issues for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and law enforcement is intensifying.
According to 2014 IBTTA estimates, annual tolling industry revenues in the United States could reach $60 to $75 billion by 2030. This increase in revenue is expected to be driven by an increase in the number of toll roads, including new express and high occupancy lanes in urban areas, dynamic tolling based on congestion pricing which allow toll rates to fluctuate based on real-time traffic trends, U.S. states that do not currently utilize toll roads implementing interstate tolling, and an overall need to fund a growing list of infrastructure maintenance and construction needs. In addition, nearly half of the toll roads in the United States have transitioned to cashless or all-electronic, according to IBTTA. Both trends create significant opportunities for us to expand our market presence while developing relationships with both new and existing RACs, FMCs, consumers, and tolling authorities.
The increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled each year and a heightened public awareness of traffic safety has highlighted the need for smart technology solutions to address traffic safety issues. We believe that as public focus intensifies, the demand for our Government Solutions offerings will grow as well, and that we are positioned to take advantage of these opportunities. Since the beginning of 2018, our Government Solutions segment has won 41% of the requests for proposals to which we have responded for the provision of photo enforcement services.
Strengthen and Expand Customer Relationships
The ongoing expansion of New York City’s school zone speed enforcement program presents us with a significant growth opportunity in our Government Solutions segment. As a result of state legislation passed in May 2019, New York City is substantially expanding its school zone speed enforcement program, with a plan to increase the number of enforcement areas from approximately 150 to 750 by 2021. In connection with the expansion, we received a Notice to Proceed from the New York City Department of Transportation in October 2019 for 720 new school zone safety camera systems. New York City has announced that it intends to install new camera systems citywide at a rate of approximately 60 per month through 2020.
Expand Platform with New Products and New and Growing End Markets
We are an industry leader in the deployment of products and services that meet the increasingly complex and continuously evolving requirements of both existing and new customers. We are continuously looking toward the future, ensuring the development of relevant solutions today that will work tomorrow. We seek to understand developing customer, consumer, and government trends that will shape tomorrow’s smart mobility experiences both in the United States and internationally, all in an effort to ensure more people around the world reach their destination safely and easily.
We believe leveraging our differentiated capabilities into new and growing end markets, such as ride sharing, car sharing and autonomous vehicles, provides attractive growth opportunities. The ride sharing and car sharing market, which includes vehicles leased to individual drivers, gives us a low-risk opportunity to grow Commercial Services revenues while at the same time insulating us from any market shift between ride sharing, car sharing and RACs. Further, this growth prospect comes at little additional investment as we are able to leverage the same technologies and solutions we have already developed for our RAC and FMC customers. As an already established leader, we believe we are well-positioned to be a first mover and to become a provider of choice in these new end markets.
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Urban enforcement, curb management and citation processing solutions in the smart city movement also present a significant opportunity for us. As one example, according to Technavio, the smart parking industry in the United States is forecasted to grow by approximately $2.6 billion between 2017 and 2022. Our existing technologies and solutions could be adopted to take advantage of this market, providing an additional avenue for growth.
In addition, Government Solutions could leverage our long-standing relationships with municipal customers to provide other smart mobility technology solutions, such as automatic license plate recognition, and new developing technologies, such as connected vehicle technology.
Expand Global Footprint
We believe there is significant opportunity to expand into attractive markets across Europe and beyond, and to that end, we have established a location in the Netherlands to serve as our European headquarters from which we are launching our RAC and FMC business in Europe. In September 2019, we entered into a partnership with APRR, Europe’s fourth-largest motorway operator, which enables us to provide our toll management services to French customers.
We also intend to leverage our recent acquisitions of EPC and Pagatelia to further bolster our growth into the European market.
Through EPC we now have the capabilities to serve customers in more than 18 languages and more than 10 currencies and to leverage existing connections with approximately 30 vehicle licensing authorities for whom we bill violators in more than 130 countries. Additionally, Pagatelia has established relationships with tolling authorities throughout Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, through which it offers interoperable electronic tolling both directly to consumers and through white-label partners. Given that there is no pan-European competitor, through these recent acquisitions we have an opportunity to provide existing and new RAC and FMC customers with a convenient and effective solution similar to our current offering in the United States.
Pursue Accretive Acquisitions
In addition to organic growth initiatives, we have significant opportunities to increase our competitive positioning and strengthen our portfolio of products and solutions through strategic acquisitions. We have demonstrated the ability to identify and execute strategic acquisitions, as we did with HTA and EPC in 2018 and Pagatelia in 2019. We constantly monitor the market for potential acquisition targets, which are evaluated based on their potential strategic impact, including growth potential, synergies, end-market development, customer relationships, technology, and cash flow. Our management team has a strong track record of integrating acquisitions and driving synergies, and has identified a strong pipeline for future acquisitions.
Products
Commercial Services
Toll management solutions.
We provide fully outsourced toll management solutions for our RAC and FMC customers while also providing a value-added convenience for vehicle drivers via our established relationships and integrations with more than 50 individual tolling authorities throughout the United States. This comprehensive network allows RAC and FMC drivers the convenience of using cashless and all-electronic tolls. Additionally, this service helps prevent the liability and business disruption of costly toll violations incurred by vehicles owned by RAC and FMC customers and eliminates their need to manage a nationwide program internally. Our proprietary software technology and hardware allow us to effectively match a toll to the specific RAC or FMC vehicle and driver so that the toll can accurately and reliably be billed and collected on behalf of, or directly from, the RAC or FMC. Toll management solutions accounted for approximately 52% of our 2019 revenues.
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Violations management solutions.
Our violations management solutions process violations incurred by the drivers of RAC and FMC vehicles by working with more than 8,000 domestic violation issuing authorities (more than 400 of which we are directly integrated with) to either pay the fine on behalf of the vehicle owner (for which we are able to bill the vehicle driver) or to transfer liability directly to the vehicle driver. Vehicle-issued violations include parking and photo enforcement violations. We hold the leading market position with operations in all 50 U.S. states. In Europe, we specialize in the identification, notification, and collection of unpaid traffic, parking and public transport related fees, charges, and penalties issued to foreign registered vehicles or persons on behalf of issuing authorities in more than 15 European countries. Violation management solutions accounted for approximately 7% of our 2019 revenues.
Title and registration solutions.
Our title and registration solutions provide RAC and FMC customers with an integrated, end-to-end solution for managing vehicle titles and registrations and annual renewals. We provide automated title and registration solutions by leveraging connections with individual departments of motor vehicles for electronic title and registration processing in 20 states. Title and registration solutions accounted for approximately 3% of our 2019 revenues.
Government Solutions
We serve as a value-add partner to local government agencies by providing road safety cameras that promote traffic safety and reduce traffic violations. We work with our customers to identify problematic traffic areas and install, maintain, and manage the technology platform needed to capture images or videos of drivers committing traffic violations. Red-light cameras are placed at intersections to capture vehicles running red lights. Similarly, speed safety cameras are used to capture vehicles exceeding speed limits, either on a fixed basis or in a mobile platform, and often in school zones. School bus cameras are fixed to the side of buses to capture vehicles passing school buses with extended stop arms. Finally, bus lane cameras are designed to capture vehicles illegally driving in restricted bus lanes.
Applying rules specified by each customer, we automatically send the captured event to the designated enforcement agency of the customer, where an authorized individual determines if a violation occurred. Red-light cameras, speed cameras, school bus cameras, and city bus lane cameras for red-light, speed, school bus and city bus lanes accounted for approximately 31% of our 2019 revenues. Other segment revenue consists primarily of ancillary revenue streams, including product revenues and other ancillary services.
Customers
We have a diverse customer base across the United States, Canada, and Europe. We are a top provider of toll management solutions, violations management solutions, and title and registration solutions for nearly every major RAC and FMC provider nationwide, including The Hertz Corporation, Avis Budget Group, Enterprise Holdings, Inc., Fox Rent a Car, Advantage Rent A Car, Sixt, Element, ARI, Donlen and Wheels. In addition, we provide automated safety solutions to local government agencies including New York City, Seattle, Washington D.C., Austin Independent School District, Philadelphia, Orlando and Atlanta Public Schools. For many of our customers, we provide more than one product or service offering, addressing the diverse and varied needs of our clients.
Competition
There is no single competitor that provides a similarly broad suite of solutions. However, in our Government Solutions segment, we face competition in certain automated safety solutions from other vendors in the areas of red-light, school bus and speed photo enforcement. In our Commercial Services segment, we face competition from both our own customers, as they may choose to invest in their own internal solutions, and vendors offering or seeking to offer new technologies or financial models, and we must continue to innovate for our offerings to remain competitive.
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Intellectual Property
We rely on a combination of patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights and confidentiality agreements to protect our intellectual property. We take steps to protect new intellectual property to safeguard our ongoing technological innovations and strengthen our brand, and believe we take appropriate action against infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property rights by others. We review third-party intellectual property rights to help avoid infringement, and to identify strategic opportunities.
Our general policy is to seek patent protection for those inventions likely to be incorporated into our products and services or where obtaining such proprietary rights will improve our competitive position. We own approximately 65 U.S. and foreign-issued patents and pending patent applications, including patents and rights to patent applications acquired through strategic transactions, which relate to various aspects of our products and technology. Our patent portfolio evolves as new patents are awarded to us and as older patents expire. Patents expire at various dates, generally 20 years from their original filing dates. While we believe that our portfolio of patents and applications has value, in general no single patent is essential to our business or any individual segment. In addition, any of our proprietary rights could be challenged, invalidated or circumvented, or may not provide significant competitive advantages.
Our business relies on both internally developed and externally licensed software to operate and provide our systems and deliver our services. We claim copyright on all internally developed software. We generally rely on common law protection for our copyrighted works. In addition, we rely on maintaining source code confidentiality to assure our market competitiveness. With respect to externally sourced software, we rely on contracts to retain our continued access for our business usage.
We have approximately 120 registrations and pending applications in the United States and foreign jurisdictions for trademarks and service marks, reflecting our many products and services. These registrations and applications include our historic brands, as well as Verra Mobility. These marks may have a perpetual life, subject to periodic renewal and may be subject to cancellation or invalidation based on certain use requirements and third-party challenges, or on other grounds. We vigorously enforce and protect our marks.
Government Regulation
We are subject to various local, state and federal laws, regulations and administrative practices regulating matters such as data privacy, photo enforcement, consumer protection, procurement, licensing requirements, anti-kickback, equal employment, minimum wages and the environment, among others. Our operations are subject to regulation by various U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, (“USDOT”), the Federal Trade Commission, (“FTC”), the Federal Communications Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as comparable state and local agencies, including the departments of transportation, departments of motor vehicles, and offices of inspector general. Following the acquisition of EPC and in connection with our European expansion efforts, we are now subject to laws, regulations and administrative practices addressing many of these same matters in Europe, including those specifically relating to accessing and use of information obtained from vehicle licensing authorities, as well as European regulations to traffic enforcement and collections and other financial and banking regulations.
As part of our business, we process, collect, use and disclose personal information directly or for our customers and, therefore, are subject to various laws protecting privacy and security of personal information, including the U.S. Driver Privacy Protection Act, the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”) in the European Union (the “E.U.”) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”), which took effect in January 2020. We are also subject to similar restrictions and audit requirements pursuant to our contracts with the organizations from which we gain access to personal information, such as departments of motor vehicles and the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System. Privacy laws and regulations are constantly evolving and changing, are subject to differing interpretations and may be inconsistent among countries and state and local jurisdictions, or conflict with other rules. As we expand our operations in foreign countries, or as U.S. federal or state law changes, our liability exposure and the complexity and cost of compliance with data and privacy requirements, including the GDPR and CCPA, will increase. Laws and practices regarding handling and use of personal and other information by companies have also come under increased public scrutiny, and governmental authorities, consumer agencies and consumer advocacy groups have called for increased regulation and changes in industry practices.
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Automated photo enforcement camera programs in the United States are typically regulated at the state and local level, not the federal level. Since 2010, there have been over 1,500 pieces of legislation introduced nationwide related to the photo enforcement industry. In general, photo enforcement is administrated by local government agencies, under either state enabling legislation or under home rule authority established under the relevant state constitution. Where enabling legislation is not required, local ordinances impose further restrictions within a given jurisdiction. Whether in a state requiring enabling legislation or in home rule states where municipalities pass ordinances permitting photo enforcement, if the legislation or ordinance is subsequently repealed, not renewed if required, or if the authority for a local ordinance is revoked, photo enforcement activities would stop. At times, state Attorneys General have issued opinions interpreting photo enforcement laws and the permissibility of certain practices or other requirements of practice that further restrict private activities. For example, the Attorneys General of Arizona, Tennessee and Virginia have each issued opinions in recent years that impacted photo enforcement activities.
