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equipment leasing at any time. The companies that typically provide
financing for large-ticket or middle-market transactions
could
begin competing with us on small-ticket equipment leases. If this occurs,
or we are unable to compete effectively with our
competitors, we may be unable to sustain our operations at their current levels
or generate revenue growth.
Deteriorated economic or business conditions may lead to greater than anticipated
lease or loan defaults and credit losses and
lower origination volumes, which could substantially reduce our operating
income and limit our ability to obtain additional
financing.
Furthermore, natural disasters, widespread disease or pandemics
(including the recent coronavirus outbreak), acts of
war or terrorism, or other external events could significantly impact
our business
.
Historically, the capital
and credit markets have experienced periodic volatility and disruption.
In many cases, these markets have
produced downward pressure on stock prices of, and credit availability
to, certain companies without regard to those companies’
underlying financial strength. Concerns over geopolitical issues and
the availability and cost of credit, have contributed to increased
volatility for the economy and the capital and credit markets. In the event
of extreme and prolonged market events, such as a global
credit crisis, we could incur significant losses.
Even in the absence of a market downturn, we are exposed to substantial risk of
loss
due to market volatility.
Our operating income may be reduced by various economic factors
and business conditions, including the level of economic activity
in the markets in which we operate. In turn, those economic factors and business conditions
can be significantly and negatively
impacted by natural disasters, widespread disease or pandemics (including
the recent coronavirus outbreak), acts of war or terrorism or
other adverse external events, all of which can result in economic slowdowns
or recessions. Delinquencies and credit losses generally
increase during economic slowdowns or recessions. Because we extend
credit primarily to small and mid-sized businesses, many of
our customers may be particularly susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions
and may be unable to make scheduled lease or
loan payments during these periods. Therefore, to the extent that economic
activity or business conditions deteriorate, our
delinquencies and credit losses may increase. Unfavorable economic
conditions may also make it more difficult for us to maintain
both our new lease and loan origination volume and the credit quality of new
leases and loans at levels previously attained.
Unfavorable economic conditions could also increase our funding
costs or operating cost structure or limit our access to funding. We
experienced such impacts in the year ended December 31, 2020 as a result
of macroeconomic conditions driven by the COVID-19
pandemic, which would be the primary driver of negative impacts for
2020 as compared to 2019, including $10.0 million increase in
realized credit losses, a 52% decline in equipment finance origination
volumes, a 69% decline in working capital origination volumes,
as well as reduced capital market interest in purchases of finance contracts
that, paired with our lower origination volumes,
substantially reduced our gains on sale.
Any return to levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, or the timing of such
return, remains
uncertain, and any prolonged impacts could continue to impact our operating
income.
In addition, any further changes to economic
and business conditions could reduce our operating income.
In addition, natural disasters, widespread disease or pandemics (including
the recent coronavirus outbreak), acts of war or terrorism or
other adverse external events could have not only a significant economic impact
as described above, but also a significant impact on
our ability to conduct business as a result of business shutdowns, regional
quarantines or otherwise.
While we have established and
regularly test disaster recovery procedures, the occurrence of any such event
could have a material adverse effect on our business and
operations.
The termination or interruption of, or a decrease in volume under,
our property
insurance program would cause us to experience
lower revenues and may result in a
significant reduction in our net income.
Our customers are required to obtain all-risk property insurance for the
replacement value of financed equipment. Each customer has
the option of either delivering a certificate of insurance listing us as loss payee
under a commercial property policy issued by a third-
party insurer or satisfying such insurance obligation through our
insurance program. Under our program, the customer pays for
coverage under a master property insurance policy written by a national
third-party insurer (our “primary insurer”) with whom our
captive insurance subsidiary,
AssuranceOne, has entered into a 100% reinsurance arrangement. Termination
or interruption of our
program could occur for a variety of reasons, including: (1) adverse changes in laws or
regulations affecting our primary insurer or
AssuranceOne; (2) a change in the financial condition or financial strength
ratings of our primary insurer or AssuranceOne;
(3) negative developments in the loss reserves or future loss experience of
AssuranceOne, which render it uneconomical for us to
continue the program; (4) termination or expiration of the reinsurance
agreement with our primary insurer, coupled with an inability
by us to identify quickly and negotiate an acceptable arrangement with a replacement
carrier; or (5) competitive factors in the property
insurance market. If there is a termination or interruption of this program
or if fewer small business customers elected to satisfy their
insurance obligations through our program, we would experience lower
revenues and our net income may be reduced.