Risk Factors Dashboard

Once a year, publicly traded companies issue a comprehensive report of their business, called a 10-K. A component mandated in the 10-K is the ‘Risk Factors’ section, where companies disclose any major potential risks that they may face. This dashboard highlights all major changes and additions in new 10K reports, allowing investors to quickly identify new potential risks and opportunities.

Risk Factors - DOCS

-New additions in green
-Changes in blue
-Hover to see similar sentence in last filing

Item 1A. Risk Factors
A description of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business is set forth below. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto, and the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” The risks and uncertainties described below may not be the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that affect us. If any of the following risks occur, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects could be harmed. In that event, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline and you could lose a portion or all of your investment.
Risk Factors Summary
The below is a summary of principal risks to our business and risks associated with ownership of our stock. It is only a summary. You should read the more detailed discussion of risks set forth below and elsewhere in this report for a more complete discussion of the risks listed below and other risks. Additional risks, beyond those summarized below, set forth in this section, or discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, may apply to our business, activities or operations as currently conducted or as we may conduct them in the future or in the markets in which we operate or may in the future operate.
If we fail to effectively manage our growth, we may be unable to execute our business plan, adequately address competitive challenges or maintain our corporate culture, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be harmed;
We have a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to evaluate our current business and future prospects and to predict our future operating results, and therefore increases the risk of investment;
If we fail to retain existing members or add new members, our revenue, operating results, financial condition, and business may be significantly harmed;
If we do not continue to attract new customers, or if existing customers do not renew their subscriptions, renew on less favorable terms, or fail to purchase additional solutions, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations;
Our revenue is relatively concentrated within a small number of key customers, and the loss of one or more of such key customers could slow the growth rate of our revenue or cause our revenue to decline;
We expect to face increasing competition in the market for our solutions;
If we are not able to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition, our business, financial conditions, and results of operations will be harmed;
Making business decisions that prioritize the interests of our members may adversely impact our financial results;
We depend on our talent to grow and operate our business, and if we are unable to hire, integrate, develop, motivate, and retain our personnel, we may not be able to grow effectively;
Failure to maintain, protect, or enforce our intellectual property rights could harm our business and results of operations; and
The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with our executive officers (including our Chief Executive Officer) and directors and their affiliates; this will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters.
If we are unable to adequately address these and other risks we face, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects may be harmed.
14

Risks Related to Our Business
If we fail to effectively manage our growth, we may be unable to execute our business plan, adequately address competitive challenges or maintain our corporate culture, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be harmed.
Since launching our platform in fiscal 2012, we have experienced rapid growth and we continue to rapidly and significantly expand our operations. While we have experienced significant revenue growth in prior periods, it is not indicative of our future revenue growth. We expect our revenue growth rate may decline. We expect our revenue growth rate will decline. In fiscal 2023 and 2022, our revenue grew by 22% and 66%, respectively, as compared to the prior years. In addition, our full-time equivalent employee headcount has grown from 887 as of March 31, 2022 to 977 as of March 31, 2023. This expansion increases the complexity of our business and places significant strain on our management, personnel, operations, systems, technical performance, financial resources, and internal financial control and reporting functions. We may not be able to manage growth effectively, which could damage our reputation, limit our growth, and negatively affect our operating results.
The growth and expansion of our business creates significant challenges for our management, operational, and financial resources. In the event of continued growth of our operations or in the number of our third-party relationships, our information technology systems and our internal controls and procedures may not be adequate to support our operations. To effectively manage our growth, we must continue to improve our operational, financial, and management processes and systems and to effectively expand, train, and manage our employee base. As our organization continues to grow and we are required to implement more complex organizational management structures, we may find it increasingly difficult to maintain the benefits of our corporate culture, including our ability to quickly develop and launch new and innovative solutions. This could negatively affect our business performance.
We expect to invest heavily in growing our business, which may cause our sales and marketing, research and development, and other expenses to increase and our margins to decline. Our net income and adjusted EBITDA margins may decrease as we grow our business. Our net income and adjusted EBITDA margin has grown in recent periods and as we continue to grow, may decrease.
Our historical rate of growth may not be sustainable or indicative of our future rate of growth. We believe that our continued growth in revenue, as well as our ability to improve or maintain margins and profitability, will depend upon, among other factors, our ability to address the challenges, risks, and difficulties described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section and the extent to which our various offerings grow and contribute to our results of operations. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to successfully manage any such challenges or risks to our future growth. In addition, our customer base may not continue to grow or may decline due to a variety of possible risks, including increased competition, changes in the regulatory landscape, and the maturation of our business. Any of these factors could cause our revenue growth to decline and may adversely affect our margins and profitability. Failure to grow our revenue or improve our margins could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Failure to continue our revenue growth or margin improvement could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. You should not rely on our historical rate of revenue growth as an indication of our future performance.
We have a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to evaluate our current business and future prospects and to predict our future operating results, and therefore increases the risk of investment.
Doximity, Inc. was incorporated in the state of Delaware in April 2010 as 3MD Communications, Inc. and we subsequently changed the name to Doximity, Inc. in June 2010. We began commercial offerings in fiscal 2012, and by fiscal 2014 we began serving our pharmaceutical and health system customers on some of our early stage solutions. As a result of our limited operating history and rapid growth, our ability to forecast our future operating results, including revenue, cash flows, and profitability, is limited and subject to a number of uncertainties, including our ability to effectively plan for and model future growth. As a result of our limited operating history and our rapid growth, our ability to forecast our future operating results, including revenue, cash flows, and profitability, is limited and subject to a number of uncertainties, including our ability to effectively plan for and model future growth. We have encountered and will encounter risks and challenges frequently experienced by growing companies with competitive offerings, such as the risks and uncertainties described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, our business is affected by general economic and business conditions around the world, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or any other similar pandemic or epidemic. If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties are incorrect or change due to changes in our markets, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our operating and financial results may differ materially from our expectations and our business may suffer. These risks and challenges include our ability to:
maintain and increase our number of registered members for our platform;
maintain and increase our number of customers for our solutions;
increase revenue from the solutions we provide;
15

