COOPER COMPANIES, INC.
Item 1. Business.
The Cooper Companies, Inc. (Cooper, we or the Company), a Delaware corporation organized in 1980, is a global medical device company publicly traded on the NYSE (NYSE: COO). Cooper operates through two business units, CooperVision and CooperSurgical.
CooperVision is a global manufacturer providing products for contact lens wearers. CooperVision develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of single-use, two-week and monthly contact lenses, featuring advanced materials and optics. CooperVision designs its products to solve vision challenges such as astigmatism, presbyopia, myopia, ocular dryness and eye fatigues; with a broad collection of spherical, toric and multifocal contact lenses. CooperVision offers contact lenses in a variety of materials including silicone hydrogel Aquaform® technology and phosphorylcholine technology (PC) Technology™. Further, acquisitions expanded CooperVision's access to myopia management and specialty eye care markets with new products, such as orthokeratology (ortho-k) and scleral lenses. In November 2019, CooperVision received United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its MiSight® 1 day lens, which is the first and only FDA-approved product indicated to slow the progression of myopia in children with treatment initiated between the ages of 8-12 and became available in the United States during fiscal 2020. In August 2021, CooperVision received Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approval for its MiSight® 1 day lens for use in China. CooperVision’s major manufacturing and distribution facilities are located in Belgium, Costa Rica, Hungary, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and the United States, with other smaller locations also existing in multiple locations around the world.
CooperSurgical's business competes in the general health care market with a focus on advancing the health of women, babies and families through a diversified portfolio of products and services including medical devices, fertility, diagnostics and contraception. CooperSurgical has established its market presence and distribution system by developing products and acquiring companies, products and services that complement its business model. We categorize CooperSurgical product sales based on the point of health care delivery, which includes products used in medical office and surgical procedures, primarily by Obstetricians/Gynecologists (OB/GYN); and fertility products/equipment and genetic testing services used primarily in fertility clinics and laboratories. CooperSurgical's major manufacturing and distribution facilities are located in Costa Rica, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, with other smaller locations also existing in multiple locations around the world.
CooperVision and CooperSurgical each operate in highly competitive environments. Both of Cooper's businesses compete predominantly on the basis of product quality and differentiation, technological benefit, price, service and reliability.
COOPERVISION
CooperVision competes in the worldwide soft contact lens market and services three primary regions: the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Asia Pacific. The contact lens market has two major product categories:
•Spherical lenses including lenses that correct near- and farsightedness uncomplicated by more complex visual defects.
•Toric and multifocal lenses including lenses that, in addition to correcting near- and farsightedness, address more complex visual defects such as astigmatism and presbyopia by adding optical properties of cylinder and axis, which correct for irregularities in the shape of the cornea.
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In order to achieve comfortable and healthy contact lens wear, products are sold with recommended replacement schedules, often defined as modalities, with the primary modalities being single-use lenses and frequently replaced lenses, which are designed for two-week and monthly replacement.
CooperVision offers spherical, toric, multifocal and toric multifocal lens products in most modalities. We believe that in order to compete successfully in the numerous categories of the contact lens market, companies must offer differentiated products that are priced competitively and manufactured efficiently. CooperVision uses different manufacturing processes, primarily cast molding, to produce its lenses. We believe this allows CooperVision to compete in its markets by:
•Producing high, medium and low volumes of lenses made with a variety of materials for a broader range of market niches: single-use, two-week, monthly and quarterly disposable sphere, toric and multifocal lenses, custom toric lenses for patients with a high degree of astigmatism, and myopia management contact lenses.
•Offering a wide range of lens parameters, leading to a higher rate of successful fitting for practitioners and better visual acuity for patients.
The market for spherical lenses is growing with the addition of new value-added products, such as spherical lenses to alleviate dry eye symptoms, reduce eye fatigue from use of digital devices and add aspherical optical properties and/or higher oxygen permeable lenses such as silicone hydrogels, and myopia management contact lenses.
Sales of contact lenses utilizing silicone hydrogel materials continue to grow. Silicone hydrogel materials supply a higher level of oxygen to the cornea, as measured by the transmissibility of oxygen through a given thickness of material, or “dk/t,” than traditional hydrogel lenses. We believe our ability to compete successfully with a full range of silicone hydrogel products is an important factor to achieving success in our business. Silicone hydrogel lenses represent a significant portion of CooperVision's contact lens sales and our Biofinity® brand is CooperVision's leading product line in terms of sales. Under the Biofinity brand, CooperVision markets monthly silicone hydrogel spherical (including Biofinity Energys®), toric, multifocal and toric multifocal lens products.
CooperVision markets single-use silicone hydrogel lenses with a complete line of spherical, toric, extended toric and multifocal lenses under our clariti® 1 day brand and single-use silicone hydrogel spherical, toric and multifocal lenses under our MyDay® brand. We also compete in the traditional hydrogel single-use product segment with several lenses including our Proclear® 1 day lenses. We believe the global market for single-use contact lenses will continue to grow and that our competitive silicone hydrogel and traditional hydrogel product offerings represent an opportunity for our business.
In addition to its silicone hydrogel product offerings, CooperVision competes in the contact lens market with other traditional hydrogel products.
CooperVision believes that our key accounts which include optical chains, global retailers, certain buying groups and mass merchandisers are growing faster than the overall market. We are focused on supporting the growth of all our customers by investing in selling, promotional and advertising activities. Further, we are increasing investment in our distribution and packaging capabilities to support the growth of our business and to continue providing quality service with our industry leading SKU range and customized offerings.
CooperVision believes that myopia management opens up an attractive new market for contact lenses. With MiSight, CooperVision offers the only FDA approved and first Chinese NMPA approved product to control the progression of myopia in children. CooperVision is investing to create this new market by educating eye care practitioners, patients and their families which increases awareness.
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CooperVision is focused on greater worldwide market penetration of recently introduced products, and we continue to expand our presence in existing and emerging markets, including through acquisitions. In fiscal 2021, CooperVision acquired a privately held medical device company and a privately-held UK contact lenses manufacturer. In fiscal 2020, CooperVision acquired a privately-held U.S. contact lens manufacturer focusing on ortho-k lenses. These acquisitions expanded CooperVision’s specialty eye care portfolio and its leadership in addressing the increasing severity and prevalence of myopia.
Contact Lens Product Sales
Single-use spheres - Our single-use lens portfolio includes clariti 1 day, MyDay, MiSight, Proclear 1 day and Biomedics 1 day
Toric - Toric lenses include Biofinity toric, MyDay toric, clariti 1 day toric, Biomedics toric, Proclear toric and Avaira Vitality toric
Multifocal - Multifocal lenses include Biofinity multifocal, Biofinity toric multifocal, clariti 1 day multifocal, MyDay multifocal and Proclear 1 day multifocal
Non single-use sphere, other - Our FRP (frequent replacement product) lens portfolio and other include Biofinity, Biofinity Energys, Avaira Vitality, Biomedics, Proclear, clariti, ortho-k, scleral and custom lens, solutions and other
CooperVision Competition
The contact lens market is highly competitive. CooperVision's largest competitors in the worldwide market and its primary competitors in the spherical, toric and multifocal lens categories of that market are Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., Alcon Inc. and Bausch Health Companies Inc.
CooperVision's competitors may have greater financial resources, larger research and development budgets, larger sales forces, greater market penetration and/or larger manufacturing volumes. CooperVision seeks to offer a high level of customer service through its direct sales organizations around the world and through telephone sales and technical service representatives who consult with eye care professionals about the use of our lens products.
CooperVision also competes with manufacturers of eyeglasses and with refractive surgical procedures that correct visual defects including laser vision correction. CooperVision believes that laser vision correction is not a significant threat to its sales of contact lenses based on the growth of the contact lens market over the past decade.
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CooperVision competes in the silicone hydrogel segment of the market with its following products: clariti 1 day brand of single-use sphere, toric and multifocal lenses; MyDay® single-use spherical, toric and multifocal lenses; Biofinity monthly spherical, toric, multifocal and toric multifocal lenses and Avaira Vitality® two-week spherical and toric lenses. CooperVision believes the clariti 1 day and MyDay brands of single-use contact lenses provide the broadest product portfolio in the single-use silicone hydrogel market. CooperVision offers both branded and private label options in contact lenses. Its private label option is frequently offered as part of a larger customized solution for its customers. It also competes in the specialty contact lens space with its FDA approved MiSight 1 day contact lens for myopia management as well as ortho-k and scleral lenses.
In addition to a broad offering of silicone hydrogel and specialty contact lenses, CooperVision competes with different manufacturing processes which allow it to produce a broad range of spheres, toric and multifocal lens parameters, which we believe provides wide choices for patient and practitioner and a high level of visual acuity. We also compete based on our customer and professional services. CooperVision believes that there are opportunities for contact lenses to gain market share, particularly in markets where the penetration of contact lenses in the vision correction market is low.
COOPERSURGICAL
CooperSurgical offers a broad array of products and services focused on advancing the health of women, babies and families through a diversified portfolio of products and services including medical devices, fertility, genomics, diagnostics and contraception. We offer quality products, innovative technologies and superior services to health care professionals and patients worldwide. CooperSurgical collaborates with health care professionals to identify products and new technologies from disposable products to diagnostic tests to sophisticated instruments and equipment, to bring new products to market. The result is a broad portfolio of products and services that are intended to aid in the delivery of improved clinical outcomes that health care professionals use routinely in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide spectrum of women's health and reproductive issues.
One of CooperSurgical’s focus areas is key accounts which include large group practices, integrated delivery networks and certain buying groups within the office/surgical business and fertility clinic networks within the fertility business. We believe our portfolio of offerings and focus on service, quality and clinical education will support the accelerated growth of our business in the key account groups.
Since its inception in 1990, CooperSurgical has established its market presence and distribution system by developing products and acquiring products and companies that complement its business model.
In fiscal 2021, CooperSurgical acquired three privately-held medical device companies and one privately-held in vitro fertilization (IVF) cryo-storage software solutions company. In fiscal 2020, CooperSurgical acquired a privately-held distributor of IVF medical devices and systems. We intend to continue investing in CooperSurgical's business with the goal of expanding our integrated solutions model within the areas of family health, fertility and diagnostics.
On November 6, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, CooperSurgical entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) to acquire Generate Life Sciences, a privately held leading provider of donor egg and sperm for fertility treatments, fertility cryopreservation services and newborn stem cell (cord blood and cord tissue) storage. The aggregate consideration is $1.605 billion in cash, subject to adjustment as set forth in the Merger Agreement. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. See Note 15. Subsequent Events of the Consolidated Financial Statements for more details.
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Market for Women's and Family Reproductive Health Care
CooperSurgical participates in the market for family health care with its diversified product lines in three major categories based on the point of health care delivery: hospitals and surgical centers, OB/GYN medical offices and fertility clinics.
CooperSurgical expects patient visits to Women’s Health provider offices in the United States to increase over the next decade. From adolescent care to geriatrics, there is increased awareness of women’s health issues. During the reproductive years, fertility awareness and family planning are key areas of focus. The attention in maternity care to improving access to safe, effective, and equitable obstetrical care continues. As we expect an increase in the population of women over the age of 65, office visits focused around abnormal bleeding, incontinence and menopause will likely increase.
Another trend in the market for women's health care includes the continued migration of OB/GYN health care professionals away from private practice ownership and toward aligning with group practices or employment with hospitals and health care systems. This overall trend of consolidation of healthcare systems includes the increasing influence of supply chain controls, such as value analysis committees, on product evaluation and procurement across these care-delivery systems. CooperSurgical believes that the market factors that are driving this trend will continue in the near term. We believe our broad product portfolio can be a benefit in this changing environment as health systems look to standardize and consolidate vendors.
Recent trends of patient-centered, value-based care in the United States market include the development of more cost-effective health care delivery models, including moving treatment out of hospitals and surgery centers and into the office setting without compromising care. We expect to see continued changes in reimbursement and clinical best practices as payment models and policies continue to evolve.
Some significant features of the OB/GYN market are:
•Routine office visits: annual well-women checkups, preventative cancer screening and contraception.
•Evaluation and management (E/M) office visits: assessment of menstrual disorders, pelvic infections, urinary incontinence, abnormal Pap smears, fertility concerns, pregnancy and menopause. Approximately a third of gynecology office visits are related to abnormal uterine bleeding.
•Office-based procedures are increasing given high patient satisfaction, reduction of health system cost and comparative clinical outcomes.
•Hysterectomy and cesarean section remain common hospital surgical interventions in women worldwide.
•Initial evaluation and treatments for infertility, such as uterine assessment, ovulatory medications and intrauterine insemination (IUI), begin with the OB/GYN then transition to fertility clinics.
CooperSurgical expects growth in fertility treatments as:
•Infertility rates are increasing globally, and there is a significant unmet need for fertility services.
•Patient awareness of and access to services are increasing at a rapid pace.
•The number of fertility clinics is rising worldwide.
•The fertility market is fueled by dynamics such as increasing maternal age, single parents by choice, and LGBTQ+ identifying individuals starting families.
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Women's and Family Reproductive Health Care Product Sales
Office/Surgical - Our significant office and surgical products include PARAGARD, Uterine Manipulators, Retractors, Closure products, Point-of-Care products, LEEP products, Endosee, Illuminate and Fetal Pillow
Fertility - Our significant fertility products and services include fertility consumables, fertility equipment, Embryo Options and preimplantation genetic testing
CooperSurgical Competition
CooperSurgical focuses on selected segments of the family and women's health care market with a diversified portfolio of products and services including medical devices in outpatient and operating room settings, fertility and contraception. In some instances, CooperSurgical offers all the items needed for a complete procedure. CooperSurgical believes that opportunities exist for continued market consolidation.
Competitive factors in these segments in which CooperSurgical competes include technological and scientific advances, product quality and availability, price, customer service including response time and effective communication of product information to physicians, fertility clinics and hospitals. Competition in the medical device industry is dynamic and involves the search for technological and therapeutic innovations. CooperSurgical's strategy includes developing and acquiring new solutions.
CooperSurgical continues to expand its presence in the significantly larger hospital and outpatient surgical procedure segment of the market that is at present dominated by bigger competitors such as Johnson & Johnson, Hologic and Medtronic. These competitors have well-established positions within the operating room environment. CooperSurgical leverages its relationship with gynecologic surgeons and focus on devices specific to gynecologic surgery to facilitate our expansion within the surgical segment of the market.
CooperSurgical also competes in the fertility category of the women's and family health care market. We have broad product offerings for fertility evaluations and IVF procedures by OB/GYN, reproductive endocrinologists and embryologists. These include products for use by the OB/GYN in their offices for initial evaluations with office-based hysteroscopy and first line treatments such as intrauterine insemination. In fertility clinics, our products include media, micro-tools and lab equipment. Additionally, services offered to clinics and families undergoing assisted reproductive technologies include embryo screening testing, genetic counseling and management of storage options. CooperSurgical competes with a large number of competitors in the fertility market including Vitrolife, FujiFilm-Irvine Scientific, Cook, Hamilton Thorne, Natera and Invitae.
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CooperSurgical competes in the Intrauterine Device (IUD) contraceptive market. PARAGARD is the only FDA approved non-hormonal IUD option in the United States and has a 10-year use indication. In the United States, where all IUDs within the Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) space are regulated as drug products, we compete with manufacturers of hormonal IUDs including Bayer and AbbVie Allergan and manufacturers of other forms of birth control. Outside of the United States, non-hormonal IUDs are typically regulated as devices and are sold by a number of manufacturers. Currently, PARAGARD is not sold outside of the United States.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The Company employs approximately 300 people in research and development. CooperVision's product development and clinical research is supported by internal and external specialists in lens design, formulation science, polymer chemistry, engineering, clinical trials, microbiology and biochemistry. CooperVision's research and development activities primarily include programs to develop new contact lens designs and manufacturing technology, along with improving formulations and existing products.
CooperSurgical conducts research and development in-house and has consulting agreements with external specialists in software, hardware and electrical engineering, genetic science and embryology. CooperSurgical's research and development activities include the design and improvement of surgical procedure devices, the advancement and expansion of CooperSurgical's portfolio of assisted reproductive technology (ART) products, genetic screening and testing, as well as products within the general OB/GYN offerings.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
Medical Device Regulation in the United States
Most of our products are medical devices subject to extensive regulation by the FDA in the United States and other regulatory bodies abroad. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and FDA regulations govern, among other things, medical device design and development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, record keeping, premarket clearance or approval, advertising and promotion, and sales and distribution. Unless an exemption applies, each medical device we wish to distribute commercially in the United States will require either premarket notification to the FDA requesting clearance for commercial distribution under Section 510(k) of the FDCA, or premarket approval (PMA) from the FDA. A majority of the medical devices we currently market have received FDA clearance through the 510(k) process or approval through the PMA process. Because we cannot be assured that any new products we develop, or any product enhancements, will be exempt from the premarket clearance or approval requirements or will be subject to the shorter 510(k) clearance process rather than the PMA process, significant delays in the introduction of any new products or product enhancements may occur.
Device Classification
The FDA classifies medical devices into one of three classes-Class I, II or III-depending on the degree of risk associated with each medical device and the extent of control needed to ensure its safety and effectiveness. Both CooperVision and CooperSurgical develop and market medical devices subject to different levels of FDA regulation depending on the classification of the device. Class III devices, such as flexible and extended wear contact lenses, require extensive premarket testing and approval, while Class I and II devices require lower levels of regulation. The majority of CooperSurgical's products are Class II devices.
Class I devices are devices with the lowest risk and are those for which safety and effectiveness can be assured by adherence to the FDA's general regulatory controls for medical devices, which include compliance with the applicable portions of the FDA's Quality System Regulation (QSR), facility
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registration and product listing, reporting of adverse medical events, and appropriate, truthful and non-misleading labeling, advertising, and promotional materials (General Controls). Some Class I devices also require premarket clearance by the FDA through the 510(k) premarket notification process described below.
Class II devices are moderate risk devices, which are subject to the FDA's General Controls, and any other special controls as deemed necessary by the FDA to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the device, such as performance standards, post-market surveillance, FDA guidelines or particularized labeling requirements. Premarket review and clearance by the FDA for Class II devices is accomplished through the 510(k) premarket notification procedure. Pursuant to the Medical Device User Fee and Amendments to the FDA Reauthorization Act (MDUFA IV), unless a specific exemption applies, 510(k) premarket notification submissions require payment of user fees. Certain Class II devices are exempt from this premarket review process.
Class III devices are those devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risk, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting or certain implantable devices, or which have a new intended use, or use advanced technology that is not substantially equivalent to that of a legally marketed device. The safety and effectiveness of Class III devices cannot be assured solely by the General Controls and other special controls such as those listed above. These devices almost always require formal clinical studies to demonstrate safety and effectiveness and must be approved through the PMA process described below. PMA applications (and supplemental PMA applications) are subject to substantially higher user fees under MDUFA IV than are 510(k) premarket notifications.
510(k) Clearance Pathway
When we are required to obtain a 510(k) clearance for a Class I or Class II device that we wish to market, we must submit a premarket notification to the FDA demonstrating that the device is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device. A predicate device is a legally marketed device that is not subject to a PMA, a device that was legally marketed in commercial distribution in the United States before May 28, 1976 (a pre-amendments device) and, for which the FDA has not yet called for the submission of a PMA, a device that has been reclassified from Class III to Class II or I, or a device that was found substantially equivalent through the 510(k) premarket notification process. The FDA aims to make substantial equivalence determinations following receipt of a 510(k) premarket notification within 90 days of submission of the notification, but as a practical matter, clearance can take significantly longer. Although many 510(k) pre-market notifications are cleared without clinical data, in some cases, the FDA requires additional information to support substantial equivalence. If the FDA agrees that the device is substantially equivalent to a predicate device, it will grant 510(k) clearance to commercially market the device. If the FDA determines that the device is not substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate, the device is automatically designated as a Class III device. The device sponsor must fulfill more rigorous PMA requirements, or can request a risk-based classification determination for the device in accordance with the de novo process, which is a route to market for novel medical devices that are low to moderate risk and are not substantially equivalent to a predicate device.
After a device receives 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute a major change or modification in its intended use, will require a new 510(k) clearance or, depending on the modification, PMA approval or de novo classification. The FDA requires each manufacturer to make this determination initially, but the FDA can review any such decision and can disagree with a manufacturer's determination. If the FDA disagrees with a manufacturer's determination that a new clearance or approval is not required for a particular modification, the FDA may require the manufacturer to cease marketing and/or recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance or until premarket approval is obtained or a de novo classification request is granted. In these circumstances, a manufacturer also may be subject to significant regulatory fines or
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penalties. We have made and plan to continue to make additional product enhancements and modifications to our devices that we believe do not require new 510(k) clearances.
Over the last several years, the FDA has proposed reforms to its 510(k) clearance process, and such proposals could include increased requirements for clinical data and a longer review period, or could make it more difficult for manufacturers to utilize the 510(k) clearance process for their products. For example, in November 2018, FDA officials announced forthcoming steps that the FDA intends to take to modernize the premarket notification pathway under Section 510(k) of the FDCA. Among other things, the FDA announced that it planned to develop proposals to drive manufacturers utilizing the 510(k) pathway toward the use of newer predicates. These proposals included plans to potentially sunset certain older devices that were used as predicates under the 510(k) clearance pathway, and to potentially publish a list of devices that have been cleared on the basis of demonstrated substantial equivalence to predicate devices that are more than 10 years old. These proposals have not yet been finalized or adopted, and the FDA may work with Congress to implement such proposals through legislation.
In September 2019, the FDA published updated guidance describing an optional “safety and performance based” premarket review pathway for manufacturers of “certain, well-understood device types” to demonstrate substantial equivalence under the 510(k) clearance pathway by showing that such device meets objective safety and performance criteria established by the FDA, thereby obviating the need for manufacturers to compare the safety and performance of their medical devices to specific predicate devices in the clearance process. The FDA intends to develop and maintain a list of device types appropriate for the “safety and performance based” pathway and will continue to develop product-specific guidance documents that identify the performance criteria for each such device type, as well as the testing methods recommended in the guidance documents, where feasible.
Premarket Approval Pathway
A PMA application must be submitted if the device cannot be cleared through the 510(k) premarket notification procedures or if the device has been previously classified as Class III (unless otherwise 510(k) exempt). The PMA process is much more demanding than the 510(k) premarket notification process. A PMA application must be supported by extensive data including, but not limited to, technical, non-clinical, clinical trials, manufacturing and labeling to demonstrate to the FDA's satisfaction the safety and effectiveness of the device for its intended use.
Following receipt of a PMA application, the FDA conducts an administrative review to determine whether the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. If it is not, the agency will refuse to file the PMA. If it is, the FDA will accept the application for filing and begin the review. The FDA, by statute and regulation, has 180 days to review an accepted PMA application, although the review generally occurs over a significantly longer period of time, and can take up to several years. During this review period, the FDA may request additional information, including clinical data, non-clinical data or clarification of information already provided, and the FDA may issue a major deficiency letter to the applicant, requesting the applicant's response to deficiencies communicated by the FDA. The FDA considers a PMA or PMA supplement to have been voluntarily withdrawn if an applicant fails to respond to an FDA request for information (e.g., major deficiency letter) within 180 days after the FDA issues such request. Also, during the review period, an advisory panel of experts from outside the FDA may be convened to review and evaluate the application and provide recommendations to the FDA as to the approvability of the device. In addition, the FDA will conduct a preapproval inspection of the manufacturing facility to ensure compliance with the QSR, which, among other things requires manufacturers to implement and follow elaborate design, testing, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures in the device design and manufacturing process.
The FDA will approve the new device for commercial distribution if it determines that the data and information in the PMA constitute valid scientific evidence and that there is reasonable assurance that the device is safe and effective for its intended use(s). The FDA may approve a PMA application with post-
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approval conditions intended to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the device including, among other things, restrictions on labeling, promotion, sale and distribution and collection of long-term follow-up data from patients in the clinical study that supported approval. The FDA may also condition approval of a PMA application on some form of post-market surveillance when deemed necessary to protect the public health or to provide additional safety and efficacy data for the device in a larger population or for a longer period of use. In such cases, the manufacturer might be required to follow certain patient groups for a number of years and to make periodic reports to the FDA on the clinical status of those patients. Failure to comply with the conditions of approval can result in materially adverse enforcement action, including the loss or withdrawal of the approval. New PMA applications or PMA application supplements are required for significant modifications to the manufacturing process, labeling and design of a device that is approved through the PMA process. PMA supplements often require submission of the same type of information as a PMA application, except that the supplement is limited to information needed to support any changes from the device covered by the original PMA application, and may not require as extensive clinical data or the convening of an advisory panel.
Clinical Trials for Medical Devices
A clinical trial is almost always required to support a PMA application and is sometimes required to obtain clearance of a 510(k) premarket notification. These trials may require submission of an application for an investigational device exemption (IDE) to the FDA depending on the device. If the device under evaluation does not present a significant risk to human health, then the device sponsor is not required to submit an IDE application to the FDA before initiating human clinical trials, but must still comply with abbreviated IDE requirements when conducting such trials. A significant risk device is one that presents a potential for serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of a patient and either is implanted, used in supporting or sustaining human life, substantially important in diagnosing, curing, mitigating or treating disease or otherwise preventing impairment of human health, or otherwise presents a potential for serious risk to a subject. If the device presents a “significant risk” to human health, the sponsor must submit an IDE application to the FDA and obtain IDE approval prior to commencing the human clinical trials. The IDE application, which includes a clinical study protocol, must be supported by appropriate data, such as animal and laboratory testing results, showing that the potential benefits of testing the device in humans and the importance of the knowledge to be gained outweighs the risks to human subjects from the proposed investigation that the testing protocol is scientifically sound and there is reason to believe that the device as proposed for use will be effective. The IDE will automatically become effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA unless the FDA notifies the company that the investigation may not begin. If the FDA determines that there are deficiencies or other concerns with an IDE for which it requires modification, the FDA may permit a clinical trial to proceed under a conditional approval. Regardless of the degree of risk presented by the medical device, clinical studies must be approved by, and conducted under the oversight of, an Institutional Review Board (IRB) for each clinical site. The IRB is responsible for the initial and continuing review of the study, and may pose additional requirements for the conduct of the study. There can be no assurance that submission of an IDE will result in the ability to commence clinical trials. Additionally, after a trial begins, the FDA may place it on hold or terminate it if, among other reasons, it concludes that the clinical subjects are exposed to unacceptable health risks that outweigh the benefits of participation in the study. During a study, we are required to comply with the FDA's IDE requirements for investigator selection, trial monitoring, reporting, record keeping and prohibitions on the promotion of investigational devices or making safety or efficacy claims for them. We are also responsible for the appropriate labeling and distribution of investigational devices.
Continuing FDA and Other Government Agency Regulation of Medical Devices
After a device is placed on the market, numerous regulatory requirements apply. These include: establishment registration and device listing with the FDA; the QSR, which requires manufacturers to follow design, testing, production, control, complaint handling, documentation and other quality assurance procedures during the manufacturing process; labeling regulations, which prohibit the
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promotion of products for uncleared or unapproved or “off-label” uses and impose other restrictions on labeling, advertising and promotion; new FDA unique device identifier regulations, which require changes to labeling and packaging; and medical device reporting regulations, which require that manufacturers report to the FDA if their device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or malfunctioned in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if it were to recur. The FDA has broad post-market and regulatory enforcement powers. We are subject to unannounced inspections for cause by the FDA to determine our compliance with the QSR and other regulations.
Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, which are subject to new legislation and change, can result in enforcement action by the FDA, or other federal and state government agencies which may include, but may not be limited to, any of the following sanctions or consequences: warning letters or untitled letters; fines, injunctions and civil penalties; recall, seizure or import holds of our products; operating restrictions, suspension or shutdown of production; refusing to issue certificates to foreign governments needed to export products for sale in other countries; refusing our request for 510(k) clearance or premarket approval of new or modified products; withdrawing 510(k) clearance or premarket approvals that are already granted; and criminal prosecution.
Laboratory Developed Tests
We provide certain genetic testing laboratory services. In the United States, Under the FDCA and the FDA’s regulatory framework, in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDs) are a type of medical device that can be used in the diagnosis or detection of diseases, such as cancer, or other conditions. The FDA considers laboratory developed tests (LDTs) to be a subset of IVDs, which are intended for clinical use and are designed, manufactured, and used within a single laboratory. Although the FDA has statutory authority to assure that medical devices, including IVDs, are safe and effective for their intended uses, the FDA has historically exercised its enforcement discretion and not enforced certain applicable provisions of the FDCA and regulations with respect to LDTs.
