Company: GGG
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000042888-25-000011
Chunk: 15

Company: GRACO INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 15
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 rumors or threats of war, terrorism and other hostilities, and geopolitical activity or trade disruptions, such as those caused by the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts, or any conflict or threatened conflict between China and Taiwan) may cause economic conditions in the U.S. or abroad to deteriorate. The occurrence of any of these events could result in a prolonged economic slowdown, prevent us or our customers from expanding into certain geographies or limit our ability to grow our business. Civil disturbances may also harm our business.

Interest Rate Fluctuations and Credit Markets – Declines in interest rates, asset values and investment returns could increase our pension costs and required pension contributions. Increases in interest rates, or the reduced availability of credit due to instability in the financial markets, could limit our ability to pursue growth initiatives and our customers’ ability to invest in their businesses, which could adversely impact demand for our products.

The Company sponsors a qualified defined benefit pension plan for certain U.S. employees and retirees of the Company. The pension plan is funded with trust assets invested in a diversified portfolio of equity, fixed income and other investments. Declines in interest rates, the market value of plan assets, and investment returns could significantly increase our future estimated pension liabilities, net periodic pension costs and pension contribution requirements and, as a result, adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

While we believe our current cash position is strong and will enable us to fund many of our foreseeable growth initiatives, including acquisitions and capital investments, rising interest rates or reduced access to debt financing could impact our ability to pursue these initiatives. Reduced credit availability or a higher cost of capital may also limit the ability of end users of our products to invest in their businesses, which could depress demand for our equipment in all or some major geographies and markets.

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Table of Contents

Operational Risks

Global Sourcing - Risks associated with foreign sourcing, supply interruption, delays in raw material or component delivery, supply shortages and counterfeit components may adversely affect our production or profitability.

While we manufacture many of our parts and product components in the U.S., we source certain of our materials and components from suppliers outside the U.S., and from suppliers within the U.S. who engage in foreign sourcing. Long lead times or supply interruptions associated with a global supply base may reduce our flexibility and make it more difficult to respond promptly to fluctuations in demand or respond quickly to product quality problems. The availability and prices for raw materials, parts and components may be curtailed for a variety of reasons. Our suppliers may