successfully compete with other companies that are currently in, or may in the future enter, the online professional network space, telehealth, or productivity tools;
maintain and improve the infrastructure underlying our network, including Amazon Web Services and our apps and websites, including with respect to data protection and cybersecurity;
maintain and further develop a scalable, high-performance technology infrastructure that can efficiently and reliably handle increased member usage, as well as the deployment of new features and tools;
successfully update our network, including expanding our network and offerings, develop and update our apps, features, offerings, and services to benefit our members’ experience;
responsibly use the data that our members share with us to provide solutions that make our members more successful and productive and that are critical to the hiring and marketing needs of enterprises and professional organizations;
comply with existing and new laws and regulations applicable to our business and our industry;
process, store, and use personal data in compliance with governmental regulation and other legal obligations related to privacy;
maintain and enhance the value of our reputation and brand;
continue to earn and preserve our members’ trust with respect to their professional reputation and information;
effectively manage our growth; and
hire, integrate, and retain talented people at all levels of our organization.
If we fail to retain existing members or add new members, our revenue, operating results, financial condition, and business may be significantly harmed.
The size of our member base and our members’ level of engagement are critical to our success. Our financial performance has been and will continue to be significantly determined by our success in adding, retaining, and engaging members.
If medical professionals do not perceive our platform to be useful, reliable, and trustworthy, we may not be able to attract or retain members or otherwise maintain or increase the frequency and duration of their engagement. A decrease in member retention, growth, or engagement could render us less attractive to our pharmaceutical manufacturer and health system customers, which may have a material and adverse impact on our revenue, business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any number of factors could potentially negatively affect member retention, growth, and engagement, including if:
we fail to introduce new and improved tools or if we introduce new tools for our members that are not favorably received;
there are changes in member sentiment about the quality or usefulness of our tools or concerns related to privacy and sharing, safety, security, or other factors;
we are unable to manage and prioritize information to ensure members are presented with content that is interesting, useful, and relevant to them;
there are adverse changes in our tools that are mandated by legislation, regulatory authorities, or litigation, including settlements or consent decrees;
technical or other problems prevent us from delivering our tools in a rapid and reliable manner or otherwise affect the member experience;
we adopt policies or procedures related to areas such as sharing our member data that are perceived negatively by our members or the general public; and
new offerings from our competitors are introduced to the market.
If we are unable to maintain and increase our member base and member engagement, our revenue, operating results, financial condition, business, and future growth potential may be adversely affected.
16

If we do not continue to attract new customers, or if existing customers do not renew their subscriptions, renew on less favorable terms, or fail to purchase additional solutions, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In order to grow our business, we must continually attract new customers, sell additional solutions to existing customers and reduce the level of non-renewals in our business. Our ability to do so depends in large part on the success of our sales and marketing efforts. Most customers engage with us on particular marketing programs, either directly or through marketing agencies that act on their behalf. We do not typically enter into long-term contracts with our pharmaceutical manufacturer customers, who represent a significant portion of our revenue. When we do enter into long-term relationships with customers, they can generally terminate their relationship with us or move their marketing activity to a new agency with whom we do not currently do business. Even if we are successful in attracting new customers and their agencies, it may take several months or years for them to meaningfully increase the amount they spend with us. Further, larger pharmaceutical customers with multiple brands typically have brand-level marketing budgets and marketing decision makers, and we may not be able to leverage our success into expanded business with other brands within the customer’s portfolio. Moreover, customers may place internal limits on the allocation of their marketing budgets to digital marketing, to particular programs, to a particular marketing vendor, or for other reasons. We may not accurately predict future trends with respect to rates of customer renewals, upgrades, and expansions.
Customers of our Marketing Solutions may not continue to do business with us if their marketing content does not reach their intended audiences. Therefore, we must continue to demonstrate to our customers that using our Marketing Solutions offering is the most effective and cost-efficient way to maximize their results. Similarly, we must demonstrate that our Hiring Solutions are important recruiting tools for enterprises, professional organizations, and individuals and that our Hiring Solutions provide them with access to the target audience. Our Hiring Solutions customers will discontinue their purchases of our solutions if we fail to effectively connect them with the talent they seek. Finally, for our Telehealth Solutions, we may not be able to retain existing customers or attract new customers if we fail to provide high quality solutions, if customers are unable to realize the value of our solutions, or if we are not able to measure and demonstrate the value that our solutions provide.
Our customer base may decline or fluctuate due to a number of factors, including the prices of our solutions, the prices of products and services offered by our competitors, reduced hiring by our customers or reductions in their talent or marketing spending levels due to macroeconomic or other factors, and the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of our solutions. In particular, our overall performance depends, in part, on worldwide economic conditions. In recent months, we have observed increased economic uncertainty in the United States and abroad. As our customers react to global economic conditions, including the impact of inflation on wages and labor costs, raw material costs, reduced discretionary spending, and the potential for a global recession, we may see them reduce spending on our solutions and take additional precautionary measures to limit or delay expenditures and preserve capital and liquidity. In addition, if any of our customers with whom we conduct business are unable to access funds pursuant to instruments or lending arrangements with a financial institution that falls into receivership or experience similar liquidity issues, such parties’ ability to pay their obligations to us or to enter into new commercial arrangements requiring additional payments to us could be adversely affected. In addition, if a court or regulatory agency determines that communications made by members or others using our platform violate any of these laws or regulations and that we are responsible for the violation, we may be subject to substantial damages, substantial civil penalties, and adverse publicity that could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. Reductions in spending on our solutions, delays in purchasing decisions, lack of renewals, and an inability to attract new customers, as well as pressure for extended billing terms or pricing discounts, could limit our ability to grow our business and could negatively affect our operating results and financial condition. Internet search engines could also change their methodologies in ways that adversely affect our ability to optimize our page rankings within their search results. If this occurs, our ability to successfully market our services may be harmed. If we are unable to retain and increase sales of our solutions to existing customers and their agencies or attract new ones for any of the reasons above or for other reasons, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our revenue is relatively concentrated within a small number of key customers, and the loss of one or more of such key customers could slow the growth rate of our revenue or cause our revenue to decline.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, no customer accounted for 10% or more of total revenue.For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, no customers accounted for 10% or more of total revenue. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, one of our customers accounted for 10% or more of total revenue. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, one of our customers accounted for 10% or more of total revenue. In addition, some of our customers purchase our services indirectly through marketing agencies, some of whom represent a number of customers. The sudden loss of any of our largest customers or the renegotiation of any of our largest customer contracts, either directly or through marketing agencies, could have a significant impact on our revenue, the growth rate of our revenue, our reputation, and our ability to obtain new customers. The sudden loss of any of our largest customers, or the renegotiation of any of our largest customer contracts could have a significant impact on our revenue, the growth rate of our revenue, our reputation, and our ability to obtain new customers.
In the ordinary course of business, we engage in active discussions and renegotiations with our customers, either directly or through marketing agencies, in respect of the solutions we provide and the terms of our customer agreements, including our fees. As our customers’ businesses respond to market dynamics, financial pressures, and regulatory changes or delays impacting their businesses, and as our customers make strategic business decisions regarding how to market their offerings, our
17