Even under its current enforcement discretion policy, the FDA has issued warning letters to IVD manufacturers for commercializing laboratory tests that were purported to be LDTs but that the FDA alleged failed to meet the definition of an LDT or otherwise were not subject to the FDA’s policy on enforcement discretion because they presented a potential safety risk. Additionally, the FDA could change its policy of enforcement discretion for LDTs, even without legislation. For example, in recent years, the FDA has stated its intention to modify its enforcement discretion policy with respect to LDTs. Specifically, on July 31, 2014, the FDA notified Congress of its intent to modify, in a risk-based manner, its policy of enforcement discretion with respect to LDTs. On October 3, 2014, the FDA issued two draft guidance documents entitled “Framework for Regulatory Oversight of Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs),” or the Framework Guidance, and “FDA Notification and Medical Device Reporting for LDTs,” or the Reporting Guidance. The Framework Guidance stated that FDA intended to modify its policy of enforcement discretion with respect to LDTs in a risk-based manner consistent with the classification of medical devices generally in Classes I through III. The Reporting Guidance would have further enabled the FDA to collect information regarding the LDTs currently being offered for clinical use through a notification process, as well as to enforce its regulations for reporting safety issues and collecting information on any known or suspected adverse events related to the use of an LDT. The FDA halted finalization of this guidance in November 2016 to allow for further public discussion on an appropriate oversight approach for LDTs and to give congressional authorizing committees the opportunity to develop a legislative solution. In January 2017, the FDA issued a discussion paper on possible approaches to LDT regulation.
Legislative and administrative proposals proposing to amend the FDA’s oversight of LDTs have been introduced in recent years and we expect that new legislative and administrative proposals will continue to be introduced from time to time. For example, key congressional committees with jurisdiction over FDA matters have indicated an interest in continuing negotiations on potential legislation regarding
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LDTs. In March 2020, the VALID Act was introduced in the House and an identical version of the bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate. If passed in its current form, the VALID Act would create a new category of medical products separate from medical devices called “in vitro clinical tests,” or IVCTs. As proposed, the bill would establish a risk-based approach to imposing requirements related to premarket review, quality systems, and labeling requirements on all IVCTs, including LDTs, but would create exemptions for certain LDTs marketed before the effective date of the bill (though other regulatory requirements may apply, such as registration and adverse event reporting). In June 2021, a revised version of the VALID Act was reintroduced in both the House and the Senate. It is unclear whether the VALID Act or any other legislative proposals (including any proposals to reduce FDA oversight of LDTs) would be passed by Congress or signed into law by the President. Depending on the approach adopted under any potential legislation, certain LDTs could become subject to some form of premarket review, potentially with a transition period for compliance and a grandfathering provision. Moreover, in August 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a rescission order stating that the FDA will not require premarket review of LDTs absent changes in policy implemented through formal notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures. The degree to which this rescission order will affect FDA’s enforcement discretion policy or its oversight over LDTs remains unclear.
If Congress does not take action in connection with the VALID Act or other LDT legislation, it is possible that the FDA could change its regulatory policy governing LDTs in a way that could require that our currently marketed genetic tests, and any future products that we anticipate marketing as LDTs, comply with certain additional FDA requirements.
As we operate a genetic testing laboratory, we are required to hold certain federal, state and local licenses, certifications and permits to conduct our business. Under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, or CLIA, we are required to hold a certificate applicable to the type of laboratory tests we perform and to comply with standards applicable to our operations, including test processes, personnel, facilities administration, equipment maintenance, recordkeeping, quality systems and proficiency testing. We have current certification under CLIA to perform testing at our New Jersey facility. To renew our CLIA certificate, we are subject to survey and inspection every two years to assess compliance with program standards. The regulatory and compliance standards applicable to the testing we perform may change over time, and any such changes could have a material effect on our business. Penalties for non-compliance with CLIA requirements include suspension, limitation or revocation of the laboratory’s CLIA certificate, as well as a directed plan of correction, state on-site monitoring, civil money penalties, civil injunctive suit or criminal penalties.
In addition to federal certification requirements of laboratories under CLIA, licensure is required and maintained for our laboratory under state law. Such laws establish standards for the day-to-day operation of a clinical reference laboratory, including the training and skills required of personnel and quality control. In addition, state laws mandate proficiency testing, which involves testing of specimens that have been specifically prepared for the laboratory. In addition, certain states require licensing of out-of-state laboratories in order to receive and test specimens from those tests. If a laboratory is out of compliance with such statutory or regulatory standards, the state may suspend, limit, revoke or annul the laboratory’s license, censure the holder of the license or assess civil money penalties.
Pharmaceutical Regulation in the United States
FDA has determined that the primary mode of action for PARAGARD is the drug component and is therefore regulated by FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research as a drug product.
In the United States, the FDA regulates drugs under the FDCA and its implementing regulations. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with applicable federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Failure to comply with the applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the product
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development process, approval process or after approval, may subject an applicant to a variety of administrative or judicial sanctions, such as the FDA’s refusal to approve pending New Drug Applications (NDA), withdrawal of an approval, imposition of a clinical hold, untitled letters, warning letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement or civil or criminal penalties.
Any drug products manufactured or distributed by us pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to continuing regulation by the FDA, including manufacturing, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, advertising, promotion, drug shortage reporting, compliance with any post-approval requirements imposed as a conditional of approval such as Phase 4 clinical trials, a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS), and surveillance, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including adverse experiences.
After approval, most changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications or other labeling claims are subject to further testing to new clinical investigation requirements and prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing, annual program fee requirements for any approved products and the establishments at which such products are manufactured, as well as new application fees for supplemental applications with clinical data. Drug manufacturers and their subcontractors are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies and to list their drug products and are subject to periodic announced and unannounced inspections by the FDA and these state agencies for compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMPs, and other requirements, which impose procedural and documentation requirements upon us and our third-party manufacturers.
Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated and often require prior FDA approval before being implemented, or FDA notification. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMPs specifications and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon the sponsor and any third-party manufacturers that the sponsor may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain cGMP compliance.
Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in withdrawal of marketing approval, mandatory revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information or other limitations, imposition of post-market studies or clinical trials to assess new safety risks, or imposition of distribution or other restrictions under a REMS program, among other consequences.
The FDA closely regulates the marketing and promotion of drugs. A company can make only those claims relating to safety and efficacy, purity and potency that are approved by the FDA. Physicians, in their independent professional medical judgement, may prescribe legally available products for uses that are not described in the product’s labeling and that differ from those tested by us and approved by the FDA. We, however, are prohibited from marketing or promoting drugs for uses outside of the approved labeling. In addition, the distribution of prescription pharmaceutical products, including samples, is subject to the Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA), which regulates the distribution of drugs and drug samples at the federal level, and sets minimum standards for the registration and regulation of drug distributors by the states. Both the PDMA and state laws limit the distribution of prescription pharmaceutical product samples and impose requirements to ensure accountability in distribution. The Drug Supply Chain Security Act also imposes obligations on manufacturers of pharmaceutical products related to product and tracking and serialization.
Failure to comply with any of the FDA’s requirements, which are subject to new legislation and change, could result in significant adverse enforcement actions. These include a variety of administrative or
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judicial sanctions, such as refusal to approve pending applications, license suspension or revocation, withdrawal of an approval, imposition of a clinical hold or termination of clinical trials, warning letters, untitled letters, cyber letters, modification of promotional materials or labeling, product recalls, product seizures or detentions, refusal to allow imports or exports, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, debarment, injunctions, fines, consent decrees, corporate integrity agreements, refusals of government contracts and new orders under existing contracts, exclusion from participation in federal and state healthcare programs, restitution, disgorgement or civil or criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. It is also possible that failure to comply with the FDA’s requirements relating to the promotion of prescription drugs may lead to investigations alleging violations of federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse and other laws, as well as state consumer protection laws. Any of these sanctions could result in adverse publicity, among other adverse consequences.
Foreign Regulation
Health authorities in foreign countries regulate Cooper's clinical studies and medical device sales. The regulations vary widely from country to country. Even if the FDA has cleared or approved a product in the United States, the regulatory agencies or notified bodies in other countries must approve or certify new products before they may be marketed there. The time required to obtain approval or certification in another country may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA clearance or approval, and the requirements may differ. There is a trend towards harmonization of quality system standards among the European Union (EU), United States, Canada and various other industrialized countries. Japan has one of the most rigorous regulatory systems in the world and requires in-country clinical trials. The Japanese quality and regulatory standards remain stringent even with the more recent harmonization efforts and updated Japanese regulations. China is also updating its regulations and is requiring rigorous in-country product testing. These regulatory procedures require a considerable investment in time and resources and usually result in a substantial delay between new product development and marketing. If the Company does not maintain compliance with regulatory standards or if problems occur after marketing, product approval may be withdrawn.
In addition to FDA regulatory requirements, CooperVision maintains ISO 13485 certification and CE Mark approvals for its products and CooperSurgical maintains ISO 13485 certification for medical devices and ISO 15189 certification for the Genomics laboratories. A CE Mark is an international symbol of adherence to certain standards and compliance with applicable European medical device requirements. These quality programs and approvals are required by the European Medical Device Regulation and must be maintained for all products intended to be sold in the European market. The ISO 13485 Quality Measurement System registration is now also required for registration of products in Asia Pacific and Latin American countries. In order to maintain these quality benchmarks, the Company is subjected to rigorous biannual reassessment audits of its quality systems and procedures.
Regulation of Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices in the European Union
The EU has adopted specific directives and regulations regulating the design, manufacture, clinical investigations, conformity assessment, labeling and adverse event reporting for medical devices (including in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDs)).
In the EU, until May 25, 2021, medical devices were regulated by the Council Directive 93/42/EEC, or the EU Medical Devices Directive, which has been repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 2017/745 (the EU MDR). Unlike directives, regulations are directly applicable in all EU member states without the need for member states to implement into national law. IVDs are currently regulated by the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive (Directive 98/79/EC) (the IVDD). However, on April 5, 2017, Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council on IVDs and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU (the EU IVDR) was adopted to establish a modernized and more robust EU legislative framework, with the aim of ensuring better protection of public health and patient safety. The EU IVDR will become applicable five years after publication (on
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May 26, 2022). However, on October 14, 2021, the European Commission proposed a “progressive” roll-out of the EU IVDR to prevent disruption in the supply of IVDs. Consequently, if the European Parliament and Council adopt the proposed regulation, the EU IVDR will fully apply on May 26, 2022, but there will be a tiered system extending the grace period for many devices (depending on their risk classification) before they have to be fully compliant with the regulation.
Both the EU MDR and IVDR seek to:
•strengthen the rules on placing devices on the market and reinforce surveillance once they are available;
•establish explicit provisions on manufacturers’ responsibilities for the follow-up of the quality, performance and safety of devices placed on the market;
•establish explicit provisions on importers’ and distributors’ obligations and responsibilities;
•impose an obligation to identify a responsible person who is ultimately responsible for all aspects of compliance with the requirements of the new regulation;
•improve the traceability of medical devices throughout the supply chain to the end-user or patient through the introduction of a unique identification number, to increase the ability of manufacturers and regulatory authorities to trace specific devices through the supply chain and to facilitate the prompt and efficient recall of medical devices that have been found to present a safety risk;
•set up a central database (Eudamed) to provide patients, healthcare professionals and the public with comprehensive information on products available in the EU; and
•strengthen rules for the assessment of certain high-risk devices that may have to undergo an additional check by experts before they are placed on the market.
In the EU, there is currently no premarket government review of medical devices (including IVDs). However, all medical devices (including IVDs) placed on the EU market must respectively meet general safety and performance requirements for medical devices and essential requirements for IVDs, including that a medical device must be designed and manufactured in such a way that, during normal conditions of use, it is suitable for its intended purpose. Medical devices must be safe and effective and must not compromise the clinical condition or safety of patients, or the safety and health of users and, where applicable, other persons, provided that any risks which may be associated with their use constitute acceptable risks when weighed against the benefits to the patient and are compatible with a high level of protection of health and safety, taking into account the generally acknowledged state of the art.
Compliance with the essential or general safety and performance requirements is a prerequisite for European Conformity Marking, or CE Mark, without which medical devices cannot be marketed or sold in the EU. To demonstrate compliance with the essential or general safety and performance requirements medical device manufacturers must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which varies according to the type of medical device and its (risk) classification. Except for low-risk medical devices (Class I) or general IVDs, where the manufacturer can self-assess the conformity of its products with the essential or general safety and performance requirements (except for any parts which relate to sterility, metrology or reuse aspects of a medical device), a conformity assessment procedure requires the intervention of a notified body. Notified bodies are independent organizations designated by EU member states to assess the conformity of devices before being placed on the market. A notified body would typically audit and examine a product’s technical dossiers and the manufacturers’ quality system (notified body must presume that quality systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards-ISO 13485:2016 for Quality Management Systems-conform to these requirements). If satisfied that the relevant product conforms to the essential or general safety and performance requirements, the notified body issues a certificate of conformity, which the manufacturer uses as a basis for its own declaration of conformity. The manufacturer may then apply the CE Mark to the device, which allows the device to be placed on the market throughout the EU.
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Throughout the term of the certificate of conformity, the manufacturer will be subject to periodic surveillance audits to verify continued compliance with the applicable requirements. In particular, there will be a new audit by the notified body before it will renew the relevant certificate(s).
All manufacturers placing medical devices on the market in the EU must comply with the EU medical device vigilance system. Under this system, serious incidents and Field Safety Corrective Actions (FSCAs) must be reported to the relevant authorities of the EU member states. Manufacturers are required to take FSCAs to prevent or reduce a risk of a serious incident associated with the use of a medical device that is made available on the market. An FSCA may include the recall, modification, exchange, destruction or retrofitting of the device.
The advertising and promotion of medical devices is subject to some general principles set forth by EU directives. Only devices that are CE-marked may be marketed and advertised in the EU in accordance with their intended purpose. Directive 2006/114/EC concerning misleading and comparative advertising and Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices, while not specific to the advertising of medical devices, also apply to the advertising thereof and contain general rules, for example requiring that advertisements are evidenced, balanced and not misleading. Specific requirements are defined at the national level. EU member states laws related to the advertising and promotion of medical devices, which vary between jurisdictions, may limit or restrict the advertising and promotion of products to the general public and may impose limitations on promotional activities with healthcare professionals.
In the EU, regulatory authorities have the power to carry out announced and, if necessary, unannounced inspections of companies, as well as suppliers and/or sub-contractors and, where necessary, the facilities of professional users. Failure to comply with regulatory requirements (as applicable) could require time and resources to respond to the regulatory authorities’ observations and to implement corrective and preventive actions, as appropriate. Regulatory authorities have broad compliance and enforcement powers, and if such issues cannot be resolved to their satisfaction can take a variety of actions, including untitled or warning letters, fines, consent decrees, injunctions, or civil or criminal penalties.
Both CooperVision and CooperSurgical have been actively deploying regulatory and compliance initiatives designed to allow the continued ability to sell and market their respective products in the EU under the EU MDR and IVDR.
Regulation of Laboratory Developed Tests in the European Union
In the EU, laboratory developed tests (LDTs) are exempt from the regulations that govern medical devices and IVDs under certain conditions. According to Article 1(5) of the IVDD, “[this Directive] shall not apply to devices manufactured and used only within the same health institution and on the premises of their manufacture or used on premises in the immediate vicinity without having been transferred to another legal entity.” Article 1(5) further provides that this exemption does not affect the right of an EU member state from imposing “appropriate protection requirements.” In order to fall within this exemption under the IVDD, medical devices, including laboratory developed tests, must be designed and used within such health institution (which may include hospitals, laboratories and public health institutions that support the healthcare system and/or address patient needs but do not treat or care for patients directly) on a non-industrial scale, without being released into the market. However, the legal framework for applying the exemption under the IVDD to laboratory developed tests is not entirely clear, as the IVDD does not specify what non-industrial scale would be.
When the EU IVDR comes into effect, it may provide greater clarity on the regulation of LDTs. Under the EU IVDR, the general safety and performance requirements set out in Annex I of the EU IVDR are also applicable to devices manufactured and used only within health institutions. Manufacturers of such devices are required to demonstrate conformity with the general safety and performance requirements set out in Annex I of the EU IVDR through performance evaluations in accordance with Article 56 of the EU IVDR and the manufacturer’s quality management system framework.
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The EU IVDR provides that the relevant general safety and performance requirements set out in Annex I of the EU IVDR do not generally apply to devices manufactured and used only within health institutions established in the EU, provided that the conditions set out in Article 5 of the EU IVDR are met. Under the EU IVDR, health institutions may manufacture, modify and use medical devices within such institutions, thereby addressing the specific needs of target patient groups on a non-industrial scale. Under such circumstances, where the LDTs are manufactured and used strictly within health institutions (which may include hospitals, laboratories, public health institutions that support the healthcare system and/or address patient needs but do not treat or care for patients directly), LDTs would continue to be exempt from regulation. However, compared to the previous regulatory regime, the exemptions for LDTs will, overall, be narrowed, as even in relation to LDTs, health institutions, among others, are required to provide information upon request on the use of such devices to their competent authority and each health institution will have to draw up a declaration which it will make publicly available. If these conditions are not met and/or diagnostic tests are manufactured and used only within health institutions but “on an industrial scale,” such tests will qualify as in vitro diagnostic medical devices with the full applicability of the EU IVDR. LDTs regulated by the EU IVDR will be subject to conformity assessments and inspections by the relevant competent authority, who will also review the declarations and statements made by the health institutions in relation to their LDTs. Our current and future tests will need to be analyzed as to whether any or all of them would qualify for an exemption under Article 5 of EU IVDR or otherwise. We will be required to comply with various certification and documentation criteria, and we may be subject to conformity assessments and inspections. Given that the EU IVDR has not yet come into effect, it remains to be seen how it, and particularly the exemptions it grants under Article 5 of EU IVDR, may be further interpreted and clarified in the future.
The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the European Economic Area (EEA) which consists of the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
The Impact of Brexit
The EU IVDR will not be applicable in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) due to Brexit. Existing EU directives governing all medical devices, including in vitro diagnostic medical devices have been given effect in domestic law through the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (SI 2002 No 618, as amended). This means that from January 1, 2021, the Great Britain route to market is still based on the requirements derived from the pre-existing EU legislation. As a standalone regulatory body, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating medical devices in Great Britain. The MHRA may choose to align with the EU IVDR going forward with respect to LDTs, respectively, or retain regulatory flexibility through domestic legislation which will continue to be monitored. The UK government has introduced a new Medicines and Medical Devices bill which allows the secretary of state to amend or supplement the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/618). In addition, the Trade Deal between the UK and the EU generally provides for cooperation and exchange of information between the parties in the areas of product safety and compliance, including market surveillance, enforcement activities and measures, standardization related activities, exchanges of officials, and coordinated product recalls. As such, processes for compliance and reporting should reflect requirements from regulatory authorities.
CE Marks issued by EU-recognized notified bodies will continue to be valid in Great Britain, until June 30, 2023. For medical devices placed on the Great Britain market after this period, the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) marking will be mandatory. The EU no longer recognizes conformity assessment activities performed by UK notified bodies for medical devices placed on the market since January 1, 2021. Notified bodies must be located in an European Union member state, or territory where there is a mutual recognition agreement (MRA); there is currently no such MRA between the UK and the EU.
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Other Health Care Regulation
We may be subject to various federal, state and foreign laws pertaining to health care fraud and abuse, including anti-kickback laws and physician self-referral, false claims laws and physician payment transparency laws and regulations.
In the United States, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, any person or entity, from knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving any remuneration, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, to induce or in return for purchasing, leasing, ordering, or arranging for the purchase, lease or order of any item or service reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid or other federal healthcare programs. The term remuneration has been interpreted broadly to include anything of value. There are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from prosecution. The exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly and practices that involve remuneration that may be alleged to be intended to induce prescribing, purchasing, or recommending may be subject to scrutiny if they do not qualify for an exception or safe harbor. Failure to meet all of the requirements of a particular applicable statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor does not make the conduct per se illegal under the Anti-Kickback Statute. Instead, the legality of the arrangement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis based on a cumulative review of all of its facts and circumstances. In addition, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation.
The federal physician self-referral prohibitions, commonly known as the Stark Law, generally prohibit entities from billing a patient or the Medicare or Medicaid programs for certain designated health services, including clinical laboratory services, when the physician ordering the service, or any member of such physician’s immediate family, has a financial interest, such as an ownership or investment interest in or compensation arrangement with us, unless the arrangement meets an exception to the prohibition. These prohibitions apply regardless of any intent by the parties to induce or reward referrals or the reasons for the financial relationship and the referral.
The federal False Claims Act prohibits, among other things, any person or entity from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment to, or approval by, the federal government or knowingly making, using, or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim to the federal government. A claim includes “any request or demand” for money or property presented to the U.S. government. In addition, a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute or Stark Law constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal False Claims Act.
The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 also created new federal criminal statutes that prohibit knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud or to obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises, any money or property owned by, or under the control or custody of, any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up by trick, scheme or device, a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items, or services. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. Also, many states have similar fraud and abuse statutes or regulations that apply to items and services reimbursed under Medicaid and other state programs, or, in several states, apply regardless of the payor.
In addition, the federal government, as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the ACA), as well as certain state governments have enacted laws aimed at increasing transparency in relationships between medical device companies and health care professionals. We are now required by the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act and similar state and foreign laws to report annually many types of
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payments made and items of value provided to licensed health care professionals and teaching hospitals, as well as certain ownership and investment interests held by physicians (as defined by statute) and their immediate family members. Certain states also mandate implementation of commercial compliance programs, impose restrictions on device manufacturer marketing practices and tracking and/or require the reporting of gifts, compensation and other remuneration to physicians. In addition, certain foreign jurisdictions have adopted, or are currently acting to implement, similar laws.
In the EU, many member states have adopted specific anti-gift statutes that further limit commercial practices for medical devices (including IVDs), in particular vis-à-vis healthcare professionals and organizations. Additionally, there has been a recent trend of increased regulation of payments and transfers of value provided to healthcare professionals or entities. In addition, many EU member states have adopted national “Sunshine Acts” which impose reporting and transparency requirements (often on an annual basis), similar to the requirements in the United States, on medical device manufacturers. Certain countries also mandate implementation of commercial compliance programs.
Violations of these laws may be punishable by criminal and civil sanctions, including fines and civil monetary penalties, the possibility of exclusion from federal healthcare programs (including Medicare and Medicaid), disgorgement and corporate integrity agreements, which impose, among other things, rigorous operational and monitoring requirements on companies. Similar sanctions and penalties, as well as imprisonment, also can be imposed upon executive officers and employees of such companies.
Coverage and Reimbursement
Market acceptance and sales of our CooperSurgical products to our customers, who primarily consist of hospitals and surgical centers, OB/GYN medical offices and fertility clinics, will depend on the availability of payor coverage and the adequacy of reimbursement, for the procedures using our products, by government insurance programs and other third-party payors. Payor coverage and reimbursement for procedures using medical devices in the United States and international markets vary significantly by country.
In the United States, our currently approved products are commonly treated as general supplies utilized in surgical procedures and if covered by third-party payors, are paid for as part of the procedure. Outside of the United States, there are many reimbursement programs through private payors as well as government programs. In some countries, government reimbursement is the predominant program available to patients and hospitals. Our commercial success depends in part on the extent to which governmental authorities, private health insurers and other third-party payors provide coverage for and establish adequate reimbursement levels for the procedures during which our products are used. Failure by physicians, hospitals, surgery centers, fertility clinics and other users of our products to obtain sufficient coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors for procedures in which our products are used, or adverse changes in government and private third-party payors’ coverage and reimbursement policies.
We believe the overall escalating cost of medical products and services being paid for by the government and private health insurance has led to, and will continue to lead to, increased pressures on the healthcare and medical device industry to reduce the costs of products and services. All third-party reimbursement programs are developing increasingly sophisticated methods of controlling healthcare costs through prospective reimbursement and capitation programs, group purchasing, redesign of benefits, requiring second opinions prior to major surgery, careful review of bills, encouragement of healthier lifestyles and other preventative services and exploration of more cost-effective methods of delivering healthcare. In addition to uncertainties surrounding coverage policies, there are periodic changes to reimbursement levels. Third-party payors regularly update reimbursement amounts and also from time to time revise the methodologies used to determine reimbursement amounts. This includes routine updates to payments to physicians, hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for procedures during which our products are used. These updates could directly impact the demand for our products.
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With respect to drug coverage and reimbursement, third-party payors are increasingly challenging the price and examining the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of drugs, in addition to their safety and efficacy. Adoption of price controls and cost-containment measures, and adoption of more restrictive policies in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures, could further limit sales of PARAGARD or any other drug product that receives approval. Third-party payors may not consider our products to be medically necessary or cost-effective compared to other available therapies, or the rebate percentages required to secure favorable coverage may not yield an adequate margin over cost or may not enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investment in drug development. Additionally, decreases in third-party reimbursement for any product or a decision by a third-party payor not to cover a product could reduce physician usage and patient demand for the product.
In international markets including the EU, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many countries have instituted price ceilings on specific product lines and procedures. There can be no assurance that procedures using our products will be covered for a specific indication, that our products will be considered cost-effective by third-party payors, that an adequate level of reimbursement will be available or that the third-party payors’ reimbursement policies will not adversely affect our ability to sell our products profitably. For example, in the EU, member states impose controls on whether products are reimbursable by national or regional health service providers and on the prices at which devices are reimbursed under state-run healthcare schemes. More and more, local, product specific reimbursement law is applied as an overlay to medical device regulation, which has provided an additional layer of clearance requirement.
Healthcare Reform
In the United States, there has been, and continues to be, several legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes regarding the healthcare system that could prevent or delay marketing approval of product candidates, restrict or regulate post-approval activities, and affect the profitable sale of product candidates.
Among policy makers and payors in the United States, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality and/or expanding access. Passed in March 2010, the ACA substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers, and significantly affected the pharmaceutical, medical device and clinical laboratory industries. Among other things, the ACA increased the minimum level of Medicaid rebates payable by manufacturers of brand name drugs from 15.1% to 23.1%; required collection of rebates for drugs paid by Medicaid managed care organizations; required manufacturers to participate in a coverage gap discount program, in which manufacturers must agree to offer point-of-sale discounts off negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D; imposed a non-deductible annual fee on pharmaceutical manufacturers or importers who sell certain “branded prescription drugs” to specified federal government programs, implemented a new methodology by which rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for drugs that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted, or injected; expanded eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs; creates a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research; and established a Center for Medicare Innovation at the CMS to test innovative payment and service delivery models to lower Medicare and Medicaid spending, potentially including prescription drug spending.
Since its enactment, there have been judicial and political challenges to certain aspects of the ACA. On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a challenge by a group of states and individuals to the constitutionality of the ACA. However, it is still unclear how other efforts to challenge, repeal or replace the ACA will impact the law.
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In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted. These changes included aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect through 2030, with the exception of the temporary suspension from May 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021, unless additional Congressional action is taken. In addition, on January 2, 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.
Moreover, there has recently been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in several Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for pharmaceutical products. Individual states in the United States have also become increasingly active in implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. In addition, regional healthcare authorities and individual hospitals are increasingly using bidding procedures to determine which drugs and suppliers will be included in their healthcare programs Furthermore, there has been increased interest by third-party payors and governmental authorities in reference pricing systems and publication of discounts and list prices.
We expect that additional state and federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future, any of which could limit the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for healthcare products and services, which could result in reduced demand for our products or additional pricing pressures.
Data Privacy and Security
Numerous state, federal and foreign laws, including consumer protection laws and regulations, govern the collection, dissemination, use, access to, confidentiality and security of personal information, including health-related information. In the United States, numerous federal and state laws and regulations, including data breach notification laws, health information privacy laws, and federal and state consumer protection laws and regulations, that govern the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of health-related and other personal information could apply to our operations or the operations of our partners. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, and regulations implemented thereunder (collectively, HIPAA) imposes privacy, security and breach notification obligations on certain health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses, known as covered entities, as well as their business associates that perform certain services that involve creating, receiving, maintaining or transmitting individually identifiable health information for or on behalf of such covered entities. Entities that are found to be in violation of HIPAA as the result of a breach of unsecured protected health information, a complaint about privacy practices or an audit by HHS, may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative fines and penalties and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if required to enter into a resolution agreement and corrective action plan with HHS to settle allegations of HIPAA non-compliance. Further, entities that knowingly obtain, use, or disclose individually identifiable health information maintained by a HIPAA covered entity in a manner that is not authorized or permitted by HIPAA may be subject to criminal penalties.
Even when HIPAA does not apply, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), violating consumers’ privacy rights or failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure may constitute unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act. The FTC expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer information it holds, the size and complexity of its business, and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities.
