Company: WW
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-029511
Chunk: 121

Company: WW INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 121
---
 more customers come to us seeking to improve their weight health, they may misperceive that our coaches and guides are providing medical advice. We may also be subject to claims that our coaches and guides have provided inappropriate advice or have inappropriately referred or failed to refer customers to healthcare providers when needed. Member access to clinicians and other care team providers through WeightWatchers Clinic may expose us to other types of claims and litigation or regulatory actions. For additional information regarding these types of claims or actions, see our other Risk Factors regarding our Clinical business. Regardless of the outcome of any legal action or regulatory proceeding, such actions and proceedings could result in substantial costs and may require that our management devote substantial time and resources to defend us.

Our international operations expose us to regulatory, economic, political, social and intellectual property risks in the countries in which we operate, which risks may be exacerbated as a result of war and terrorism.

The international nature of our operations involves a number of risks, including changes in U.S. and foreign regulations, tariffs, taxes and exchange controls; economic downturns; inflation, rising interest rates and political and social instability in the countries in which we operate; changes in exchange rates; weakening or loss of the protection of intellectual property rights in some countries and limitations on our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights under some local laws; and our dependence on foreign personnel. For example, the ongoing war in Ukraine has had a broad range of adverse impacts on global economic conditions, including consumer confidence and sentiment in certain markets, some of which have had and are likely to continue to have adverse impacts on our business. These include reductions in consumer discretionary spending in certain markets. If the war continues to negatively impact consumer discretionary spending and sentiment towards the weight loss and wellness marketplace, it may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

A number of foreign laws and regulations govern the business of advertising, promoting, dispensing, and marketing services and products, including generic and branded pharmaceuticals. These regulatory regimes are overseen by governmental bodies. Foreign regulations may also restrict our ability to operate in some countries, including providing our Clinical offering consistent with our U.S. business model or at all, acquire new businesses, recur bill our customers or repatriate cash from foreign subsidiaries back to the United States. If we expand our operations into additional foreign countries, we may be subject to additional risks, including the ability to successfully adapt to local culture and navigate regulatory, economic, political, social and intellectual property risks. We also may face limited brand recognition