customers seek to, and we expect will continue to seek to, amend the terms of their arrangements with us. In the ordinary course, we renegotiate the terms of our agreements with our customers in connection with renewals or extensions of these agreements. These discussions and future discussions could result in reductions to the fees and changes to the scope contemplated by our original customer contracts and consequently could negatively impact our revenue, business, and prospects.
Because we rely on a limited number of customers and agencies for a significant portion of our revenue, we depend on the creditworthiness of these entities. If the financial condition of these entities declines, our credit risk could increase. Should one or more of our significant customers or agencies declare bankruptcy, be declared insolvent, or otherwise be restricted by state or federal laws or regulation from continuing in some or all of their operations, this could adversely affect our ongoing revenue, the collectability of our accounts receivable, and affect our bad debt reserves and net income.
We expect to face increasing competition in the market for our solutions.
We face significant competition across different aspects of our business, and we expect such competition to increase. Our industry and the markets we serve are evolving rapidly and becoming increasingly competitive. Larger and more established companies may focus on our markets and could directly compete with us. Smaller companies could also launch new products and services that compete with us and that could gain market acceptance quickly. We also expect our existing competitors in the markets for Marketing and Hiring Solutions to continue to focus on these areas. A number of these companies may have greater financial, technological, and other resources than we do and greater name recognition and more established distribution networks and relationships with healthcare providers than us, which may enable them to compete more effectively. Specifically, we compete for medical professionals as members against large technology companies that have developed online networking and collaboration tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, and Twitter, in addition to smaller, emerging companies.
We also compete to access marketing, hiring, and telehealth budgets of pharmaceutical and health system companies as customers for our Marketing, Hiring, and Telehealth Solutions. We compete for customers for our Marketing Solutions with online outlets such as health-related websites and mobile apps, like WebMD’s Medscape, as well as offline organizations that provide marketing and advertising services that enable pharmaceutical manufacturers and health systems to educate medical professionals. We compete for customers for our Hiring Solutions with large and regional staffing companies, job boards, self-service recruiting tools, and medical recruiting firms. We compete for customers for our Telehealth Solutions with other providers of telehealth offerings such as American Well and Teladoc Health, and other companies that offer telehealth capabilities such as Zoom Video Communications who may further focus on our market and could directly compete with us. We also compete for members, customers, and professional organizations in the market for online professional networks which continues to rapidly evolve. Our competitors may announce new products, services, or enhancements that better address changing industry standards or the needs of members and customers, such as mobile access. Any such increased competition could cause pricing pressure, loss of market share, or decreased member engagement, any of which could adversely affect our business and operating results.
If we are not able to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition, our business, financial conditions, and results of operations will be harmed.
We believe that maintaining and enhancing our reputation and brand recognition is critical to our relationships with existing customers and members and our ability to attract new customers and members. The promotion of our brand may require us to make substantial investments and we anticipate that, as our market becomes increasingly competitive, these marketing initiatives may become increasingly difficult and expensive. Our marketing activities may not be successful or yield increased revenue, and to the extent that these activities yield increased revenue, the increased revenue may not offset the expenses we incur, and our results of operations could be harmed. In addition, any factor that diminishes our reputation or that of our management, including failing to meet the expectations of our customers and members, could make it substantially more difficult for us to attract new customers. Similarly, because our customers often act as references for us with prospective new customers, any existing customer that questions the quality of our work or that of our employees could impair our ability to secure additional new customers. If we do not successfully maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition with our members and customers, our business may not grow and we could lose these relationships, which would harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Making business decisions that prioritize the interests of our members may adversely impact our financial results.
Our “physicians first” philosophy may mean we make decisions based on the best interests of our members, which we believe is essential to our success in increasing our member growth rate and engagement, creating value for our members, and in serving the best interests of the Company and our stockholders. Therefore, in the past, we have forgone, and may in the future forgo, certain expansion or revenue opportunities that we do not believe are in the best interests of our members, even if
18