In addition, certain state and non-U.S. laws, such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), govern the privacy and security of personal data, including health-related data in certain circumstances, some of which are more stringent than HIPAA and many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. Failure to comply with these laws, where applicable, can result in the imposition of significant civil and/or criminal penalties and private litigation. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect on January 1, 2020. The CCPA, among other things, creates new data privacy obligations for covered companies and provides new privacy rights to California residents, including the right to access and delete their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing, and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used. The CCPA also creates a private right of action with statutory damages for certain data breaches, thereby potentially increasing risks associated with a data breach. In Europe, the GDPR went into effect in May 2018 and imposes strict requirements for processing the personal data of individuals within the EEA and the UK. In addition, the GDPR increases the scrutiny of transfers of personal data from clinical trial sites located in the EEA to the United States and other jurisdictions that the European Commission does not recognize as having “adequate” data protection laws; in July 2020, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) limited how organizations could lawfully transfer personal data from the EEA to the United States by invalidating the EU-US Privacy Shield and imposing further restrictions on use of the standard contractual clauses, which could increase our costs and our ability to efficiently process personal data from the EEA. Indeed, while the CJEU upheld the adequacy of the standard contractual clauses (a standard form of contract approved by the European Commission as an adequate personal data transfer mechanism, and potential alternative to the Privacy Shield), it made clear that reliance on them alone may not necessarily be sufficient in all circumstances. Use of the standard contractual clauses must now be assessed on a case-by-case basis taking into account the legal regime applicable in the destination country, in particular applicable surveillance laws and rights of individuals and additional measures and/or contractual provisions may need to be put in place. However, the nature of these additional measures is currently uncertain. The CJEU went on to state that if a competent supervisory authority believes that the standard contractual clauses cannot be complied with in the destination country and the required level of protection cannot be secured by other means, such supervisory authority is under an obligation to suspend or prohibit that transfer. The European Commission has published revised standard contractual clauses for data transfers from the EEA: the revised clauses must be used for relevant new data transfers starting September 27, 2021; existing standard contractual clauses arrangements must be migrated to the revised clauses by December 27, 2022. There is some uncertainty around whether the revised clauses can be used for all types of data transfers, particularly whether they can be relied on for data transfers to non-EEA entities subject to the GDPR.
Companies that must comply with the GDPR face increased compliance obligations and risk, including more robust regulatory enforcement of data protection requirements and potential fines for noncompliance of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the noncompliant company, whichever is greater.
Additionally, following the UK’s withdrawal from the EEA and the EU, and the expiry of the transition period, companies will have to comply with the GDPR and the GDPR as incorporated into the UK national law, the latter regime having the ability to separately fine up to the greater of £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover. The European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision in favor of the UK, enabling data transfers from EU member states to the UK without additional safeguards. However, the UK adequacy decision will automatically expire in June 2025 unless the European Commission re-assesses and renews/extends that decision, and remains under review by the Commission during this period. The relationship between the UK and the EU in relation to certain aspects of data protection law remains unclear, and it is unclear how UK data protection laws and regulations will develop in the medium to long term, and how data transfers to and from the UK will be regulated in the long term.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
RAW MATERIALS
Our businesses utilize various chemicals, packaging materials, components, parts and raw materials which are generally available from more than one source. However, in certain instances we acquire components and materials from sole suppliers to make our silicone hydrogel contact lens, certain medical devices and IVF products. Supply of these materials is protected by contractual agreements and safety stocks. However, if current raw material suppliers fail to supply sufficient materials on a timely basis, or at all for any reason, we could experience inventory shortages and disruption in the supply of products if we were required to use an alternative supplier on short notice.
MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION
CooperVision markets our products through our own field sales representatives, distributors and eye care practitioners, including optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians and optical chains. CooperVision also sells to distributors and to mass merchandisers who offer eye care services. To support the sale and use of CooperVision products, CooperVision engages in various activities and offers a variety of services. These include clinical training, digital marketing for the customer, e-commerce, telemarketing, social media, and journal advertisements. CooperVision also invested in tools that allow our customers to offer their patients monthly purchase and delivery subscriptions. In certain smaller countries, CooperVision often uses distributors and leverages our distributors' sales and marketing resources to attract major customers to CooperVision. With the addition of MiSight, CooperVision has expanded the breadth and depth of its sales support by adding myopia management specialists while it has expanded awareness campaigns to include direct to consumer elements including print, internet/social media, radio and television.
CooperSurgical's products are marketed by a network of dedicated field sales representatives, independent agents and distributors. CooperSurgical augments its sales and marketing activities by participating in national and regional industry trade shows, professional educational programs and internet promotions including e-commerce, social media and collaborative efforts with professional organizations, telemarketing, direct mail and advertising in professional journals. Since the acquisition of PARAGARD, CooperSurgical has expanded its awareness campaigns to include direct to consumer elements including print, internet/social media, radio and television.
PATENTS, TRADEMARKS AND LICENSING AGREEMENTS
Cooper owns or licenses a variety of domestic and foreign patents, which, in total, are material to our overall business. The names of certain Cooper's products are protected by trademark registrations in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and, in some cases, also in foreign trademark offices. Applications are pending for additional trademark and patent registrations. Cooper intends to protect our intellectual property rights aggressively.
In addition to trademarks and patent licenses, we own certain trade secrets, copyrights, know-how and other intellectual property.
DEPENDENCE ON CUSTOMERS
No customer accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated net revenue in fiscal 2021 and 2020. See Note 13. Business Segment Information of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
Neither of our business units is materially subject to profit renegotiation or termination of contracts or subcontracts at the election of the United States government.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SEASONALITY
CooperVision and CooperSurgical net sales in the fiscal first quarter, which runs from November 1 through January 31, are typically lower than subsequent quarters, as patient traffic to practitioners' offices, fertility clinics, and hospitals/surgical centers for surgical procedures is relatively light during the holiday season.
COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
Federal, state and local provisions that regulate the discharge of materials into the environment, or relate to the protection of the environment, do not currently materially affect Cooper's capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position.
In addition, the Company continues to monitor and comply with environmental health and safety regulations in countries in which it operates throughout the world, in particular, EU and China Restrictions on the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH).
HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES
As of October 31, 2021, we had a workforce of more than 12,000. We believe we have good relations with our workforce. Our employees are located around the world, with 48% in Americas, 47% in EMEA and 5% in Asia Pacific. Human capital management areas of focus include a people-focused culture; embedding diversity and inclusion; fostering an environment of health, safety, and well-being; investing in and developing our employees through training and engagement. In addition, we regularly conduct an employee survey to gauge employee engagement.
The Chart below shows percentage of employees located in Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific as of October 31, 2021.
Additional information is included in our annual ESG Report (located on our website at www.coopercos.com/esg-report-2020). Information on our website, including the ESG Report, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE CERTIFICATION
We submitted our 2021 annual Section 12(a) CEO certification with the New York Stock Exchange. The certification was not qualified in any respect. Additionally, we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2021, the CEO and CFO certifications required under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Cooper Companies, Inc. Internet address is http://www.coopercos.com. The information on the Company's website is not part of this or any other report we file with, or furnish to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, along with all other reports and amendments filed with or furnished to the SEC, are publicly available free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable. The SEC maintains a website that contains such reports, proxy and information statements and other information whose Internet address is http://www.sec.gov. The Company's Corporate Governance Principles, Code of Conduct and charters of each standing committee of the Board of Directors are also posted on the Company's website.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Our business faces significant risks. These risks include those described below and may include additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks, and the trading prices of our common stock could decline by virtue of these risks. These risks should be read in conjunction with the other information in this report.
Risks Relating to Our Business
Our results of operations have been adversely affected, and our results of operations, cash flow and financial condition could be materially adversely affected in the future, by the global COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted business and healthcare activity globally and has created significant volatility, uncertainty and economic disruption within the markets in which we operate. The pandemic has adversely affected and is likely to further adversely affect nearly all aspects of our business and markets, including our sales, operations, cash flow and workforce and the operations of our customers, suppliers, vendors and business partners. Among other things, many optical practitioners and retailers, hospitals, medical offices and fertility clinics closed their facilities, restricted access, or delayed or canceled patient visits, exams and elective medical procedures in response to the pandemic, and many customers that have reopened are experiencing reduced patient visits, which has resulted in reduced demand for and sales of our products and services.
If the COVID-19 pandemic continues and conditions worsen, our results of operations, cash flow and financial condition could be materially adversely affected in numerous ways, including, but not limited to, decreased net sales from sales of our products and services due to customer facility closures, restricted access and reduced patient visits, exams and elective medical procedures; disruption in the manufacture and distribution of our products, including increased manufacturing and distribution costs, reduced manufacturing capacity and inadequate inventory levels; increased risk of inventory that may expire; write-offs or obsolescence of inventory, equipment or other assets; disruptions to or increased costs from our raw material and product suppliers and broader supply chain and distribution systems; delays in our clinical trials which could negatively impact our new product pipeline milestones and regulatory clearances, approvals or certifications; extended delays in or defaults on payments of outstanding receivables; insolvency of customers, suppliers, vendors and business partners; an inability to access lending, capital markets and other sources of liquidity when needed on reasonable terms or at all; an inability to comply with financial covenants in our debt agreements; and future restructuring, impairment and other charges.
The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions impact our business, results of operations, cash flow and financial condition will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, difficult to predict and largely outside of our control, including, but not limited to, the continued spread, duration and severity of the pandemic outbreak; the occurrence, spread, duration and severity of any subsequent wave or waves of outbreaks, including the emergence and spread of variants of the COVID-19 virus; the impact on our customers and suppliers; the actions taken by the U.S. and foreign governments to contain the pandemic, address its impact or respond to the reduction in global and local economic activity; the occurrence, duration and severity of a global, regional or national recession, depression or other sustained adverse market event; and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may continue to experience materially adverse effects on our results of operations and financial condition.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Our substantial and expanding international operations are subject to uncertainties which could affect our operating results.
A significant portion of our current operations are conducted and located outside the United States, and our growth strategy involves expanding our existing foreign operations and entering into new foreign jurisdictions. We have significant manufacturing and distribution sites in North America, Latin America and Europe. Over half of our net sales for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2021 and 2020, were derived from the sale of products outside the United States. We believe that sales outside the United States will continue to account for a material portion of our total net sales for the foreseeable future. International operations and business expansion plans are subject to numerous additional risks, including:
•we may find it difficult to manage the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our ability to operate internationally and for our employees to travel internationally;
•we may have difficulty enforcing intellectual property rights in some foreign countries;
•we may have difficulty gaining market share in countries such as Japan and China because of regulatory restrictions and customer preferences;
•we may find it difficult to grow in emerging markets such as China, India, Russia, Brazil and other developing nations due to, among other things, customer acceptance, undeveloped and/or unfamiliar distribution channels, regulatory restrictions and changes, and business knowledge of these new markets;
•foreign earnings may be subject to withholding requirements or the imposition of tariffs, exchange controls or other restrictions, including the tariffs enacted by the Chinese government on certain U.S. goods, the scope and duration of which remain uncertain;
•we may find it difficult to comply with a variety of United States and foreign legal, compliance and regulatory requirements such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the United Kingdom Bribery Act, international data security and privacy laws, EU MDR and IVDR;
•we may find it difficult to manage a large organization spread throughout various countries;
•fluctuations in currency exchange rates could adversely affect our results;
•foreign customers may have longer payment cycles than customers in the United States;
•failure to comply with United States Department of Commerce and other nations' import-export controls may result in fines and/or penalties;
•general economic and political conditions in the countries where we operate may have an adverse effect on our operations in those countries or not be favorable to our growth strategy;
•natural disasters, pandemics such as COVID-19, war, terrorism, labor disruptions and international conflicts may cause significant economic disruption and political and social instability, resulting in decreased demand for our products, adversely affecting our manufacturing and distribution capabilities, or causing interruptions in our supply chain;
•foreign governments may adopt regulations, including those similar to the EU MDR and IVDR or take other actions that would have a direct or indirect adverse impact on our business and market opportunities, including but not limited to increased enforcement of potentially conflicting and ambiguous anti-bribery laws;
•we may have difficulty enforcing agreements and collecting receivables through some foreign legal systems; and
•we may be subject to unforeseen economic or political events in certain countries that may have an impact on our customers' ability or preferences to buy our products.
As we continue to expand our business globally, our success will depend, in large part, on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage these and other risks associated with our international operations. However, any of these factors could adversely affect our international operations and, consequently, our operating results.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Current market conditions and recessionary pressures in one or more of our markets could impact our ability to grow our business.
Over the last few years in the United States and globally, market and economic conditions have been challenging, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign countries, in particular the Euro zone, have experienced recessionary pressures and face continued concerns about the systemic impacts of adverse economic conditions and geopolitical issues.
Any negative impact on economic conditions and international markets, continued volatility or deterioration in the debt and equity capital markets, inflation, deflation or other adverse economic conditions may adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition, and the liquidity and financial condition of our customers. It may limit our ability, and the ability of our customers, to replace maturing liabilities and to access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Global markets continued to face threats and uncertainty during fiscal 2021. Uncertain economic and financial market conditions may also adversely affect the financial condition of our customers, suppliers and other business partners. If our customers’ financial conditions are adversely affected, customers may reduce their purchases of our products or we may not be able to collect accounts receivable, each of which could have a material adverse impact on our business operations or financial results. Our global business may be affected by local economic conditions, including inflation, increasing labor costs, recession, and currency exchange rate fluctuations, which may adversely affect the cost to manufacture and provide our products and services and the demand for such products and services. There is no guarantee that we will be able to fully absorb any such additional costs in the prices for our products and services.
CooperVision and CooperSurgical are encountering consolidation in their customer bases and emergence of more centralized large customer groups and retail chains. Due to this trend, global and regional key account customers now represent a larger proportion or concentration of our business and any disruption to these relationships may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Acquisitions that we have made and may make in the future involve numerous risks.
We have a history of acquiring businesses and products that have significantly contributed to our growth in recent years. As part of our growth strategy, we intend to continue to consider acquiring complementary technologies, products and businesses. Future acquisitions could result in potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities, the incurrence of debt and contingent liabilities and an increase in amortization and/or impairments of goodwill and other intangible assets, which could have a material adverse effect upon our business, financial condition and results of operations. In fiscal 2021, CooperVision acquired a privately held medical device company and a privately-held UK contact lenses manufacturer. In fiscal 2020, CooperVision acquired a privately-held U.S. contact lens manufacturer focusing on ortho-k lenses. In fiscal 2021, CooperSurgical acquired three privately-held medical device companies and one privately-held IVF cryo-storage software solutions company. In fiscal 2020, CooperSurgical acquired a privately-held distributor of IVF medical devices and systems. Risks we could face with respect to these acquisitions include:
•failure to successfully obtain the anticipated revenues, margins and earnings benefits;
•difficulties in, and expenses related to, the integration of the operations, technologies, products and personnel of the acquired company and establishment of appropriate accounting controls and reporting procedures and other regulatory compliance procedures, including but not limited to third-party compliance and due diligence;
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
•increased leverage and the risk of lack of access to available financing, including financing for the acquisition or refinancing of debt owed by us on a timely basis and on reasonable terms;
•risks of entering markets in which we have no or limited prior experience;
•potential loss of employees;
•an inability to identify and consummate future acquisitions on favorable terms or at all;
•diversion of management's attention away from other business concerns;
•risks of the acquired company’s noncompliance with applicable laws or regulations;
•expenses of any undisclosed or potential liabilities, contingent liabilities or indemnification obligations of the acquired company;
•expenses, including restructuring expenses, to shut-down our own locations or terminate our employees;
•application of and compliance with new and unfamiliar regulatory frameworks such as pharmaceutical regulation applicable to our PARAGARD IUD;
•Failure to successfully obtain or maintain reimbursements under the third-party payor plans, including but not limited to governmental programs, due to complex reporting and payment obligations;
•a dilution of earnings per share; and
•risks inherent in accounting allocations and the risk that we are required to record significant adjustments to the preliminary fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed within the measurement period.
The UK’s withdrawal from the EU may have a negative effect on global economic conditions, financial markets and our business.
We are a multinational company headquartered in the United States with worldwide operations, with significant business operations in Europe, including in the UK. Following a national referendum and enactment of legislation by the government of the UK, the UK formally withdrew from the EU and ratified a trade and cooperation agreement governing its future relationship with the EU. The agreement, which is being applied provisionally from January 1, 2021 until it is ratified by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, addresses trade, economic arrangements, law enforcement, judicial cooperation and a governance framework including procedures for dispute resolution, among other things. Because the agreement merely sets forth a framework in many respects and will require complex additional bilateral negotiations between the UK and the EU as both parties continue to work on the rules for implementation, significant political and economic uncertainty remains about how the precise terms of the relationship between the parties will differ from the terms before withdrawal.
These developments, or the perception that any related developments could occur, have had and may continue to have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and financial markets, and may significantly reduce global market liquidity, restrict the ability of key market participants to operate in certain financial markets or restrict our access to capital. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. Asset valuations, currency exchange rates and credit ratings have been and may continue to be subject to increased market volatility. Lack of clarity about future UK laws and regulations as the UK determines which EU laws to replace or replicate, including financial laws and regulations, tax and free trade agreements, tax and customs laws, intellectual property rights, environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, immigration laws, employment laws and transport laws, could decrease foreign direct investment in the UK, increase costs and disrupt supply chains.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
We face risks associated with disruption of our manufacturing and distribution operations including possible failure to develop necessary manufacturing processes, or constrained, idle or excess capacity could adversely affect our profitability or competitive position.
We manufacture a significant portion of the medical device products we sell. Any prolonged disruption in the operations of our existing manufacturing or distribution facilities, whether due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related work stoppages, technical or labor difficulties, integration difficulties, destruction of or damage to any facility (as a result of natural disaster, use and storage of hazardous materials or other events), enforcement action by the FDA or other regulatory body if we are found to be in non-compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) or similar foreign requirements or other reasons, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, materials such as silicone hydrogel require improvements to our manufacturing processes to make them cost effective. While we have improved our manufacturing capabilities for our silicone hydrogel products, our failure to continue to develop improvements to our manufacturing processes and reduce our cost of goods could significantly impact our ability to compete. Conversely, constrained, excess or idle capacity, which could result from acquisitions, unexpected demand, inaccurate sales forecasting or unexpected manufacturing efficiencies, could significantly impact our profitability, capital investments, customer service levels and near-term financial condition.
CooperVision manufactures molded contact lenses, which represent the majority of our contact lens revenues, primarily at our facilities in Costa Rica, Hungary, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and the United States, with other smaller locations also existing in multiple locations around the world. CooperSurgical manufactures the majority of its products in Costa Rica, the United Kingdom and the United States, with other smaller locations also existing in multiple locations around the world. In November 2017, CooperSurgical purchased a manufacturing facility in Costa Rica to consolidate a portion of global manufacturing. We manufacture certain products at only one manufacturing site for certain markets, and certain of our products are approved for manufacturing only at one site. If there were any prolonged disruption in the operations of the approved facility, it could take a significant amount of time to obtain required regulatory approvals, validate a second site and replace lost product, which could result in lost customers and thereby reduce sales, profitability and market share.
CooperVision distributes products out of Belgium, Hungary, the United Kingdom and the United States and various smaller international distribution sites. CooperSurgical's products are primarily distributed out of its facilities in the United States and the Netherlands. Any prolonged disruption in the operations of our existing distribution facilities, whether due to technical or labor difficulties, challenges related to system implementation, destruction of or damage to any facility (as a result of natural disaster, use and storage of hazardous materials or other events) or other reasons, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Cybersecurity threats continue to increase in frequency and sophistication; a successful cybersecurity attack could interrupt or disrupt our information technology systems, or those of our third-party service providers, or cause the loss of confidential or protected data which could disrupt our business, force us to incur excessive costs or cause reputational harm.
Security breaches, computer malware and computer hacking attacks have become more prevalent across industries and may occur on our systems or those of our third-party service providers or partners. The size and complexity of our information systems make such systems potentially vulnerable to service interruptions or to security breaches from inadvertent or intentional actions by our employees or vendors, or from attacks by malicious third parties. Such attacks are increasing in their frequency, levels of persistence, levels of sophistication and intensity, and are being conducted by sophisticated and organized groups and individuals with a wide range of motives and expertise. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we may face increased cybersecurity risks due to our reliance on internet technology and the number of our employees who are working remotely, which may create additional opportunities for
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. In addition to unauthorized access to or acquisition of personal data, confidential information, intellectual property or other sensitive information, such attacks could include the deployment of harmful malware and ransomware, and may use a variety of methods, including denial-of-service attacks, social engineering and other means, to attain such unauthorized access or acquisition or otherwise affect service reliability and threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. Like many other companies, we experience attempted cybersecurity actions on a frequent basis, and the frequency of such attempts could increase in the future. While we have invested in the protection of data and information technology, there can be no assurance that our efforts will prevent or quickly identify service interruptions or security breaches. The techniques used by cybercriminals change frequently, may not be recognized until launched and can originate from a wide variety of sources, including outside groups such as external service providers, organized crime affiliates, terrorist organizations or hostile foreign governments or agencies. We cannot assure that our data protection efforts and our investment in information technology will prevent significant breakdowns, data leakages or breaches in our systems or those of our third-party services providers or partners. Any such interruption or breach of our systems could adversely affect our business operations and/or result in the loss of critical or sensitive confidential information or intellectual property, and could result in financial, legal, business and reputational harm to us. We maintain cyber liability insurance; however, this insurance may not be sufficient to cover the financial, legal, business or reputational losses that may result from an interruption or breach of our systems.
We manage our businesses utilizing complex integrated software and hardware information technology operating systems that are regularly maintained and upgraded; an interruption or disruption to these systems could disrupt our business or force us to incur excessive costs.
We utilize complex integrated software and hardware operating systems, including enterprise resource planning and warehouse management systems, to support our business units and we have a continuous improvement strategy in place to keep our systems and overarching technology stable and in line with business needs and growth. Regular upgrades of our computer hardware and software revisions are typical and expected. We employ controlled change management methodologies to plan, test and execute all such system upgrades and improvements, and we believe that we assign adequate staffing and other resources to projects to ensure successful implementation. However, we cannot assure that our systems will meet our future business needs or that upgrades will operate as designed. We cannot assure that there will not be associated excessive costs or disruptions in portions of our business in the course of our maintenance, support and/or upgrade of these systems.
We are in the midst of a multiyear process of implementing new enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems at CooperVision and CooperSurgical. Implementing a new ERP system is not only costly but complex and difficult. Implementing a new ERP system can negatively affect not only financial accounting and reporting processes but also external commercial activities such as order receipt and product delivery. There can be no assurance that we will successfully implement our new ERP system or that we will avoid these and other negative impacts from our implementation efforts.
We rely on independent suppliers in our supply chain for raw materials, packaging materials and components, mechanical equipment and some finished goods; we could experience inventory shortages if any of these suppliers encounter a manufacturing or distribution disruption
Our businesses utilize various chemicals, packaging materials, components, parts and raw materials which are generally available from more than one source. However, in certain instances we acquire components and materials from sole or primary suppliers to make our silicone hydrogel contact lens, certain medical devices and IVF products. We also source mechanical equipment and in certain instances finished goods from OEM suppliers. Supply of these goods, items and materials is protected by contractual agreements, availability of alternative suppliers and/or safety stocks. However, if current suppliers fail to supply sufficient goods, items or materials to us on a timely basis, or at all for any reason,
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
we could experience inventory shortages and disruption in our supply of products. For example, among other situations, some of the primary material used to make our silicone hydrogel contact lens products, including MyDay, Biofinity, Avaira and clariti, are supplied by few sole suppliers, and the failure of a key or sole supplier to timely supply sufficient items and materials necessary for the manufacture of our silicone hydrogel contact lenses could in turn disrupt our supply of those lenses to the market, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our supply chain and our cost of goods also may be negatively impacted by unanticipated price increases due to factors such as inflation, including wage inflation, or to supply restrictions beyond our control or the control of our suppliers.
If we fail to protect our intellectual property adequately, our business could suffer.
We consider our intellectual property rights, including patents, trade secrets, trademarks and licensing agreements, to be an integral component of our business. We attempt to protect our intellectual property rights through a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws, as well as licensing agreements and third-party nondisclosure and assignment agreements. Our failure to obtain or maintain adequate protection of our intellectual property rights for any reason could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We also may seek to enforce our intellectual property rights on others through litigation. Our claims, even if meritorious, may be found invalid or inapplicable to a party we believe infringes or has misappropriated our intellectual property rights. In addition, litigation can:
•be expensive and time consuming to prosecute or defend;
•result in a finding that we do not have certain intellectual property rights or that such rights lack sufficient scope or strength;
•divert management's attention and resources; or
•require us to license our intellectual property.
We have applied for patent protection in the United States, the United Kingdom and other foreign jurisdictions relating to certain existing and proposed processes and products. We cannot assure that any of our patent applications will be approved. Patent applications in the United States, the United Kingdom and other foreign jurisdictions are maintained in secrecy for a period of time, which may last until patents are issued, and since publication of discoveries in the scientific or patent literature tends to lag behind actual discoveries by several months, we cannot be certain that we will be the first creator of inventions covered by any patent application we make or the first to file patent applications on such inventions. The patents we own could be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by others and may not be of sufficient scope or strength to provide us with any meaningful protection or commercial advantage. We also cannot assure that we will have adequate resources to enforce our patents.
Both CooperVision and CooperSurgical also rely on proprietary technology which is unpatented. It is possible that others will independently develop the same or similar technology or otherwise obtain access to our unpatented technology. To protect our trade secrets and other proprietary information, we require employees, consultants, advisors and collaborators to enter into confidentiality agreements and assignment agreements, which generally provide that inventions conceived by the party in the course of rendering services to us will be our exclusive property. However, we cannot assure that these confidentiality agreements will provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets, know-how or other proprietary information in the event of any unauthorized use, misappropriation or disclosure of such trade secrets, know-how or other proprietary information. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally obtained and is using our trade secrets is difficult, expensive and time consuming and the outcome is unpredictable.
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We rely on trademarks to establish a market identity for our products. To maintain the value of our trademarks, we might have to file lawsuits against third parties to prevent them from using trademarks confusingly similar to or dilutive of our registered or unregistered trademarks. We also might not obtain registrations for our pending or future trademark applications and might have to defend our registered trademark and pending applications from challenge by third parties. Enforcing or defending our registered and unregistered trademarks might result in significant litigation costs and damages, including the inability to continue using certain trademarks.
The laws of foreign countries in which we do business or contemplate doing business in the future may not recognize intellectual property rights or protect them to the same extent as do the laws of the United States. Adverse determinations in a judicial or administrative proceeding could prevent us from manufacturing and selling our products or prevent us from stopping others from manufacturing and selling competing products, and thereby have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our products or processes could be subject to claims of infringement of the intellectual property of others.
Our competitors in both the United States and foreign countries, some of which have substantially greater resources and have made substantial investments in competing technologies, as well as other third parties,
may have applied for or obtained, or may in the future apply for and obtain, patents that will prevent, limit or otherwise interfere with our ability to make and sell our existing and planned products. In the contact lens industry, CooperVision, its competitors and other third parties hold patents covering contact lens designs, business methods, processes and materials. Claims that our products, business methods or processes infringe upon the proprietary rights of others often are not asserted until after commencement of commercial sales of products incorporating our technology.
Significant litigation regarding intellectual property rights exists in our industries. For example, CooperVision in the past faced significant patent litigation over its silicone hydrogel contact lens products. Third parties have made, and may make in the future, claims of infringement against us or our contract manufacturers in connection with the use of our technology. Any claims, even those without merit, could:
•be expensive and time consuming to defend;
•cause us to cease making, licensing or selling products that incorporate the challenged intellectual property;
•require us to redesign or re-engineer our products, if feasible;
•divert management's attention and resources; or
•require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements in order to obtain the right to use a necessary product, component or process.
We cannot be certain of the outcome of any litigation. Any royalty or licensing agreement, if required, may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. Our failure to obtain the necessary licenses or other rights could prevent the sale, manufacture, or distribution of some of our products and, therefore, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
A successful claim of infringement against us or our contract manufacturers in connection with the use of our technology, in particular if we are unable to manufacture or sell any of our planned products in any major market, could adversely affect our business.
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We could experience losses from product liability claims or legal claims relating to our service offerings, including such claims and other losses resulting from sales of counterfeit and other infringing products.
We face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims in the event that the use of our products results in personal injury. We also face the risk that defects in the design or manufacture of our products or sales of counterfeit or other infringing products might necessitate a product recall and other actions by manufacturers, distributors or retailers in order to safeguard the health of consumers and protect the integrity of the subject brand. Additionally, we face the inherent risk of exposure to legal claims, including negligence, relating to our provision of certain service offerings, including our genetic testing services and their accuracy. Consumers may halt or delay purchases of a product or service that is the subject of a claim or recall or has been counterfeited. We handle some risk with third-party carrier policies that are subject to deductibles and limitations. There can be no assurance that we will not experience material losses due to product liability claims or recalls, legal claims relating to our service offerings, or a decline in sales resulting from sales of counterfeit or other infringing products, in the future.