State and local regulation affect our Commercial Services segment as well, particularly with respect to tolling. Over the past few years, bills have been introduced in multiple states to limit whether and how much RACs can charge their customers for the use of a toll transponder, limit the administrative penalties and fees that can be assessed for processing tolls, and/or impose increased disclosure requirements on RACs with respect to tolling charges. In addition, there has been an increase in interest and greater focus on RAC tolling programs from state Attorneys General related to tolling issues from a consumer protection perspective.
Our Government Solutions customers are typically local government agencies, and our operations within this segment are therefore subject to state and local procurement laws pertaining to gifts and entertainment, payments of commissions and contingency fees, conflicts of interest, licensing and permitting requirements and other matters. These laws are overseen by different government agencies, depending on the jurisdiction, including departments of procurements services, contracting offices and offices of inspector general. In large municipalities, many of which have their own offices of the inspector general, these laws and regulations tend to be much more detailed and impose greater restrictions.
To successfully navigate this regulatory landscape, we have a dedicated government relations team that works with state legislators and local authorities, often with the help of lobbyists and consultants, to track and help support favorable camera-enforcement safety and toll-related legislation. Through this network, we have a presence in every state in which our Government Solutions segment does business. These lobbying activities are subject to state and local lobbying regulations and registration requirements.
In connection with the installation of photo enforcement systems, we or our customers routinely obtain permits from various state and local permitting authorities, and we monitor our compliance with the rules and regulations of the USDOT and state departments of transportation relating to matters such as training, policies and procedures. As a government contractor providing photo enforcement services directly or through subcontractors (including design, engineering, construction, installation, and maintenance) in various locations throughout the country, we are at times required to obtain licenses regarding general contracting, performance of engineering services, performance of electrical work, performance of private investigative work and processing license plate and related personal information, and periodically receive notices from regulatory authorities regarding these matters and inquiring as to our compliance with the applicable state and local laws and regulations.
We believe we are in substantial compliance with the laws and regulations that regulate our business. There are, however, significant uncertainties involving the application of various legal requirements, the violation of which could result in, among other things, fines, penalties, revocation of permits or licenses, cessation of operations in a given jurisdiction and other adverse consequences. See “Risk Factors” for a discussion of our regulatory risks.
Employees
As of December 31, 2019, we employed 779 people, 23 of which were subject to a collective bargaining agreement. We believe our relations with our employees are good, and we have not experienced a strike or other significant work stoppage.
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Corporate Information
We were originally incorporated in Delaware on August 15, 2016 under the name “Gores Holdings II, Inc.” as a special purpose acquisition company, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more target businesses. On January 19, 2017, we consummated our IPO, following which our shares began trading on Nasdaq. On October 17, 2018, we consummated the Business Combination and changed our name to “Verra Mobility Corporation” and we became the owner, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of Verra Mobility Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries.
Our principal executive office is located at 1150 N Alma School Rd, Mesa, AZ 85201. Our telephone number is (480) 443-7000. Our website address is www.verramobility.com. The information on, or accessible through, our website does not constitute part of, and is not incorporated into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The trade names, trademarks, and service marks appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include registered marks and marks in which we claim common law rights, such as Verra Mobility and the Verra Mobility logo, all of which are our intellectual property. This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains additional trade names, trademarks, and service marks of other companies that are the property of their respective owners. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks, or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us, by these companies. We have omitted the ® and ™ designations, as applicable, for the trademarks used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and we file or furnish reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such reports and other information we file with the SEC are available free of charge at http://ir.verramobility.com/financial-information/sec-filings when such reports are available on the SEC’s website. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov. We periodically provide other information for investors on our corporate website, www.verramobility.com, and our investor relations website, ir.verramobility.com. This includes press releases and other information about financial performance, information on corporate governance and details related to our annual meeting of stockholders. The information contained on the websites referenced in this Annual Report on Form 10-K is not incorporated by reference into this filing. Further, our references to website URLs are intended to be inactive textual references only.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes. Our business, operating results, financial condition, or prospects could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks and uncertainties. If any of these risks occurs, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you might lose all or part of your investment. Our business, operating results, financial performance, or prospects could also be harmed by risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently do not believe are material.
Risks Related to Our Business
Both our Commercial Services and Government Solutions segments have customer concentration that could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our business experiences customer concentration from time to time. For example, our Commercial Services segment is dependent on certain key customers, including those in the RAC industry. In 2019, we generated a substantial amount of our revenues from RAC customers such as The Hertz Corporation, Avis Budget Group and Enterprise Holdings, Inc. The RAC industry has seen fluctuations in results from time to time, particularly as a result of periods of reduced airline passenger travel. The health of the RAC industry is impacted by a variety of factors, including seasonality, increases in energy prices, general international, national and local economic conditions and
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cycles, as well as other factors affecting travel levels, such as military conflicts, terrorist incidents, natural disasters and epidemic diseases. Because the revenue from our agreements with our RAC customers is largely based on a margin-share model, any changes to our RAC customers’ pricing or pricing model for tolling, such as changing from charging their customers per rental day to per toll usage day, could have a material impact on the revenue we realize under those agreements. Further, although we have long-term agreements with many of our RAC customers, most provide the customer with a termination right in certain situations, including if we commit an uncured material breach of the agreement. Any decrease in revenues from customers in the RAC industry, whether as a result of factors impacting the RAC industry as a whole, or a loss of or reduced business from one or more of our RAC customers, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We also experience customer concentration in our Government Solutions segment. For example, in 2019, approximately 14% of our total revenues were attributable to the City of New York Department of Transportation, which can terminate its agreement with us upon advance notice without cause. In the future, a small number of customers in our Government Solutions segment may continue to represent a significant portion of our total revenues in any given period. The loss of any of our top Government Solutions customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any decreases in the prevalence of automated and other similar methods of photo enforcement or the use of tolling could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We provide automated safety solutions to local government agencies, generating revenues through automated photo enforcement of red-light, school bus, speed limit and bus lane laws. In 2019, revenues from this segment represented approximately 38% of our revenues. Therefore, we depend on federal, state and local governments authorizing the use of automated photo enforcement and not otherwise materially restricting its use. In states that have enabling legislation, if that legislation is not renewed or is otherwise repealed, use of automated enforcement technology can be suspended until new legislation is passed. For example, school zone speed enforcement enabling legislation was not renewed in the state of New York in 2018, prompting New York City to pass a local law enabling speed photo enforcement until the state law was renewed during the 2019 legislative session. . Additionally, in June 2019, the state of Texas passed a law prohibiting red-light photo enforcement programs across the state, with certain carve-outs for some existing programs. The passage of this law resulted in a loss of revenue and a related impairment of assets for fiscal year 2019.
Ballot initiatives, referendums, opinions of attorneys general, and legal challenges can also be used to restrict the use of automated enforcement or to impose additional licensing requirements on its use. For example, the Attorneys General in the states of Arizona, Tennessee and Virginia have issued opinions that had the effect of limiting the use of these enforcement technologies or impacting the manner in which photo enforcement programs operate. Usage may also be affected if there is an unfavorable shift in political support for or public sentiment towards automated enforcement, or as a result of one or more scandals related to its use.
Similarly, our Commercial Services business may be materially impacted if there is an unfavorable shift in political support for or public sentiment towards tolling or its use is materially restricted or limited, including through the imposition of limits on the fees RAC companies can charge their customers for tolling services. Any material restriction or limitation on the use of automated enforcement or material reduction in its use in the markets we serve, or any similar changes with respect to tolling, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our government contracts are subject to unique risks and uncertainties, including termination rights, audits and investigations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Government entities typically finance projects through appropriated funds. While these projects are often planned and executed as multi-year projects, government entities usually reserve the right to change the scope of or terminate these projects for lack of approved funding or at their convenience. Changes in government or political developments, including budget deficits, shortfalls or uncertainties, government spending reductions or other debt or funding constraints, could result in our government contracts being reduced in price or scope or terminated altogether, as well as limit our ability to win new government work in the future. Moreover, if a government customer does not follow the requisite procurement or ordinance specific administrative procedures, the contract
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may be subject to protest or voidable regardless of whether we bear any responsibility for the error. Our government contracts often include other one-sided, customer-friendly provisions and certifications, including broad indemnification provisions and uncapped exposure or liquidated damages for certain liabilities, which can impose obligations, requirements, and liabilities on us that are beyond those associated with a typical commercial arrangement.
In addition, government contracts are generally subject to audits and investigations by government agencies or higher-tier government contractors. If improper or illegal activities or contractual non-compliance are identified, including improper billing, we may be subject to various civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, which may include termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, suspension of payments, the imposition of fines, penalties and sanctions, and suspensions or debarment from doing business for or on behalf of the government in the future. If penalties or other restrictions are imposed in one jurisdiction, it could also implicate similar provisions of contracts with other government customers in other jurisdictions. Further, the negative publicity related to these penalties, sanctions or findings in government audits or investigations could harm our reputation and hinder our ability to compete for new contracts with government customers and in the private sector. Any of the foregoing or any other reduction in revenue from government customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Decreased interest in outsourcing could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our business and growth depend in large part on continued demand for outsourced business process services. Outsourcing means that an entity contracts with a third party, such as us, to provide business process services rather than performing the services in-house. This interest may not continue, as our customers may elect to develop their own solutions or perform the services themselves. Additionally, our cross-selling efforts with existing customers or with the customers of a business we acquire may not lead to additional revenues. A significant change in the demand for outsourcing or an inability to cross-sell to existing customers or the customers of any business we acquire could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our failure to properly perform under our contracts or otherwise satisfy our customers could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our business model depends in large part on our ability to retain existing work and attract new work from existing customers. If a customer is not satisfied with the quality of our solutions or the work performed by us or one of our subcontractors, we may incur additional costs to address the problem and the profitability of that contract may be impaired. Failure to properly transition new customers to our systems or existing customers to our different systems, properly budget transition costs or accurately estimate contract costs could also result in delays and general customer dissatisfaction. Other than our agreements with customers in the RAC industry, many of our contracts may be terminated by the customer upon specified advance notice without cause. Moreover, any customer dissatisfaction with our products, services or solutions or the timeliness or quality of our work, for whatever reason, could harm our reputation and hinder our ability to win new work from other prospective customers. Any failure to properly perform under our contracts or meet our customers’ expectations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face intense competition and any failure to compete could have a material adverse effect on our business.
The markets for our solutions are increasingly competitive, rapidly evolving and fragmented, and are subject to changing technology and shifting customer needs. A number of vendors develop and market products and services that compete to varying extents with our offerings, and we expect this competition to continue to intensify . In addition, industry consolidation could further increase competition, and competitors may also establish relationships or form alliances. Currently we compete with a number of other companies, ranging from small, regional or specialized firms to large, diversified companies. The rapid rate of technological change in our industry could increase the chances that we will face competition from new products or services designed by companies that we do not currently compete with. Moreover, we face competition from our own customers as they may choose to invest in developing their own internal solutions.
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Competition in our markets is primarily based on:
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the quality, reliability and efficacy of the solution; |
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customer awareness of offerings; |
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pricing; |
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functionality and features, including ease of use and broad application; |
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the customer experience; |
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the breadth and depth of products and services offered; |
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reputation and track record; |
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technical expertise; and |
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security. |
Some of our existing competitors and potential new competitors have longer operating histories, greater name recognition, less debt, more established customer bases and significantly greater financial, technical, research and development, marketing and other resources than we do. As a result, our competitors may be able to respond more quickly and effectively than we can to new or changing opportunities, technologies, standards or customer requirements. If our competitors introduce new competitive solutions and technologies, or add new features, we could lose customers. In some cases, our competitors may be better positioned to initiate or withstand substantial price competition, and we may have to reduce our pricing to retain existing business or obtain new business. If we are not able to maintain favorable pricing for our solutions, our profit margin and profitability could suffer. In addition, if a prospective customer is currently using a competing solution, the customer may be unwilling to switch to our solution without setup support services or other incentives. Certain existing and new competitors may be better positioned to acquire competitive solutions, effectively negotiate third-party licenses and other strategic relationships, and take advantage of acquisition or other similar expansion opportunities. Any failure to achieve our target pricing levels, maintain existing customer relationships, generate additional customer wins or otherwise successfully compete would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any failure to keep up with technological developments and changing customer preferences could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We operate in dynamic industries that are characterized by rapid technological change, frequent product and service innovation and evolving industry standards. We may be required to implement new technologies or adapt to existing but different technologies from those currently used. Our future success will depend on our ability to adapt and innovate to keep up with technological developments and changes in third-party technologies, including those of our customers and tolling and issuing authorities, to the extent our integrations are interdependent. As a result, we expect we will need to invest significant resources in research and development, often before knowing whether these investments will eventually be successful. The success of new solutions and enhancements and new features for existing solutions depends on several factors, including adequate testing, timely completion, appropriate introduction and market acceptance. Further, we may be required to make changes due to an inability to secure necessary intellectual property protections or licenses. Our inability to anticipate or timely and successfully develop or acquire new products and services or enhance our existing products and services to keep pace with technological changes and meet evolving customer requirements could decrease demand for our solutions and otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Our new products and services and changes to existing products and services may not succeed.