our decision negatively impacts our operating results. In addition, our philosophy of putting our members first may cause disagreements, or negatively impact our relationships, with our existing or prospective customers. Our decisions may not result in the benefits that we expect, in which case our member engagement, business, and operating results could be harmed.
If our members’ profiles are out-of-date, inaccurate, or lack the information that members and customers want to see, we may not be able to realize the full potential of our network, which could adversely impact the growth of our business.
If our members do not update their information or provide accurate and complete information when they join our platform, the value of our platform may be negatively impacted because our value proposition as a professional network and as a source of accurate and comprehensive data will be weakened. For example, incomplete or outdated member information would diminish the ability of our Marketing Solutions customers to reach their target audiences and our ability to provide our customers with valuable insights. Similarly, customers of our Hiring Solutions may not find members that meet their qualifications or may misidentify a candidate as having such qualifications, which could result in mismatches that erode customer confidence in our solutions. Therefore, we must provide features and tools that demonstrate the value of our network to our members and motivate them to contribute additional, timely, and accurate information to their profile and our network. In addition, we must ensure that methods by which we identify relevant audiences for our customers results in accurate targeting. If we fail to successfully undertake these activities, our business and operating results could be adversely affected.
The telehealth market is immature and volatile, and if it does not develop, or if it develops more slowly than we expect, if it encounters negative publicity, or if we are not successful in demonstrating and promoting the benefits of our solutions, the growth of our business will be harmed.
The telehealth market is relatively new and unproven, and it is uncertain whether it will achieve and sustain high levels of demand, consumer acceptance, and market adoption. The success of our Telehealth Solutions will depend to a substantial extent on the willingness of our members to use, and to increase the frequency and extent of their utilization of, our network, as well as on our ability to demonstrate the value of telehealth to employers, health plans, government agencies, and other purchasers of healthcare for beneficiaries. If any of these events do not occur or do not occur quickly, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our corporate culture has contributed to our success, and if we cannot maintain our corporate culture as we grow, we could lose the innovation, teamwork, passion, and focus on execution that we believe contribute to our success, and our business may be harmed.
We believe that a critical component to our success has been our corporate culture. We have invested substantial time and resources in building our team. As we continue to grow, we may find it difficult to maintain these important aspects of our corporate culture, especially given that the majority of our workforce works remotely. As we continue to grow, we may find it difficult to maintain these important aspects of our corporate culture, especially given that the majority of our workforce has traditionally worked remotely and we have been unable to hold in-person employee gatherings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have experienced, and may continue to experience, rapid growth and organizational change, including growth and organizational change resulting from our acquisition of and subsequent integration with other businesses, which will continue to place significant demands on our management and our operational and financial infrastructure. As we continue to grow, we must effectively integrate, develop, and motivate a large number of new employees, and we must maintain the beneficial aspects of our corporate culture. We will require significant capital expenditures and the allocation of valuable management resources to grow and change in this way, without undermining our corporate culture. Any failure to preserve our culture could negatively affect our future success, including our ability to retain and recruit personnel and to effectively focus on and pursue our corporate objectives.
In addition, to attract top talent, we have had to offer, and believe we will need to continue to offer, highly competitive compensation packages before we can validate the productivity of those employees. In addition, fluctuations in the price of our common stock may make it more difficult or costly to use equity compensation to motivate, incentivize, and retain our employees. We face significant competition for talent from other healthcare, technology, and high-growth companies, which include both large enterprises and privately-held companies. We may not be able to hire new employees quickly enough to meet our needs. If we fail to effectively manage our hiring needs and successfully integrate our new hires, our efficiency and ability to meet our forecasts and our employee morale, productivity, and retention could suffer, and our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be adversely affected.
The loss of one or more of any of the pharmaceutical brands that purchase our solutions could cause our revenue to decline.
We sell subscriptions for our marketing solutions across different brands within our pharmaceutical customers. The success of pharmaceutical brands and associated marketing spend can depend on patent life, competition, and other factors. For example, in the past we have lost marketing spend and associated revenue when a pharmaceutical brand marketed on our platform lost patent protection. The loss of the business of a significant brand could damage our relationship with that customer
19

and its other brands, and our revenue, operating results, financial condition, business, and future growth potential may be adversely affected.
We calculate certain operational metrics using internal systems and tools and do not independently verify such metrics. Certain metrics are subject to inherent challenges in measurement, and real or perceived inaccuracies in such metrics may harm our reputation and negatively affect our business.
We present certain operational metrics herein, including size of our network of medical professionals and other metrics. We calculate these metrics using internal systems and tools that are not independently verified by any third party. These metrics may differ from estimates or similar metrics published by third parties or other companies due to differences in sources, methodologies, or the assumptions on which we rely. Our internal systems and tools have a number of limitations, and our methodologies for tracking these metrics may change over time, which could result in unexpected changes to our metrics, including the metrics we publicly disclose on an ongoing basis. If the internal systems and tools we use to track these metrics undercount or overcount performance or contain algorithmic or other technical errors, the data we present may not be accurate. While these numbers are based on what we believe to be reasonable estimates of our metrics for the applicable period of measurement, there are inherent challenges in measuring the size of our network and other metrics. For example, we face challenges in accurately calculating the number of practicing doctors or other professionals in our network at a given time. In addition, limitations or errors with respect to how we measure data or with respect to the data that we measure may affect our understanding of certain details of our business, which would affect our long-term strategies. If our operating metrics or our estimates are not accurate representations of our business, or if investors do not perceive our operating metrics to be accurate, or if we discover material inaccuracies with respect to these figures, our reputation may be significantly harmed, and our operating and financial results could be adversely affected.
Our estimates of market opportunity and forecasts of market growth may prove to be inaccurate, and even if the markets in which we compete achieve the forecasted growth, our business may not grow at similar rates, or at all.
The market opportunity estimates and growth forecasts that we may issue from time to time are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates which may not prove to be accurate. Our estimates and forecasts relating to size and expected growth of our target market may prove to be inaccurate. Even if the markets in which we compete meet these size estimates and growth forecasts, our business may not grow at similar rates, or at all. Our growth is subject to many factors, including our success in implementing our business strategy, which is subject to many risks and uncertainties.
Certain of our operating results and financial metrics may be difficult to predict as a result of seasonality.
We have experienced some seasonality in both revenue and net income based on the timing of marketing program subscription launches on our platform and budgetary timing of purchases of additional modules. We may be affected by seasonal trends in the future, particularly as our business matures. Additionally, this seasonality may be reflected to a much lesser extent, and sometimes may not be immediately apparent, in our revenue. To the extent we experience this seasonality, it may cause fluctuations in our operating results and financial metrics and make forecasting our future operating results and financial metrics more difficult.
Our operating results have in the past and may in the future continue to fluctuate on a quarterly and annual basis and if we fail to meet the expectations of analysts or investors, our stock price and the value of your investment could decline substantially.
Our operating results have in the past, and may in the future, continue to fluctuate significantly on a quarterly and annual basis and may fail to match our past performance, and if we fail to meet or exceed the expectations of securities analysts or investors, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline.Our operating results have in the past and may in the future continue to fluctuate significantly on a quarterly and annual basis and may fail to match our past performance, and if we fail to meet or exceed the expectations of securities analysts or investors, the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline. Moreover, our stock price may be based on expectations of our future performance that may be unrealistic or that may not be met. Some of the important factors that could cause our revenue and operating results to fluctuate from quarter to quarter include:
our ability to increase sales of our solutions to new customers and expand sales of additional solutions to our existing customers;
the extent to which existing customers renew their agreements with us and the timing and terms of those renewals;
the termination or renegotiation by our significant customers of their agreements with us;
the entrance of new competitors in our market whether by established companies or new companies;
changes in our pricing policies or those of our competitors;
20