If our products are not accepted by the market, we will not be able to sustain or expand our business.
Certain of our proposed products have not yet been clinically tested or commercially introduced, and we cannot assure that any of them, assuming they receive necessary regulatory approvals or certifications, will achieve market acceptance or generate operating profits. The development of a market for our products may be influenced by many factors, some of which are out of our control, including:
•acceptance of our products by eye care and health care practitioners;
•the cost competitiveness of our products;
•consumer reluctance to try and use a new product;
•regulatory and legislative requirements;
•adequate coverage and reimbursement by third-party payors;
•the earlier release of competitive products, such as new silicone hydrogel products, into the market by our competitors; and the emergence of newer and more competitive products.
We operate in the highly competitive health care industry and there can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully.
Each of our businesses operates within a highly competitive environment. In our soft contact lens business, CooperVision faces intense competition from competitors' products, in particular silicone hydrogel contact lenses, and may face increasing competition as other new products enter the market. Our largest competitors in the contact lens business, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., Alcon Inc. and Bausch Health Companies Inc. may have substantially greater financial resources, larger research and development budgets, larger sales forces, greater market penetration and/or larger manufacturing volumes than CooperVision. They offer competitive products and differentiated materials, plus a variety of other eye care products including lens care products and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, which may give them a competitive advantage in marketing their lenses. The market for contact lenses is intensely competitive and is characterized by declining sales volumes for older product lines and growing demand for silicone hydrogel-based products. Our ability to respond to these competitive pressures will depend on our ability to decrease our costs and maintain gross margins and operating results and to introduce new products successfully, on a timely basis in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific, and to achieve manufacturing efficiencies and sufficient manufacturing capacity and capabilities for such products. Any significant decrease in our costs per lens will depend, in part, on our ability to increase sales volume and production
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capabilities and our ability to secure adequate supply of materials used in production at reasonable costs. Our failure to respond to competitive pressures in a timely manner could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
To a lesser extent, CooperVision also competes with manufacturers of eyeglasses and providers of other forms of vision correction including ophthalmic surgery.
There can be no assurance that we will not encounter increased competition in the future, for example with increased product entries from Asia Pacific contact lens manufacturers, or that our competitors' newer contact lens products will not successfully erode CooperVision's contact lens business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The contact lens industry also continues to evolve with respect to the introduction of new distribution and fulfillment models and service technologies which may conflict with CooperVision’s strategy or interfere with its customers’ relationships and loyalty. For example, more contact lenses are being fulfilled directly to the consumer by manufacturers and wholesalers via online platforms, telemedicine is gaining popularity and more vision correction prescriptions are being provided through online refractive exams rather than in office by an eye care practitioner. CooperVision’s failure to adapt to the threats posed by these new and emerging distribution models and Internet driven services may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In the women's health market, competitive factors include technological and scientific advances, product quality, access to local markets based on regulatory clearances, price and effective communication of product information to physicians, hospitals, patients and IVF clinics. CooperSurgical competes with a number of manufacturers in each of its family health care market areas, some of which have substantially greater financial and personnel resources and sell a much broader range of products, which may give them an advantage in marketing competitive products.
New medical and technological developments may reduce the need for our products.
Technological developments in the eye care, family and women's health care, and diagnostics testing industries, such as new surgical procedures or medical devices, and genetic testing technology may limit demand for our products and services. Corneal refractive surgical procedures such as Lasik surgery and the development of new pharmaceutical products may decrease the demand for our optical products. If these new advances provide a practical alternative to traditional vision correction, the demand for contact lenses and eyeglasses may materially decrease. We cannot assure that medical advances and technological developments will not have a material adverse effect on our businesses.
Product innovations are important in the industry in which we operate, and we face the risk of product obsolescence if we are unable to develop new products or gain regulatory approvals or certifications or if our competitors introduce new products.
Product innovations are important in the contact lens market in which CooperVision competes and in the areas of the health care industry in which CooperSurgical competes. CooperVision, both internally and externally with third parties, invests in new product development, including the development of silicone hydrogel-based contact lenses. While much of CooperVision’s research and development activities are performed internally, it also uses external research and development investment in collaborations and joint development with third parties. CooperSurgical has historically purchased, leveraged or licensed the technology developments of others. CooperSurgical also has invested in expanding the internal research and development function with the goal of organic growth and to complement our acquisitions strategy. Research and development time commitments, higher feasibility risk with longer term projects, greater dependence on, and reduced control over, third-party deliverables, the cost of obtaining necessary regulatory approval or certification and other costs related to product innovations can be substantial.
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There can be no assurance that we will successfully obtain necessary regulatory approvals, certifications or clearances for our new products or that our new products will successfully compete in the marketplace and, as a result, justify the expense involved in their development and regulatory approval or certification. In addition, our competitors may have developed or may in the future develop new products or technologies, such as contact lenses with anti-microbial or anti-allergenic features, or “smart” contact lenses which incorporate electronics that could lead to the obsolescence of one or more of our products. Competitors may also introduce new uses for contact lenses, such as for drug delivery or the control of myopia. Failure to develop new product offerings and technological changes and to offer products that provide performance that is at least comparable to competing products could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face risks related to environmental matters.
Our facilities are subject to a broad range of United States federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and requirements, including those governing discharges to the air and water, the handling or disposal of solid and hazardous substances and wastes, remediation of contamination associated with the release of hazardous substances at our facilities and offsite disposal locations and occupational safety and health. We have made, and will continue to make, expenditures to comply with such laws and requirements. Future events, such as changes in existing laws and regulations, or the enforcement thereof, or the discovery of contamination at our facilities, may give rise to additional compliance or remediation costs that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Such laws and requirements are constantly changing, are different in every jurisdiction and can impose substantial fines and sanctions for violations. As a manufacturer of various products, we are exposed to some risk of claims with respect to environmental matters, and there can be no assurance that material costs or liabilities will not be incurred in connection with any such claims.
We continue to evaluate the necessary steps for compliance with regulations as they are enacted. These regulations include, for example, regulations enacted in the European Union such as the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical Substances, which requires the registration of and regulates use of certain chemicals, the Restriction on the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, which regulates the use of certain hazardous substances in certain products our CooperSurgical division manufactures. These and similar legislation that has been or is in the process of being enacted in Japan, China and various states of the U.S. may require us to re-design certain products to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations.
Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues, including those related to climate change and sustainability, may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and damage our reputation.
There is an increasing focus from certain investors, customers, consumers, employees and other stakeholders concerning ESG matters. Additionally, public interest and legislative pressure related to public companies’ ESG practices continue to grow. If our ESG practices fail to meet regulatory requirements or investor, customer, consumer, employee or other stakeholders' evolving expectations and standards for responsible corporate citizenship in areas including environmental stewardship, support for local communities, Board of Director and employee diversity, human capital management, employee health and safety practices, product quality, supply chain management, corporate governance and transparency, our reputation, brand and employee retention may be negatively impacted, and our customers and suppliers may be unwilling to continue to do business with us.
Customers, consumers, investors and other stakeholders are increasingly focusing on environmental issues, including climate change, energy and water use, plastic waste and other sustainability concerns. Concern over climate change or plastics and packaging materials, in particular, may result in new or increased legal and regulatory requirements to reduce or mitigate impacts to the environment. Changing
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customer and consumer preferences or increased regulatory requirements may result in increased demands or requirements regarding plastics and packaging materials, including single-use and non-recyclable plastic products and packaging, other components of our products and their environmental impact on sustainability, or increased customer and consumer concerns or perceptions (whether accurate or inaccurate) regarding the effects of substances present in certain of our products. Complying with these demands or requirements could cause us to incur additional manufacturing, operating or product development costs.
If we do not adapt to or comply with new regulations, or fail to meet evolving investor, industry or stakeholder expectations and concerns regarding ESG issues, investors may reconsider their capital investment in our Company, and customers and consumers may choose to stop purchasing our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business or financial condition.
If we do not retain our key personnel and attract and retain other highly skilled employees, our business could suffer.
If we fail to recruit, develop and retain the necessary personnel, our business and our ability to obtain new customers, develop new products and provide acceptable levels of customer service could suffer. The success of our business is heavily dependent on the leadership of our key management personnel. Our success also depends on our ability to recruit, develop and retain and motivate highly skilled sales, marketing, engineering and scientific personnel. Competition for these persons in our industry is intense, and we may not be able to successfully recruit, train or retain qualified personnel.
Provisions of our governing documents and Delaware law, may have anti-takeover effects.
Certain provisions of our Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-Laws may inhibit changes in control of the Company not approved by our Board of Directors. These provisions include advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations. We also have the protections of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which could have anti-takeover effects.
Risks Relating to Government Regulation of Manufacture and Sale of Our Products and Services.
The costs of complying with the requirements of federal, state and foreign laws pertaining to the privacy and security of personal information, including health related information and the potential liability associated with failure to do so could materially adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Numerous state and federal laws and regulations govern the collection, dissemination, use, privacy, confidentiality, security, availability and integrity of individually identifiable information, including protected health information (PHI). For example, HIPAA establishes national privacy and security standards for protection of PHI by covered entities, such as our genetics testing subsidiaries, and the business associates with whom such entities contract for services, including another one of our subsidiaries, Eye Care Prime LLC, which offers value-added software solutions for eye care professionals. HIPAA requires both covered entities and business associates to develop and maintain policies and procedures for PHI that is used or disclosed, and to adopt administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect PHI. When we are acting as a business associate, our clients that are covered entities are mandated by HIPAA to enter into written agreements with us - known as business associate agreements - that require us to safeguard PHI in accordance with HIPAA. Our genetics testing subsidiaries are likewise required to enter into business associate agreements with any of their business associates.
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Mandatory penalties for HIPAA violations can be significant. A single breach incident can result in violations of multiple standards. If a person knowingly or intentionally obtains or discloses PHI in violation of HIPAA requirements, criminal penalties may also be imposed.
We maintain safeguards that we believe are reasonable and appropriate to protect the privacy and security of PHI and other personally identifiable information consistent with applicable law and our contractual obligations; however, our systems may be vulnerable to physical break-ins, viruses, hackers, and other potential sources of security breaches. In addition, we may not be able to prevent incidences of inappropriate use or unauthorized access to PHI by our employees or contractors. Any such breaches could result in exposure to liability under federal and state laws and/or under our contractual arrangements and could adversely impact our business.
Even when HIPAA does not apply, according to the FTC, violating consumers’ privacy rights or failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure may constitute unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act. The FTC expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer information it holds, the size and complexity of its business, and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities.
Further, California enacted the CCPA, on June 28, 2018, which went into effect on January 1, 2020. The CCPA gives California residents expanded rights to access and delete their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing, and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used. The CCPA provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for data breaches that is expected to increase data breach litigation. Although there are limited exemptions for health-related information, including clinical trial data, the CCPA may increase our compliance costs and potential liability. Some observers have noted that the CCPA could mark the beginning of a trend toward more stringent privacy legislation in the United States, which could increase our potential liability and adversely affect our business. Similar laws have been proposed in other states and at the federal level, and if passed, such laws may have potentially conflicting requirements that would make compliance challenging.
We are also subject to laws and regulations in countries other than United States covering data privacy and the protection of health-related and other personal information. EU and EEA member states and other jurisdictions have adopted data protection laws and regulations, which impose significant compliance obligations. For example, the GDPR went into effect on May 25, 2018, and imposes stringent operational requirements for processors and controllers of personal data of individuals within the EEA, including, for example, expanded disclosures about how personal information is to be used, limitations on retention of information, increased requirements pertaining to health data and pseudonymized (i.e., key-coded) data, mandatory data breach notification requirements, handling data subject access requests and higher standards for data controllers to demonstrate that they have obtained valid consent for certain data processing activities. In addition, countries of the EEA may impose further obligations relating to the processing of genetic, biometric or health data, which could further add to our compliance costs and limit how we process this information. In addition, the GDPR increases the scrutiny of transfers of personal data from clinical trial sites located in the EEA to the United States and other jurisdictions that the European Commission does not recognize as having “adequate” data protection laws; in July 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union limited how organizations could lawfully transfer personal data from the EEA to the United States by invalidating the EU-US Privacy Shield and imposing further restrictions on use of the standard contractual clauses, which could increase our costs and our ability to efficiently process personal data from the EEA. Indeed, while the CJEU upheld the adequacy of the standard contractual clauses (a standard form of contract approved by the European Commission as an adequate personal data transfer mechanism, and potential alternative to the Privacy Shield), it made clear that reliance on them alone may not necessarily be sufficient in all circumstances. Use of the standard contractual clauses must now be assessed on a case-by-case basis taking into account the legal regime
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applicable in the destination country, in particular applicable surveillance laws and rights of individuals and additional measures and/or contractual provisions may need to be put in place, however, the nature of these additional measures is currently uncertain. The CJEU went on to state that if a competent supervisory authority believes that the standard contractual clauses cannot be complied with in the destination country and the required level of protection cannot be secured by other means, such supervisory authority is under an obligation to suspend or prohibit that transfer. The European Commission has published revised standard contractual clauses for data transfers from the EEA: the revised clauses must be used for relevant new data transfers from September 27, 2021; existing standard contractual clauses arrangements must be migrated to the revised clauses by December 27, 2022. We will be required to implement the revised standard contractual clauses, in relation to relevant existing contracts and certain additional contracts and arrangements, within the relevant time frames. There is some uncertainty around whether the revised clauses can be used for all types of data transfers, particularly whether they can be relied on for data transfers to non-EEA entities subject to the GDPR.
Compliance with U.S. and foreign privacy and security laws, rules and regulations could require us to take on more onerous obligations in our contracts, require us to engage in costly compliance exercises, restrict our ability to collect, use and disclose data, or in some cases, impact our or our partners’ or suppliers’ ability to operate in certain jurisdictions. Each of these constantly evolving laws can be subject to varying interpretations. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with privacy or security laws, policies, legal obligations or industry standards or any security incident that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of personally identifiable information may result in governmental enforcement actions and investigations including by European Data Protection Authorities, fines and penalties, litigation and/or adverse publicity, including by consumer advocacy groups, and could cause our customers to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation and business. For example, Companies that must comply with the GDPR face increased compliance obligations and risk, including more robust regulatory enforcement of data protection requirements and potential fines for noncompliance of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the noncompliant company, whichever is greater. Additionally, following the UK’s withdrawal from the EEA and the EU, and the expiry of the transition period, companies will have to comply with the GDPR and the GDPR as incorporated into the UK national law, the latter regime having the ability to separately fine up to the greater of £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover. The European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision in favor of the UK, enabling data transfers from EU member states to the UK without additional safeguards. However, the UK adequacy decision will automatically expire in June 2025 unless the European Commission re-assesses and renews/extends that decision, and remains under review by the Commission during this period. The relationship between the UK and the EU in relation to certain aspects of data protection law remains unclear, and it is unclear how UK data protection laws and regulations will develop in the medium to longer term, and how data transfers to and from the UK will be regulated in the long term, which exposes us to further compliance risk. Such failures could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operations. If the third parties we work with violate applicable laws, contractual obligations or suffer a security breach, such violations may also put us in breach of our obligations under privacy laws and regulations and could in turn have a material adverse effect on our business.
Changes in legislation and government regulation of the health care industry both in the United States and internationally, as well as third-party payors' efforts to control the costs of health care could materially adversely affect our business.
The ACA made extensive changes to the delivery of health care in the United States. Among the provisions of the ACA, of greatest importance to the medical device industry and pharmaceutical industry are the following:
•Establishment of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research;
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•Payment system reforms including a national pilot program on payment bundling to encourage hospitals, physicians and other providers to improve the coordination, quality and efficiency of certain health care services through bundled payment models;
•Creation of the Independent Payment Advisory Board which has authority to recommend certain changes to reduce Medicare spending and those recommendations could have the effect of law even if Congress doesn't act on the recommendations;
•Establishment of a Center for Medicare Innovation at CMS to test innovative payment and service delivery models to lower Medicare and Medicaid spending; and
•An increase in the statutory minimum rebates a manufacturer must pay under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program to 23.1% and 13% of the average manufacturer price for most branded and generic drugs, respectively.
These measures could result in decreased net revenues or increased expenses from our fertility, office and surgical products and decrease potential returns from our development efforts. There have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA, and we expect there will be additional challenges and amendments to the ACA in the future.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. The Budget Control Act of 2011, among other things, included aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments, will remain in effect until 2030, with the temporary suspension from May 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021, unless additional action is taken by Congress. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, among other things, further reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, imaging centers and cancer treatment centers. In addition, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, among other things, repealed the formula by which Medicare made annual payment adjustments to physicians and replaced the former formula with fixed annual updates and a new system of incentive payments began in 2019 that are based on various performance measures and physicians’ participation in alternative payment models such as accountable care organizations.
We expect that additional state and federal health care reform measures will be adopted in the future, including those initiatives affecting coverage and reimbursement for our products, any of which could limit the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for health care products and services, which could adversely affect the growth of the market for our products or demand for our products, or result in additional pricing pressures. Also, any adoption of health care reform proposals on a state-by-state basis could require us to develop state-specific marketing and sales approaches. We cannot predict the effect such reforms or the prospect of their enactment may have on our business.
In addition, third-party payors, whether governmental or commercial, whether inside the United States or abroad, increasingly attempt to contain or reduce the costs of health care. These cost-control methods include prospective payment systems, capitated rates, group purchasing, redesign of benefits, requiring pre-authorizations or second opinions prior to certain medical procedures, encouragement of healthier lifestyles and exploration of more cost-effective methods of delivering health care. Although cost controls or other requirements imposed by third-party payors have not historically had a significant effect on contact lens prices or distribution practices, this could change in the future and could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may enroll as in-network providers and suppliers with certain payors. Although, becoming an in-network provider or enrolling as a supplier means that we have agreed with these payors to provide certain of our tests at negotiated rates, it does not obligate any physicians to order our tests or guarantee that we will receive reimbursement for our tests from these or any other payors at adequate levels. Thus, these payor relationships, or any similar relationships we may establish in the future, may not result in
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acceptable levels of reimbursement for our tests or meaningful increases in our physician customer base. We cannot predict whether, under what circumstances, or at what payment levels payors will cover and reimburse for our tests. If we fail to establish and maintain broad coverage and reimbursement for our tests, our ability to generate increased revenue and grow our test volume and customer base could be limited and our future prospects and our business could suffer.
Laws pertaining to health care fraud and abuse could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be subject to various federal, state and foreign laws pertaining to health care fraud and abuse, including anti-kickback, physician self-referral false claims and physician payment transparency laws and regulations. These laws may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we conduct our operations, including our commercial laboratory operations and how we research, market, sell and distribute any products for which we obtain marketing approval. Such laws include:
•the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons or entities from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or certain rebates), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, in return for, either the referral of an individual or the purchase, lease, or order, or arranging for or recommending the purchase, lease, or order of any good, facility, item or service, for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under a federal healthcare program such as Medicare and Medicaid. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation;
•the federal physician self-referral prohibitions, commonly known as the Stark Law, which generally prohibit entities from billing a patient or the Medicare or Medicaid programs for certain designated health services, including clinical laboratory services, when the physician ordering the service, or any member of such physician’s immediate family, has a financial interest, such as an ownership or investment interest in or compensation arrangement with us, unless the arrangement meets an exception to the prohibition. These prohibitions apply regardless of any intent by the parties to induce or reward referrals or the reasons for the financial relationship and the referral;
•the federal false claims laws, including the civil False Claims Act, and civil monetary penalties laws, which prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, to the federal government, claims for payment or approval that are false or fraudulent, or knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim, or knowingly making or causing to be made a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute or Stark Law constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the civil False Claims Act;
•the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which imposes criminal and civil liability for, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, or knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false statement, in connection with the delivery of, or payment for, healthcare benefits, items or services. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation;
•the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually to the
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CMS, information related to payments and other “transfers of value” made to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors) and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by such healthcare professionals and their immediate family members. Beginning in 2022, applicable manufacturers also will be required to report such information regarding payments and transfers of value provided during the previous year to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse anesthetists and certified nurse-midwives; and
•analogous state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to sales or marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors, including private insurers and self-pay patients; some state laws that require biotechnology companies to comply with the industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government and may require drug and device manufacturers to report information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and other healthcare providers or marketing expenditures; some state laws that require biotechnology companies to report information on the pricing of certain drug products; and some state and local laws that require the registration of sales representatives.
In addition, federal government price reporting laws, among other things, require us to calculate and report complex pricing metrics to government programs, where such reported prices may be used in the calculation of reimbursement and/or discounts on our marketed drugs. Participation in these programs and compliance with the applicable requirements may subject us to potentially significant discounts on our products, increased infrastructure costs and potentially limit our ability to offer certain marketplace discounts.
Violations of these laws are punishable by criminal and civil sanctions, including, in some instances, exclusion from participation in federal and state health care programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration health programs and TRICARE. Similarly, if the physicians or other providers or entities with whom we do business are found to be non-compliant with applicable laws, they may be subject to sanctions, which could indirectly have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Because of the complex and far-reaching nature of these laws, there can be no assurance that we would not be required to alter one or more of our practices to be in compliance with these laws. Any violations of these laws or regulations could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, changes in these laws, regulations, or administrative or judicial interpretations, may require us to further change our business practices or subject our existing business practices to legal challenges, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Legislative or regulatory reforms in the United States or the EU may make it more difficult and costly for us to obtain regulatory clearances, approvals or certifications for our products or to manufacture, market or distribute our products after clearance or approval is obtained.
From time to time, legislation is drafted and introduced in Congress that could significantly change the statutory provisions governing the regulation of medical devices. In addition, the FDA may change its clearance and approval policies, adopt additional regulations or revise existing regulations, or take other actions, which may prevent or delay approval or clearance of our future products under development or impact our ability to modify our currently cleared products on a timely basis. Over the last several years, the FDA has proposed reforms to its 510(k) clearance process, and such proposals could include increased requirements for clinical data and a longer review period, or could make it more difficult for manufacturers to utilize the 510(k) clearance process for their products.
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In addition, FDA regulations and guidance are often revised or reinterpreted by the FDA in ways that may significantly affect our business and our products. Any new statutes, regulations or revisions or reinterpretations of existing regulations may impose additional costs or lengthen review times of any future products or make it more difficult to obtain clearance or approval for, manufacture, market or distribute our products. We cannot determine what effect changes in regulations, statutes, legal interpretation or policies, when and if promulgated, enacted or adopted may have on our business in the future. Such changes could, among other things, require additional testing prior to obtaining clearance or approval; changes to manufacturing methods; recall, replacement or discontinuance of our products; or additional record keeping.
In addition, the EU landscape concerning medical devices (including IVDs) is evolving. A new set of two EU regulations have been adopted on April 5, 2017. On May 25, 2017, the EU MDR entered into force, which repeals and replaces the EU Medical Devices Directive and the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive. As to the EU IVDR, it will become applicable five years after publication (on May 26, 2022). However, on October 14, 2021, the European Commission proposed a “progressive” roll-out of the EU IVDR to prevent disruption in the supply of IVDs. Consequently, if the European Parliament and Council adopt the proposed regulation, the EU IVDR will fully apply on May 26, 2022 but there will be a tiered system extending the grace period for many devices (depending on their risk classification) before they have to be fully compliant with the regulation. Both regulations have been adopted to establish a uniform, transparent, predictable and sustainable regulatory framework across the EU for medical devices (including IVDs) and ensure a high level of safety and health while supporting innovation. The new regulations seek to:
•strengthen the rules on placing devices on the market and reinforce surveillance once they are available;
•establish explicit provisions on manufacturers’ responsibilities for the follow-up of the quality, performance and safety of devices placed on the market;
•establish explicit provisions on importers’ and distributors’ obligations and responsibilities;
•impose an obligation to identify a responsible person who is ultimately responsible for all aspects of compliance with the requirements of the new regulation;
•improve the traceability of medical devices throughout the supply chain to the end-user or patient through the introduction of a unique identification number, to increase the ability of manufacturers and regulatory authorities to trace specific devices through the supply chain and to facilitate the prompt and efficient recall of medical devices that have been found to present a safety risk;
•set up a central database (Eudamed) to provide patients, healthcare professionals and the public with comprehensive information on products available in the EU; and
•strengthen rules for the assessment of certain high-risk devices that may have to undergo an additional check by experts before they are placed on the market.
These modifications may have an effect on the way we intend to develop our business in the EU and EEA. For example, as a result of the transition towards the new regimes, notified body review times have lengthened, and product introductions could be delayed or canceled. Additionally, only a few notified bodies have been designated for IVDR certification, which could adversely affect our ability to grow our business.
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) came into effect on January 1, 2021. The TCA does not specifically refer to medical devices. However, as a result of Brexit, the EU MDR will not be implemented in the United-Kingdom, and previous legislation that mirrored the EU MDR in the UK law has been revoked. The regulatory regime for medical devices in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) will continue to be based on the requirements derived from current EU legislation, and Great Britain may choose to retain regulatory flexibility or align with the EU MDR going forward. CE markings
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will continue to be recognized in the United-Kingdom, and certificates issued by EU-recognized notified bodies will be valid in Great Britain, until June 30, 2023. For medical devices placed on the market in Great Britain after this period, the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) marking will be mandatory. In contrast, UKCA marking and certificates issued by UK notified bodies will not be recognized on the EU market. The TCA does provide for cooperation and exchange of information in the area of product safety and compliance, including market surveillance, enforcement activities and measures, standardization related activities, exchanges of officials, and coordinated product recalls (or other similar actions). For medical devices that are locally manufactured but use components from other countries, the “rules of origin” criteria will need to be reviewed. Depending on which countries products will be ultimately sold in, manufacturers may start seeking alternative sources for components if this would allow them to benefit from no tariffs. The rules for placing medical devices on the Northern Ireland market will differ from those in Great Britain. These modifications may have an effect on the way we intend to conduct our business in these countries.
Our medical device products are subject to reporting requirements and recalls, even after receiving regulatory clearance, approval or certification, which could harm our reputation, business and financial results.
After a device is placed on the market, numerous regulatory requirements apply, including the FDA's QSR regulations, which require manufacturers to follow, among other things, design, testing, production, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures during the manufacturing process; labeling regulations, which prohibit the promotion of products for unapproved or “off-label” uses and impose other restrictions on labeling; and medical device reporting regulations that require us to report to FDA or similar governmental bodies in other countries if our products may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or malfunction in a way that would be reasonably likely to contribute to death or serious injury if the malfunction were to recur. The FDA and similar governmental bodies in other countries have the authority to require the recall of our products in the event of material deficiencies or defects in design or manufacture or in the event that a product poses an unacceptable risk to health. Medical device manufacturers, such as CooperVision and CooperSurgical, may, under their own initiative, recall a product if a reasonable possibility of serious injury or any material deficiency in a device is found, or withdraw a product to improve device performance or for other reasons. The FDA requires that certain classifications of recalls be reported to the FDA within 10 working days after the recall is initiated. Recalls of any of our products may divert managerial and financial resources and have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. A recall could harm our reputation with customers and consumers which could reduce the sales of our products. In addition, the FDA or other foreign governmental agencies may implement enforcement actions in connection with a recall which could impair our product offerings and be harmful to our business and financial results.
If our manufacturing operations fail to comply with applicable regulations, our manufacturing could be delayed or disrupted, our products could be subject to recall, and sales and profitability could suffer.
Our manufacturing operations and processes are required to comply with numerous federal, state and foreign regulatory requirements, including the FDA's cGMP for medical devices, known as the QSR regulations, which govern the procedures related to the design, testing, production processes, controls, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, storage, importing, exporting and shipping of our products. We also are subject to state requirements and licenses applicable to manufacturers of medical devices. In addition, we must engage in extensive recordkeeping and reporting and must make available our manufacturing facilities and records for periodic unscheduled inspections by governmental agencies, including the FDA, state authorities and comparable agencies in other countries. Failure to comply with QSR requirements and other applicable domestic or international regulatory requirements or to respond to any adverse inspectional observations or product safety issues could result in disruption of our operations and manufacturing delays in addition to, among other things, warning letters, significant fines,
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injunctions, suspension of approvals, seizures, recalls or import holds of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecutions. As a result, any failure to comply with applicable requirements could adversely affect our product sales and profitability.
Our failure to comply with regulatory requirements or to receive regulatory clearance, approval or certification for our products or operations could adversely affect our business.
Our products and operations are subject to rigorous regulation by the FDA, and numerous other federal, state and foreign governmental authorities. In the United States, the FDA regulates virtually all aspects of medical device and pharmaceutical design, development, testing, manufacture, safety, labeling (including, for example, unique device identifier regulations), storage, recordkeeping, reporting, marketing, promotion, advertising and distribution, as well as product import and export. Our failure to comply with FDA regulations could lead to the imposition of administrative or judicial sanctions, including injunctions, fines, warning letters, suspensions or the loss of regulatory approvals, product recalls, termination of distribution or product seizures. In the most egregious cases, criminal sanctions or closure of our manufacturing facilities are possible.