Our ability to retain, increase, and engage our customer base and to increase our revenue depends, in large part, on our ability to continue to evolve existing solutions and to create successful new solutions. We may introduce significant changes to our existing solutions or acquire or introduce new and unproven products and services, including using technologies or entering markets or industries in which we have little or no experience. For example, in September 2018, we launched Peasy, our cloud-based, pay-as-you-go tolling solution targeting consumers, a market segment that we had not previously targeted directly. Consumer adoption of Peasy has been slower than anticipated, and the product did not generate meaningful revenue during fiscal year 2019. Our success with Peasy may be impacted by our relative lack of experience in a direct-to-consumer product offering, our relationships with toll authorities and the success of our channel partner arrangements to expand our marketing effort, and emerging competition in this space. We have some indirect exposure to the consumer segment through our business with the RAC industry, but in those instances, our customer controls the pricing, marketing, consumer disclosures and other aspects of the consumer relationship. As such, the consumers’ view of us and their willingness to try our solutions may be impacted by their experience with our tolling services delivered by our RAC customers. The failure of any new or enhanced solution to achieve customer adoption or our failure to otherwise successfully monetize our development efforts could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our reliance on third-party providers could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We rely heavily on third-party providers, including subcontractors, manufacturers, software vendors, software application developers, and utility and network providers, to meet their obligations to us in a timely and high-quality manner. For example, we rely on third parties such as the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, Polk, DMVDesk, CVR and Dealertrack to provide a direct connection to state departments of motor vehicles (and their European equivalents) and other governmental agencies with which we do not have direct relationships for the driver and other information we use in our business. Our ability to offer our solutions would be materially affected if this access was unavailable or materially restricted, or if the price we pay increased significantly. Our Government Solutions business also relies on a number of third-party manufacturers, including camera manufacturers and automated license plate recognition providers, and outsources some engineering, construction, maintenance, printing and mailing, call center, image review and violations processing work. Further, if one or more tolling authorities cancels our accounts, or stops providing transponders and we are unable to obtain transponders through other sources, our Commercial Services business would be affected.
We also outsource a meaningful percentage of our software development work to third parties. Some of our agreements with these third parties include termination rights, allowing the third party to terminate the arrangement in certain circumstances. For example, the agreements with our third-party payment processors give them the right to terminate the relationship if we fail to keep credit card chargeback and retrieval rates below certain thresholds. If any of our third-party providers are unable or unwilling to meet their obligations to us, fail to satisfy our expectations or those of our customers, including those imposed through flow-down provisions in prime contracts, or if they terminate or refuse to renew their relationships with us on substantially similar terms, we may be unable to find adequate replacements within a reasonable time frame, on favorable commercial terms or at all, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
While we perform some due diligence on these third parties and take measures to ensure that they comply with applicable laws and regulations, we do not have an extensive screening or review process and ultimately cannot guarantee our third-party providers will comply with applicable laws, the terms of their agreements or flow-down requirements from our customers. Misconduct or performance deficiencies by any of our third-party providers may be perceived as misconduct or poor performance by us, cause us to fall short on our contractual obligations to our customers or harm our reputation, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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A failure in or breach of our networks or systems, including as a result of cyber-attacks, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We act as a trusted business partner in both front office and back office platforms, interacting with our customers and other third parties. Our customers include large, multinational corporations and government agencies who depend upon our operational efficiency, non-interruption of service, and accuracy and security of information. We receive, process, transmit and store substantial volumes of information relating to identifiable individuals, both in our role as a back-end or direct-to-consumer service provider and as an employer, and receive, process and implement financial transactions, and disburse funds, which requires us to receive debit and credit card information. We also use third-party providers such as subcontractors, software vendors, utility providers and network providers, upon whom we rely to offer our products, services and solutions. As a result of these and other aspects of our business, the integrity, security and accuracy of our systems and information technology, and that of the third parties with which we interact, including our customers and other government agencies with which we work, are extremely important.
Our cybersecurity and processing systems, as well as those of the third parties with which we interact, may be damaged, disrupted or otherwise breached for a number of reasons, including power outages, computer and telecommunication failures, computer viruses, malware or other destructive software, internal design, manual or usage errors, cyber-attacks, terrorism, workplace violence or wrongdoing, catastrophic events, natural disasters and severe weather conditions. Our visibility and role as a processor of transactions containing personally identifiable information may also put us at a greater risk of being targeted by hackers. In the normal course of our business, we have been the target of malicious cyber-attack attempts.
In addition, numerous and evolving cybersecurity threats, including advanced and persistent cyber-attacks, phishing and social engineering schemes could compromise the confidentiality, availability and integrity of data in our systems as well as those of the third parties with which we interact. The security measures and procedures we and the third parties with which we interact have in place to protect sensitive consumer data and other information may not be successful or sufficient to counter all data breaches, cyber-attacks, or system failures. Further, employee error or malfeasance, faulty password management or other irregularities may result in a defeat of security measures or a system breach. Although we devote significant resources to our cybersecurity programs and have implemented security measures to protect our systems and data, and to prevent, detect and respond to data security incidents, in each case that we believe are reasonable and appropriate, these efforts, and the efforts third parties with which we interact, may not prevent these or other threats.
Moreover, because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, or to disable or degrade systems change frequently, have become increasingly more complex and sophisticated, and may be difficult to detect for periods of time, we and the third parties with which we interact may not anticipate these acts or respond adequately or timely. As these threats continue to evolve and increase, we may be required to devote significant additional resources in order to modify and enhance our security controls and to identify and remediate any security vulnerabilities or diligencing those of third parties.
If we are sued in connection with any data security breach or system failure, we could be involved in protracted litigation. In addition, a breach could lead to unfavorable publicity and significant damage to our brand, the loss of existing and potential customers, allegations by customers that we have not performed or breached our contractual obligations, or decreased use and acceptance of our solutions. A breach or failure may also subject us to additional regulations or governmental or regulatory scrutiny, which could result in significant compliance costs, fines or enforcement actions, or potential restrictions imposed by regulators on our ability to operate our business. A security breach would also likely require us to devote significant management and other resources to address the problems created by the security breach. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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We rely on communications networks and information systems and any interruption could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We rely heavily on the satisfactory performance and availability of our information technology infrastructure and systems, including our websites and network infrastructure, to conduct our business. We rely on third-party communications service and system providers to provide technology services and link our systems with our customers’ networks and systems, including a reliable network backbone with the necessary speed, data capacity and security. We also rely on third-party vendors, including data center, bandwidth, and telecommunications equipment providers. A failure or interruption that results in the unavailability of any of our information systems or a major disruption of communications between a system and the customer(s) we serve could disrupt the effective operation of our solutions and otherwise adversely impact our ability to manage our business effectively. We may experience system and service interruptions or disruptions for a variety of reasons, including as the result of network failures, power outages, cyber-attacks, employee errors, software errors, an unusually high volume of transactions, or localized conditions such as fire, explosions or power outages or broader geographic events such as earthquakes, storms, floods, epidemics, strikes, acts of war, civil unrest or terrorist acts. We have taken steps to mitigate our exposure to certain service disruptions by investing in redundant or blended circuits, although the redundant or blended circuits may also suffer disruption. Because we are dependent in part on independent third parties for the implementation and maintenance of certain aspects of our systems and because some of the causes of system interruptions may be outside of our control, we may not be able to remedy such interruptions in a timely manner, or at all. Any interruption or delay in or cessation of these services and systems could significantly disrupt operations, impact customers, damage our reputation, result in litigation, decrease the overall use and acceptance of our solutions, result in lost data and be costly, time consuming and difficult to remedy, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our inability to successfully implement our acquisition strategy could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We have grown in large part as a result of our recent acquisitions, including the acquisitions of HTA, EPC and Pagatelia, and we anticipate continuing to grow in this manner. Although we expect to regularly consider additional strategic transactions in the future, we may not identify suitable opportunities or, if we do identify prospects, it may not be possible to consummate a transaction on acceptable terms. Antitrust or other competition laws may also limit our ability to acquire or work collaboratively with certain businesses or to fully realize the benefits of a prospective acquisition. Furthermore, a significant change in our business or the economy, an unexpected decrease in our cash flows or any restrictions imposed by our indebtedness may limit our ability to obtain the necessary capital or otherwise impede our ability to complete a transaction. Regularly considering strategic transactions can also divert management’s attention and lead to significant due diligence and other expenses regardless of whether we pursue or consummate any transaction. Failure to identify suitable transaction partners and to consummate transactions on acceptable terms, as well as the commitment of time and resources in connection with such transactions, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any failure to realize the anticipated benefits of an acquisition could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We pursue each acquisition with the expectation that the transaction will result in various benefits, including growth opportunities and synergies from increased efficiencies. However, even if we are able to successfully integrate an acquired business, we may not realize some or all of the anticipated benefits within the anticipated timeframes or at all. Furthermore, we may experience increased competition that limits our ability to expand our business, we may not be able to capitalize on expected business opportunities, and general industry and business conditions may deteriorate. If any of these or other factors limit our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of a transaction, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
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Unanticipated expenses and liabilities related to acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Acquisitions expose us to significant risks and costs, and business and operational overlaps may lead to hidden costs. These costs can include unforeseen pre-acquisition liabilities or the impairment of customer relationships or acquired assets, such as goodwill. We may also incur costs and inefficiencies to the extent an acquisition expands the industries, markets or geographies in which we operate due to our limited exposure to and experience in a given industry, market or region. Significant acquisitions may also require us to incur additional debt to finance the transactions, which could limit our flexibility in using our cash flow from operations for other purposes. Acquisitions often involve post-transaction disputes with the counterparty regarding a number of matters, including disagreements over the amount of a purchase price or other working capital adjustment or disputes regarding whether certain liabilities are covered by the indemnification provisions of the transaction agreement. We may underestimate the level of certain costs or the exposure we may face as a result of acquired liabilities. These and other unexpected transaction-related costs and liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The inability to successfully integrate our recent or future acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We recently acquired HTA, EPC and Pagatelia. The integration of acquired businesses requires significant time and exposes us to significant risks and additional costs. Integrating these and other acquired businesses may strain our resources. Further, we may have difficulty integrating the operations, systems, controls, procedures or products of acquired businesses and may not be able to do so in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner. These difficulties could include:
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combining management teams, strategies and philosophies; |
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merging or linking different accounting and financial reporting systems and systems of internal controls; |
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assimilating personnel, human resources and other administrative departments and potentially contrasting corporate cultures; |
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merging computer, technology and other information networks and systems; |
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disrupting our relationship with or losing key customers, suppliers or personnel; and |
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interference with, or loss of momentum in, our ongoing business or that of the acquired company. |
We have not fully integrated HTA, EPC or Pagatelia and may encounter one or more of the issues discussed above, or others of which we are not yet aware. We have determined not to fully integrate HTA’s operating systems onto our legacy information technology systems, which could lead to separate risks and inefficiencies. Any of these acquisition or other integration-related issues could cause significant disruption to our business, divert the attention of management and lead to substantial additional costs and delays. Our inability to successfully integrate acquired businesses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our inability to recover capital and other investments in connection with our contracts could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We sometimes make significant capital and other investments to attract and retain certain contracts, such as the cost of purchasing information technology equipment, constructing and installing photo enforcement systems and developing and implementing software and labor resources. The net book value of certain assets recorded, including a portion of our intangible assets, could be impaired in the event of the early termination of some or all of a contract or a reduction in volume and services under the contract for any number of reasons, including the failure or deterioration of the customer’s business, a customer’s exercise of contract termination or program cancellation rights or a change in law or interpretation thereof that suspends or terminates photo enforcement activities. Any failure to recover our investments underlying customer agreements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. For example, in June 2019, the state of Texas passed a law prohibiting red-light photo enforcement programs across the state, with certain carve-outs for some existing programs. The passage of this law resulted in a loss of revenue and a related impairment of assets for fiscal year 2019.