the cost of investing in our technology infrastructure, which may be greater than we anticipate;
our ability to maintain or increase our member base and member engagement;
disruptions or outages in our website availability, actual or perceived breaches of privacy, and compromises of our member data; and
general industry and macroeconomic conditions which would adversely impact sales.
If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies prove to be incorrect, our results of operations could be adversely affected.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and our key metrics require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes and amounts reported in our key metrics. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, as provided in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates”. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, as provided in Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results of these estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, and equity and the amount of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant assumptions and estimates used in preparing our consolidated financial statements include those related to revenue recognition, the fair values of acquired intangible assets and goodwill, the useful lives of long-lived assets, the valuation of the Company’s common stock and stock-based awards, fair value of contingent earn-out consideration, and deferred income taxes. Our results of operations may be adversely affected if our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, which could cause our results of operations to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the trading price of our Class A common stock.
We are subject to stringent and changing laws, regulations, self-regulatory schemes, contractual obligations, and standards related to privacy, data protection, and information security. The actual or perceived failure by us, our customers, partners, or vendors to comply with such obligations could harm our reputation, subject us to significant fines and liability, or otherwise adversely affect our business.
We collect, receive, store, process, generate, use, transfer, disclose, make accessible, protect, and share (collectively, “Process”, or “Processing”) sensitive, confidential, and proprietary information (collectively, “Sensitive Information”) in connection with providing our services.
There are numerous domestic and foreign laws, regulations, self-regulatory schemes, and standards regarding privacy, data protection, and information security and Processing (collectively, “Data Protection Laws”), the number and scope of which is changing, subject to differing applications and interpretations, and which may be inconsistent across jurisdictions or in conflict with each other.There are numerous domestic and foreign laws, regulations, self-regulatory schemes, and standards regarding privacy, data protection, and information security and Processing, or Data Protection Laws, the number and scope of which is changing, subject to differing applications and interpretations, and which may be inconsistent among jurisdictions or in conflict with each other. The regulatory framework for privacy, data protection, and information security issues worldwide is evolving and is likely to remain in flux for the foreseeable future. Various governmental and consumer agencies have also called for new regulations and changes in industry practices. Practices regarding privacy, data protection, and information security have recently come under increased public and regulatory scrutiny. The actual or perceived failure to address or comply with applicable Data Protection Laws by us or our customers, partners, or vendors could increase our compliance and operational costs, expose us to regulatory scrutiny, actions, fines, and penalties, result in reputational harm, lead to a loss of customers, reduce the use of our services, result in litigation and liability, have a material adverse effect on our business operations or financial results, or otherwise result in other material harm to our business.
We are a “Business Associate” as defined under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH, and their implementing regulations, which we collectively refer to as HIPAA, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights, or OCR, may impose significant penalties on a Business Associate for a failure to comply with an applicable requirement of HIPAA. Penalties may include civil monetary penalties, criminal monetary penalties and imprisonment. The U.S. Department of Justice, or the DOJ, is responsible for criminal prosecutions under HIPAA. State attorneys general also have the right to prosecute HIPAA violations committed against residents of their states. While HIPAA does not create a private right of action that would allow individuals to sue in civil court for HIPAA violations, its standards have been used as the basis for the duty of care in state civil suits, such as those for negligence or recklessness in misusing individuals’ health information. Furthermore, in the event of a breach as defined by HIPAA, the Business Associate may have to comply with specific reporting requirements under HIPAA regulations.
The security measures that we and our third-party vendors and subcontractors have in place in an effort to ensure compliance with privacy and data protection laws may not protect our facilities and systems from security breaches, acts of
21