Our medical devices and pharmaceutical products require clearance or approval by the FDA before they can be commercially distributed in the United States and may require similar approvals by foreign regulatory agencies before distribution in foreign jurisdictions. Medical devices and drug products may only be marketed for the indications for which they are approved or cleared. The process of obtaining, renewing and maintaining regulatory clearances and approvals to market a medical device, particularly from the FDA, can be costly and time consuming. There can be no assurance that such clearances and approvals will be granted on a timely basis, if at all, and significant delays in the introduction of any new products or product enhancements may occur, which could adversely affect our competitive position and results of operations. In addition, the FDA and authorities in foreign jurisdictions may change their policies, adopt additional regulations or revise existing regulations, each of which could prevent or delay premarket approval or clearance of our products, increase the cost of compliance, impose additional regulatory requirements on us, or otherwise impact our ability to market our currently approved or cleared products.
Modifications and enhancements to medical devices also require a new FDA clearance or approval if they could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness or would constitute a major change in its intended use, design or manufacture. The FDA requires every manufacturer to make this determination in the first instance, but the FDA may review any manufacturer's decision. We have made modifications and enhancements to our medical devices that we do not believe require a new clearance or application, but we cannot confirm that the FDA will agree with our decisions. If the FDA requires us to seek clearance or approval for a modification of a previously cleared product for which we have concluded that new clearances or approvals are unnecessary, we may be required to cease marketing or to recall the modified product until we obtain clearance or approval, and we may be subject to significant regulatory fines or penalties, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results and competitive position. We also cannot assure that we will be successful in obtaining clearances or approvals for our modifications, if required.
Any failure to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements may significantly and adversely affect our ability to commercialize and generate revenue from our product candidates. If regulatory sanctions are applied or if regulatory approval is withdrawn, the value of our Company and our operating results may be adversely affected.
The FDA’s and other regulatory authorities’ policies may change and additional government regulations may be enacted that could prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of our product candidates. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing approval
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that we may have obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability, which would adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. We also cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative or executive action, either in the United States or abroad.
In order to sell our products in the EU, our products must respectively comply with general safety and performance requirements of the EU MDR and essential requirements of the IVDD. Compliance with these requirements is a prerequisite to be able to affix the European Conformity (CE) Mark to our products, without which they cannot be sold or marketed in the EU. All medical devices placed on the market in the EU must meet the general safety and performance requirements or the essential requirements laid down in the Annexes to the EU MDR and IVDD including that a medical device must be designed and manufactured in such a way that, during normal conditions of use, it is suitable for its intended purpose. Medical devices must be safe and effective and must not compromise the clinical condition or safety of patients, or the safety and health of users and, where applicable, other persons, provided that any risks which may be associated with their use constitute acceptable risks when weighed against the benefits to the patient and are compatible with a high level of protection of health and safety, taking into account the generally acknowledged state of the art. To demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements we must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which varies according to the type of medical device and its (risk) classification. Except for low-risk medical devices (Class I) or general IVDs, where the manufacturer can self-assess the conformity of its products with the essential or general safety and performance requirements (except for any parts which relate to sterility, metrology or reuse aspects of a medical device), a conformity assessment procedure requires the intervention of a notified body. Notified bodies are independent organizations designated by EU member states to assess the conformity of devices before being placed on the market. A notified body would typically audit and examine a product’s technical dossiers and the manufacturers’ quality system (notified body must presume that quality systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards-ISO 13485:2016 for Quality Management Systems-conform to these requirements). If satisfied that the relevant product conforms to the essential or general safety and performance requirements, the notified body issues a certificate of conformity, which the manufacturer uses as a basis for its own declaration of conformity. The manufacturer may then apply the CE Mark to the device, which allows the device to be placed on the market throughout the EU. If we fail to remain in compliance with applicable EU laws, directives or regulations, we would be unable to continue to affix the CE Mark to our products, which would prevent us from selling them within the EU and EEA.
The EU regulatory landscape concerning medical devices (including IVDs) is evolving and the new requirements may have a significant effect on the way we conduct our business in the EU and the EEA (see Risk Factor - "Legislative or regulatory reforms in the United States or the EU may make it more difficult and costly for us to obtain regulatory clearances, approvals or certifications for our products or to manufacture, market or distribute our products after clearance or approval is obtained").
From January 1, 2021 onwards, the MHRA becomes the sovereign regulatory authority responsible for Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) medical device market according to the requirements provided in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (SI 2002 No 618, as amended) that sought to give effect to the three pre-existing EU directives governing active implantable medical devices, general medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices whereas Northern Ireland continues to be governed by EU rules according to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Following the end of the Brexit transitional period on January 1, 2021, new regulations require medical devices to be registered with the MHRA (but manufacturers will be given a grace period of four to 12 months to comply with the new registration process) before being placed on the Great Britain market. The MHRA will only register devices where the manufacturer or their UK Responsible Person has a registered place of business in the UK. Manufacturers based outside the UK will need to appoint a UK Responsible Person that has a registered place of business in the UK to register devices with the MHRA in line with the grace periods. By July 1, 2023, in Great Britain, all medical devices will require a UKCA Mark but CE Marks issued by
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EU notified bodies will remain valid until this time. Manufacturers may choose to use the UKCA Mark on a voluntary basis until June 30, 2023. However, UKCA marking will not be recognized in the EU. The rules for placing medical devices on the market in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, differ from those in the rest of the UK. Compliance with this legislation is a prerequisite to be able to affix the UKCA Mark to our products, without which they cannot be sold or marketed in Great Britain.
Development and marketing of our products are subject to strict governmental regulation by foreign regulatory agencies, and failure to receive, or delay in receiving, foreign qualifications or certifications could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In many of the foreign countries in which we market our products, we are subject to regulations affecting, among other things, product standards, packaging requirements, labeling requirements, import restrictions, tariff regulations, the reporting of certain payments to health care practitioners in certain markets (for example, the French anti-gift legislation), duties and tax requirements. Many of the regulations applicable to our devices and products in such countries are similar to those of the FDA.
In many countries, the national health or social security organizations require our products to be qualified before they can be marketed with the benefit of reimbursement eligibility. To date, we have not experienced difficulty in complying with these regulations. However, our failure to receive, or delays in the receipt of, relevant foreign qualifications could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Increased regulatory scrutiny of genetic testing may adversely affect our business through increased costs and risks associated with gaining marketing approvals or certifications and potential decreased demand for our genetic testing services.
We offer certain genetic testing services to help identify the likelihood of pregnancy as well as identify possible disorders or diseases of a child prior to birth. Regulatory and legislative proposals addressing oversight of genetic testing have been introduced in the United States, and we expect that new proposals will be introduced from time to time both in the United States and in foreign countries in the future. Although the FDA has statutory authority to assure that medical devices, including IVDs, are safe and effective for their intended uses, the FDA has historically exercised its enforcement discretion and not enforced applicable provisions of the FDCA and regulations with respect to laboratory developed tests (LDTs). We believe our tests fall within the definition of an LDT. As a result, we believe our tests are not currently subject to the FDA’s enforcement of its medical device regulations and the applicable FDCA provisions. However, if there are changes in the FDA’s policy, or if the FDA disagrees that our marketed tests are LDTs or that we are marketing our tests outside the scope of the FDA’s current policy of enforcement discretion, we may become subject to extensive regulatory requirements and may be required to stop selling our existing tests or launching any other tests we may develop and to conduct additional clinical trials or take other actions prior to continuing to market our tests. This could significantly increase the costs and expenses of conducting, or otherwise harm, our business.
Legislative proposals addressing the FDA’s oversight of LDT have been introduced by Congress in the past and new legislative proposals may be introduced from time to time in the future. The likelihood that Congress will pass such legislation and the extent to which such legislation may affect the FDA’s ability to enforce its medical device regulations with respect to certain LDT is difficult to predict at this time. If the FDA ultimately begins to enforce its medical device requirements with respect to LDT, our genetic tests may be subject to additional regulatory requirements imposed by the FDA, the nature and extent of which would depend upon applicable final guidance or regulation by the FDA or instruction by Congress. If the FDA imposes significant changes to the regulation of LDT it could reduce our revenue or increase our costs and adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations or financial condition.
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Any new FDA enforcement policies affecting LDT or new legislation, regulations such as the EU IVDR regulation may result in increased regulatory burdens on our ability to continue marketing our genetic products and to develop and introduce new products in the future, which could reduce our revenue or increase our costs and adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations or financial condition.
In addition, changes in the way the EU regulates LDTs could result in additional expenses for offering our current and any future tests or possibly delay or suspend development or commercialization of such tests. In the EU, LDTs are exempt from the regulations that govern medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices under certain conditions. The IVDD currently governs the exemptions applicable to LDTs. However, the EU regulatory landscape is evolving, and when the EU IVDR becomes applicable on May 26, 2022, the general safety and performance requirements set out in Annex I will also be applicable to devices manufactured and used only within health institutions. The exemptions provided under the EU IVDR for LDTs remain to be further interpreted and clarified. If our tests do not qualify for an exemption, we may be subject to the full application of the EU IVDR with respect to some or all of our existing, as well as future, tests, and we would be required to expend additional time and resources to complying with the requirements of the EU IVDR.
If we fail to comply with applicable federal, state, local and foreign laboratory licensing requirements, we could lose the ability to perform our genetic tests or experience disruptions to our business.
We are subject to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), UK Human Fertilization & Embryology Association (HFEA) regulating IVF, a federal law regulating clinical laboratories that perform testing on specimens derived from humans for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of disease. Our clinical laboratories must be certified under CLIA and ISO 15189 in order for us to perform testing on human specimens. In addition, our proprietary tests must also be recognized as part of our accredited programs under CLIA so that we can offer them in our laboratory. CLIA is intended to ensure the quality and reliability of clinical laboratories in the United States by mandating specific standards in the areas of personnel qualifications, administration, and participation in proficiency testing, patient test management, quality control, quality assurance and inspections. The law also requires us to maintain a state laboratory license to conduct testing in that state. Our laboratories are located in Japan, the United Kingdom and United States, and we must maintain the requisite licenses in each jurisdiction.
Any sanction imposed under CLIA, its implementing regulations, or state or foreign laws or regulations governing licensure, or our failure to renew a CLIA certificate, a state license or accreditation, could have a material and adverse effect on our diagnostic testing business, operating results and financial condition. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also has the authority to impose a wide range of sanctions, including revocation of the CLIA certification along with a bar on the ownership or operation of a CLIA-certified laboratory by any owners or operators of the deficient laboratory. If we were to lose our CLIA certification or required state licensure, we would not be able to operate our clinical laboratory and conduct our tests, in full or in particular states, which would adversely impact our diagnostic testing business, operating results, and financial condition.
Pricing pressure from our competitors, customers and changes in third-party coverage and reimbursement may adversely affect demand for our products and negatively impact our operating results.
Competition in our industry has increased as a result of new market entrants, new technologies and as more established companies have intensified competitive pricing pressure. As a result of these competitive forces, we believe there will continue to be pricing pressure in the future. Because our CooperSurgical products are generally purchased by hospitals and surgical centers, OB/GYN medical
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offices and fertility clinics, and billed to various third-party payors, changes in the purchasing behavior of such customers or the amount such payors are willing to reimburse our customers for procedures using our products, including as a result of healthcare reform initiatives, could create additional pricing pressure on us. In addition to these competitive forces, we continue to see pricing pressure as our customers introduce new pricing structures into their contracts and agreements, including fixed price formulas, capitated pricing and structured pricing intended to contain healthcare costs. Such trends may adversely affect demand for our products and may drive down the prices we are able to charge for our products, both of which would negatively affect our operating results.
Disruptions at the FDA and other government agencies or notified bodies caused by funding shortages or global health concerns could hinder their ability to hire, retain or deploy key leadership and other personnel, or otherwise prevent new or modified products from being developed, cleared or approved or commercialized in a timely manner or at all, which could negatively impact our business.
The ability of the FDA, foreign agencies and notified bodies to review and clear, approve or certify new products can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels, statutory, regulatory, and policy changes, the FDA’s ability to hire and retain key personnel and accept the payment of user fees, and other events that may otherwise affect the FDA’s ability to perform routine functions. Average review times at the FDA have fluctuated in recent years as a result. In addition, government funding of other government agencies that fund research and development activities is subject to the political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable. Disruptions at the FDA and other agencies may also slow the time necessary for new drugs and medical devices or modifications to cleared or approved drugs and medical devices to be reviewed and/or approved by necessary government agencies, which would adversely affect our business. For example, over the last several years, including for 35 days beginning on December 22, 2018, the U.S. government has shut down several times and certain regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, have had to furlough critical employees and stop critical activities.
Separately, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 10, 2020 the FDA announced its intention to postpone most inspections of foreign manufacturing facilities, and on March 18, 2020, the FDA temporarily postponed routine surveillance inspections of domestic manufacturing facilities. Subsequently, on July 10, 2020, the FDA announced its intention to resume certain on-site inspections of domestic manufacturing facilities subject to a risk-based prioritization system. The FDA intends to use this risk-based assessment system to identify the categories of regulatory activity that can occur within a given geographic area, ranging from mission critical inspections to resumption of all regulatory activities. On May 5, 2021, the FDA announced its intention to review its inspectional approaches and to establish an agency-wide FDA Inspectional Affairs Council that will plan and coordinate inspectional activities. Regulatory authorities outside the United States may adopt similar restrictions or other policy measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, or if global health concerns continue to prevent the FDA or other regulatory authorities from conducting their regular inspections, reviews, or other regulatory activities, it could significantly impact the ability of the FDA or other regulatory authorities to timely review and process our regulatory submissions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In the EU, notified bodies must be officially designated to certify products and services in accordance with the EU MDR and IVDR. Only a few notified bodies have been designated so far, but the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly slowed down their designation process. Without IVDR designation, notified bodies may not yet start certifying devices in accordance with the new Regulation. As only a few notified bodies have been IVDR-designated, they are facing a heavy workload and their review times have lengthened. Even though a number of notified bodies have been MDR-designated, they are also facing a similar situation. This situation could impact the way we conduct our business in the EU and the EEA.
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Ethical, legal and social concerns related to the use of genetic information could reduce demand for our tests.
Genetic testing has raised ethical, legal and social issues regarding privacy and the appropriate uses of the resulting information. Government authorities could, for social or other purposes, limit or regulate the use of genetic information or genetic testing or prohibit testing for genetic predisposition to certain conditions, particularly for those that have no known cure. Similarly, these concerns may lead patients to refuse to use, or physicians to be reluctant to order, genetic tests even if permissible. These and other ethical, legal and social concerns may limit market acceptance and adoption of our tests or reduce the potential markets for our tests, either of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Relating to Tax
Increases in our effective tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of income tax returns could adversely affect our results.
Determination of the effective tax rate and evaluation of tax positions is uncertain with rapidly changing enactment, interpretation, and enforcement of tax laws in the US and foreign jurisdictions. When tax matters arise, several years may elapse before such matters are audited and finally resolved. Unfavorable resolution of any tax matter in any of the jurisdictions in which we operate could increase the effective tax rate, which would have an adverse effect on our operating results. Any resolution of a tax matter may require the use of cash in the year of resolution.
Our future effective tax rates could be adversely affected by earnings being higher than anticipated in countries where we have higher statutory rates or lower than anticipated in countries where we have lower statutory rates, by changes in valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, or by changes in tax laws or interpretations of those laws. We are also subject to the examination of our tax filings by US and foreign tax authorities and the outcome of these examinations could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.
We operate globally and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our results.
We are subject to income taxes in the US and foreign jurisdictions. Our effective tax rate could fluctuate due to changes in the mix of earnings and losses in jurisdictions with differing statutory tax rates. Our tax expense could also be impacted by changes in non-deductible expenses, changes in excess tax benefits of stock-based compensation, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities and our ability to utilize them, the applicability of withholding taxes and effects from acquisitions.
We are subject to tax examinations in multiple jurisdictions. While we regularly evaluate new information that may change our judgment resulting in recognition, derecognition or change in measurement of a tax position taken, there can be no assurance that the final determination of any examinations will not have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial position.
Our tax provision could also be impacted by changes in accounting guidance, and changes in US or foreign tax laws. In addition, government agencies in foreign jurisdictions where we and our affiliates do business and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), have recently focused on issues related to the taxation of multinational corporations. One example is “base erosion and profit shifting,” where profits are claimed to be earned for tax purposes in low-tax jurisdictions, or payments are made between affiliates from a jurisdiction with high tax rates to a jurisdiction with lower tax rates. The OECD has released several components of its comprehensive plan to create an agreed set of international rules for fighting base erosion and profit shifting. As a result, the tax laws in the US and
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other jurisdictions in which we do business could change and any such change could materially and adversely affect our business.
We may also be subject to additional tax liabilities and penalties due to changes in non-income based taxes resulting from changes in federal, state or foreign tax laws, changes in taxing jurisdictions’ administrative interpretations, decisions, policies, and positions, results of tax examinations, settlements or judicial decisions, changes in accounting principles, changes to the business operations, including acquisitions, as well as the evaluation of new information that results in a change to a tax position taken in a prior period.
Risks Relating to Interest and Foreign Exchange Rates, Debt and Equity
Exchange rate fluctuations and foreign currency hedges could adversely affect our financial results.
As a result of our international operations, currency exchange rate fluctuations may affect our results of operations and financial position. Our most significant currency exposures are the British pound sterling, euro and Japanese yen. We expect to generate an increasing portion of our revenue and incur a significant portion of our expenses in currencies other than U.S. dollars. To the extent we are unable to materially offset non-functional currency flows, exchange rate fluctuations could have a positive or negative impact on our financial condition and results of operations. Because our consolidated financial results are reported in U.S. dollars, if we generate sales or earnings in other currencies, the translation of those results into U.S. dollars can result in a significant increase or decrease in the amount of those sales or earnings and can make it more difficult for our shareholders to understand the relative strengths or weaknesses of the underlying business on a period-over-period comparative basis. Currently we do not enter into foreign exchange agreements with financial institutions to reduce our net exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency values relative to our non-functional currency obligations or balances, and although we may enter into these types of agreements in the future, they would not eliminate that risk entirely.
We are vulnerable to interest rate risk with respect to our debt.
We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with the issuance of variable and fixed-rate debt. In order to maintain a desired mix of fixed-rate and variable-rate debt, from time to time we may use interest rate swap agreements to fix a portion of our variable-rate debt as further described in Note 14. Financial Derivatives and Hedging of the Consolidated Financial Statements. We may not be successful in structuring such swap agreements to manage our risks effectively, which could adversely affect our business, earnings and financial condition.
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which regulates the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), announced in July 2017 that it will no longer persuade or require banks to submit rates for LIBOR after 2021. In March 2021, the FCA confirmed its intention to stop requiring banks to submit rates required to calculate LIBOR after 2021. However, for U.S. dollar-denominated (USD) LIBOR, only one-week and two-month USD LIBOR will cease to be published after 2021, and all remaining USD LIBOR tenors will continue being published until June 2023. We have multiple debt facilities which bear interest at a variable rate based on the Eurodollar LIBOR rate in effect from time to time. A change or transition away from LIBOR as a common reference rate in the global financial market could have a material adverse effect on our business. Our management continues to monitor the status and discussions regarding LIBOR. We do not expect a material impact on our financial statements related to this transition.
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Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and prevent us from fulfilling our debt obligations.
We have now and expect to continue to have a significant amount of indebtedness.
Our indebtedness could:
•increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
•require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, research and development efforts and other general corporate purposes;
•limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
•place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt;
•result in greater interest rate risk and volatility;
•limit our ability to borrow additional funds; and
•make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our debt, including our obligation to repay our credit facilities under certain circumstances, or refinance our indebtedness on favorable terms or at all.
Our credit facilities contain financial and other restrictive covenants that could limit our ability to engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interests. Our failure to comply with those covenants could result in an event of default which, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of all of our debt, which could adversely affect our business, earnings and financial condition.
Volatility in the securities markets, interest rates, and other factors could substantially increase our defined benefit plan costs.
We sponsor a defined benefit plan for certain employees in the United States. This defined benefit plan is funded with trust assets invested in a diversified portfolio of securities and other investments. Changes in interest rates, mortality rates, early retirement rates, investment returns, discount rates and the market value of plan assets can affect the funded status of our defined benefit plan and cause volatility in the net periodic benefit cost and future funding requirements of the plan. A significant increase in our obligations or future funding requirements could have a negative impact on our results of operations and cash flows from operations.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 2. Properties.
The following is a summary of Cooper's principal facilities as of October 31, 2021. We generally lease our office and operations facilities but own several manufacturing and research and development facilities, including 226,342 square feet in the United Kingdom, 164,946 square feet in Costa Rica, 63,787 square feet in Denmark, 76,778 square feet in New York and 33,630 square feet in Texas. Our lease agreements expire at various dates through the year 2045. We believe our properties are suitable and adequate for our businesses.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Information regarding legal proceedings is included in Note 12. Contingencies of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Cooper's common stock, par value $0.10 per share, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “COO.” At December 1, 2021, there were 287 common stockholders of record.
Dividend Policy
Our current policy is to pay annual cash dividends on our common stock of $0.06 per share, in two semiannual payments of $0.03 per share each. In dollar terms, we paid cash for dividends of $3.0 million in each of fiscal 2021 and 2020. Dividends are paid when, as and if declared at the discretion of our Board of Directors from funds legally available for that purpose. Our Board of Directors periodically reviews our dividend policy and considers the Company's earnings, financial condition, liquidity needs, business plans and opportunities and other factors in making and setting dividend policy.
Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total return on Cooper's common stock with the cumulative total return of the Standard & Poor 500 and the Standard & Poor's Health Care Equipment Index for the five-year period ended October 31, 2021. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in Cooper and in each index was $100 on October 31, 2016 and assumes that all dividends were reinvested.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
COMPARISON OF 5 YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*
Among The Cooper Companies, Inc.,
the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Health Care Equipment Index
*$100 invested on October 31, 2016 in stock or index, including reinvestment of dividends.
Fiscal year ending October 31.
Copyright© 2021 Standard & Poor's, a division of S&P Global. All rights reserved.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
There was no share repurchase activity during the three-month period ended October 31, 2021.
The share repurchase program was approved by the Company’s Board of Directors in December 2011 (2012 Share Repurchase Program). The program as amended in December 2012 and December 2013 provides authorization for a total of $500.0 million. In March 2017, the program was amended and approved by the Company's Board of Directors for an increase of $500.0 million, providing authorization for a total of $1.0 billion. Purchases under the 2012 Share Repurchase Program may be made from time-to-time on the open market at prevailing market prices or in privately negotiated transactions and are subject to a review of the circumstances in place at the time and will be made from time to time as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements. This program has no expiration date and may be discontinued at any time.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, we repurchased a total of 69.6 thousand shares of common stock for $24.8 million at an average price of $356.6 per share under the repurchase program. At October 31, 2021, approximately $334.8 million remained authorized under the 2012 Share Repurchase Program.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table sets forth certain information as of October 31, 2021, concerning the shares of our Common Stock that may be issued under any form of award granted under our equity compensation plans in effect as of October 31, 2021:
(1) The amount of total securities to be issued under Company equity plans upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights shown in Column A includes 317,335 Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Company's equity plans. These awards allow for the distribution of shares to the grant recipient upon the completion of time-based vesting periods. The total also includes 41,216 shares representing the maximum number of shares that may be issued subject to Performance Share Awards outstanding as of the end of the fiscal year. Restricted Stock Units and Performance Share Awards do not have an associated exercise price. Accordingly, these awards are not reflected in the weighted-average exercise price disclosed in Column B.
(2) Includes information with respect to the Third Amended and Restated 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan for Employees of the Cooper Companies, Inc. (the 2007 Plan), which was approved by stockholders on March 17, 2016, and provides for the issuance of up to 6,930,000 shares of Common Stock, the 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the 2019 ESPP), which was approved by stockholders on March 18, 2019 and provides for the issuance of up to 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock, the Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors of the Cooper Companies, Inc. (the 2006 Directors' Plan), which was approved by stockholders on March 16, 2011 and provided for the issuance of up to 950,000 shares of Common Stock, and the 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors of the Cooper Companies, Inc. (the 2020 Directors' Plan), which was approved by stockholders on March 18, 2020 and provided for the issuance of up to 50,000 shares of Common Stock. As of October 31, 2021, up to 908,753 shares of Common Stock may be issued pursuant to the 2007 Plan, up to 970,784 shares of Common Stock may be issued pursuant to the 2019 ESPP and up to 37,853 shares of Common Stock may be issued pursuant to the 2020 Directors' Plan. The 2006 Directors' Plan expired by its terms in March 2019, and no additional shares will be issued under this plan.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 6. Selected Financial Data.
This item is no longer required as we have adopted the changes to Item 301 of Regulation S-K contained in the Securities and Exchange Commission's Release No. 33-10890.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Note numbers refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
In this section, we discuss the results of our operations for fiscal 2021 compared with fiscal 2020. We discuss our cash flows and current financial condition under “Capital Resources and Liquidity.” For a discussion related to fiscal 2020 compared with fiscal 2019, please refer to Item 7 of Part II, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Year Ended October 31, 2020, which was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on December 11, 2020, and is available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and our Investor Relations website at investor.coopercos.com.
Within the tables presented, percentages are calculated based on the underlying whole-dollar amounts and, therefore, may not recalculate exactly from the rounded numbers used for disclosure purposes.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The succeeding sections of Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) may include certain financial measures that are not defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP). These measures, which are referred to as non-GAAP measures, are listed below:
•Free Cash Flow - Free cash flow is calculated as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures.
•Constant currency - Constant currency is defined as excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations.
For a discussion of these measures and the reasons management believes they are useful to investors, refer to “Summary of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below. To the extent applicable, this MD&A includes reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.
The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies, and therefore, may not be comparable among companies.
COVID-19 Considerations
The World Health Organization categorized the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a severe global health crisis, along with economic and societal disruptions and uncertainties, which have negatively impacted business and healthcare activity globally. As a result of healthcare systems responding to the demands of managing the pandemic, governments around the world imposing measures designed to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and individuals responding to the concerns of contracting the COVID-19 virus, many optical practitioners and retailers, hospitals, medical offices and fertility clinics closed their facilities, restricted access, or delayed or canceled patient visits, exams and elective medical procedures, and many customers that have reopened are experiencing reduced patient visits. These factors have had, and in the future may have, an adverse effect on our sales, operating results and cash flows.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
We have taken an active role in addressing the ongoing pandemic’s impact on our employees, suppliers, distribution channels, operations and customers, including taking precautionary measures, such as implementing contingency plans, and making operational adjustments as necessary. We have taken measures to help ensure the safety of our personnel in all our facilities, and we have endeavored and continue to follow recommended actions of government and health authorities to protect our employees worldwide.
As of the date of this filing, we have not experienced any significant disruption at our manufacturing facilities. We have had no significant disruption in our access to necessary raw materials and other supplies or with our distribution network; however, we have experienced higher unabsorbed fixed overhead costs, labor inefficiencies, higher cost of production and higher freight charges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our manufacturing and distribution operations have responded to the impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have been able to continue to supply our products around the world without interruption. In the future, we may decide or need to implement additional precautionary measures or operational adjustments as we deem prudent to meet consumer demand or to help further ensure employee safety. We believe that the actions we are taking have enabled us to keep our employees safe and our supply chain intact and will help us emerge from this global pandemic operationally sound and well positioned for long-term growth.
The extent to which the global COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions impact our business, results of operations, cash flow and financial condition will depend on future developments. At this time, future developments are highly uncertain, difficult to predict and largely outside of our control. These include, but are not limited to, the spread, duration and severity of the pandemic outbreak and any subsequent waves of additional outbreaks, including the emergence and spread of variants of the COVID-19 virus, actions taken by governments to contain the pandemic, address its impact or respond to the reduction in global and local economic activity, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. We will continue to closely monitor the developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses from governments and private sector participants and their respective impact on our Company and on our customers, suppliers, vendors and business partners.
For more information on the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, refer to Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors" herein.
Outlook
Overall, we remain optimistic about the long-term prospects for the worldwide contact lens and general health care markets. However, the impact, risks and uncertainty relating to the global COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions, as further described in the “COVID-19 Considerations” section above and in the “Risk Factors” section in Part I, Item 1A of this filing, have adversely affected our sales, cash flow and current performance and are likely to further adversely affect our future sales, cash flow and performance. Additionally, other events affecting the economy as a whole, including but not limited to the uncertainty and instability of global markets driven by foreign currency volatility, inflation, changes in tax legislation, debt concerns, the uncertainty following the United Kingdom (UK)'s withdrawal from the EU, changes to existing and new regulations, global trade barriers including additional tariffs and the trend of consolidations within the health care industry could impact our current performance and continue to represent a risk to our future performance.