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We regularly pursue contracts and contract renewals, particularly in our Government Solutions segment, that require competitive bidding, which can involve substantial costs and could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Many of the government contracts and renewals for which we bid, particularly those for certain larger government customers, are extremely complex and require the investment of significant resources in order to prepare accurate bids and proposals. Further, a significant percentage of new customer growth opportunities in our Government Solutions and EPC businesses are only accessible through competitive bidding. Competitive bidding imposes substantial costs and presents a number of risks, including significant time and effort and the commitment of resources, regardless of whether the job is ultimately won. We may also be unable to meet the requirements of a solicitation, or would have to incur substantial costs to be able to do so. These and other unanticipated costs related to the competitive bidding process, including advancing or defending bid protests, and any failure to win renewals or new customer accounts through the competitive bidding process, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to laws of the United States and foreign jurisdictions relating to privacy, data retention and individually identifiable information, and failure to comply with these laws, whether or not inadvertent, and changes to these laws, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We receive, process, transmit and store information relating to identifiable individuals, both in our role as a service provider and as an employer. In addition, we receive, process, transmit and store other sensitive data, such as photographs taken and video recorded, as part of our Government Solutions programs. As a result, we are subject to various laws and regulations regarding privacy and data retention, including regulations by government agencies, such as the FTC, and state, local and foreign agencies. Our data handling also is subject to contractual obligations and industry standards. In the United States, various laws and regulations apply to the collection, processing, disclosure, and security of certain types of data, including the use of contact information and other data for marketing, advertising and other communications with individuals and businesses. Additionally, the FTC and many state attorneys general are interpreting federal and state consumer protection laws as imposing standards for the online collection, use, dissemination and security of data. A number of foreign countries and governmental bodies, including the E.U., have laws and regulations dealing with the handling and processing of personal information obtained from their residents, which in certain cases are more restrictive than those in the United States. These laws often include obligations on companies to notify individuals of security breaches involving particular personal information, which could result from breaches experienced by us or our third-party service providers.
These and other laws, regulations and standards relating to privacy are evolving, can be subject to significant change and may result in ever-increasing regulatory and public scrutiny and escalating levels of enforcement and sanctions. The laws and regulations may also be subject to new or different interpretations. For example, in May 2018, the GDPR replaced prior E.U. regulations, effectively extending the scope of E.U. data protection law to all non-E.U. companies processing data of E.U. residents when certain conditions are satisfied. The GDPR contains numerous, more stringent requirements and changes from prior E.U. law, including more robust obligations on data processors, greater rights for data subjects, and heavier documentation requirements for data protection compliance programs. The GDPR also provides for increased fines of the greater of up to €20 million or up to 4% of the annual global revenue of the noncompliant company. Further, certain of our U.S. customers have indicated they may implement the GDPR compliant protocols globally, and could require us to conform all aspects of our business to these more stringent regulations, regardless of whether all of our operations are actually subject to the GDPR.
In the wake of the GDPR, in June 2018, California enacted the CCPA, which took effect in January 2020. The CCPA gives California residents expanded rights to access and delete their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal data is used. The law also provides for civil penalties against companies that fail to comply, and creates a private right of action for data breaches. Regulations to implement portions of the CCPA have not yet been finalized and could significantly impact compliance measures. Additionally, Congress is considering several privacy bills at the federal level, and other state legislatures are considering additional privacy laws.
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The costs of compliance with these privacy-related laws, regulations and standards may limit the use or adoption of our solutions, reduce overall demand for our solutions or slow the pace at which we generate revenues. Moreover, if our policies, procedures, or measures relating to these issues fail to comply with the applicable laws, regulations, or industry standards, we may be subject to governmental enforcement actions, litigation, regulatory investigations, fines, penalties and negative publicity, and our application providers, customers and partners may lose trust in or stop doing business with us entirely. We expect that there will continue to be new proposed laws, regulations and industry standards concerning privacy, data protection and information security in the United States, the E.U. and other jurisdictions, and we cannot yet determine the impact such future laws, regulations and standards may have on our business. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We publicly post our privacy policies and practices concerning our processing, use and disclosure of the personally identifiable information provided to us by our website visitors and mobile app users. Our publication of our privacy policies and other statements we publish that provide promises and assurances about privacy and security can subject us to potential liability if they are found to be insufficient, defective, deceptive or misrepresentative of our practices.
We are subject to domestic and foreign laws relating to processing certain financial transactions, including debit or credit card transactions, and failure to comply with those laws, even if inadvertent, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We process, support and execute financial transactions as part of our business and disburse funds on behalf of certain of our customers. This activity includes receiving debit and credit card information, processing payments for and due to our customers and disbursing funds on payment or debit cards to payees of our customers. As a result, we may be subject to numerous U.S. federal and state and foreign jurisdiction laws and regulations, including the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (commonly known as the Bank Secrecy Act) and the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “Patriot Act”).
We are also subject to or voluntarily comply with a number of other laws and regulations relating to privacy and information security and electronic fund transfers. If we were found to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations, we could be subject to additional liability, including governmental fines or other sanctions, and we could be forced to otherwise change our business practices in certain jurisdictions, or be required to obtain additional licenses or regulatory approvals.
We have implemented policies and procedures to preserve and protect credit card and other payment data against loss, corruption, misappropriation caused by systems failures, unauthorized access or misuse. Notwithstanding these policies and procedures, we could be subject to liability claims by individuals and customers whose data resides in our databases for the misuse of that information. If we fail to meet appropriate compliance levels, this could negatively impact our ability to utilize credit cards as a method of payment, or collect and store credit card information, which could disrupt our business. Failure to comply with these laws may subject us to, among other things, additional costs or changes to our business practices, liability for monetary damages, fines or criminal prosecution, unfavorable publicity, restrictions on our ability to process and support financial transactions and allegations by customers that we have not performed our contractual obligations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Failure to comply with anticorruption and anti-money laundering laws, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar laws associated with our activities outside of the United States, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our operations subject us to anticorruption and other similar laws and regulations of multiple jurisdictions, both within the United States and internationally, which are often evolving, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”), the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the Patriot Act, and comparable foreign anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including the United Kingdom Bribery Act of 2010. Our domestic activities, particularly those related to our Government Solutions business, are also subject to a number of federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding similar matters.
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These laws and regulations prohibit companies and their employees and third-party intermediaries from authorizing, offering or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or other benefits to government officials, political parties and private-sector recipients for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, directing business to any person or securing any advantage.
We use various third parties to conduct our business, both domestically and abroad, and we can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our employees, representatives, contractors or subcontractors, partners, and agents, those of the third parties with which we do business or those of any businesses we acquire, even if we do not explicitly authorize such activities or they occurred prior to our acquisition of the relevant business. Safeguards we implement to discourage these practices may prove to be ineffective and any internal investigations may not uncover any such practices that may exist. Violations of the FCPA or other applicable anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and anti-money laundering laws by us or any of these third parties can result in severe criminal or civil sanctions, or other liabilities or proceedings against us, including class action lawsuits, whistleblower complaints, enforcement actions by the SEC, Department of Justice, and U.S. state and local and foreign regulators, adverse media coverage, non-responsibility determinations by procuring agencies, and suspension or debarment from government contracts, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks related to laws and regulations and any changes in those laws could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to multiple, and sometimes conflicting, laws and regulations in the countries, states and localities in which we operate. In addition to the laws and regulations discussed elsewhere in these risk factors regarding data privacy, foreign operations and other matters, we are subject to laws regarding transportation safety, consumer protection, procurement, anti-kickback, labor and employment matters, competition and antitrust, intellectual property, environmental matters, and other trade-related laws and regulations. Certain of our operations are also subject to oversight by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as comparable state and local agencies, including departments of transportation, departments of motor vehicles, professional licensing authorities and offices of inspector general. Our Government Solutions segment is also subject to laws related to the use of automated traffic enforcement, the capture, access and retention of data and matters related to government contracting. In connection with our European expansion, we are subject to laws, regulations and administrative practices addressing many of these and other matters in Europe.
Recent years have seen a substantial increase in the number of new laws and regulations and the rate of change and enforcement of many of these types of laws and regulations. We cannot predict the nature, scope or impact of future laws, regulatory requirements or similar standards may have on our business, whether implemented through changes to existing laws or the way they are administered or interpreted, or through entirely new regulations. Future laws, regulations, and standards or any changed interpretation or administration of existing laws or regulations could limit the use or adoption of one or more of our solutions or require us to incur additional cost or impact our ability to develop and market new solutions. However, we may not be able to respond in a reasonable or cost effective manner, or at all. Even if we make what we believe are appropriate changes, there is no certainty those actions will comply.
Any alleged or actual violations of any law or regulation, change in law or regulation or changes in the interpretation of existing laws or regulations may subject us to government scrutiny, including government or regulatory investigations and enforcement actions, civil and criminal fines and penalties, and negative publicly, or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in laws, regulations or rules, or a failure to comply with any laws, regulations or rules, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.
We are subject to laws, regulations and rules enacted by foreign, national, regional and local governments and Nasdaq. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC, Nasdaq, and other legal or regulatory requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws, regulations and rules may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws, regulations or rules and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations or rules, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
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Failure to acquire necessary intellectual property or adequately protect our intellectual property could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to protect and defend our intellectual property against infringement, misappropriation and dilution. To protect our intellectual property rights, we rely on a combination of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition laws of the United States and other countries, as well as contract provisions. We have registered certain patents and trademarks and have applications pending in the United States and foreign jurisdictions for some inventions and trademarks, including the Verra Mobility word mark and logo, for which some applications have been filed but registrations have not yet been granted. However, not all of the trademarks and inventions we currently use have been registered in all of the countries in which we do business, and they may never be registered in all of those countries, and the applications we submit for these protections may not be granted. While we make efforts to acquire rights to intellectual property necessary for our operations, these measures may not adequately protect our rights in any given case, particularly in those countries where the laws do not protect proprietary rights as fully as in the United States.
If we fail to acquire necessary intellectual property rights or adequately protect or assert our intellectual property rights, competitors may manufacture and market similar products and services, or dilute our brands, which could adversely affect our market share. It may be possible for third parties to reverse engineer, otherwise obtain, copy, and use software or information that we regard as proprietary. In addition, our competitors may avoid application of our existing or future intellectual property rights. Further, patent rights, copyrights and contractual provisions may not prevent our competitors from developing, using or selling products or services that are similar to or address the same market as our products and services. Failure to obtain registrations for the Verra Mobility word mark or logo may have a significant adverse impact on our brand. Moreover, some of our trademarks and services are descriptive or include descriptive elements, which may make it difficult to enforce our rights or prevent others from adopting and using similar marks. Competitive products and services could reduce the market value of our brands, products and services, inhibit attracting new customers or maintaining existing customers, lower our profits, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our measures to monitor and protect our intellectual property may not be adequate to maintain or enforce our patents, trademarks or other intellectual property rights.
Despite our efforts to monitor and protect our intellectual property, we may not be able to maintain or enforce our patents, trademarks or other intellectual property rights. Unauthorized third parties may use our trademarks and service marks, or marks that are similar thereto, to impinge on our goodwill, cause consumer confusion or dilute our rights in the marks. We are aware of products, software and marks similar to our intellectual property being used by other persons. Although we believe that such uses will not adversely affect us, further or currently unknown unauthorized uses or other infringement of our trademarks or service marks could diminish the value of our intellectual property and may adversely affect our business. Even where we have effectively secured protection for our intellectual property, our competitors may challenge, infringe, misappropriate or dilute our intellectual property and our employees, consultants, contractors, customers and suppliers may breach their contractual obligations not to reveal our confidential information, including trade secrets. Additionally, defending or enforcing our intellectual property rights and agreements, and seeking an injunction or compensation for infringements or misappropriations, could result in expending significant resources and diverting management attention, which in turn may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have been and may become subject to third-party infringement claims or challenges to the validity of our intellectual property that could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We have faced, and may in the future face, claims for infringement, misappropriation or other violations of intellectual property rights from intellectual property owners in areas where we operate or intend to operate, including in foreign jurisdictions. Such claims may or may not be unfounded. Regardless of whether such claims have merit, our image, brands, competitive position and ability to expand our operations into other jurisdictions may be harmed and we may incur significant costs related to defense or settlement. If such claims were decided against us or a third party we indemnify pursuant to license terms, we could be required to pay damages, develop or adopt non-infringing products or services, or acquire a license to the intellectual property that is the subject of the asserted claim, which license may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. Defending or settling claims would require the expenditure of additional capital, and negative publicity could arise, even if the matter was ultimately decided in our favor. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Growth into new territories and technologies may be hindered or blocked by pre-existing third-party rights.
