Company: CHD
Filing Date: 2025-02-13
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-019801
Chunk: 30

Company: CHURCH & DWIGHT CO INC /DE/
Filing Date: 2025-02-13
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 30
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 material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.  

•Failure to effectively utilize, successfully assert intellectual property rights, and the loss or expiration of such rights, could materially adversely affect our competitiveness.  Infringement by us of third-party intellectual property rights could result in costly litigation and/or the modification or discontinuance of our products.  

We rely on trademark, trade secret, patent and copyright laws to protect our intellectual property rights. The market for our products depends to a significant extent upon the value associated with our trademarks and brand names.  We own the material trademarks and brand names used in connection with the marketing and distribution of our major products both in the U.S. and in other countries.  While we hold several valuable patents on our products, they may not serve as an effective barrier to entry for new competitors.  Although most of our material intellectual property is registered in the U.S. and in certain foreign countries in which we operate, we cannot be sure that our intellectual property rights will be sufficient or effectively utilized or, if necessary, successfully asserted.  There is a risk that we will not be able to obtain and perfect our own intellectual property rights, or, where appropriate, license from others intellectual property rights necessary to support our ability to manufacture, import, export, market and/or sell certain products in certain countries or globally or launch new product.  We cannot be sure that these rights, if obtained, will not be invalidated, circumvented or challenged in the future, and we could incur significant costs in connection with legal actions relating to such rights.  In addition, even if such rights are obtained in the U.S., the laws of some of the other countries in which our products are or may be manufactured or sold do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the U.S.  If other parties infringe our intellectual property rights, they may dilute the value of our brands in the marketplace, which could diminish the value that consumers associate with our brands and harm our sales.  Our failure to perfect, successfully assert or license intellectual property rights could make us less competitive and could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to manufacture, import, export, market and/or sell certain products within certain countries or globally, our operating results, cash flows and our financial condition.  

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In addition, if our products are found to infringe intellectual property rights of others, the owners of those rights could bring legal actions against us claiming substantial damages for past infringement