CooperVision - We compete in the worldwide contact lens market with our spherical, toric, multifocal, toric multifocal and myopia management contact lenses offered in a variety of materials including using silicone hydrogel Aquaform® technology, PC Technology™ and ActivControl® technology. We believe that there will be lower contact lens wearer dropout rates as technology improves and enhances the wearing experience through a combination of improved designs and materials and the growth of preferred
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
modalities such as single-use and monthly wearing options. CooperVision also competes in the myopia management and specialty eye care markets with products such as orthokeratology (ortho-k) and scleral lenses. In November 2019, CooperVision received United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its MiSight® 1 day lens, which is the first and only FDA-approved product indicated to slow the progression of myopia in children with treatment initiated between the ages of 8-12 and became available in the United States during fiscal 2020. In August 2021, CooperVision received Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approval for its MiSight® 1 day lens for use in China. CooperVision is focused on greater worldwide market penetration using recently introduced products, and we continue to expand our presence in existing and emerging markets, including through acquisitions.
CooperVision acquired the following entities during fiscal 2021:
•A privately-held UK contact lens manufacturer on April 26, 2021
•A privately-held medical device company on January 19, 2021
CooperVision acquired the following entity during fiscal 2020:
•A privately-held US contact lens manufacturer focusing on ortho-k lenses on August 7, 2020
Our ability to compete successfully with a full range of silicone hydrogel products is an important factor to achieving our desired future levels of sales growth and profitability. CooperVision manufactures and markets a wide variety of silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Our single-use silicone hydrogel product franchises, clariti® and MyDay®, remain a focus as we expect increasing demand for these products as well as future single-use products as the global contact lens market continues to shift to this modality. Outside of single-use, the Biofinity® and Avaira Vitality® product families comprise our focus in the FRP, or frequent replacement product, market which encompasses the 2-week and monthly modalities. Included in this segment are unique products such as Biofinity Energys®, which helps individuals with digital eye fatigue.
CooperSurgical - Our CooperSurgical business competes in the general health care market with a commitment to advancing the health of women, babies and families through its diversified portfolio of products and services focusing on women's health and fertility. CooperSurgical has established its market presence and distribution system by developing products and acquiring companies, products and services that complement its business model.
CooperSurgical acquired the following entities during fiscal 2021:
•A privately-held medical device company that develops single-use illuminating medical devices on May 3, 2021
•A privately-held medical device company on March 1, 2021
•A privately-held medical device company on February 1, 2021
•A privately-held in vitro fertilization (IVF) cryo-storage software solutions company on December 31, 2020
CooperSurgical acquired the following entity during fiscal 2020:
•A privately-held distributor of IVF medical devices and systems on December 13, 2019
On November 6, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, CooperSurgical entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) to acquire Generate Life Sciences, a privately held leading provider of donor egg and sperm for fertility treatments, fertility cryopreservation services and newborn stem cell (cord blood and cord tissue) storage. The aggregate consideration is
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
$1.605 billion in cash, subject to adjustment as set forth in the Merger Agreement. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. See Note 15. Subsequent Events of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Capital Resources - At October 31, 2021, we had $95.9 million in unrestricted cash, primarily held outside the United States, and $742.6 million available under our 2020 Revolving Credit Facility. Debt outstanding at October 31, 2021 primarily consisted of:
•$850.0 million term loan entered into on April 1, 2020
•$546.1 million drawn under our 2020 Revolving Credit Facility entered into on April 1, 2020
See Note 5. Debt of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
On November 2, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, we entered into a 364-day, $840.0 million, term loan agreement by and among us, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent, which matures on November 1, 2022. We used part of the funds to partially repay outstanding borrowings under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility and for general corporate purposes. See Note 15. Subsequent Events of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Assets Held for Sale
On February 2, 2021, CooperVision entered into a stock purchase agreement to sell 50% of the equity interest in a wholly-owned subsidiary that was acquired by CooperVision on January 19, 2021. The closing of this transaction is subject to certain closing conditions including required regulatory approvals. We intend to operate the previously wholly-owned subsidiary as a joint venture with the purchaser of the 50% interest once the transaction is closed. We concluded the substantive terms of the joint venture during the third quarter of fiscal 2021, and as of July 31, 2021, the assets and liabilities of this disposal group were reclassified as held for sale. On August 1, 2021, CooperVision entered into a stockholders agreement, which outlines the terms regarding the operation and management of the joint venture. As of October 31, 2021, we were in the process of finalizing the joint venture related ancillary agreements, and the disposal group continues to be classified as held for sale. We did not record any impairment in fiscal 2021, and this disposal did not qualify as a discontinued operation.
See Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Transition from LIBOR
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which regulates the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), announced in July 2017 that it will no longer persuade or require banks to submit rates for LIBOR after 2021. In March 2021, the FCA confirmed its intention to stop requiring banks to submit rates required to calculate LIBOR after 2021. However, for U.S. dollar-denominated (USD) LIBOR, only one-week and two-month USD LIBOR will cease to be published after 2021, and all remaining USD LIBOR tenors will continue being published until June 2023. Further, in March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. This guidance provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. We have material contracts that are indexed to LIBOR and are continuing to monitor this activity and evaluate the related risk. We are
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
continuing to evaluate the scope of impacted contracts and the potential impact. We are also monitoring the developments regarding alternative rates and may amend certain contracts to accommodate those rates if the contract does not already specify a replacement rate. While the notional value of agreements potentially indexed to LIBOR is material, we do not expect a material impact on our financial statements related to this transition.
We believe that current cash, cash equivalents and future cash flow from operating activities will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash needs, including working capital needs, capital expenditures and contractual obligations for at least 12 months from the issuance date of the financial statements included in this annual report. To the extent additional funds are necessary to meet our liquidity needs such as that for acquisitions, share repurchases, cash dividends or other activities as we execute our business strategy, we anticipate that additional funds will be obtained through the incurrence of additional indebtedness, additional equity financings or a combination of these potential sources of funds; however, such financing may not be available on favorable terms, or at all.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
2021 Compared with 2020
Highlights: 2021 vs. 2020
•Gross margin increased to 67% of net sales compared with 63% in fiscal 2020
•Operating income increased by 62% to $505.8 million from $311.8 million
•Interest expense decreased to $23.1 million from $36.8 million due to lower average debt balances and lower interest rates
•Diluted earnings per share increased by 1,131% to $59.16 from $4.81
•Operating cash flow increased by 52% to $738.6 million from $486.6 million.
Selected Statistical Information - Percentage of Net Sales
CooperVision Net Sales
The contact lens market has two major product categories:
•Spherical lenses including lenses that correct near- and farsightedness uncomplicated by more complex visual defects; and
•Toric and multifocal lenses including lenses that, in addition to correcting near- and farsightedness, address more complex visual defects such as astigmatism and presbyopia by adding optical properties of cylinder and axis, which correct for irregularities in the shape of the cornea.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
CooperVision Net Sales by Category
In the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021:
•Toric and multifocal lenses grew primarily through the success of Biofinity toric and multifocal and MyDay toric.
•Single-use sphere lenses growth was primarily driven by MyDay, clariti and MiSight lenses.
•Non single-use sphere lenses growth was primarily driven by Biofinity and ortho-k lenses.
•"Other" products primarily include lens care which represented approximately 2% of net sales in fiscal 2021 and 2020.
•Total silicone hydrogel products increased by 21%, representing 76% of net sales in fiscal 2021 compared to 74% in fiscal 2020.
•Foreign exchange rates positively impacted sales by approximately $58.9 million and had a negative impact of $2.4 million in fiscal 2020. In fiscal 2021, net sales increased by 14% in constant currency over the prior year.
•Sales growth was primarily driven by an increase in the volume of lenses sold across our core portfolio due to a recovery in demand from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Average realized prices by product did not materially influence sales growth.
•We expect to continue seeing downward pressure and volatility in certain markets related to net sales if the COVID-19 pandemic continues, as optical retailers and healthcare centers continue to restrict access, and social distancing measures continue.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
CooperVision Net Sales by Geography
CooperVision competes in the worldwide soft contact lens market and services in three primary regions: the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Asia Pacific.
CooperVision's growth in net sales across all regions was primarily attributable to market gains of silicone hydrogel contact lenses and favorable foreign currency impacts. Refer to CooperVision Net Sales by Category above for further discussion.
CooperSurgical Net Sales by Category
CooperSurgical supplies the family health care market with a diversified portfolio of products and services. Our office and surgical offerings include products that facilitate surgical and non-surgical procedures that are commonly performed primarily by Obstetricians/Gynecologists (OB/GYN) in hospitals, surgical centers, fertility clinics and medical offices. Fertility offerings include highly specialized products and services that target the IVF process, including diagnostics testing with a goal to make fertility treatment safer, more efficient and convenient.
The chart below shows the percentage of net sales of office and surgical products and fertility.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
In the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021:
•Office and surgical products increased compared to the prior year due to an increase in PARAGARD® sales compared to the prior year. Further, there was an increase from other office and surgical products such as Uterine Manipulators, Retractors, Closure products, Point-of-Care products and sales from our recent acquisitions, Illuminate and Fetal Pillow®.
•Fertility net sales increased compared to the prior year mainly due to an increase in revenue from fertility consumables, equipment sales, preimplantation genetic testing and sales from our recent acquisition, Embryo Options.
•Foreign exchange rates positively impacted sales by approximately $6.2 million and had a negative impact of $2.1 million in the prior year. In fiscal 2021, net sales increased by 30% in constant currency over the prior year.
•Sales growth was primarily driven by stronger demand for our products and services as a result of our customers continuing to reopen their health care facilities and medical offices.
•We expect to continue seeing downward pressure and volatility in certain markets related to net sales if the COVID-19 pandemic continues, as hospitals and healthcare centers continue to restrict access, and social distancing measures continue.
Gross Margin
Consolidated Gross Margin increased in fiscal 2021 to 67% compared to 63% of fiscal 2020 primarily driven by favorable product mix and increased sales due to a recovery in demand from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fiscal 2021 included $29.4 million of costs primarily related to integration and other manufacturing related costs. Fiscal 2020 included $90.1 million of costs primarily related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other manufacturing related costs.
Selling, General and Administrative Expense (SGA)
CooperVision's SGA increased in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 primarily due to increases in distribution costs, general and administrative costs and advertising and marketing activities primarily related to myopia management. CooperVision's SGA in fiscal 2021 included $63.9 million of costs primarily related to the increase in fair value of the contingent consideration of $56.8 million as described in Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale of the Consolidated Financial Statements. CooperVision's SGA in fiscal 2020 included $6.5 million of costs primarily related to acquisition and integration activities.
CooperSurgical's SGA increased in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 primarily due to increases in selling expenses and advertising and marketing activities. CooperSurgical's SGA in fiscal 2021 included $19.3 million of costs primarily related to the increase in fair value of the contingent consideration of $9.3 million as described in Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale of the Consolidated Financial Statements and acquisition and integration expenses. CooperSurgical's SGA in fiscal 2020 included $19.8 million of costs primarily related to integration expenses and Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) costs.
Corporate SGA decreased in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 primarily due to savings from lower professional fees and travel expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Research and Development Expense (R&D)
CooperVision's R&D expense increased in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 primarily due to myopia management programs and timing of R&D projects. As a percentage of sales, CooperVision's R&D expense remained relatively flat. CooperVision's R&D activities are primarily focused on the development of contact lenses, manufacturing technology and process enhancements.
CooperSurgical's R&D expense decreased in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 primarily due to timing of R&D projects and changes in headcount. CooperSurgical has not paused research programs during the COVID-19 pandemic and has maintained its spend on innovations and increased its spend on key regulatory investment areas to support our long-term objectives. As a percentage of sales, CooperSurgical's R&D expense decreased primarily due to an increase in net sales. CooperSurgical's R&D activities are focused on upgrading existing and developing new products ranging from diagnostics, surgical devices to fertility instruments and solutions.
Amortization Expense
CooperVision's and CooperSurgical's amortization expense increased in absolute dollars in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020, primarily due to the amortization of intangible assets newly acquired through acquisitions. As a percentage of sales, CooperSurgical's amortization expense decreased, primarily due to an increase in net sales.
Operating Income
CooperVision's operating income increased as a percentage of net sales and in absolute dollars in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020, primarily due to an increase in net sales partially offset by a $56.8 million expense related to the increase in fair value of the contingent consideration as described in Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
CooperSurgical's operating income increased as a percentage of net sales and in absolute dollars in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020, primarily due to an increase in net sales and a decrease in R&D expenses.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Corporate operating loss decreased in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020, primarily due to savings from lower professional fees and travel expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On a consolidated basis, operating income increased as a percentage of net sales and in absolute dollars in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020, primarily due to the increase in consolidated net sales.
Interest Expense
Interest expense decreased as a percentage of net sales and in absolute dollars during fiscal 2021 compared to the prior year, primarily due to lower average debt balances and lower interest rates.
Other (Income) Expense, Net
On January 19, 2021, CooperVision acquired all of the remaining equity interests of a privately-held medical device company that develops spectacle lenses for myopia management. The fair value remeasurement of our previous equity investment immediately before the acquisition resulted in a gain of $11.5 million recognized in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
Foreign exchange loss primarily resulted from the revaluation and settlement of foreign currency-denominated balances.
Other income increased in fiscal 2021, primarily due to an increase in defined benefit plan related income and a decrease in losses on minority investments during the year.
Provision for Income Taxes
The effective tax rates for fiscal 2021 and 2020 were (499.1)% and 10.6%, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to an intra-group transfer of intellectual property, as discussed below, and remeasurement of the related deferred tax assets caused by the UK enactment of a 25% corporate tax rate. The effective tax rate otherwise increased due to changes in the geographical composition of pre-tax earnings, partially offset by changes in foreign earnings subject to US tax.
The effective tax rate for fiscal 2021 was lower than the US federal statutory tax rate primarily due to the intra-group transfer, the remeasurement of deferred tax assets, and earnings in foreign jurisdictions with lower tax rates partially offset by foreign earnings subject to US tax. The effective tax rate for fiscal 2020 was lower than the US federal statutory rate primarily due to foreign earnings in jurisdictions with lower tax rates partially offset by foreign earnings subject to US tax.
In November 2020, we completed an intra-group transfer of certain intellectual property and related assets of the CooperVision business to a UK subsidiary as part of a group restructuring to establish headquarters operations in the UK. Determining fair value involved significant judgment related to future revenue growth, operating margins and discount rates. Income before income taxes resulting from this transfer is eliminated upon consolidation. The transfer resulted in a step-up of the UK tax-deductible basis in the
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
intellectual property and goodwill, creating a temporary difference between the book basis and the tax basis of these assets. As a result, we recognized a deferred tax asset of $1,987.9 million, with a corresponding income tax benefit, during the three months ended January 31, 2021.
See Note 6. Income Taxes of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Share-Based Compensation Plans
We grant various share-based compensation awards, including stock options, performance shares and restricted stock units. The share-based compensation and related income tax benefit recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements in fiscal 2021 was $44.7 million and $5.6 million, respectively, compared to $38.6 million and $4.8 million, respectively, in fiscal 2020. As of October 31, 2021, there was $94.3 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to non-vested awards. See Note 9. Stock Plans of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
We estimate the fair value of each stock option award on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model, which requires management to make estimates regarding expected option life, stock price volatility and other assumptions. The use of different assumptions could lead to a different estimate of fair value. The expected life of the stock option is based on the observed and expected time to post-vesting forfeiture and/or exercise. Groups of employees that have similar historical exercise behavior are considered separately for valuation purposes. If our assumption for the expected life increased by one year, the fair value of an individual option granted in fiscal 2021 would have increased by approximately $9.60. To determine the stock price volatility, management considers implied volatility from publicly-traded options on the Company's stock at the date of grant, historical volatility and other factors. If our assumption for stock price volatility increased by one percentage point, the fair value of an individual option granted in fiscal 2021 would have increased by approximately $2.62.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
On March 18, 2019, the Company received stockholder approval for the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The first offering period began on November 4, 2019 and offerings are generally made on a quarterly basis. The purpose of the ESPP is to provide eligible employees of the Company with the opportunity to acquire shares of common stock at 85% of the market price on the last business day of each offering period by means of accumulated payroll deductions. Payroll deductions will be limited to 15% of the employee’s eligible compensation, not to exceed $21.3 thousand in any one calendar year. The ESPP initially authorized the issuance of 1,000,000 shares of common stock. These shares will be made available from shares of common stock reacquired by the Company as Treasury Stock. During fiscal 2021 and 2020, we issued 17,575 and 11,641 shares to our employees under the ESPP, respectively. At October 31, 2021, the number of shares remaining available for future issuance under the ESPP is 970,784 shares. Total ESPP Share-based compensation recognized during fiscal 2021 and 2020 was $1.0 million and $0.7 million.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY
2021 Highlights
•Operating cash flow of $738.6 million compared to $486.6 million in fiscal 2020
•Expenditures for purchases of property, plant and equipment of $214.4 million compared to $310.4 million in fiscal 2020
•Cash payments for acquisitions and others of $235.9 million compared to $54.1 million in fiscal 2020
•Total debt, net of debt issuance cost, at $1.5 billion at the end of fiscal 2021 compared to $1.8 billion at the end of fiscal 2020
•Cash provided by operations of $738.6 million offset by capital expenditures of $214.4 million resulted in positive free cash flow of $524.2 million, up 198% compared to the prior year
Comparative Statistics
Working Capital
The increase in working capital at October 31, 2021 from the end of fiscal 2020 was primarily due to:
•decrease in short-term debt of $326.4 million primarily due to repayment of the outstanding balance of the 2020 Term Loan at maturity;
•increase in assets held-for-sale of $89.2 million. Refer to Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale for additional information;
•increase in trade accounts receivable of $79.9 million primarily due to higher sales and timing of collections;
•increase in prepaid expense and other current assets of $26.8 million,
•increase in inventories of $15.2 million due to higher sales;
•decrease in accounts payable of $14.6 million due to timing of payments, partially offset by:
•increase in other current liabilities of $34.9 million;
•increase in employee compensation and benefits of $29.7 million; and
•decrease in cash and cash equivalents of $20.0 million.
At October 31, 2021, our inventory months on hand were 6.8 compared to 6.6 at October 31, 2020. The $15.2 million increase in inventories was primarily due to higher sales, and the buildup of inventory for future product launches.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Our days sales outstanding (DSO) was 64 days at October 31, 2021 compared to 60 days at October 31, 2020. The increase in DSO from October 31, 2020 to October 31, 2021 was primarily due to timing of collections.
Operating Cash Flow
Cash provided by operating activities increased by $252.0 million from $486.6 million in fiscal 2020 to $738.6 million in fiscal 2021. This increase in cash flow provided by operating activities primarily consists of:
•increase in net income of $2,706.3 million from a net income of $238.4 million in fiscal 2020 to $2,944.7 million in fiscal 2021;
•$68.4 million increase in the net changes in accrued liabilities partially due to impact from adoption of ASC 842, Leases in prior year period and higher customer rebate accruals in current period as a result of higher sales;
•$66.1 million increase in the net changes in the fair value of contingent consideration. Refer to Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale for further information;
•$53.1 million increase in the net changes in inventories primarily due to higher sales;
•$22.4 million increase in the net changes in income tax payable;
•$22.2 million increase in net changes in depreciation and amortization, from $287.1 million in fiscal 2020 to $309.3 million in fiscal 2021, partially offset by;
•$2501.3 million decrease in the net changes in deferred income taxes. Refer to Note 6. Income Taxes for additional information;
•$84.0 million decrease in the net changes in trade receivables primarily due to timing of collections;
•$39.2 million decrease in the net changes in accounts payable primarily due to timing of payments;
•$28.0 million decrease in the net changes in prepayments and other assets primarily due to the capitalized cloud computing costs and increase in prepaid inventory; and
•$27.5 million decrease in impairment and loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, and other.
Investing Cash Flow
Cash used in investing activities increased by $85.8 million to $450.3 million in fiscal 2021 from $364.5 million in fiscal 2020, primarily due to:
•increase of $181.8 million in payments made for acquisitions in fiscal 2021 compared to the prior year period, partially offset by;
•decrease of $96.0 million in capital expenditures.
Financing Cash Flow
Cash used in financing activities increased by $215.9 million to $311.4 million in fiscal 2021 from $95.5 million in fiscal 2020, primarily due to:
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
•$1,777.9 million decrease in proceeds from long-term debt, primarily due to funds received from the 2020 Credit Agreement (as defined below);
•$314.7 million increase in net repayments of short-term debt, primarily due to the repayments of the 2020 Term Loan Agreement (as defined below), partially offset by;
•$1,819.9 million decrease in repayments of long-term debt, primarily related to repayments of funds from the 2020 Credit Agreement (as defined below) in fiscal 2021, and termination of the 2020 Term Loan Agreement (as defined below), the 2017 Term Loan Agreement and the 2016 Credit Agreement in fiscal 2020.
On April 1, 2020, the Company entered into a Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement (the 2020 Credit Agreement), among the Company and KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent. The 2020 Credit Agreement provides for (a) a multicurrency revolving credit facility (the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility) in an aggregate principal amount of $1.29 billion and (b) a term loan facility (the 2020 Term Loan Facility) in an aggregate principal amount of $850.0 million, each of which, unless terminated earlier, mature on April 1, 2025. In addition, the Company has the ability from time to time to request an increase to the size of the revolving credit facility or establish one or more new term loans under the term loan facility in an aggregate amount up to $1.605 billion, subject to the discretionary participation of the lenders.
On October 16, 2020, the Company entered into a 364-day, $350.0 million, term loan agreement (the 2020 Term Loan Agreement) by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent, which matured on October 15, 2021. At maturity, outstanding amounts under this agreement were fully repaid using borrowings under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility.
On November 2, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, the Company entered into a 364-day, $840.0 million, term loan agreement by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent, which matures on November 1, 2022. The Company used part of the funds to partially repay outstanding borrowings under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility and for general corporate purposes. See Note 15. Subsequent Events of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
The following is a summary of the maximum commitments and the net amounts available to us under different credit facilities as of October 31, 2021:
The 2020 Credit Agreement contains customary restrictive covenants, as well as financial covenants that require the Company to maintain a certain Total Leverage Ratio and Interest Coverage Ratio. As defined, in the 2020 Credit Agreement, we are required to maintain an Interest Coverage Ratio of at least 3.00 to 1.00, and a Total Leverage Ratio of no higher than 3.75 to 1.00. At October 31, 2021, we were in compliance with the Interest Coverage Ratio at 43.29 to 1.00 and the Total Leverage Ratio at 1.38 to 1.00. The Company, after considering the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, expects to remain in compliance with its financial maintenance covenant and meet its debt service obligations for at least the twelve months following the date of issuance of these financial statements.
See Note 5. Debt of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Considering recent market conditions and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic crisis, we have re-evaluated our operating cash flows and cash requirements and continue to believe that current cash, cash equivalents, future cash flow from operating activities and cash available under our 2020 Credit Agreement will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash needs, including working capital needs, capital expenditures and contractual obligations for at least 12 months from the issuance date of the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this quarterly report. To the extent additional funds are necessary to meet our liquidity needs such as that for acquisitions, share repurchases, cash dividends or other activities as we execute our business strategy, we anticipate that additional funds will be obtained through the incurrence of additional indebtedness, additional equity financings or a combination of these potential sources of funds; however, such financing may not be available on favorable terms, or at all.
Share Repurchases
In December 2011, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the 2012 Share Repurchase Program and through subsequent amendments, the most recent in March 2017, the total repurchase authorization was increased from $500.0 million to $1.0 billion of the Company's common stock. The program has no expiration date and may be discontinued at any time. Purchases under the 2012 Share Repurchase Program are subject to a review of the circumstances in place at the time and may be made from time to time as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements.
The Company's share repurchases during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2021 and 2020 are as follows:
At October 31, 2021, $334.8 million remained authorized for repurchase under the program.
Dividends
In fiscal 2021 and 2020, the Company paid a semiannual dividend of 3 cents per share: $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on February 9, 2021 to stockholders of record on January 22, 2021; $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on August 11, 2021 to stockholders of record on July 27, 2021; $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on February 10, 2020 to stockholders of record on January 23, 2020; $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on August 7, 2020 to stockholders of record on July 23, 2020.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS
As of October 31, 2021, we had the following contractual obligations and commercial commitments:
(1) As of October 31, 2021, we had $112.2 million of income tax liabilities related to the one-time transition tax that resulted from the enactment of the 2017 US Tax Act, which is payable in annual installments through fiscal 2026. The installment for fiscal 2021 is classified as a current income tax payable on our consolidated balance sheet.
We are unable to reliably estimate the timing of future payments related to uncertain tax positions and have excluded $39.2 million of long-term income taxes payable from the table above. See Note 6. Income Taxes of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
(2) Purchase obligations consist of agreements to purchase goods and services that are enforceable and legally binding and includes obligations for inventory, capital expenditures and other operating expense commitments.
(3) The expected future benefit payments for our Retirement Income Plan through 2031 are disclosed in Note 10. Employee Benefits of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Summary of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The non-GAAP financial measures that may be included in this MD&A and the reasons management believes they are useful to investors are described below. These measures should be considered supplemental in nature and are not intended to be a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these measures may not be the same as similarly named measures presented by other companies.
Free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. Management believes free cash flow is useful for investors as an additional measure of liquidity because it represents cash that is available to grow the business, make strategic acquisitions, repay debt, buyback common stock or fund the dividend. We use free cash flow internally to understand, manage, make operating decisions and evaluate our business. In addition, we use free cash flow to help plan and forecast future periods.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Constant currency is defined as excluding the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations. In order to assist with the assessment of how our underlying businesses performed, we compare the percentage change in net sales from one period to another, excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations. To present this information, current period revenue for entities reporting in currencies other than the United States dollar are converted into United States dollars at the average foreign exchange rates for the corresponding period in the prior year.
Accounting Pronouncements
Information regarding new accounting pronouncements is included in Note 1. Accounting Policies of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Estimates and Critical Accounting Policies
Management estimates and judgments are an integral part of financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. We believe that the critical accounting policies described in this section address the more significant estimates required of management when preparing the Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP. We consider an accounting estimate critical if changes in the estimate may have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. We believe that the accounting estimates employed are appropriate and resulting balances are reasonable; however, actual results could differ from the original estimates, requiring adjustment to these balances in future periods.
The World Health Organization categorized the COVID-19 as a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a severe global health crisis, along with economic and societal disruptions and uncertainties, which have negatively impacted business and healthcare activity globally. As a result of healthcare systems responding to the demands of managing the pandemic, governments around the world imposing measures designed to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and individuals responding to the concerns of contracting the COVID-19 virus, many optical practitioners and retailers, hospitals, medical offices and fertility clinics closed their facilities, restricted access, or delayed or canceled patient visits, exams and elective medical procedures, and many customers that have reopened are experiencing reduced patient visits. These factors have had, and in the future may have, an adverse effect on our sales, operating results and cash flows.
The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of net sales and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates particularly as it relates to estimates reliant on forecasts and other assumptions reasonably available to the Company and the uncertain future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions impact our business and financial results will depend on future developments including, but not limited to, the continued spread, duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; the occurrence, spread, duration and severity of any subsequent wave or waves of outbreaks, including the emergence and spread of variants of the COVID-19 virus; the actions taken by the U.S. and foreign governments to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, address its impact or respond to the reduction in global and local economic activity; the occurrence, duration and severity of a global, regional or national recession, depression or other sustained adverse market event; the impact of the developments described above on our customers and suppliers; and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. The accounting matters assessed included, but were not limited to:
•allowance for doubtful accounts and credit losses
•the carrying value of inventory
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
•the carrying value of goodwill and other long-lived assets
There was not a material impact to the above estimates in our Consolidated Financial Statements for fiscal 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continually monitor and evaluate the estimates used as additional information becomes available. Adjustments will be made to these provisions periodically to reflect new facts and circumstances that may indicate that historical experience may not be indicative of current and/or future results. Our future assessment of the magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other factors, could result in material changes to the estimates and material impacts to our Consolidated Financial Statements in future reporting periods.
Our critical accounting policies include:
•Revenue recognition - We recognize revenue from product sales when obligations under the terms of a contract with the customer are satisfied; generally, this occurs with the transfer of control of the goods to customers and/or when services are rendered. Our payment terms are typically between 30 to 120 days. Provisions for certain rebates, sales incentives, volume discounts, contractual pricing allowances and product returns are accounted for as variable consideration and recorded as a reduction in sales.