vandalism or theft, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and human errors, or other similar events. Under the HITECH Act, as a Business Associate, we may also be liable for privacy and security breaches and failures of our subcontractors. Even though we provide for appropriate protections through our agreements with our subcontractors, we still have limited control over their actions and practices. A breach of privacy or security of individually identifiable health information by a subcontractor may result in an enforcement action, including criminal and civil liability, against us. We are not able to predict the extent of the impact such incidents may have on our business.
Enforcement actions against us could be costly and could interrupt regular operations, which may adversely affect our business. While we have not received any notices of violation of any Data Protection Law and believe we are in compliance with such laws, there can be no assurance that we will not receive such notices in the future.
Applicable Data Protection Laws may also include state medical privacy laws, including those related to mental health and substance use treatment, and the provision of healthcare services, as well as federal and state consumer protection laws. These laws may not be preempted by HIPAA, may be more protective than HIPAA, and may be subject to varying interpretations by the courts and government agencies, creating complex compliance issues for us and our customers and partners and potentially exposing us to additional expense, adverse publicity and liability, any of which could adversely affect our business. Federal and state consumer protection laws are increasingly being applied by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, and states’ attorneys general to regulate the Processing of personal or personally identifiable information, through websites or otherwise, and to regulate the presentation of website content. The FTC in particular has approved consent decrees resolving complaints and their resulting investigations into the privacy and security practices of a number of online social media companies. These reviews can and have resulted in changes to our solutions and policies, and could result in additional changes in the future. If we are unable to comply with any such reviews or decrees that result in recommendations or binding changes, or if the recommended changes result in degradation of our solutions, our business could be harmed.
In addition, U.S. states have begun to introduce more comprehensive Data Protection Laws. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, went into effect in January 2020 and established a new privacy framework for covered businesses such as ours that expands the scope of personal information and provides new privacy rights for California residents. These changes required us to modify our data processing practices and policies and incur compliance related costs and expenses. The CCPA also provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for data breaches, which may increase the likelihood and cost of data breach litigation. Additionally, the California Privacy Rights Act, or CPRA, went into effect on January 1, 2023 and significantly modified the CCPA by, among other things, creating a dedicated privacy regulatory agency, requiring businesses to implement data minimization and data integrity principles, and imposing additional requirements for contracts addressing the processing of personal information. Additionally, a new privacy law, the California Privacy Rights Act, or CPRA, was approved by California voters in November 2020. The CPRA significantly modifies the CCPA by, among other things, creating a dedicated privacy regulatory agency, requiring businesses to implement data minimization and data integrity principles, and imposing additional requirements for contracts addressing the processing of personal information.
In addition to Data Protection Laws, we are or may be subject to the terms of our internal and external policies, representations, publications, frameworks, self-regulatory standards, and industry certification commitments (collectively, “Privacy Policies”), and contractual obligations to third parties related to privacy, data protection, and information security (collectively, “Data Protection Obligations”), including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (“PCI-DSS”), the rules imposed by credit card brands (e. In addition to Data Protection Laws, we are or may be subject to the terms of our internal and external policies, representations, publications, frameworks, self-regulatory standards, and industry certification commitments (collectively, Privacy Policies), and contractual obligations to third parties related to privacy, data protection, and information security (collectively, Data Protection Obligations), including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS), the rules imposed by credit card brands (e. g., VISA and Mastercard), and Security Organization Control 2 certification commitments. We strive to comply with applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies, and Data Protection Obligations, but we may at times fail to do so or may be perceived to have failed to do so, in which case we may be subject to and suffer a material harm to our business. For example, in the event we fail to comply with the PCI-DSS, we could be in breach of our obligations under customer and other contracts. Moreover, despite our efforts, we may not be successful in achieving compliance if our personnel, customers, partners, or vendors do not comply with applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies, and Data Protection Obligations. We may be subject to and suffer material harm to our business if our Privacy Policies are, in whole or part, found to be inaccurate, incomplete, deceptive, unfair, or misrepresentative of our actual practices. In addition, any such failure or perceived failure could result in public statements against us by consumer advocacy groups or others, which may cause us material reputational harm.
Further, our customers may expect us to comply with more stringent privacy, data protection, and information security requirements than those imposed by applicable Data Protection Laws, and we may be obligated contractually to comply with additional or different standards relating to our handling or protection of data on or by our offerings. For example, our mobile application is distributed through third-party platforms such as those operated by Apple and Google. These third parties may impose technical and privacy, data protection, and information security requirements on companies that distribute applications through their platforms. These requirements are subject to change and may adversely impact our ability to Process personal information. Complying with these requirements may cause us to incur additional expense, and the failure to comply with these requirements may cause us to lose access to the app store and users, and our business would be harmed.
New or amended Data Protection Laws, and changes in the interpretation of existing Data Protection Laws and our Data Protection Obligations, could impair our, our customers’, our partners’, or our vendors’ ability to Process personal information,
22

which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The enactment of the CCPA has prompted similar legislative developments in other states, which could create the potential for a patchwork of overlapping but different state laws. The federal government is also considering comprehensive privacy legislation. If we begin to conduct business in Europe, complying with the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, would entail significant costs and increase our liability risks. The GDPR imposes more stringent data protection requirements and would require us to undertake significant operational changes in order to comply, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The GDPR imposes more stringent data protection requirements and would require us to undertake significant operational changes in order to comply, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In view of applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies, and Data Protection Obligations imposing complex and burdensome obligations, and with substantial uncertainty in their interpretation and compliance, we have faced and may face challenges in addressing and complying with them, and fundamentally changing our business activities, Privacy Policies, and practices, and may expend significant resources in an effort to do so, any of which could result in material harm to business, financial condition, results of operations, or other harm.
If our security measures are compromised now or in the future, or the security, confidentiality, integrity, or availability of our information technology, software, services, communications, or data is compromised, limited, or fails, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our platform involves the storage and transmission of Sensitive Information. As a result, unauthorized access or security breaches as a result of third-party action (e.g., cyber-attacks), employee error, product defect, malfeasance, or other factors could result in the loss of information, inappropriate use of or access to information, service interruption, service degradation, outages, service level credits, litigation, indemnity obligations, damage to our reputation, and other liability. Our platform also utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to provide services, and this technology may be susceptible to cybersecurity threats. While we maintain and continue to improve our security measures, we may be unable to adequately anticipate security threats or to implement adequate preventative measures, in part, because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or sabotage systems change frequently and generally are not identified until they are launched against a target. Moreover, the detection, prevention, and remediation of known or unknown security vulnerabilities, including those arising from third-parties, is becoming increasingly expensive and may cause us to incur significant costs in the future. Moreover, the detection, prevention, and remediation of known or unknown securities vulnerabilities, including those arising from third-parties, is becoming increasingly expensive and may cause us to incur significant costs in the future. We process significant amounts of Sensitive Information, including protected health information, personal information, data concerning our members, and in some cases, limited amounts of data concerning the patients they treat in connection with our members’ utilization of our network and related services. While we have implemented security measures to protect such data, techniques used to gain unauthorized access to data and systems, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems are constantly evolving, and we may be unable to anticipate such techniques or implement adequate preventative measures to avoid unauthorized access or other adverse impacts to such data or our systems. We may use third-party service providers and subprocessors to help us deliver services and engage in Processing on our behalf, including, without limitation, the processing of payment card information. If we, our service providers, partners, or other relevant third parties have experienced or in the future experience any security incidents that result in any data loss, deletion or destruction, unauthorized access to, loss of, unauthorized acquisition or disclosure of, or inadvertent exposure of, Sensitive Information, or compromise related to the security, confidentiality, integrity, or availability of our (or their) information technology, software, services, communications, or data (collectively, a Security Breach), it may result in material harm to our business, including, without limitation, regulatory investigations or enforcement actions, litigation, indemnity obligations, negative publicity, and financial loss.
Our service is vulnerable to threat actors, software bugs, malicious code (such as computer viruses and internet worms), personnel theft or misuse, break-ins, phishing attacks, denial-of-service attacks (including credential stuffing), ransomware attacks, natural disasters, terrorism, war, telecommunication and electrical failures, server malfunction, software or hardware failures, loss of data or other computer assets, adware, or other similar issues or other attacks or similar disruptions, any of which could lead to system interruptions, delays, or shutdowns, causing loss of critical data or the unauthorized access of data.
We may be required to expend significant resources, fundamentally change our business activities and practices, or modify our services, software, operations, or information technology in an effort to protect against Security Breaches and to mitigate, detect, and remediate actual and potential vulnerabilities. Applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies, and Data Protection Obligations may require us to implement specific security measures or use industry-standard or reasonable measures to protect against Security Breaches. The recovery systems, security protocols, network protection mechanisms, and other security measures that we (and our third parties) have integrated into our platform, systems, networks, and physical facilities, which are designed to protect against, detect, and minimize Security Breaches, may not be adequate to prevent or detect service interruption, system failure, or data loss.
Applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies, or Data Protection Obligations may require us to notify affected individuals, regulators, customers, credit reporting agencies, and others in the event of a Security Breach. Patients about whom we obtain health information, as well as the providers who share this information with us, may have statutory or contractual
23