We act to obtain and protect intellectual property rights to operate successfully in those territories where we operate and intend to expand. Certain intellectual property rights including rights in trademarks and patents are national in character, and are obtained on a country-by-country basis by the first person to obtain protection through use or registration in that country in connection with specified products and services. As our business grows, we continuously evaluate the potential for expansion into new territories and new products and services. There is a risk with each expansion, including for pending applications, that growth will be limited or unavailable due to pre-existing third-party intellectual property rights.
We depend on the services of key executives and any inability to attract and retain key management personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our future success depends upon the continued services of our executive officers, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, who have critical experience and relationships that we rely on to implement our business plan and growth strategy. Additionally, as our business grows, we may need to attract and hire additional management personnel. We have employment agreements with some members of senior management; however, we cannot prevent our executives from terminating their employment and competing with us following any departure. Moreover, we do not carry “key-man” life insurance on the lives of our executive officers, employees or advisors. Our ability to retain our key management personnel or to identify and attract additional management personnel or suitable replacements should any members of the management team leave or be terminated is dependent on a number of factors, including the competitive nature of the employment market and our industry. Any failure to retain key management personnel or to attract additional or suitable replacement personnel could cause uncertainty among investors, employees, customers and others concerning our future direction and performance and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
A failure to attract and retain necessary skilled personnel and qualified subcontractors could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our business depends on highly skilled technical, managerial, engineering, sales, marketing and customer support personnel and qualified and competent subcontractors. Competition for this personnel is intense, especially during times of low unemployment or economic recovery or growth. Any failure to attract, hire, assimilate in a timely manner and retain and motivate key qualified personnel, particularly software development, product development, analytics and other technical personnel, or inability to contract with qualified, competent subcontractors, could impair our success. Additionally, certain portions of our Government Solutions operations are dependent on employees who are subject to a collective bargaining agreement. When the collective bargaining agreement becomes subject to renegotiation or if we face union organizing drives, any disagreement between us and the union on important issues may lead to a strike, work slowdown or other job actions in one or more location we serve. A strike, work slowdown or other job action could disrupt our services, resulting in reduced revenues or contract cancellations. State or local law in some jurisdictions requires that subcontractors for our Government Solutions segment are certified by the jurisdiction, and the failure on the part of our subcontractors to obtain and maintain such certification could impact their ability to perform services for us. Further, our recent acquisition activity could increase the challenge of retaining our key employees and subcontractors and those of the acquired businesses. The loss of any key technical employee or the termination of a key subcontractor relationship, and any inability to identify suitable replacements or offer reasonable terms to these candidates could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Litigation and other disputes and regulatory investigations could have a material adverse effect on our business.
From time to time, we may be involved in litigation and other disputes or regulatory investigations that arise in and outside the ordinary course of business. We expect that the number, frequency and significance of these matters may increase as our business expands and we grow as a company. Disputes and litigation may relate to, among other things, intellectual property, commercial arrangements, negligence and fiduciary duty claims, vicarious liability based upon conduct of individuals or entities outside of our control, including our third-party service providers, antitrust claims, deceptive trade practices, general fraud claims and employment law claims, including compliance with wage and hour regulations. Like other companies that handle sensitive personal and payment
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information, we also face the possibility of allegations regarding employee fraud or misconduct. In addition to more general litigation, at times we are also a named party in claims made against our customers, including putative class actions challenging the legality and constitutionality of automated photo enforcement and other similar programs of our Government Solutions customers and consumer fraud claims brought against our RAC customers alleging faulty disclosures regarding our services.
As a public company, we may also be subject to securities class action and stockholder derivative lawsuits. From time to time, we may also be reviewed or investigated by U.S. federal, state, or local regulators or regulators in the foreign jurisdictions in which we operate regarding similar and other matters, including tax assessments. These investigations can be commenced at the initiative of the governmental authority or as a result of complaints by private citizens, regardless of whether the complaint has any merit. At times, we are also required to obtain licensing and permitting, including with respect to matters such as general contracting, performance of engineering services, performance of electrical work and performance of private investigative work. Although we carry general liability insurance coverage, our insurance may not cover all potential claims to which we are exposed, whether as a result of a dispute, litigation or governmental investigation, and it may not adequately indemnify us for all liability that may be imposed.
Any claims against us or investigation into our business and activities, whether meritorious or not, could be time consuming, result in significant legal and other expenses, require significant amounts of management time and result in the diversion of significant operational resources. Class action lawsuits can often be particularly burdensome given the breadth of claims, large potential damages and significant costs of defense. In the case of intellectual property litigation and proceedings, adverse outcomes could include the cancellation, invalidation or other loss of material intellectual property rights used in our business and injunctions prohibiting our use of business processes or technology that is subject to third-party patents or other third-party intellectual property rights. Legal or regulatory matters involving our directors, officers or employees in their individual capacities can also create exposure for us because we may be obligated or may choose to indemnify the affected individuals against liabilities and expenses they incur in connection with such matters. Regulatory investigations, including with respect to proper licensing or permitting, can also lead to enforcement actions, fines and penalties, the loss of a license or permit or the assertion of private litigation claims. Risks associated with these liabilities are often difficult to assess or quantify and their existence and magnitude can remain unknown for significant periods of time, making the amount of any legal reserves related to these legal liabilities difficult to determine and, if a reserve is established, subject to future revision. Future results of operations could be adversely affected if any reserve that we establish for a legal liability is increased or the underlying legal proceeding, investigation or other contingency is resolved for an amount in excess of established reserves. Because litigation and other disputes and regulatory investigations are inherently unpredictable, the results of any of these matters may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our recent expansion into international markets exposes us to additional risks, and failure to manage those risks could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We did not have any history of conducting or overseeing international operations before our April 2018 acquisition of EPC. In addition to EPC, we now have subsidiaries in the Netherlands, France, Ireland and Spain (Pagatelia). The future success of our business will depend, in part, on our ability to successfully manage these foreign operations. Because of our limited experience with developing and managing relationships and sales and distribution channels in foreign markets, our international efforts may not be successful. Our international operations also subject us to new risks that could increase expenses, restrict our ability to operate, result in lost revenues or otherwise materially and adversely affect our business, including:
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political, social, and economic instability, including the on-going impact of Great Britain’s decision to exit the E.U. and European sovereign debt issues and tightening of government budgets; |
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wars, civil unrest, acts of terrorism and other conflicts; |
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increased complexity and costs of managing or overseeing foreign operations, including adapting and localizing our services to specific regions and countries and relying on different third-party service providers; |
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local business and cultural factors and customs that may differ from our normal standards and practices; |
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complying with tariffs, trade restrictions, and trade agreements and any changes thereto; |
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foreign exchange and other restrictions and limitations on the transfer or repatriation of funds; |
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adverse tax consequences; |
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fluctuations in currency exchange rates; |
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complying with varying legal and regulatory environments in multiple foreign jurisdictions, including with respect to data and consumer privacy and payment processing, labor matters, and unexpected changes in these laws, regulatory requirements, and the enforcement thereof; and |
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limited protection of our intellectual property and other assets as compared to the laws of the United States. |
Political instability and uncertainty in the E.U. and, in particular, Great Britain’s recent exit from the E.U., has slowed economic growth and created significant economic disruption and uncertainty in the region, including with respect to whether other nations may follow suit in withdrawing from the E.U. Great Britain formally exited the EU on January 31, 2020, and a transition period is in place until December 31 2020, during which time Great Britain will remain in both the EU customs union and single market and follow EU rules. There is a significant lack of clarity regarding the terms of Great Britain’s future relationship with the EU after this date. These uncertainties could continue to discourage near-term economic activity, including decisions regarding the continued use of our solutions or the willingness of European RACs or FMCs to adopt one of our solutions, until the final terms of Great Britain’s exit and its impact on other countries of the E.U. are resolved. The final terms of the withdrawal could also impact EPC’s ability to obtain information from vehicle licensing authorities that is necessary to our operations in certain parts of the E.U.
We have limited or no control over these and other factors related to international operations and our strategies to address these risks may not correctly anticipate any problems that arise or be successful in expanding our solutions from the United States into new European markets. Any failure to successfully manage these and other similar risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our growth is dependent on successfully implementing our international expansion strategy.
Our growth strategy includes expanding our global footprint, which may involve moving into regions and countries beyond those in which we currently operate, and our success will depend, in part, on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage the risks related to this expansion. In order to achieve widespread acceptance in new markets we may enter, we may need to develop new products and services or tailor our existing products and services to that market’s unique customs, cultures and standards. We have offices in London and Budapest through EPC, and we have opened a location in the Netherlands to serve as the headquarters for our European business. Additionally, we have subsidiaries in France, Ireland and Spain (Pagatelia). The establishment of these and future European subsidiaries may divert our resources and require significant attention from management. In addition to the risks inherent in conducting international business, expanding into Europe with new and existing customers poses additional risks, including:
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lack of acceptance of our products and services; |
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difficulties in and costs associated with staffing and managing our European operations; |
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tax issues, including administration of value-added tax, restrictions on repatriating earnings, and with respect to our corporate operating structure and intercompany arrangements; |
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our limited historical sale experience to RACs outside the United States; |
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our ability to adapt our marketing and selling efforts to different cultures and customers; and |
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a different competitive environment, including a number of smaller competitors and a more fragmented business model that allows RACs and FMCs to perform some of the services we offer for themselves. |
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If we are unable to effectively manage these risks our relationships with our existing and prospective customers, strategic partners and employees and our operations outside the United States may be adversely affected.
In many cases, we will have limited or no experience in the particular region or country. Moreover, learning the customs and cultures, particularly with respect to consumer preferences, differing technology standards and language barriers, is a difficult task. Our failure to do so could slow our growth there. In many of these markets, long-standing relationships between potential customers and their local partners and protective regulations, including local content requirements and approvals, and disparate networks and systems used by each country will create barriers to entry. Difficulties in foreign financial markets and economies and of foreign financial institutions, particularly in emerging markets, could also adversely affect demand in the affected areas. For this strategy to be successful, we must generate sufficient revenues and margins from the new markets to offset the expense of the expansion. Moreover, as the scale of our international operations increases, we will be more susceptible to the general risks related to our existing international operations discussed above. If we are unable to further expand internationally or if we are unable to effectively and efficiently manage the complexity of our expanded operations and compete in these new regions and countries, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Unanticipated changes in effective tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income or other tax returns could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We will be subject to income taxes in the United States and Europe, and our domestic tax liabilities will be subject to the allocation of expenses in differing jurisdictions. Our future effective tax rates could be subject to volatility or adversely affected by a number of factors, including:
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changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities; |
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expected timing and amount of the release of any tax valuation allowances; |
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tax effects of stock-based compensation; |
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costs related to intercompany restructurings; |
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changes in tax laws, regulations or interpretations thereof; or |
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lower than anticipated future earnings in jurisdictions where we have lower statutory tax rates and higher than anticipated future earnings in jurisdictions where we have higher statutory tax rates. |
In addition, we may be subject to audits of our income, sales and other transaction taxes by U.S. federal and state authorities. Outcomes from these audits could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly and could fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors due to certain factors, some of which are beyond our control, resulting in a decline in our stock price.
Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly because of several factors, including:
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labor availability and costs for hourly and management personnel; |
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profitability of our products and services, especially in new markets and due to seasonal fluctuations; |
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changes in interest rates; |
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impairment of long-lived assets; |
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macroeconomic conditions, both nationally and locally; |
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negative publicity relating to products and services we offer; |
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changes in consumer preferences and competitive conditions; |
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expansion to new markets; |
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legislative changes impacting automated safety solutions or RAC toll pricing models; and |
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fluctuations in commodity prices. |
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Our substantial level of indebtedness could cause our business to suffer.