Product discounts, including certain rebates, sales incentives, and volume discounts are granted based on terms of the arrangement with direct distribution customers and at times the indirect end consumer. We evaluate contractual terms, historical experience, and perform internal analysis to estimate total product discounts at the time revenue is recognized. Our PARAGARD program is subject to Medicaid rebates, which are estimated at the time of sale based upon the difference between current retail pricing and contractual Medicaid pricing and an estimate of the number of units that will be sold to Medicaid patients, which is informed by historical trends of claim history.
Sales returns are estimated and recorded based on historical sales return data. Promotional programs, such as cooperative advertising arrangements, are recorded in the same period as related sales. Reasonably likely changes to assumptions used to calculate the accruals for rebates, sales incentives, volume discounts, contractual pricing allowances and product returns are not anticipated to have a material effect on the financial statements. We currently disclose the impact of changes to assumptions in the quarterly or annual filing in which there is a material financial statement impact.
•Valuation of goodwill - We evaluate goodwill for impairment annually during the fiscal third quarter and when an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is reasonably possible that impairment may exist. We account for goodwill, evaluate and test goodwill balances for impairment in accordance with related accounting standards. We test goodwill impairment in accordance with ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. We perform a qualitative assessment to test each reporting unit's goodwill for impairment. Qualitative factors considered in this assessment include industry and market considerations, overall financial performance and other relevant events and factors affecting each reporting unit. Based on our qualitative assessment, if we determine that the fair value of a reporting unit is more likely than not to be less than its carrying amount, the fair value of a reporting unit will be compared with its carrying amount and an impairment charge will be recognized for the amount that the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit. A reporting unit is the level of reporting at which goodwill is tested for impairment.
Goodwill impairment analysis and measurement is a process that requires significant judgment. If our common stock price trades below book value per share, there are changes in market conditions or a future downturn in our business, or a future goodwill impairment test indicates an impairment of our goodwill, we may have to recognize a non-cash impairment of goodwill that
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
could be material and could adversely affect our results of operations in the period recognized and also adversely affect our total assets and stockholders' equity.
•Business combinations - We routinely consummate business combinations. Results of operations for acquired companies are included in our consolidated results of operations from the date of acquisition. We recognize separately from goodwill, the identifiable assets acquired, including acquired in-process research and development, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at the acquisition date fair values as defined by accounting standards related to fair value measurements. Key assumptions routinely utilized in allocation of purchase price to intangible assets include projected financial information such as revenue projections for companies acquired. As of the acquisition date, goodwill is measured as the excess of consideration given, over the net of the acquisition date fair values of the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. Direct acquisition costs are expensed as incurred.
•Income taxes - We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, and for tax losses and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we must estimate our income tax expense for each of the jurisdictions in which we operate. This process requires significant management judgments and involves estimating our current tax exposures in each jurisdiction including the impact, if any, of additional taxes resulting from tax examinations as well as judging the recoverability of deferred tax assets. To the extent recovery of deferred tax assets is not likely based on our estimation of future taxable income in each jurisdiction, a valuation allowance is established. Tax exposures can involve complex issues and may require an extended period to resolve. Frequent changes in tax laws in each jurisdiction complicate future estimates. To determine the tax rate, we use the full-year income and the related income tax expense in each jurisdiction. We update the estimated effective tax rate for the effect of significant unusual items as they are identified. Changes in the geographic mix or estimated level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate, and such changes could be material.
We file income tax returns in all jurisdictions in which we operate. We record a liability for uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns that we have determined are not more-likely-than-not realizable. Our financial statements reflect expected future tax consequences of such positions presuming the taxing authorities' full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts. These tax reserves have been established based on management's assessment as to the potential exposure attributable to our uncertain tax positions as well as interest and penalties attributable to these uncertain tax positions. All tax reserves are analyzed quarterly and adjustments are made as events occur that result in changes in judgment.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Trademarks
Aquaform®, Avaira®, Avaira Vitality®, Biofinity®, Biofinity Energys®, MyDay®, MiSight®, ActivControl®, Proclear® and Biomedics® are registered trademarks of The Cooper Companies, Inc., its affiliates and/or subsidiaries. PC Technology™ and FIPS™ are trademarks of The Cooper Companies, Inc., its affiliates and/or subsidiaries. The clariti® mark is a registered trademark of The Cooper Companies, Inc., its affiliates and/or subsidiaries worldwide except in the United States where the use of clariti® is licensed. PARAGARD®, Mara® and Fetal Pillow® are registered trademarks of CooperSurgical, Inc.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk.
We are exposed to market risks that relate principally to changes in interest rates and foreign currency fluctuations. To the extent reasonable and practical, we may decide to reduce the risk of changing interest rates and foreign currency fluctuations on the underlying exposure by entering into interest rate swaps and foreign currency forward exchange contracts, respectively. We do not emphasize such transactions to the same degree as some other companies with international operations. We do not enter into derivative financial instrument transactions for speculative purposes.
We operate multiple foreign subsidiaries that manufacture and market our products worldwide. As a result, our earnings, cash flow and financial position are exposed to foreign currency risk from foreign currency denominated receivables and payables, sales transactions, capital expenditures and net investment in certain foreign operations. Most of our operations outside the United States have their local currency as their functional currency. We are exposed to risks caused by changes in foreign exchange, principally our British pound sterling, euro and Japanese yen denominated debt and receivables denominated in currencies other than the United States dollar, and from operations in other foreign currencies. Although we may enter into foreign exchange agreements with financial institutions to reduce our exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency values relative to our debt or receivables obligations, these hedging transactions do not eliminate that risk entirely. At October 31, 2021, a uniform hypothetical 5% increase or decrease in the foreign currency exchange rates in comparison to the United States dollar would have resulted in a corresponding increase or decrease in approximately $39.6 million in operating income for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021. For additional information, see Item 1A. Risk Factors - "Our substantial and expanding international operations are subject to uncertainties which could affect our operating results." and Note 1. Accounting Policies of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
We are also exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates, as the interest rates on our revolving lines of credit and term loans may vary with the federal funds rate and LIBOR. We may decrease this interest rate risk by hedging a portion of variable rate debt effectively converting it to fixed rate debt for varying periods.
On April 6, 2020, we entered into six interest rate swap contracts to hedge our exposure to changes in cash flows associated with our variable rate debt. The interest rate swap contracts became effective on April 6, 2020 and had maturities of seven years or less with a total notional amount of $1.5 billion. The outstanding contracts as of October 31, 2021 have a total notional amount of $1.0 billion. We believe that we are not significantly exposed to interest rate risk at this time.
We did not have any cross-currency swaps or foreign currency forward contracts as of October 31, 2021.
On November 2, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, the Company entered into a 364-day, $840.0 million, term loan agreement by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent which matures on November 1, 2022. The Company used part of the funds to partially repay outstanding borrowings under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility and for general corporate purposes. See Note 15. Subsequent Events of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
On October 16, 2020, we entered into a 364-day, $350.0 million, term loan agreement by and among us, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent, which matured on October 15, 2021. At maturity, outstanding amounts under this agreement were fully repaid using borrowings under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility.
On April 1, 2020, we entered into a Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement (the 2020 Credit Agreement), among us, CooperVision International Holding Company, LP, CooperSurgical Netherlands B.V., CooperVision Holding Kft. the lenders from time to time party thereto, and KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent. The 2020 Credit Agreement provides for (a) a multicurrency
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
revolving credit facility (the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility) in an aggregate principal amount of $1.29 billion and (b) a term loan facility (the 2020 Term Loan Facility) in an aggregate principal amount of $850.0 million, each of which, unless terminated earlier, mature on April 1, 2025. The 2020 Credit Agreement replaced our previous credit agreement and funds from the new term loan were used to repay the outstanding amounts under the previous credit agreement, to repay an outstanding term loan, and for general corporate purposes. At October 31, 2021, we had $742.6 million available under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility and $850.0 million outstanding under the 2020 Term Loan Facility. The interest rate on the 2020 Term Loan Facility was 0.96% at October 31, 2021.
See Note 5. Debt of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Our ultimate realized gain or loss with respect to interest rate fluctuations will depend on interest rates, the exposures that arise during the period and our hedging strategies at that time. If interest rates were to increase or decrease by 1% or 100 basis points, annual interest expense would increase or decrease by approximately $4.8 million based on average debt outstanding, after consideration of our interest rate swap contracts, for fiscal 2021. For further information about our debt, see Item 1A. Risk Factors - "We are vulnerable to interest rate risk with respect to our debt." and Note 1. Accounting Policies and Note 5. Debt of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Stockholders and Board of Directors
The Cooper Companies, Inc.:
Opinions on the Consolidated Financial Statements and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of The Cooper Companies, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of October 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended October 31, 2021, and the related notes and financial statement Schedule II (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of October 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended October 31, 2021, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2021 based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
Basis for Opinions
The Company’s management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of a critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Fair value of intangible assets used to recognize a deferred tax asset
As discussed in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company completed an intra-group transfer of certain intellectual property and related assets of the CooperVision business to a United Kingdom subsidiary during the year ended October 31, 2021. As a result of the transfer, the Company recognized a deferred tax asset of $1,987.9 million, with a corresponding income tax benefit, based on the fair value of the transferred intangible assets.
We identified the evaluation of the fair value of the transferred intangible assets used to recognize the deferred tax asset as a critical audit matter. A high degree of challenging auditor judgment was required to evaluate certain assumptions made by the Company in estimating the fair value of the intangible assets. These assumptions included the near-term revenue growth rates, discount rate, and operating margin assumptions.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls over the Company’s process to estimate the fair value of the intangible assets. This included controls related to the development of the near-term revenue growth rates, discount rate, and operating margin assumptions. We evaluated the reasonableness of the near-term revenue growth rates by comparing them to historical results and third-party analyst expectations for the industry. We involved valuation professionals with specialized skills and knowledge, who assisted in (1) evaluating the discount rate by comparing it to a discount rate range that was independently developed using publicly available market data for comparable companies in the industry, and (2) evaluating the operating margin assumptions by comparing them to margins earned by comparable companies in the industry.
/s/ KPMG LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1982.
San Francisco, California
December 10, 2021
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Consolidated Statements of Income
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Consolidated Balance Sheets
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1. Accounting Policies
General
The Cooper Companies, Inc. (Cooper, we or the Company) is a global medical device company publicly traded on the NYSE (NYSE:COO). Cooper operates through two business units, CooperVision and CooperSurgical.
•CooperVision primarily develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of soft contact lenses for the worldwide vision correction market.
•CooperSurgical primarily develops, manufactures, markets medical devices and procedures solutions, and provides services to improve health care delivery to women, babies and families.
Estimates
The World Health Organization categorized the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a severe global health crisis, along with economic and societal disruptions and uncertainties, which have negatively impacted business and healthcare activity globally. As a result of healthcare systems responding to the demands of managing the pandemic, governments around the world imposing measures designed to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and individuals responding to the concerns of contracting the COVID-19 virus, many optical practitioners & retailers, hospitals, medical offices and fertility clinics closed their facilities, restricted access, or delayed or canceled patient visits, exams and elective medical procedures, and many customers that have reopened are experiencing reduced patient visits. These factors have had, and in the future may have, an adverse effect on our sales, operating results and cash flows.
The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of net sales and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates particularly as it relates to estimates reliant on forecasts and other assumptions reasonably available to the Company and the uncertain future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions impact our business and financial results will depend on future developments including, but not limited to, the continued spread, duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; the occurrence, spread, duration and severity of any subsequent wave or waves of outbreaks, including the emergence and spread of variants of the COVID-19 virus; the actions taken by the U.S. and foreign governments to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, address its impact or respond to the reduction in global and local economic activity; the occurrence, duration and severity of a global, regional or national recession, depression or other sustained adverse market event; the impact of the developments described above on our customers and suppliers; and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. The accounting matters assessed included, but were not limited to:
•allowance for doubtful accounts and credit losses
•the carrying value of inventory
•the carrying value of goodwill and other long-lived assets
There was not a material impact to the above estimates in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for fiscal 2021. The Company continually monitors and evaluates the estimates used as additional information becomes available. Adjustments will be made to these provisions periodically to reflect new facts and circumstances that may indicate that historical experience may not be indicative of current and/or future results. The Company’s future assessment of the magnitude and duration of COVID-19, as well as other
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
factors, could result in material changes to the estimates and material impacts to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements in future reporting periods.
Significant Accounting Policies
Management's significant accounting policies include estimates and judgments which are an integral part of financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP). We believe that the accounting policies described in this section address the more significant policies utilized by management when preparing our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. We believe that the accounting policies and estimates employed are appropriate and resulting balances are reasonable; however, actual results could differ from the original estimates, requiring adjustment to these balances in future periods. The accounting policies that reflect our more significant estimates, judgments and assumptions and which we believe are the most important to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results are:
•Revenue recognition
Net Sales
The Company sells its products principally to a limited number of distributors, group purchasing organizations, eye care or health care professionals including independent practices, corporate retailers, hospitals and clinics or authorized resellers (collectively, its Customers). These Customers subsequently resell the Company’s products to eye care or health care providers and patients. In addition to product supply and distribution agreements with Customers, the Company enters into arrangements with health care providers and payors that provide for government-mandated and/or privately negotiated rebates, chargebacks and discounts with respect to the purchase of the Company’s products. The Company considers customer purchase orders, which in some cases are governed by master sales agreements, to be contracts with a customer. In situations where sales are to a distributor, the Company has concluded that its contracts are with the distributor. As part of its consideration of the contract, the Company evaluates certain factors including the customer’s ability to pay (or credit risk). For each contract, the Company considers the promise to transfer products, each of which is distinct, to be the identified performance obligations.
Revenues from product sales are recognized when the Customer obtains control of the Company’s product, which occurs at a point in time, typically upon shipment or delivery to the Customer. When the Company performs shipping and handling activities after the transfer of control to the Customer (e.g., when control transfers prior to delivery), they are considered as fulfillment activities, and accordingly, the costs are accrued for when the related revenue is recognized. Taxes collected from Customers relating to product sales and remitted to governmental authorities are excluded from revenues. The Company does not have any revenue recognized on payment expected to be received more than one year after the transfer of control of the products. The Company expenses incremental costs of obtaining a contract as and when incurred if the expected amortization period of the asset that the Company would have recognized is one year or less. See Note 13. Business Segment Information for disaggregation of revenue.
Reserves for Variable Consideration
Revenues from product sales are recorded at the net sales price (transaction price), which includes estimates of variable consideration for which reserves are established and which result from discounts, returns, chargebacks, rebates and other allowances that are offered within contracts between the Company and its Customers, health care providers, payors and other indirect customers relating to the Company’s sales of its products. These reserves are based on the amounts earned or to be claimed on the related sales and are classified primarily in current liabilities. Variable consideration is estimated based on the most likely amount or expected value approach, depending on which method the
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Company expects to better predict the amount of consideration to which it will be entitled. Once the Company elects one of the methods to estimate variable consideration for a particular type of performance obligation, the Company applies that method consistently.
Where appropriate, these estimates take into consideration a range of possible outcomes which are probability-weighted for relevant factors such as the Company’s historical experience, current contractual and statutory requirements, specific known market events and trends, industry data and forecasted customer buying and payment patterns. Overall, these reserves reflect the Company’s best estimates of the amount of consideration to which it is entitled based on the terms of the contract. Actual amounts of consideration ultimately received may differ from the Company’s estimates. If actual results in the future vary from the Company’s estimates, the Company adjusts these estimates, which would affect net product revenue and earnings in the period such variances become known.
Trade Discounts and Allowances
The Company generally provides Customers with discounts, which include incentive fees that are stated in the Company’s contracts and are recorded as a reduction of revenue in the period the related product revenue is recognized. In addition, the Company receives sales order management, data and distribution services from certain Customers. To the extent the services received are distinct from the Company’s sale of products to the Customer and have readily determinable fair value, these payments are classified in selling, general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Income.
Product Returns
Consistent with industry practice, the Company generally offers Customers a limited right of return for a product that has been purchased from the Company. The Company estimates the amount of its product sales that may be returned by its Customers and records this estimate as a reduction of revenue in the period the related product revenue is recognized. There is inherent judgment in estimating future refunds as they are susceptible to factors outside of our influence. However, we have significant experience in estimating the amount of refunds, based primarily on historical data. Our refund liability for product returns was $13.7 million and $10.0 million at October 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, which is included in Accrued Liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets and represents the expected value of the aggregate refunds that will be due to our customers.
Rebates and Chargebacks
Rebates are estimated based on contractual terms, historical experience, customer mix, trend analysis and projected market conditions in the various markets served.
Chargebacks for fees and discounts to providers represent the estimated obligations resulting from contractual commitments to sell products to qualified healthcare providers at prices lower than the list wholesale prices charged to the Company’s direct customers. For certain office and surgical products in CooperSurgical, customers charge the Company for the difference between what they pay for the product and the ultimate selling price to the qualified healthcare providers. These reserves are established in the same period that the related revenue is recognized, resulting in a reduction of product revenue. Chargeback amounts are generally determined at the time of resale to the qualified healthcare provider by customers. CooperSurgical rebates are predominately related to the Medicaid rebate provision that is estimated based upon contractual terms, historical experience, and trend analysis.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Contract balances
The timing of billing and revenue recognition primarily occurs simultaneously. The Company does not have material contract assets or liabilities.
•Leases - We consider an arrangement a lease if the arrangement transfers the right to control the use of an identified asset in exchange for consideration. We have operating leases, but do not have material financing leases. Lease right-of-use assets represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make payments arising from the lease agreement. These assets and liabilities are recognized at the commencement of the lease based upon the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term. The lease term reflects the noncancellable period of the lease together with periods covered by an option to extend or terminate the lease when management is reasonably certain that it will exercise such option. Changes in the lease term assumption could impact the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As our leases typically do not contain a readily determinable implicit rate, we determine the present value of the lease liability using our incremental borrowing rate at the lease commencement date based on the lease term on a collateralized basis.
•Net realizable value of inventory - In assessing the value of inventories, we make estimates and judgments regarding aging of inventories and other relevant issues potentially affecting the salable condition of products and estimated prices at which those products will sell. On an ongoing basis, we review the carrying value of our inventory, measuring number of months on hand and other indications of salability. We reduce the value of inventory if there are indications that the carrying value is greater than net realizable value, resulting in a new, lower-cost basis for that inventory. Subsequent changes in facts and circumstances do not result in the restoration or increase in that newly established cost basis. While estimates are involved, historically, obsolescence has not been a significant factor due to long product dating and lengthy product life cycles.
•Valuation of goodwill - We evaluate goodwill for impairment annually during the fiscal third quarter and when an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is reasonably possible that impairment may exist. We account for goodwill and evaluate our goodwill balances and test them for impairment in accordance with related accounting standards. We performed our annual impairment test in our third quarter of fiscal 2021 and 2020, and our analysis indicated that we had no impairment of goodwill in our reporting units.
Goodwill impairment analysis and measurement is a process that requires significant judgment. If our common stock price trades below book value per share, there are changes in market conditions or a future downturn in our business, or a future goodwill impairment test indicates an impairment of our goodwill, we may have to recognize a non-cash impairment of goodwill that could be material and could adversely affect our results of operations in the period recognized and also adversely affect our total assets and stockholders' equity.
We test goodwill impairment in accordance with ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. We perform a qualitative assessment to test each reporting unit's goodwill for impairment. Qualitative factors considered in this assessment include industry and market considerations, overall financial performance and other relevant events and factors affecting each reporting unit. Based on our qualitative assessment, if we determine that the fair value of a reporting unit is more likely than not to be less than its carrying amount, the fair value of a reporting unit will be compared with its carrying amount and an impairment charge will be recognized for the amount that the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit. A reporting unit is the level of reporting at which goodwill is tested for impairment.
•Business combinations - We routinely consummate business combinations. Results of operations for acquired companies are included in our consolidated results of operations from the date of acquisition.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
We recognize separately from goodwill, the identifiable assets acquired, including acquired in-process research and development, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at the acquisition date fair values as defined by accounting standards related to fair value measurements. Key assumptions routinely utilized in allocation of purchase price to intangible assets include projected financial information such as revenue projections for companies acquired. As of the acquisition date, goodwill is measured as the excess of consideration given, over the net of the acquisition date fair values of the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. Direct acquisition costs are expensed as incurred.
•Income taxes - We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, and for tax losses and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
As part of the process of preparing our consolidated financial statements, we must estimate our income tax expense for each of the jurisdictions in which we operate. This process requires significant management judgments and involves estimating our current tax exposures in each jurisdiction including the impact, if any, of additional taxes resulting from tax examinations as well as judging the recoverability of deferred tax assets. To the extent recovery of deferred tax assets is not likely based on our estimation of future taxable income in each jurisdiction, a valuation allowance is established. Tax exposures can involve complex issues and may require an extended period to resolve. Frequent changes in tax laws in each jurisdiction complicate future estimates. To determine the tax rate, we use the full-year income and the related income tax expense in each jurisdiction. We update the estimated effective tax rate for the effect of significant unusual items as they are identified. Changes in the geographic mix or estimated level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate, and such changes could be material.
We file income tax returns in all jurisdictions in which we operate. We record a liability for uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns that we have determined are not more-likely-than-not realizable. Our financial statements reflect expected future tax consequences of such positions presuming the taxing authorities' full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts. These tax reserves have been established based on management's assessment as to the potential exposure attributable to our uncertain tax positions as well as interest and penalties attributable to these uncertain tax positions. All tax reserves are analyzed quarterly and adjustments are made as events occur that result in changes in judgment.
•Share-Based Compensation - We grant various share-based compensation awards, including stock options, performance unit shares, restricted stock and restricted stock units. Under fair value recognition provisions, share-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense over the vesting period. Determining the fair value of share-based awards at the grant date requires judgment, including estimating Cooper's stock price volatility, employee exercise behaviors and related employee forfeiture rates.
The expected life of the share-based awards is based on the observed and expected time to post-vesting forfeiture and/or exercise. Groups of employees that have similar historical exercise behavior are considered separately for valuation purposes. In determining the expected volatility, management considers implied volatility from publicly-traded options on Cooper's common stock at the date of grant, historical volatility and other factors. The risk-free interest rate is based on the continuous rates
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
provided by the United States Treasury with a term equal to the expected life of the award. The dividend yield is based on the projected annual dividend payment per share, divided by the stock price at the date of grant.
As share-based compensation expense recognized in our Consolidated Statements of Income is based on awards ultimately expected to vest, the amount of expense has been reduced for estimated forfeitures. Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant, based on historical experience, and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.
If factors change and we employ different assumptions in the application of the fair value recognition provisions, the compensation expense that we record in future periods may differ significantly from what we have recorded in the current period.
Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted
In January 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2020-01, Investments-Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)-Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. This guidance addresses accounting for the transition into and out of the equity method and provides clarification of the interaction of rules for equity securities, the equity method of accounting, and forward contracts and purchase options on certain types of securities. This standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company early adopted this guidance in the second quarter of fiscal 2021, and it did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and subsequent amendments to the initial guidance: ASU 2018-19 Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, ASU 2019-04 Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments, ASU 2019-05 Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, ASU 2019-11 Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, ASU 2020-02 Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842) and ASU 2020-03 Codification Improvements to Financial Instruments (collectively, “Topic 326”). Topic 326 requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held. Topic 326 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 on a modified retrospective basis, and the most notable impact was related to the assessment of the adequacy of its allowance for doubtful accounts on trade accounts receivable and the recognition of credit losses. The Company recorded a cumulative-effect adjustment of $1.4 million to the Consolidated Balance Sheets on November 1, 2020.
In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606. This guidance amended Topic 808 and Topic 606 to clarify that transactions in a collaborative arrangement should be accounted for under Topic 606 when the counterparty is a customer for a distinct good or service (i.e., unit of account). The amendments preclude an entity from presenting consideration from a transaction in a collaborative arrangement as revenue from contracts with customers if the counterparty is not a customer for that transaction. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company adopted this guidance on November 1, 2020, and it did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Accounting Pronouncements Issued Not Yet Adopted
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Income Taxes. This guidance removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and enhances and simplifies various aspects of the income tax accounting guidance, including requirements such as tax basis step-up in goodwill obtained in a transaction that is not a business combination, ownership changes in investments, and interim-period accounting for enacted changes in tax law. This standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2019-12 on our Consolidated Financial Statements, which is effective for the Company in our fiscal year and interim periods beginning on November 1, 2021.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting and subsequent amendment to the initial guidance: ASU 2021-01, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Scope (collectively, “Topic 848”). Topic 848 provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The guidance generally can be applied from March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. We are currently assessing the impacts of the practical expedients provided in Topic 848 and which, if any, we will adopt.
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt-Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging-Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40). This update amends the guidance on convertible instruments and the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity's own equity and improves and amends the related EPS guidance for both Subtopics. This standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, which means it will be effective for our fiscal year beginning November 1, 2022. Early adoption is permitted but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2020-06 on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers. This update requires that an acquirer recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 and should be applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the effective date of the standard. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2021-08 on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance. This update requires annual disclosures about transactions with a government that are accounted for by applying a grant or contribution accounting model by analogy. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 and should be applied either prospectively or retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2021-10 on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
No other recently issued accounting pronouncements had or are expected to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Consolidation
The financial statements in this report include the accounts of all of Cooper's consolidated entities. All significant intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated on consolidation.
Foreign Currency Translation
Most of our operations outside the United States use their local currency as their functional currency. We translate these assets and liabilities into United States dollars at year-end exchange rates. We translate income
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
and expense accounts at average rates for each month. We record gains and losses from the translation of financial statements in foreign currencies into United States dollars in other comprehensive income. We record gains and losses from changes in exchange rates on transactions denominated in currencies other than each reporting location's functional currency in net income for each period. We recorded in other expense and income a net foreign exchange loss of $5.5 million for fiscal 2021, $1.2 million for fiscal 2020 and $2.2 million for fiscal 2019.
Litigation
We are subject to various legal proceedings, claims, litigation, investigations and contingencies arising out of the ordinary course of business. If we believe the likelihood of an adverse legal outcome is probable and the amount is estimable, we accrue a liability in accordance with accounting guidance for contingencies. We consult with legal counsel on matters related to litigation and seek input both within and outside the Company.
Long-lived Assets
We review long-lived assets held and used, intangible assets with finite useful lives and assets held for sale for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If an evaluation of recoverability is required, the estimated undiscounted future cash flows associated with the asset group are compared to the asset group's carrying amount to determine if a write-down is required. If the undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount, an impairment loss is recorded to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds the fair value. If management has committed to a plan to dispose of long-lived assets, the assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less estimated costs to sell.
CooperVision provides optometric practices with in-office lenses used in marketing programs to facilitate efficient and convenient fitting of contact lenses by practitioners. Such lens fitting sets generally consist of a physical binder or rack to store contact lenses and an array of lenses. We record the costs associated with the original fitting set to other long-term assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We amortize such costs over their estimated useful lives to selling, general and administrative expense on our Consolidated Statements of Income. We also expense the cost for lenses provided to practitioners as replenishment for fitting sets in the period shipped to selling, general and administrative expense on our Consolidated Statements of Income.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all short-term, highly liquid investments purchased with maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. These investments are carried at cost, which approximates fair value.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is computed using standard cost that approximates actual cost, on a first-in, first-out basis.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. We compute depreciation using the straight-line method in amounts sufficient to write off depreciable assets over their estimated useful lives. We amortize leasehold improvements over their estimated useful lives or the period of the related lease, whichever is shorter. We depreciate buildings over 30 to 40 years and machinery and equipment over 3 to 15 years.
We expense costs for maintenance and repairs and capitalize major replacements, renewals and improvements. We eliminate the cost and accumulated depreciation of depreciable assets retired or otherwise disposed of from the asset and accumulated depreciation accounts and reflect any gains or losses in operations for the period. We had capitalized interest included in construction in progress of $7.8 million and $5.3 million for the years ended October 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Earnings Per Share
We determine basic earnings per share (EPS) by using the weighted average number of shares outstanding. We determine diluted EPS by increasing the weighted average number of shares outstanding in the denominator by the number of outstanding dilutive equity awards using the treasury stock method.
Treasury Stock
We record treasury stock purchases under the cost method whereby the entire cost of the acquired stock is recorded as treasury stock. At October 31, 2021 and 2020, the number of shares in treasury was approximately 4.4 million and 4.3 million, respectively. The Company purchased 70 thousand shares during the year ended October 31, 2021 and 161 thousand shares during the year ended October 31, 2020. See Note 8. Stockholders' Equity for additional information on the share repurchase program.
Note 2. Leases
The Company primarily has operating leases for office, manufacturing and warehouse space, vehicles, and office equipment. The Company's leases expire on various dates between 2022 and 2045, some of which could include options to extend the lease.