rights that limit our ability to use and disclose the information. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable Data Protection Laws, Privacy Policies, and Data Protection Obligations. Claims that we have violated individuals’ privacy rights or breached our Data Protection Obligations, even if we are not found liable, could be expensive and time-consuming to defend and could result in adverse publicity that could harm our business.
Although we maintain insurance for our business, the coverage under our policies may not apply to the liabilities or damages as a result of the events referenced above or be adequate to compensate us for all losses that may occur. There can also be no assurance that the limitations of liability in our contracts would be enforceable or adequate or would otherwise protect us from liabilities or damages as a result of the events referenced above.
In addition, a substantial portion of our workforce is currently working remotely on a part- or full-time basis.In addition, varying parts of our workforce are currently working remotely on a part or full time basis. This could increase our cyber security risk, create data accessibility concerns, and make us more susceptible to communication disruptions. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on us.
We rely on evolving technologies, including network and mobile infrastructure, as well as our own capabilities, to maintain and scale our business and maintain competitiveness. Any significant interruptions or delays in service in our products, on our apps or websites or any undetected errors or design faults could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any significant interruptions or delays in service on our apps or websites or any undetected errors or design faults could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We depend on the use of information technologies and systems, developing technologies, and our reputation and ability to acquire, retain, and serve our customers are dependent upon the reliable performance of our apps and websites and the underlying network infrastructure.We depend on the use of information technologies and systems and our reputation and ability to acquire, retain, and serve our customers are dependent upon the reliable performance of our apps and websites and the underlying network infrastructure. As our operations grow, we must continuously improve and upgrade our systems and infrastructure while maintaining or improving the reliability and integrity of our infrastructure. Our future success also depends on our ability to adapt our systems and infrastructure to meet rapidly evolving consumer trends and demands while continuing to improve the performance, features, and reliability of our solutions in response to competitive services and offerings. We expect the use of alternative platforms such as tablets and wearables will continue to grow and the emergence of niche competitors who may be able to optimize offerings, services, or strategies for such platforms will require new investment in technology. New developments in other areas, such as cloud computing, have made it easier for competition to enter our markets due to lower up-front technology costs. In addition, we may not be able to maintain our existing systems or replace or introduce new technologies and systems as quickly as we would like or in a cost-effective manner. There is also no guarantee that we will possess the financial resources or personnel, for the research, design, and development of new applications or services, or that we will be able to utilize these resources successfully and avoid technological or market obsolescence. Further, there can be no assurance that technological advances by one or more of our competitors or future competitors will not result in our present or future applications and services becoming uncompetitive or obsolete. If we were unable to enhance our offerings and network capabilities to keep pace with rapid technological and regulatory change, or if new technologies emerge that are able to deliver competitive offerings at lower prices, more efficiently, more conveniently, or more securely than our offerings, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our success will also depend on the interoperability of our offerings with a range of third-party technologies, systems, networks, operating systems, and standards, including iOS and Android; the availability of our mobile apps in app stores and in “super-app” environments; and the creation, maintenance, and development of relationships with key participants in related industries, some of which may also be our competitors. In addition, if accessibility of various apps is limited by executive order or other government actions, the full functionality of devices may not be available to our customers. Moreover, third-party platforms, services, and offerings are constantly evolving, and we may not be able to modify our platform to assure its compatibility with those of third parties. If we lose such interoperability, we experience difficulties or increased costs in integrating our offerings into alternative devices or systems, or manufacturers or operating systems elect not to include our offerings, make changes that degrade the functionality of our offerings, or give preferential treatment to competitive products, the growth of our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. This risk may be exacerbated by the frequency with which consumers change or upgrade their devices. In the event consumers choose devices that do not already include or support our platform or do not install our mobile apps when they change or upgrade their devices, our customer engagement may be harmed.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) serve a key role in many of our services. As with many technological innovations, AI and ML present risks and challenges that could affect its adoption, and therefore our business. AI and ML present emerging ethical issues and if we enable or offer solutions that draw controversy due to their perceived or actual impact on society, we may experience brand or reputational harm, competitive harm or legal liability. Likewise, if our current providers alter their operating platforms, we could be adversely impacted as our offerings may not be compatible with the altered platforms or may require significant and costly modifications in order to become compatible. Potential government regulation in the space of AI and ML ethics also may increase the burden and cost of research and development in this area, subjecting us to brand or reputational harm, competitive harm or legal liability. Failure to address AI and ML ethics
24