We have a substantial amount of debt, including approximately $894 million outstanding under our first lien term loan facility as of December 31, 2019. Our substantial debt could have important consequences. For example, it could:
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increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions; |
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limit our ability to obtain additional financing for future working capital, capital expenditures, strategic acquisitions and other general corporate requirements; |
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expose us to interest rate fluctuations because the interest on certain of our debt is variable; |
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our debt, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow for operations and other purposes; |
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make it more difficult for us to satisfy our general business obligations, including our obligations to our lenders, resulting in possible defaults on and acceleration of such indebtedness; |
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limit our ability to refinance indebtedness or increase the associated costs; |
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require us to sell assets to reduce debt or influence our decision about whether to do so; |
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limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate or prevent us from carrying out capital spending that is necessary or important to our growth strategy and efforts to improve operating margins; and |
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place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to any competitors that have less debt or comparable debt at more favorable interest rates and that, as a result, may be better positioned to withstand economic downturns. |
In addition, the agreements governing our indebtedness contain restrictive covenants that will limit our and our subsidiaries’ ability to engage in activities that may be in our and their long-term best interests.
The phase-out of LIBOR may adversely affect our outstanding debt.
The London InterBank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, is scheduled to be phased out by the end of 2021. In the United States, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (“ARRC”), the working group formed to recommend an alternative rate to LIBOR, has identified the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) as its preferred alternative rate for USD LIBOR. Our debt instruments have interest rates that are based on LIBOR and will not have matured prior to the phase-out of LIBOR. Changes in the method of determining LIBOR, or the replacement of LIBOR with an alternative floating borrowing rate, may adversely affect our borrowing costs. We cannot predict the effect of the potential changes to LIBOR or the establishment and use of alternative floating borrowing rates on our outstanding debt that is based on LIBOR. Transitioning to a different borrowing rate may result in less favorable pricing on our debt instruments and could have an adverse effect on our financial results and cash flows.
Despite substantial levels of indebtedness, we have the ability to incur substantially more indebtedness, which could further intensify the risks described above.
We may be able to incur substantial additional debt in the future. The terms of our existing indebtedness do not fully prohibit us from incurring substantial additional debt as they each permit additional borrowings. Depending on borrowing availability, we have the ability to draw up to $75.0 million of commitments under our revolving credit facility, which includes an option for an uncommitted accordion to increase commitments by up to $50.0 million, all of which will be secured. We also have the ability to draw upon the uncommitted accordion provided under the first lien term loan facility of up to $200.0 million, plus the sum of all voluntary prepayments of the first lien term loan facility and certain permitted indebtedness, plus an unlimited amount subject to the satisfaction of a maximum total net leverage ratio or minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, in each case, on a pro forma basis, all of which will be secured. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could intensify.
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Restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our indebtedness could restrict our operating flexibility.
The agreements governing our indebtedness limit our ability to take certain actions. These restrictions may limit our ability to operate our businesses, prohibit or limit our ability to enhance our operations or take advantage of potential business opportunities as they arise and cause us to take actions that are not favorable to stockholders.
The agreements governing our indebtedness restrict, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, our and our restricted subsidiaries’ ability to:
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incur additional indebtedness; |
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pay dividends or other payments on capital stock; |
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guarantee other obligations; |
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grant liens on assets; |
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make loans, acquisitions or other investments; |
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transfer or dispose of assets; |
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make optional payments or modify certain debt instruments; |
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engage in transactions with affiliates; |
|
• |
amend organizational documents; |
|
• |
engage in mergers or consolidations; |
|
• |
enter into arrangements that restrict the ability to pay dividends; |
|
• |
engage in business activities that are materially different from existing business activities; |
|
• |
change the nature of the business we conduct; and |
|
• |
designate subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries. |
Under our first lien term loan facility, we could be required to make periodic prepayments based on excess cash flow (as defined by the first lien term loan facility) thereby limiting the amount of cash flow that can be reinvested in our business. For example, we expect to make a payment of approximately $19.7 million related to the mandatory prepayment of excess cash flow during the first quarter of 2020. In addition, under our revolving credit facility, if availability goes below a certain threshold, we will be required to comply with a minimum “consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio” financial covenant as calculated therein. Moreover, if availability falls below a certain threshold for a specified number of business days, we could be required to remit our cash funds to a dominion account maintained by the administrative agent to the revolving credit facility, which would require daily review and approval of operating disbursements by the administrative agent.
Our ability to comply with the covenants and restrictions contained in agreements governing our indebtedness may be affected by economic conditions and by financial, market and competitive factors, many of which are beyond our control. Our ability to comply with these covenants in future periods will also depend substantially on the pricing and sales volume of our products, our success at implementing cost reduction initiatives and our ability to successfully implement our overall business strategy. The breach of any of these covenants or restrictions could result in a default under one or more of the agreements governing our indebtedness that would permit the applicable lenders to declare all amounts outstanding thereunder to be due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest. In that case, we may be unable to borrow under our revolving credit agreement or otherwise, may not be able to repay the amounts due under the agreements governing our indebtedness, and may not be able make cash available by dividend, debt repayment or otherwise. In addition, our lenders could proceed against the collateral securing that indebtedness. Any of the foregoing could have serious consequences to our financial position, results of operations or cash flows and could cause us to become bankrupt or insolvent.
28
The agreements governing our indebtedness contain cross default or cross acceleration provisions that may cause all of the debt issued under those instruments to become immediately due and payable because of a default under an unrelated debt instrument.
The agreements governing our indebtedness contain numerous covenants and require us, if availability goes below a certain threshold, to comply with a minimum “consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio” financial covenant as calculated in the revolving credit agreement. Our failure to comply with the obligations contained in these agreements or other instruments governing our indebtedness could result in an event of default under the applicable instrument, which could result in the related debt and the debt issued under other instruments (together with accrued and unpaid interest and other fees) becoming immediately due and payable. In such event, we would need to raise funds from alternative sources, which funds may not be available to us on favorable terms, on a timely basis or at all. Alternatively, such a default could require us to sell assets and otherwise curtail our operations in order to pay our creditors. These alternative measures could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
If we do not generate sufficient cash flows, we may not be able to service all of our indebtedness.
To service our indebtedness, we will require a significant amount of cash. Our ability to generate cash, make scheduled payments or to refinance our debt obligations depends on our successful financial and operating performance, which will be affected by a range of economic, competitive and business factors, many of which are outside of our control.
If our cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations or to repay indebtedness when it matures, we may have to undertake alternative financing plans, such as refinancing or restructuring our debt, selling assets or operations, reducing or delaying capital investments or seeking to raise additional capital. We may not be able to refinance our debt and any refinancing of our debt could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more restrictive covenants that could further restrict our business operations and our ability to make cash available for dividends and distributions and payments on our other debt obligations (if any). Our ability to implement successfully any such alternative financing plans will be dependent on a range of factors, including general economic conditions, the level of activity in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets generally, and the terms of our various debt instruments then in effect. In addition, a significant portion of our outstanding indebtedness is secured by substantially all of our assets including our subsidiaries’ assets, and any successor credit facilities are likely to be secured on a similar basis. As such, our ability to seek additional financing or our ability to make cash available for dividends and distributions and payments on our other debt obligations (if any) could be impaired as a result of such security interests and the agreements governing such security interests. Moreover, as a result of these security interests, the underlying assets would only be available to satisfy claims of our general creditors or holders of our equity securities if we were to become insolvent to the extent the value of such assets exceeded the amount of our indebtedness and other obligations.
Our inability to generate sufficient cash flow to satisfy our debt obligations or to refinance our obligations on commercially reasonable terms could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our financial condition and results of operations.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to fund operations and growth.
We may require additional financing to fund our operations or growth, whether organic or through acquisitions. Our failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on our continued development or growth. None of our officers, directors or stockholders is required to provide any future financing to us.
29
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results.
As a public company, we are required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”), which requires, among other things, that companies maintain disclosure controls and procedures to ensure timely disclosure of material information, and that management review the effectiveness of those controls on a quarterly basis. Because we ceased to be an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) with our transition to large accelerated filer status as of December 31, 2019, we are also now subject to Section 404(b) of SOX, which requires that our independent registered public accounting firm provide an attestation report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for the first time in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, among other additional requirements. Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and to help prevent fraud, and our management and other personnel devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance requirements. These rules and regulations also increase our legal and financial compliance costs and make some activities more time-consuming and costly.
As disclosed in Part II – Item 9A, “Controls and Procedures”, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to ineffective information technology general controls in the area of user access over certain systems that support our financial reporting process. As a result, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2019. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement or a company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness identified in Item 9A did not result in any misstatement of our financial statements for any period presented. We have designed and have begun implementation of a remediation plan for this material weakness and expect it to be remediated during fiscal year 2020. However, our remediation efforts may be inadequate, and we may in the future discover other areas of our internal controls that require remediation.
We cannot be certain that we will be able to maintain adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future or that we will be able to comply with our obligations under Section 404 of SOX. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, we cannot assure our stockholders that we will be able to conclude in the future that we have effective internal control over financial reporting, and/or we may encounter difficulties in implementing or improving our internal controls, which could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. If we fail to maintain effective internal controls, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness or our financial reports, the market price of our securities may be negatively affected, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigation by regulatory authorities, such as the SEC or Nasdaq.
Compliance and reporting requirements related to being a public company may strain our resources and divert management’s attention.
The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources, divert management’s attention and affect our ability to attract and retain executive management and qualified board members. As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, SOX, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the listing requirements of Nasdaq and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Compliance with these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly, and increase demand on our systems and resources. We ceased to be an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act with our transition to large accelerated filer status as of December 31, 2019. As a result, we have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, additional costs associated with being a public company going forward, including costs associated with compliance with the auditor attestation requirement of Section 404 of SOX.
Moreover, the demands on management in operating a publicly traded company, interacting with public company investors and complying with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies, are significant. Our management team may not successfully or efficiently manage us as a public company subject to significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under the federal securities laws and the continuous scrutiny of securities analysts and investors. These obligations and constituents require significant attention from our senior management and could divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of our business, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
30
We are required to pay PE Greenlight Holdings, LLC for a significant portion of the tax benefit relating to pre-Business Combination tax attributes of Verra Mobility.
At the closing of the Business Combination, we entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement with the PE Greenlight Holdings, LLC (the “Platinum Stockholder”) and the stockholder representative (as may be amended from time to time, the “Tax Receivable Agreement”). The Tax Receivable Agreement provides for the payment by us to the Platinum Stockholder of 50% of the net cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that we actually realize (or are deemed to realize in certain circumstances) in periods after the closing of the Business Combination as a result of the increase in the tax basis of the intangible assets of HTA resulting from the acquisition of HTA by Verra Mobility prior to the Business Combination. We will generally retain the benefit of the remaining 50% of these cash savings.
Under certain circumstances (including an election by us, a material breach of our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement, or certain transactions constituting a change in control or divestiture of the HTA assets under the Tax Receivable Agreement), payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement may accelerate, and we may be required to make such payments in a lump sum based on certain valuation assumptions, including that we and our subsidiaries will generate sufficient taxable income to fully utilize the applicable deductions generated by the intangible assets of HTA.
Risks Related to Our Class A Common Stock and Warrants
Platinum Equity has significant influence over us.
Platinum Equity, LLC, its sponsored funds and affiliated private equity investment vehicles (collectively, “Platinum Equity”) beneficially owned approximately 16% of our Class A Common Stock as of December 31, 2019. As long as Platinum Equity owns or controls a significant percentage of our outstanding voting power, it will have the ability to influence corporate actions requiring stockholder approval, including the election and removal of directors and the size of our Board, any amendment to our certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or the approval of any merger or other significant corporate transaction, including a sale of substantially all of our assets. Platinum Equity’s influence over our management could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of us, which could cause the market price of our securities to decline or prevent security holders from realizing a premium over the market price for such securities. Under the Merger Agreement, Platinum Equity is entitled to receive additional shares of our Class A Common Stock if the volume weighted average closing price of our Class A Common Stock exceeds certain thresholds, as described in Part II, Item 5, below. Additionally, the earn-out shares issuable to the Platinum Stockholder accelerate upon a qualifying change of control. Finally, because our certificate of incorporation opts out of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating certain business combinations with interested stockholders, Platinum Equity may transfer shares to a third party by transferring their securities without the approval of our Board or other stockholders, which may limit the price that investors are willing to pay in the future for our securities.