issues by us or others in our industry could undermine public confidence in AI and ML and slow adoption of AI and ML in our products and services.
We may become subject to enforcement actions or litigation as a result of our or our members’ failure to comply with laws and regulations relating to communications, even though noncompliance was inadvertent or unintentional.
We maintain systems and procedures designed to ensure that our communications and the communications made by members and others using our platform comply with applicable laws and regulations; however, some legal/regulatory frameworks provide for the imposition of fines or penalties for noncompliance even though the noncompliance was inadvertent or unintentional and even though there were systems and procedures designed to ensure compliance in place at the time.We maintain systems and procedures designed to ensure that our telephonic communications and telephonic communications made by members and others using our platform comply with applicable laws and regulations; however, some legal/regulatory frameworks provide for the imposition of fines or penalties for noncompliance even though the noncompliance was inadvertent or unintentional and even though there were systems and procedures designed to ensure compliance in place at the time.
For example, members use our platform to engage in telephone, text message, and facsimile communications with patients and other doctors and healthcare professionals. There are a number of federal and state laws and regulations potentially applicable to such communications, including the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA, and those laws and regulations are continuously evolving. A determination by a court or regulatory agency that any of these laws and regulations are applicable to or operate to prohibit or limit telephone, text message, and facsimile communications made by members or others using our platform could invalidate all or some portions of our customer contracts, could require us to change or terminate some portions of our business, could require us to refund portions of our service fees, and could have an adverse effect on our business. In addition, if a court or regulatory agency determines that communications made by members or others using our platform violate any of these laws or regulations and that we are responsible for the violation, we may be subject to substantial damages, substantial civil penalties, and adverse publicity that could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. For violations of the TCPA, the law provides for a private right of action under which a plaintiff may recover statutory damages of $500 for each call, text message, or facsimile made in violation of the statute’s prohibitions. A court also may treble the amount of damages upon a finding of a “willful or knowing” violation of the statute. There is no statutory cap on maximum aggregate exposure. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, which implements and enforces the TCPA, a state attorney general or other federal and state regulators may seek civil penalties in an enforcement action for violations of the TCPA or other laws and regulations potentially applicable to telephone, text message, and facsimile communications made by members or others using our platform.
We may incur liability as a result of information retrieved from or transmitted over the Internet or published using our platform and legislation regulating content on our platform may require us to change our solutions or business practices and may adversely affect our business and financial results.
Because our platform allows for the exchange of news, information, and other content, we may face claims relating to the content that is published or made available on our platform. In particular, the nature of our business exposes us to claims related to defamation, dissemination of misinformation, discrimination, harassment, intellectual property rights, rights of publicity and privacy, personal injury torts, laws regulating hate speech or other types of content, and breach of contract, among others.
In the United States, the Communications Decency Act, or CDA, provides statutory protections to online service providers like us who distribute third-party content. However, in the United States, government authorities, elected officials, and political candidates have called for amendments to Section 230 of the CDA that would purport to limit or remove protections afforded to interactive computer service providers and our current protections from liability for third-party content in the United States could decrease or change. We could incur significant costs investigating and defending such claims and, if we are found liable, significant damages. We could also face fines, orders restricting or blocking our services in particular geographies, or other government-imposed remedies as a result of content hosted on our platform.
Content-related legislation or judicial review may require us to change our solutions or business practices, increase our compliance costs, or otherwise impact our operations or our ability to provide services in certain geographies.Content-related legislation may require us to change our solutions or business practices, increase our compliance costs, or otherwise impact our operations or our ability to provide services in certain geographies. In addition, we could incur significant costs investigating and defending claims for violating such requirements and, if we are found liable, significant damages.
We may experience fluctuations in our tax obligations and effective tax rate, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
We are subject to U.S. federal and state income taxes. Tax laws, regulations, and administrative practices in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change, with or without advance notice, due to economic, political, and other conditions, and significant judgment is required in evaluating and estimating our provision and accruals for these taxes. There are many transactions that occur during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Our effective tax rates could be affected by numerous factors, such as changes in tax, accounting, and other laws, regulations, administrative practices, principles, and interpretations, the mix and level of earnings in a given taxing jurisdiction, or our ownership or capital structures.
25

Our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
As of March 31, 2023, we accumulated $15.3 million of state and no federal net operating loss carryforwards, or NOLs, to reduce future taxable income, portions of which will begin to expire in 2035. Under Section 382 and Section 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change NOLs and other tax attributes, including R&D tax credits, to offset its post-change income or taxes may be limited. In general, an “ownership change” will occur if there is a cumulative change in our ownership by “5 percent stockholders” that exceeds 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. Based on an assessment of our historical ownership changes through March 31, 2023, we do not anticipate a current limitation on the tax attributes. Our ability to use NOLs and other tax attributes to reduce future taxable income and liabilities may be subject to limitations as a result of ownership changes that may occur in the future.
Under current law, U.S. federal net operating losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 may be carried forward indefinitely. Such U.S. federal net operating losses generally may not be carried back to prior taxable years, except that net operating losses generated in 2018, 2019, and 2020 may be carried back to each of the five tax years preceding the tax years of such losses. Additionally, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020, the deductibility of U.S. federal net operating losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, is limited to 80% of taxable income. Our net operating losses may also be impaired or restricted under state law. At the state level, there may be periods during which the use of net operating losses is suspended or otherwise limited, which could increase or permanently accelerate state taxes owed. For example, California imposed limits on the usability of California state net operating losses to offset taxable income in tax years beginning after 2019 and before 2022.
We depend on our talent to grow and operate our business, and if we are unable to hire, integrate, develop, motivate, and retain our personnel, we may not be able to grow effectively.
Our ability to maintain our competitive position is largely dependent on the services of our senior management and other key personnel. In addition, our future success depends on our continuing ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. The market for such positions is competitive, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. Qualified individuals are in high demand and we may incur significant costs to attract them. In addition, the loss of any of our senior management or other key employees, in particular our Chief Executive Officer, or our inability to recruit and develop mid-level managers could materially and adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan and we may be unable to find adequate replacements. Competition for qualified employees is intense in our industry, and the loss of even a few qualified employees, or an inability to attract, retain, and motivate additional highly skilled employees required for the planned expansion of our business could harm our operating results and impair our ability to grow. To attract and retain key personnel, we use various measures, including an equity incentive program for key executive officers and most employees. These measures may not be enough to attract and retain the personnel we require to operate our business effectively. All of our employees are at-will employees, meaning that they may terminate their employment relationship with us at any time, and their knowledge of our business and industry would be extremely difficult to replace. If we fail to retain talented senior management and other key personnel, or if we do not succeed in attracting well-qualified employees or retaining and motivating existing employees, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.
We may become subject to litigation, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We have been subject to litigation in the past, and may become subject to litigation in the future. S