Pursuant to the Investor Rights Agreement, the Platinum Stockholder has the right to nominate up to three directors to the Board, depending on its ownership percentage. If one of the Platinum Stockholder’s nominees is elected, one of the Platinum Stockholder’s nominees will serve as the chairman of the Board, and the Platinum Stockholder will have the right to appoint one representative to each committee of the Board. The Platinum Stockholder’s right to nominate directors to the Board is subject to its ownership percentage of the total outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock. If the Platinum Stockholder holds: (i) 25% or greater of the outstanding Class A Common Stock, it has the right to nominate three directors; (ii) less than 25% but greater than or equal to 15% of the outstanding Class A Common Stock, it has the right to nominate two directors; (iii) less than 15% but greater than or equal to 5% of the outstanding Class A Common Stock, it has the right to nominate one director; and (iv) less than 5% of the outstanding Class A Common Stock, it has no right to nominate any directors. Jacob Kotzubei, the Chairman of our Board, Bryan Kelln and David Roberts, our President and Chief Executive Officer, are the current Platinum Stockholder nominees serving on our Board. David Roberts’ current term runs through our 2020 annual stockholder meeting, and Jacob Kotzubei and Bryan Kelln’s terms run through our 2021 annual stockholder meeting. Changes in the Platinum Stockholder’s ownership percentage during its respective nominees’ terms do not require any director, including the Platinum Stockholder’s nominees, to resign from the Board.
31
Platinum Equity’s interests may not align with the interests of our other security holders. Accordingly, Platinum Equity could cause us to enter into transactions or agreements of which our stockholders would not approve or make decisions with which they would not agree. Further, Platinum Equity is in the business of making investments in companies and may acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. Platinum Equity may also pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us. In recognition that principals, members, directors, managers, partners, stockholders, officers, employees and other representatives of Platinum Equity and its affiliates and investment funds may serve as our directors or officers, our certificate of incorporation provides, among other things, that none of Platinum Equity or any principal, member, director, manager, partner, stockholder, officer, employee or other representative of Platinum Equity has any duty to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business that we do. In the event that any of these persons or entities acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate opportunity for itself and us, we will not have any expectancy in such corporate opportunity, and these persons and entities will not have any duty to communicate or offer such corporate opportunity to us and may pursue or acquire such corporate opportunity for themselves or direct such opportunity to another person. We are also party to a corporate advisory services agreement with Platinum Equity Advisors, LLC (“Advisors”), pursuant to which Advisors will provide us with certain transactional and corporate advisory services as mutually agreed between us and Advisors. These potential conflicts of interest could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations if, among other things, attractive corporate opportunities are allocated by Platinum Equity to themselves or their other affiliates.
Anti-takeover provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, could impair a takeover attempt.
Our certificate of incorporation contains provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together, these provisions may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities. These provisions will include:
|
• |
no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates; |
|
• |
a classified board of directors with three-year staggered terms, which could delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority of the Board; |
|
• |
the requirement that directors may only be removed from the Board for cause; |
|
• |
the right of our Board to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of our Board or the resignation, death or removal of a director in certain circumstances, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our Board; |
|
• |
a prohibition on stockholder action by written consent, which forces stockholder action to be taken at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders; |
|
• |
a prohibition on stockholders calling a special meeting and the requirement that a meeting of stockholders may only be called by members of our Board or our Chief Executive Officer, which may delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including the removal of directors; |
|
• |
the requirement that changes or amendments to certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws must be approved by holders of at least two-thirds of our Common Stock; and |
|
• |
advance notice procedures that stockholders must comply with in order to nominate candidates to our Board or to propose matters to be acted upon at a meeting of stockholders, which may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us. |
32
Our bylaws include a forum selection clause, which may impact the ability of our stockholders to bring actions against us.
Subject to certain limitations, our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring: (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees or our stockholders; (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our certificate of incorporation or bylaws; or (d) any action asserting a claims governed by the internal affairs doctrine. In addition, our bylaws provide that unless consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the federal securities laws of the United States against us, our officers, directors, employees or underwriters. These limitations on the forum in which stockholders may initiate action against us could create costs, inconvenience or otherwise adversely affect our stockholders’ ability to seek legal redress. If a court were to find the forum-selection provisions contained in our bylaws to be unenforceable, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving proceedings in forums other than the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and the federal district courts of the United States.
Resales of the shares of our securities could depress the market price of our securities.
Platinum Equity beneficially owned approximately 16% of our Class A Common Stock as of December 31, 2019. All such shares of Class A Common Stock held by Platinum Equity have been registered for resale under the Securities Act. Pursuant to a registration rights agreement that we entered into with Platinum Equity and certain other stockholders in connection with the Business Combination, such stockholders are entitled to make up to six demands, excluding short form demands, that we register shares of our Class A Common Stock held by these parties, in addition to certain “piggy-back” registration rights such stockholders have.
We had approximately 159,150,055 shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2019. We have registered the 10,864,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that we may issue under the Verra Mobility Corporation 2018 Equity Incentive Plan so that they may be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates.
There may be a large number of our securities sold in the market in the near future. These sales, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of securities intend to sell securities, could reduce the market price of our securities. Such sales of our securities or the perception of such sales may depress the market price of our securities.
Our only significant asset is our ownership interest in our operating subsidiaries and such ownership may not be sufficient to pay dividends or make distributions or loans to enable us to pay any dividends on our Class A Common Stock or satisfy our other financial obligations, including our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement.
We have no direct operations and no significant assets other than our ownership interest in our operating subsidiaries. We depend on our operating subsidiaries for distributions, loans and other payments to generate the funds necessary to meet our financial obligations, including our expenses as a publicly traded company, to pay any dividends with respect to our Class A Common Stock, and to satisfy our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement. The financial condition and operating requirements of our operating subsidiaries may limit our ability to obtain cash from our operating subsidiaries. The earnings from, or other available assets of, our operating subsidiaries may not be sufficient to pay dividends or make distributions or loans to enable us to pay any dividends on our Common Stock or satisfy our other financial obligations, including our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement.
33
The ability of our operating subsidiaries (other than subsidiaries which have been designated as unrestricted pursuant to our ability to do so in certain limited circumstances) to make distributions, loans and other payments to us for the purposes described above and for any other purpose are governed by the terms of the Rollover Credit Agreements, and will be subject to the negative covenants set forth therein. Any loans or other extensions of credit will be subject to the investment covenants under the Rollover Credit Agreements. The “Rollover Credit Agreements” means, collectively: (i) the First Lien Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of March 1, 2018, among Greenlight Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation, VM Consolidated, Inc. (formerly known as ATS Consolidated, Inc.), a Delaware corporation, American Traffic Solutions, Inc., a Kansas corporation, and Lasercraft, Inc., a Georgia corporation, the lenders party thereto from time to time, and Bank of America, as the administrative agent and the collateral agent; and (ii) the Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of March 1, 2018, among Greenlight Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation, VM Consolidated, Inc., a Delaware corporation, the other Borrowers (for this purpose only, as defined therein) party thereto from time to time, the lenders party thereto from time to time, and Bank of America, as the administrative agent and the collateral agent, in the case of each of the foregoing (i) and (ii), as amended or otherwise modified from time to time.
A market for our securities may not continue, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
The price of our securities may vary due to general economic conditions and forecasts, our general business condition and the release of our financial reports. Additionally, if our securities are not listed on, or become delisted from, Nasdaq for any reason, and are quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board or OTC Pink, an inter-dealer automated quotation system for equity securities that is not a national securities exchange, the liquidity and price of our securities may be more limited than if we were quoted or listed on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange. Our warrants using the trading symbol “VRRMW” were removed from listing by Nasdaq on December 14, 2018, due to an insufficient number of round lot holders following completion of the Business Combination. Those warrants are now quoted on OTC Pink under the symbol “VRRMW.” Accordingly, the liquidity of our warrants may be more limited than if they were quoted or listed on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange. Our securities holders may be unable to sell their securities unless a market can be sustained.
If securities or industry analysts cease publishing research or reports about us, our business, or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our securities adversely, then the price and trading volume of our securities could decline.
The trading market for our securities will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our market, or our competitors. If any of the analysts that may cover us change their recommendation regarding our securities adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of our securities would likely decline. If any analyst that may cover us ceases covering us or fails to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause the price or trading volume of our securities to decline.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2. Properties
We lease all of the properties used in our business, including 108,460 square feet of office space for our corporate headquarters in Mesa, AZ. In addition to the corporate headquarters, we also lease office space in various locations for corporate and administrative purposes and lease several small warehouse locations. We do not consider any of these properties to be material to our business.
34
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
We are subject to legal and regulatory actions that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of business, and may be subject to similar or other claims in the future. Legal disputes and other claims and proceedings may relate to, among other things, intellectual property, commercial arrangements, negligence and fiduciary duty claims, vicarious liability based on conduct of individuals or entities outside of our control, including our third-party service providers, antitrust claims, deceptive trade practices, general fraud claims and employment law claims, including compliance with wage and hour regulations. In addition to more general litigation, at times we have also been a named party in claims made against our customers, including putative class actions challenging the legality and constitutionality of automated photo enforcement and other similar programs of our Government Solutions customers, and consumer fraud claims brought against us and our Commercial Services customers alleging faulty disclosures regarding our services. From time to time, we may also be reviewed or investigated by U.S. federal, state or local regulators or regulators in the foreign jurisdictions in which we operate regarding these and other matters, including proper licensing and tax assessments. All litigation is inherently unpredictable and we could incur judgments or enter into settlements or claims in the future that could materially impact our results.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
35
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information
Our Class A Common Stock is currently quoted on Nasdaq under the symbol “VRRM” and our warrants are currently quoted on OTC Pink under the symbol “VRRMW.” Our warrants were previously quoted on Nasdaq under the symbol “VRRMW”; however, our warrants were removed from listing on December 14, 2018, due to an insufficient number of round lot holders following completion of our Business Combination. From March 6, 2017, through the completion of our Business Combination, our Class A Common Stock and warrants were quoted under the symbols “GSHT,” and “GSHTW,” respectively.
The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices per share of our Class A Common Stock as reported on Nasdaq for the two most recent fiscal years:
|
Fiscal Year 2019 |
|
|
Fiscal Year 2018 |
|
||||||||||
|
High |
|
|
Low |
|
|
High |
|
|
Low |
|
||||
First Quarter |
$ |
11.91 |
|
|
$ |
9.00 |
|
|
$ |
10.05 |
|
|
$ |
9.86 |
|
Second Quarter |
$ |
15.07 |
|
|
$ |
11.73 |
|
|
$ |
10.40 |
|
|
$ |
9.98 |
|
Third Quarter |
$ |
15.10 |
|
|
$ |
12.70 |
|
|
$ |
10.65 |
|
|
$ |
10.10 |
|
Fourth Quarter |
$ |
15.36 |
|
|
$ |
13.42 |
|
|
$ |
11.14 |
|
|
$ |
9.14 |
|
Holders of Record
As of December 31, 2019, we had 24 holders of record of our Class A Common Stock. Because many of our shares of Class A Common Stock are held by brokers and other institutions on behalf of stockholders, we are unable to estimate the total number of stockholders represented by these record holders.
Warrants
As of December 31, 2019, there were warrants outstanding to acquire 19,999,967 shares of our Class A Common Stock including: (i) 6,666,666 warrants originally issued to Gores Sponsor II, LLC in a private placement in connection with our IPO (the “Private Placement Warrants”); and (ii) 13,333,301 warrants issued in connection with our IPO (the “Public Warrants” and, together with the Private Placement Warrants, the “Warrants”). The Warrants entitle the registered holder to purchase one share of our Class A Common Stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustments.
The Warrants became exercisable on November 16, 2018, 30 days following the completion of the Business Combination, and expire five years after that date, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. We may redeem the outstanding Warrants at a price of $0.01 per warrant, if the last sale price of our Class A Common Stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period ending on the third business day before we send the notice of redemption to the Warrant holders. The Private Placement Warrants, however, are nonredeemable so long as they are held by Gores Sponsor II, LLC or its permitted transferees.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our Class A Common Stock to date. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition. The payment of any cash dividends is within the discretion of our Board. In addition, our Board is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, our ability to declare dividends is limited by restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our indebtedness.
36
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The information required by this item with respect to our equity compensation plans is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders.
Stock Performance Graph
The graph below compares the cumulative total return on our Class A Common Stock with that of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Composite 1500 Data Processing & Outsourced Services Index. The period shown commences on October 18, 2018, and ends on December 31, 2019, the end of our last fiscal year. The graph assumes an investment of $100 in each of the above on the close of market on October 18, 2018. We did not declare or pay any dividends on our Class A Common Stock during the comparison period. The stock performance graph is not necessarily indicative of future price performance.
This performance graph is not deemed to be incorporated by reference into any of our other filings under the Exchange Act, or the Securities Act, except to the extent we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filings.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities and Use of Proceeds
None.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
37
Earn-Out Agreement
Under the Merger Agreement, the Platinum Stockholder is entitled to receive additional shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Earn-Out Shares”) if the volume weighted average closing sale price of one share of Class A Common Stock on the Nasdaq exceeds certain thresholds for a period of at least 10 days out of 20 consecutive trading days at any time during the five-year period following the closing of the Business Combination (the “Common Stock Price”). The Earn-Out Shares are issued to the Platinum Stockholder as follows:
Common Stock Price thresholds |
|
One-time issuance of shares |
|
|
> $13.00 |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
> $15.50 |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
> $18.00 |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
> $20.50 |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
If any of the Common Stock Price thresholds above (each, a “Triggering Event”) are not achieved within the five-year period following the closing of the Business Combination, we will not be required to issue the Earn-Out Shares in respect of such Common Stock Price threshold. The Platinum Stockholder will also be entitled to Earn-Out Shares upon a change of control transaction for which the per share price is equal to or in excess of the applicable Common Stock Price required in connection with any Triggering Event described above.
The Company estimated the original fair value of the contingently issuable shares to be $73.15 million, of which $54.9 million remains contingently issuable as of December 31, 2019. The Company used a Monte Carlo simulation option-pricing model to arrive at its original estimate. Each tranche was valued separately giving specific consideration to the tranche’s price target. The simulation considered volatility and risk free rates utilizing a peer group based on a five year term. This estimate was initially recorded as a distribution to shareholders and was presented as Common stock contingent consideration. Upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any issuable shares would be transferred from Common stock contingent consideration to Common stock and Additional paid-in capital accounts. Any contingently issuable shares not issued as a result of a Triggering Event not being attained by the end of the earn-out period will be cancelled.
On April 26, 2019, the Triggering Event for the issuance of the first tranche of Earn-Out Shares occurred, as the volume weighted average closing sale price per share of the Company’s Class A Common Stock as of that date had been greater than $13.00 for 10 out of 20 consecutive trading days. This Triggering Event resulted in the issuance of 2,500,000 shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock. At December 31, 2019, the potential future shares issuable pursuant to the earn-out are between zero and 7.5 million. For additional information, refer to our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
On January 27, 2020, the Triggering Event for the issuance of the second tranche of Earn-Out Shares occurred, as the volume weighted average closing sale price per share of the Company’s Class A Common Stock as of that date had been greater than $15.50 for 10 out of 20 consecutive trading days. This Triggering Event resulted in the issuance of 2,500,000 shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock. See Note 21, Subsequent Events, in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, for more information on the issuance of the second tranche of Earn-Out Shares.
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
As a result of the Business Combination, for accounting purposes, Greenlight is considered the acquirer and Gores is considered the acquired party. Our financial statement presentation includes the financial statements of Greenlight and its subsidiaries as Predecessor for periods prior to the completion of the Business Combination and of Verra Mobility Corporation, including the consolidation of Verra Mobility Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries, for periods from and after the Closing Date.
38
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data
The following table sets forth our consolidated statements of operations for the respective periods:
|
|
Successor |
|
|
|
Predecessor |
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
Period from June 1, 2017 to December 31, |
|
|
|
Period from January 1, 2017 to May 31, |
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
||||||||||||
($ in thousands) |
|
2019 |
|
|
2018 |
|
|
2017 |
|
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
2015 |
|
||||||
Service revenue |
|
$ |
416,723 |
|
|
$ |
365,076 |
|
|
$ |
135,655 |
|
|
|
$ |
92,531 |
|
|
$ |
212,515 |
|
|
$ |
193,314 |
|
Product sales (1) |
|
|
32,014 |
|
|
|
5,070 |
|
|
|
2,584 |
|
|
|
|
1,340 |
|
|
|
18,235 |
|
|
|
10,280 |
|
Total revenue |
|
|
448,737 |
|
|
|
370,146 |
|
|
|
138,239 |
|
|
|
|
93,871 |
|
|
|
230,750 |
|
|
|
203,594 |
|
Cost of service revenue |
|
|
5,561 |
|
|
|
5,788 |
|
|
|
1,936 |
|
|
|
|
1,369 |
|
|
|
2,638 |
|
|
|
3,192 |
|
Cost of product sales (1) |
|
|
13,919 |
|
|
|
3,447 |
|
|
|
1,590 |
|
|
|
|
964 |
|
|
|
9,505 |
|
|
|
6,267 |
|
Operating expenses |
|
|
125,640 |
|
|
|
108,883 |
|
|
|
50,471 |
|
|
|
|
35,968 |
|
|
|
83,762 |
|
|
|
82,170 |
|
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
|
|
85,493 |
|
|
|
136,069 |
|
|
|
44,882 |
|
|
|
|
40,884 |
|
|
|
53,034 |
|
|
|
52,730 |
|
Depreciation, amortization, and (gain) loss on disposal of assets, net (2) |
|
|
115,771 |
|
|
|
103,353 |
|
|
|
33,113 |
|
|
|
|
12,613 |
|
|
|
33,395 |
|
|
|
35,810 |
|
Impairment of property and equipment |
|
|
5,898 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
522 |
|
|
|
3,926 |
|
Total cost and expenses |
|
|
352,282 |
|
|
|
357,540 |
|
|
|
131,992 |
|
|
|
|
91,798 |
|
|
|
182,856 |
|
|
|
184,095 |
|
Income from operations |
|
|
96,455 |
|
|
|
12,606 |
|
|
|
6,247 |
|
|
|
|
2,073 |
|
|
|
47,894 |
|
|
|
19,499 |
|
Interest expense, net (3) |
|
|
60,729 |
|
|
|
69,550 |
|
|
|
20,858 |
|
|
|
|
875 |
|
|
|
2,706 |
|
|
|
2,095 |
|
Loss on extinguishment of debt (3) |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
26,486 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Other (income) expenses, net (4) |
|
|
(11,198 |
) |
|
|
(8,795 |
) |
|
|
(2,172 |
) |
|
|
|
(1,294 |
) |
|
|
(2,471 |
) |
|
|
2,168 |
|
Total other expenses (income) |
|
|
49,531 |
|
|
|
87,241 |
|
|
|
18,686 |
|
|
|
|
(419 |
) |
|
|
235 |
|
|
|
4,263 |
|
Income (loss) before income taxes |
|
|
46,924 |
|
|
|
(74,635 |
) |
|
|
(12,439 |
) |
|
|
|
2,492 |
|
|
|
47,659 |
|
|
|
15,236 |
|
Income tax provision (benefit) (5) |
|
|
13,581 |
|
|
|
(16,241 |
) |
|
|
(30,677 |
) |
|
|
|
1,252 |
|
|
|
18,661 |
|
|
|
3,826 |
|
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
33,343 |
|
|
$ |
(58,394 |
) |
|
$ |
18,238 |
|
|
|
$ |
1,240 |
|
|
$ |
28,998 |
|
|
$ |
11,410 |
|
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Data
The following table sets forth selected attributes of our condensed consolidated balance sheets at December 31:
|
|
Successor |
|
|
|
Predecessor |
|
||||||||||
($ in thousands) |
|
2019 |
|
|
2018 |
|
|
2017 |
|
|
|
2016 |
|
||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
131,513 |
|
|
$ |
65,048 |
|
|
$ |
8,725 |
|
|
|
$ |
2,901 |
|
Goodwill and intangibles, net (2) |
|
|
1,018,593 |
|
|
|
1,079,265 |
|
|
|
498,164 |
|
|
|
|
26,983 |
|
Total assets |
|
|
1,407,426 |
|
|
|
1,344,783 |
|
|
|
664,865 |
|
|
|
|
188,436 |
|
Total long-term debt |
|
|
866,465 |
|
|
|
869,353 |
|
|
|
428,689 |
|
|
|
|
69,243 |
|
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity |
|
|
1,407,426 |
|
|
|
1,344,783 |
|
|
|
664,865 |
|
|
|
|
188,436 |
|
|
(1) |
Product sales and the related cost of product sales result from the sale of photo enforcement equipment to certain customers. The number of customers that purchase equipment is limited and their buying patterns vary greatly from period to period. |
39
|
(2) |
The purchase accounting resulting from the ATS Merger (as defined below) in May 2017 increased intangible assets subject to amortization to $222.5 million and increased the related amortization of intangibles expense by $17.7 million, $35.4 million, and $37.8 million in the 2017 Successor Period (as defined below), and fiscal years 2018 and 2019, respectively. On March 1, 2018, we acquired HTA. The purchase accounting resulting from the HTA acquisition increased intangible assets subject to amortization to $591.8 million and increased the related amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2019 by $43.1 million and $51.7 million, respectively. On April 6, 2018, we acquired EPC. The purchase accounting resulting from the EPC acquisition increased intangible assets subject to amortization to $614.0 million and increased the related amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2019 by $2.3 million and $3.0 million, respectively. On October 31, 2019, we acquired Pagatelia which increased intangibles subject to amortization to $626.9 million, and the related amortization expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 by $0.3 million. |
|
(3) |
In connection with the ATS Merger in May 2017 we entered into a First Lien Term Loan Credit Agreement and a Second Lien Term Loan Credit Agreement of $323 million and $125 million, respectively, and a $40 million Revolving Credit Facility Agreement (collectively the “2017 Credit Facilities”). In connection with the HTA acquisition, we entered into a First Lien Term Loan Credit Agreement and a Second Lien Term Loan Credit Agreement of $840 million and $200 million, respectively, and a $75 million Revolving Credit Facility Agreement (collectively the “2018 Credit Facilities”). The 2018 Credit Facilities replaced the 2017 Credit Facilities. We recorded interest expense including amortization of deferred financing costs of $20.9 million, $69.6 million and $60.7 million, respectively, in the 2017 Successor Period, and in fiscal years 2018 and 2019. We also recorded a $10.2 million loss on extinguishment of debt related to the establishment of the 2018 Credit Facilities in fiscal year 2018. |
|
(4) |
Other income and expenses primarily consist of volume rebates from total spend on purchasing cards. In 2015, we paid a $4.3 million earn-out in connection with a 2014 acquisition within our Commercial Services segment. |
|
(5) |
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. enacted significant changes to the U.S. tax law following the passage and signing of the Tax Act. The Tax Act reduces the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from a maximum 35% to 21% and modified or eliminated other provisions in the tax code. As of December 31, 2017, we re-measured the applicable deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the rates at which they are expected to reverse. The gross deferred tax assets and liabilities were provisionally adjusted, which resulted in a net effect of a $27.3 million decrease to the income tax provision in the 2017 Successor Period. We completed our analysis in 2018 and have recorded the final adjustments in the measurement period provided for in the Tax Act. |
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Data
The following table sets forth selected attributes of our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows:
|
|
Successor |
|
|
|
Predecessor |
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
Period from June 1, 2017 to December 31, |
|
|
|
Period from January 1, 2017 to May 31, |
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
||||||||||||
($ in thousands) |
|
2019 |
|
|
2018 |
|
|
2017 |
|
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
2015 |
|
||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
|
$ |
133,802 |
|
|
$ |
46,017 |
|
|
$ |
8,311 |
|
|
|
$ |
41,833 |
|
|
$ |
43,841 |
|
|
$ |
57,625 |
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
|
|
(54,973 |
) |
|
|
(562,857 |
) |
|
|
(553,536 |
) |
|
|
|
(8,786 |
) |
|
|
(35,051 |
) |
|
|
(13,131 |
) |
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities |
|
|
(14,520 |
) |
|
|
574,268 |
|
|
|
555,734 |
|
|
|
|
(27,491 |
) |
|
|
(7,041 |
) |
|
|
(43,886 |
) |
40
Non-GAAP Financial Data
The following table sets forth the unaudited non-GAAP measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin %:
|
|
Successor |
|
|
|
Predecessor |
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
Period from June 1, 2017 to |