Lease right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As these leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the lease's commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company considers information including, but not limited to, the lease term, its credit rating and interest rates of similar debt instruments with comparable credit ratings and security interests. The lease right-of-use assets are increased by any lease prepayments made and reduced by any lease incentives such as tenant improvement allowances. Options to extend the lease term are included in the lease term when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise the extension option.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The Company’s operating leases typically include non-lease components such as common-area maintenance costs. The Company has elected to include non-lease components with lease payments for the purpose of calculating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities, to the extent that they are fixed. Non-lease components that are not fixed are expensed as incurred as variable lease payments.
Leases with a term of one year or less are not recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, while the associated lease payments are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Commitments under finance lease arrangements of $2.0 million and $2.4 million as of October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020, respectively, are not significant and are not included in the disclosure tables below.
The following table presents information about leases on the Consolidated Balance Sheets:
The following table presents information about lease expense, which is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Income:
ASC 840 Comparative Disclosures
Prior to fiscal 2020, we accounted for our leases in accordance with ASC 840, Leases. Under ASC 840, rental expense for operating leases was $45.3 million for fiscal 2019.
Supplemental Cash Flow Information
The following table presents supplemental cash flow information about the Company’s leases:
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Maturity of Lease Liabilities
The minimum rental payments required under operating leases that have initial or remaining noncancellable lease terms in excess of one year as of October 31, 2021 are:
Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale
The following is a summary of the allocation of the total purchase consideration for business and asset acquisitions that the Company completed during fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019:
All acquisitions were funded by cash generated from operations or facility borrowings.
For business acquisitions, the Company recorded tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their fair values as of the applicable date of acquisition. For asset acquisitions, the Company recorded tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their estimated and relative fair values as of the applicable date of acquisition.
The Company believes these acquisitions strengthen CooperSurgical's and CooperVision's businesses through the addition of new distributors or complementary products and services.
Fiscal Year 2021
On May 3, 2021, CooperSurgical completed the acquisition of a privately-held medical device company that develops single-use illuminating medical devices. The purchase price allocation is preliminary, and the Company is in the process of finalizing information primarily related to the valuation of intangible assets and inventory, the associated deferred tax adjustments and the corresponding impact on goodwill.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
On April 26, 2021, CooperVision completed the acquisition of a privately-held UK contact lens manufacturer focusing on specialty contact lenses. This acquisition expands CooperVision’s specialty eye care portfolio and accelerates its development of myopia management solutions in the UK.
On March 1, 2021, CooperSurgical completed the acquisition of a privately-held medical device company that designed and developed an innovative obstetric product for use in urgent obstetrics to reduce risks associated with childbirth. The purchase price allocation is preliminary, and the Company is in the process of finalizing information primarily related to the valuation of intangible assets, the associated deferred tax adjustments and the corresponding impact on goodwill.
On February 1, 2021, CooperSurgical acquired all of the remaining equity interests of a privately-held medical device company that developed the Mara® Water Vapor Ablation System, which is used for endometrial ablation. The Company accounted for this acquisition as an asset acquisition, whereby the Company allocated the total cost of the acquisition to the net assets acquired on the basis of their estimated relative fair values on the acquisition date with no goodwill recognized. The primary asset acquired in this asset acquisition is Technology.
On January 19, 2021, CooperVision acquired all of the remaining equity interests of a privately-held medical device company that develops spectacle lenses for myopia management. The fair value remeasurement of our previous equity investment immediately before the acquisition resulted in a gain of $11.5 million, which was recorded in other income. The terms of the acquisition include upfront cash consideration paid at closing of approximately $40.9 million attributable to the equity interests not held by the Company on the closing date. The transaction also includes potential payments of future consideration that are contingent upon the achievement of the regulatory approval milestone (the regulatory approval payment) and the acquired business reaching certain revenue thresholds over a specified period (the revenue payments). The undiscounted range of the contingent consideration is zero to $139.1 million payable to the other former equity interest owners.
The estimated fair value of the contingent consideration on the acquisition date was approximately $37.9 million, and, accordingly, the Company recorded a liability of approximately $30.2 million, which represents the fair value of the contingent consideration payable to the other former equity interest owners. The fair value of the regulatory approval payment was determined using an option pricing framework based on the expected payment under the contractual terms and the estimates of the probability of achieving the regulatory approval. The fair value of the revenue payments was determined using a Monte Carlo simulation based on the revenue projections and the expected payment for each simulation.
As of October 31, 2021, no contingent consideration has been paid. The Company remeasured the fair value of the contingent consideration at each reporting period. In fiscal 2021, a $56.8 million expense was recognized in selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income, resulting from the increase in fair value of the contingent consideration. This was primarily driven by increases in revenue projections, which increased the estimated fair value of the revenue payments.
On December 31, 2020, CooperSurgical completed the acquisition of a privately-held in vitro fertilization (IVF) cryo-storage software solutions company.
The pro forma results of operations of these acquisitions have not been presented because the effect of the business combinations described above was not material to the consolidated results of operations.
Subsequent Events
On November 6, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, CooperSurgical entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) to acquire Generate Life Sciences, a privately held leading provider of donor egg and sperm for fertility treatments, fertility cryopreservation services and newborn stem cell (cord blood and cord tissue) storage. The aggregate consideration is $1.605 billion in cash,
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
subject to adjustment as set forth in the Merger Agreement. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.
See Note 15. Subsequent Events for more details.
Fiscal Year 2020
On August 7, 2020, CooperVision completed the acquisition of a privately-held U.S contact lens manufacturer focusing on ortho-k lenses. This acquisition expands CooperVision’s specialty eye care portfolio and its leadership in addressing the increasing severity and prevalence of myopia.
On December 13, 2019, CooperSurgical completed the acquisition of a privately-held distributor of in vitro fertilization (IVF) medical devices and systems.
The pro forma results of operations of these acquisitions have not been presented because the effect of the business combinations described above was not material to the consolidated results of operations.
Fiscal Year 2019
On December 31, 2018, CooperSurgical completed the acquisition of a privately-held U.S. medical device company that develops mechanical surgical solutions for skin closure.
On December 28, 2018, CooperVision completed the acquisition of a privately-held scleral lens company, which expands CooperVision's specialty and scleral lens portfolio.
The pro forma results of operations of these acquisitions have not been presented because the effect of the business combinations described above was not material to the consolidated results of operations.
Contingent Consideration
Certain of the Company’s business combinations involve potential payments of future consideration that are contingent upon the achievement of regulatory milestones and/or the acquired business reaching certain revenue thresholds. A liability is recorded for the estimated fair value of the contingent consideration on the acquisition date. The fair value of the contingent consideration is remeasured at each reporting period, and the change in fair value is recognized in selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
The following table provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of contingent consideration:
Assets Held for Sale
On February 2, 2021, CooperVision entered into a stock purchase agreement to sell 50% of the equity interest in a wholly-owned subsidiary that was acquired by CooperVision on January 19, 2021. The closing of this transaction is subject to certain closing conditions including required regulatory approvals. The Company
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
intends to operate the previously wholly-owned subsidiary as a joint venture with the purchaser of the 50% interest once the transaction is closed.
The Company concluded the substantive terms of the joint venture during the third quarter of fiscal 2021, and the assets and liabilities of this disposal group were reclassified as held for sale as of July 31, 2021. On August 1, 2021, CooperVision entered into a stockholders agreement, which outlines the terms regarding the operation and management of the joint venture. As of October 31, 2021, the Company was in the process of finalizing the joint venture related ancillary agreements, and the disposal group continues to be classified as held for sale as of October 31, 2021.
Pursuant to ASC 360, assets held for sale were measured at the lower of their carrying amounts or fair value less cost to sell. The Company did not record any impairment in fiscal 2021. The Company has determined that this disposal did not qualify as a discontinued operation as the sale was deemed to not be a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on the Company's operations and financial results.
Included in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets as of October 31,2021 are the following carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities held for sale:
Note 4. Intangible Assets
Goodwill
Of the October 31, 2021 goodwill balance, $137.2 million for CooperSurgical and $24.6 million for CooperVision is expected to be deductible for tax purposes. Of the October 31, 2020 goodwill balance, $134.2 million for CooperSurgical and $26.9 million for CooperVision was expected to be deductible for tax purposes.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The Company evaluates goodwill for impairment annually during the fiscal third quarter and when an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is reasonably possible that impairment may exist. The Company accounts for goodwill, evaluates and tests goodwill balances for impairment in accordance with related accounting standards.
The Company performed an annual impairment assessment in the third quarter of fiscal 2021 and 2020, and its analysis indicated that there was no impairment of goodwill in its reporting units. Qualitative factors considered in the assessment include industry and market considerations, overall financial performance and other relevant events and factors affecting each reporting unit. Based on the Company's qualitative assessment, if the Company determines that the fair value of a reporting unit is more likely than not to be less than its carrying amount, the fair value of a reporting unit will be compared with its carrying amount and an impairment charge will be recognized for the amount that the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit. A reporting unit is the level of reporting at which goodwill is tested for impairment. The Company has three reporting units: CooperVision and within the CooperSurgical segment, Office/Surgical and Fertility, reflecting the current way the Company manages its business.
Goodwill impairment analysis and measurement is a process that requires significant judgment. If the Company's common stock price trades below book value per share, there are changes in market conditions or a future downturn in its business, or a future goodwill impairment test indicates an impairment of its goodwill, the Company may have to recognize a non-cash impairment of goodwill that could be material and could adversely affect the Company's results of operations in the period recognized and also adversely affect its total assets and stockholders' equity.
Other Intangible Assets
(1) Intangible assets with indefinite lives include technology and trademarks.
Balances include foreign currency translation adjustments.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Intangible assets with definite lives are amortized over the estimated useful life of the assets. As of October 31, 2021, the estimate of future amortization expenses for intangible assets with definite lives is as follows:
The Company assesses definite-lived intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a definite-lived intangible asset (asset group) may not be recoverable. When events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a definite-lived intangible asset may not be recoverable, in accordance with related accounting standards, the Company evaluates whether the definite-lived intangible asset is impaired by comparing its carrying value to its undiscounted future cash flows. The Company assesses indefinite-lived intangible assets annually in the third quarter of the fiscal year, or whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an indefinite-lived intangible asset (asset group) may not be recoverable. The Company evaluates whether the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired by comparing its carrying value to its fair value.
If the carrying value of a definite-lived or indefinite-lived intangible asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized based on the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value. The inputs used in the fair value analysis fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy due to the use of significant unobservable inputs to determine fair value. The Company performs impairment tests using an income approach, more specifically a relief from royalty method. In the development of the forecasted cash flows, the Company applies significant management judgment to determine key assumptions, including revenue growth and operating margin growth, royalty rates and discount rates assumptions. Revenue and operating margin growth assumptions are based on historical trends and management’s expectations for future growth. Royalty rates used are consistent with those assumed for the original purchase accounting valuation. The discount rates were based on a weighted-average cost of capital utilizing industry market data of similar companies, in addition to estimated returns on the assets utilized in the operations of the applicable reporting unit, including net working capital, fixed assets and intangible assets. Other assumptions are consistent with those applied to goodwill impairment testing.
Given the general deterioration in economic and market conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company considered the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on its near and long-term forecasts and determined that it was not more likely than not that the fair value of reporting units or relevant asset groups was below carrying amounts, and therefore the Company determined that there was no impairment to either its goodwill, definite-lived or indefinite-lived intangible assets during fiscal 2021.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 5. Debt
Fiscal year maturities of long-term debt as of October 31, 2021, are as follows:
Term Loan Agreement on November 2, 2021
On November 2, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, the Company entered into a 364-day, $840.0 million, term loan agreement by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent, which matures on November 1, 2022. The Company used part of the funds to partially repay outstanding borrowings under the 2020 Revolver Credit Facility and for general corporate purposes. See Note 15. Subsequent Events for additional information.
Term Loan Agreement on October 16, 2020
On October 16, 2020, the Company entered into a 364-day, $350.0 million, term loan agreement by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent, which matured on October 15, 2021. At maturity, outstanding amounts under this agreement were fully repaid using borrowings under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility.
Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement on April 1, 2020
On April 1, 2020, the Company entered into a Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement (the 2020 Credit Agreement), among the Company, CooperVision International Holding Company, LP, CooperSurgical Netherlands B.V., CooperVision Holding Kft. the lenders from time to time party thereto, and KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent. The 2020 Credit Agreement provides for (a) a multicurrency revolving credit facility (the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility) in an aggregate principal amount of $1.29 billion and (b) a term loan facility (the 2020 Term Loan Facility) in an aggregate principal amount of $850.0 million,
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
each of which, unless terminated earlier, mature on April 1, 2025. In addition, the Company has the ability from time to time to request an increase to the size of the revolving credit facility or establish one or more new term loans under the term loan facility in an aggregate amount up to $1.605 billion, subject to the discretionary participation of the lenders.
Amounts outstanding under the 2020 Credit Agreement will bear interest, at the Company’s option, at either the base rate, or the adjusted LIBO rate or adjusted foreign currency rate, plus, in each case, an applicable rate of between 0.00% and 0.50% in respect of base rate loans, and between 0.75% and 1.50% in respect of adjusted LIBO rate or adjusted foreign currency rate loans, in each case in accordance with a pricing grid tied to the Total Leverage Ratio, as defined in the 2020 Credit Agreement. During the term of the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility, the Borrowers may borrow, repay and re-borrow amounts available under the Revolving Credit Facility, subject to voluntary reduction of the revolving commitment.
The Company pays an annual commitment fee that ranges from 0.10% to 0.20% of the unused portion of the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility based upon the Company’s Total Leverage Ratio, as defined in the 2020 Credit Agreement. In addition to the annual commitment fee, the Company is also required to pay certain letter of credit and related fronting fees and other administrative fees pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Credit Agreement.
On April 1, 2020, the Company borrowed $850.0 million under the 2020 Term Loan Facility and $445.0 million under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility and used the proceeds to fully repay all borrowings outstanding under a previously existing term loan agreement and transfer all letters of credit and borrowings outstanding under a previously existing credit agreement to the 2020 Credit Agreement, as further described below.
On October 30, 2020, the Company entered into Amendment No. 1 to the 2020 Credit Agreement (the First Amendment to the 2020 Credit Agreement). The First Amendment to the 2020 Credit Agreement modifies the 2020 Credit Agreement by, among other things, adding CooperVision International Limited as a revolving borrower and releasing certain borrowers in the 2020 Credit Agreement.
At October 31, 2021, the Company had $850.0 million outstanding under the 2020 Term Loan Facility and $546.1 million outstanding under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility. The interest rate on the 2020 Term Loan Facility was 0.96% at October 31, 2021. The interest rate on the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility was 0.96% at October 31, 2021. In fiscal 2021, the Company expensed $0.1 million related to the debt issuance costs of the 2020 Term Loan Facility.
The 2020 Credit Agreement contains customary restrictive covenants, as well as financial covenants that require the Company to maintain a certain Total Leverage Ratio and Interest Coverage Ratio, each as defined in the 2020 Credit Agreement:
•Interest Coverage Ratio, as defined, to be at least 3.00 to 1.00 at all times.
•Total Leverage Ratio, as defined, to be no higher than 3.75 to 1.00.
At October 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with the Interest Coverage Ratio at 43.29 to 1.00 and the Total Leverage Ratio at 1.38 to 1.00 for 2020 Credit Agreement. The Company, after considering the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, expects to remain in compliance with its financial maintenance covenant and meet its debt service obligations for at least the twelve months following the date of issuance of these financial statements.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The following is a summary of the maximum commitments and the net amounts available to the Company under the credit facilities discussed above as of October 31, 2021:
European Credit Facilities
The Company maintains European credit facilities in the form of continuing and unconditional guarantees. The aggregate facility limit was $35.8 million and $25.8 million at October 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company will pay all forms of indebtedness in the currency in which it is denominated for those certain subsidiaries. Interest expense is calculated on all outstanding balances based on an applicable base rate for each country plus a fixed spread common across most subsidiaries covered under the guaranty. At October 31, 2021, $5.4 million of the facilities was utilized. The weighted average interest rate on the outstanding balances was 0.57%.
Asian Pacific Credit Facilities
The Company maintains Yen-denominated credit facilities in Japan supported by continuing and unconditional guarantees. The aggregate facility limit was $95.0 million and $76.6 million at October 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company will pay all forms of indebtedness in Yen upon demand. Interest expense is calculated on the outstanding balance based on the base rate or TIBOR plus a fixed spread. At October 31, 2021, $77.7 million of the combined facilities was utilized. The weighted average interest rate on the outstanding balances was 0.42%.
The Company maintains credit facilities for certain of our Asia Pacific subsidiaries. Each facility is supported by a continuing and unconditional guaranty. The aggregate facility limit was $9.9 million and $11.2 million at October 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company will pay all forms of indebtedness, for each facility, in the currency in which it is denominated for those certain subsidiaries. Interest expense is calculated on all outstanding balances based on an applicable base rate for each country plus a fixed spread across all subsidiaries covered under each guaranty. At October 31, 2021, $0.4 million of the facilities was utilized. The weighted average interest rate on the outstanding balances was 2.54%.
Letters of Credit
The Company maintain letters of credit throughout the world with various financial institutions that primarily serve as guarantee notes on certain debt obligations. The aggregate outstanding amount of letters of credit at October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020 was $4.9 million and $4.5 million, respectively.
Note 6. Income Taxes
Effective Tax Rate
The effective tax rates for fiscal 2021 and 2020 were (499.1)% and 10.6%, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to an intra-group transfer of intellectual property, as discussed below, and remeasurement of the related deferred tax assets caused by the UK enactment of a 25% corporate tax rate. The effective tax rate otherwise increased due to changes in the geographical composition of pre-tax earnings, partially offset by changes in foreign earnings subject to US tax.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The effective tax rate for fiscal 2021 was lower than the US federal statutory tax rate primarily due to the intra-group transfer, the remeasurement of deferred tax assets, and earnings in foreign jurisdictions with lower tax rates partially offset by foreign earnings subject to US tax. The effective tax rate for fiscal 2020 was lower than the US federal statutory rate primarily due to foreign earnings in jurisdictions with lower tax rates partially offset by foreign earnings subject to US tax.
In November 2020, the Company completed an intra-group transfer of certain intellectual property and related assets of the CooperVision business to a UK subsidiary as part of a group restructuring to establish headquarters operations in the UK. Determining fair value involved significant judgment related to future revenue growth, operating margins and discount rates. Income before income taxes resulting from this transfer is eliminated upon consolidation. The transfer resulted in a step-up of the UK tax-deductible basis in the intellectual property and goodwill, creating a temporary difference between the book basis and the tax basis of these assets. As a result, the Company recognized a deferred tax asset of $1,987.9 million, with a corresponding income tax benefit, during the three months ended January 31, 2021.
Components of income before income taxes:
Components of provision for income taxes:
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Reconciliation between the expected provision for income taxes at the US federal statutory rate and the provision for income taxes:
Components of deferred tax assets and liabilities:
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company analyzes whether some or all deferred tax assets will not be realized. This analysis considers historical taxable income, the projected reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected taxable income and tax planning strategies. Based upon this analysis, it is more likely than not the deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance, will be realized. The increase in valuation allowance is primarily due to foreign tax credits.
At October 31, 2021, we had federal net operating loss carryforwards of $63.7 million, state net operating loss carryforwards of $19.7 million, and $1.0 million of California research credit carryforwards. Federal net operating loss carryforwards of $47.5 million expire on various dates between 2025 and 2037 and $16.2 million do not expire. The state net operating loss carryforwards expire on various dates between 2025 through 2043, and the California research credit carryforwards do not expire.
The Company recognizes tax benefits from uncertain tax positions only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from such positions are estimated based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement.
Changes in unrecognized tax benefits:
As of October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 there were unrecognized tax benefits of $353.8 million, $58.5 million, and $49.7 million, respectively. If recognized, these tax benefits would affect our effective tax rates for 2021, 2020 and 2019, by $336.5 million, $46.0 million, and $41.7 million, respectively. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized as income tax expense. As of October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, we had accrued gross interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits of $6.4 million, $7.3 million, and $3.9 million, respectively.
Included in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits at October 31, 2021 is $4.2 million related to tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts could significantly change during the next twelve months.
Filed tax returns are subject to examination by tax authorities in major tax jurisdictions after fiscal 2014, including the UK and the US.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 7. Earnings Per Share
The following table sets forth stock options to purchase our common stock and restricted stock units that were not included in the diluted earnings per share calculation because their effect would have been antidilutive for the periods presented:
Note 8. Stockholders’ Equity
Analysis of Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Share Repurchases
In December 2011, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the 2012 Share Repurchase Program and through subsequent amendments, the most recent in March 2017, the total repurchase authorization was increased from $500.0 million to $1.0 billion of the Company's common stock. The program has no expiration date and may be discontinued at any time. Purchases under the 2012 Share Repurchase Program are subject to
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
a review of the circumstances in place at the time and may be made from time to time as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements.
For the years ended October 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company share repurchases were as follow:
At October 31, 2021, $334.8 million remained authorized for repurchase under the program.
Dividends
In fiscal 2021 and 2020, the Company paid a semiannual dividend of 3 cents per share: $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on February 9, 2021 to stockholders of record on January 22, 2021; $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on August 11, 2021 to stockholders of record on July 27, 2021; $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on February 10, 2020 to stockholders of record on January 23, 2020; $1.5 million or 3 cents per share on August 7, 2020 to stockholders of record on July 23, 2020.
Note 9. Stock Plans
2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors (2020 Directors' Plan)
In March 2020, we received stockholder approval of the 2020 Directors' Plan. The 2020 Directors' Plan authorizes either the Company's Board of Directors or a designated committee thereof composed of two or more Non-Employee Directors to grant to Non-Employee Directors equity awards for up to 50,000 shares of common stock, subject to adjustment for future stock splits, stock dividends, expirations, forfeitures and similar events.
The 2020 Directors' Plan provides for annual equity award grants to Non-Employee Directors on April 1st of each fiscal year which subsequently vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant. If a Non-Employee Director is appointed or elected after April 1, then they will receive a grant on the date of such appointment or election that is proportionally adjusted to reflect the number of months of actual service on the board during the first fiscal year of their election or appointment. The 2020 Directors' Plan also allows the Board of Directors to make discretionary grants to Non-Employee Directors.
Under the 2020 Directors' Plan, awards are made in the form of RSUs unless otherwise approved by the Board of Directors. RSUs entitle the recipient to receive shares of common stock, without any payment in cash or property. Legal ownership of the shares is not transferred until the unit vests and issued RSUs have no dividend or voting rights prior to vesting. Awards are made with a total target grant date value of $270,000, or $283,500 in the case of the Lead Director and $297,000 in the case of the Chairman of the Board.
Awards may also be made in the form of stock options or restricted stock. In the event of such awards, grants of stock options will have an exercise price equal to 100% of fair market value on the date of grant and expire no more than 10 years after the grant date. Awards of restricted stock provide the right to receive shares, subject to such purchase price requirements, restrictions on sale or transfer, or other conditions as approved by the Board of Directors. Restricted shares retain dividend and voting rights.
As of October 31, 2021, 37,853 shares remain available under the 2020 Directors' Plan for future grants.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2007 Plan)
In March 2007, we received stockholder approval of the 2007 Plan. The 2007 Plan was subsequently amended and restated, and granted stockholder approval in March 2009, March 2011, and March 2016.
The Third Amended and Restated 2007 Plan is designed to increase our stockholder value by attracting, retaining and motivating key employees and consultants who directly influence our profitability. The Third Amended and Restated 2007 Plan authorizes either our Board of Directors, or a designated committee thereof composed of two or more Non-Employee Directors, to grant to eligible individuals during the period ending December 31, 2026, up to 6,930,000 shares in the form of specified equity awards including stock options, restricted stock units and performance share awards, subject to adjustment for future stock splits, stock dividends, expirations, forfeitures and similar events.
During fiscal 2021, we granted stock options, restricted stock units, and performance share awards to employees under the Third Amended and Restated 2007 Plan. All stock options are granted at 100% of fair market value on the date of grant and expire no more than 10 years after the grant date. RSUs are nontransferable awards entitling the recipient to receive shares of common stock, without any payment in cash or property, in one or more installments at a future date or dates as determined by the Board of Directors or its authorized committee. For RSUs, legal ownership of the shares is not transferred to the employee until the unit vests, which is generally over a specified time period and RSUs have no dividend or voting rights prior to vesting. Performance share awards are nontransferable awards entitling the recipient to receive a variable number of shares of common stock, without any payment in cash or property, in one or more installments at a future date or dates as determined by the Board of Directors or its authorized committee. Legal ownership of the shares is not transferred to the recipient until the award vests, and the number of shares distributed is dependent upon the achievement of certain performance targets over a specified period of time.
As of October 31, 2021, 908,753 shares remained available under the Third Amended and Restated 2007 Plan for future grants. The amount of available shares includes shares which may be distributed under performance share awards.
Share-Based Compensation
Compensation expense and the related tax benefit recognized in our Consolidated Statements of Income for share-based awards, including the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, were as follows:
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Stock Options
The fair value of each stock option award granted is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option valuation model and assumptions noted in the following table. The expected life of the awards is based on the observed and expected time to post-vesting forfeiture and/or exercise. Groups of employees that have similar historical exercise behavior are considered separately for valuation purposes. In determining the expected volatility, management considers implied volatility from publicly-traded options on our common stock at the date of grant, historical volatility and other factors. The risk-free interest rate is based on the continuous rates provided by the United States Treasury with a term equal to the expected life of the option. The dividend yield is based on the projected annual dividend payment per share, divided by the stock price at the date of grant.
The activity and status of our stock option plans are summarized below:
The weighted-average fair value of each option granted during fiscal 2021, estimated as of the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, for the 2007 Plan was $84.10. No options were granted under the 2020 Directors' Plan in fiscal 2021. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021 was $64.7 million.
The weighted-average fair value of each option granted during fiscal 2020 and 2019, estimated as of the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, for the 2007 Plan was $70.45 and $60.71, respectively. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during fiscal 2020 and 2019 was $22.6 million and $40.1 million, respectively.
Stock options outstanding under our current plans have been granted at prices which are either equal to or above the market value of the common stock on the date of grant. Options granted under the 2007 Plan generally vest over a range of three to five years based on service conditions and expire no later than ten years after the grant date. Options granted under the 2020 Directors' Plan generally vest in one year and expire no later than ten years after the grant date. We generally recognize compensation expense ratably over the vesting period. However, Directors' options grants would have been expensed on the date of grant as the 2020 Directors' Plan did not contain a substantive future requisite service period. As of October 31, 2021, there was
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
$21.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested options, which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average vesting period of 2.7 years.
Restricted Stock Units
RSUs granted under the 2007 Plan generally vest over three to five years. RSUs granted under the 2020 Directors' Plan vest in one year. The fair value of RSUs is estimated on the date of grant based on the market price of our common stock. We recognize compensation expense ratably over the vesting period. As of October 31, 2021, there was $63.1 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested RSUs, which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average vesting period of 2.8 years.
The status of our non-vested RSUs is summarized below:
Performance Units
Performance units may be granted to selected key employees with vesting contingent upon meeting future reported earnings per share goals over a defined performance cycle, usually three years. Performance units, if earned, may be paid in cash or shares of common stock. We granted performance unit awards on December 8, 2020 under the 2007 Plan. The performance shares actually earned will range from zero to 200% of the target number of performance shares for performance periods ending in fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2024. Subject to limited exceptions set forth in the performance share plan, any shares earned will be distributed in the subsequent fiscal year after the performance period. The fair value of performance unit awards is estimated on the date of grant based on the current market price of our common stock and the estimate of probability of award achievement. This estimate is reviewed each fiscal quarter and adjustments are recorded if it is determined that the estimate of probability of award achievement has changed.
We recognize compensation expense ratably over the vesting period. As of October 31, 2021, there was $10.2 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested performance units, which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average vesting period of 2.3 years.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
On March 18, 2019, the Company received stockholder approval for the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The first offering period began on November 4, 2019 and offerings are generally made on a quarterly basis. The purpose of the ESPP is to provide eligible employees of the Company with the opportunity to acquire shares of common stock at 85% of the market price on the last business day of each offering period by means of accumulated payroll deductions. Payroll deductions will be limited to maximum of 15% of the employee’s eligible compensation, not to exceed $21.3 thousand in any one calendar year. The ESPP initially authorized the issuance of 1,000,000 shares of common stock. These shares will be made available from shares of common stock reacquired by the Company as Treasury Stock. During fiscal 2021 and 2020, we issued 17,575 and 11,641 shares to our employees under the ESPP, respectively. At October 31, 2021, the number of shares remaining available for future issuance under the ESPP was 970,784 shares. Total ESPP share-based compensation recognized during fiscal 2021 and 2020 was $1.0 million and $0.7 million, respectively.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 10. Employee Benefits
Cooper's Retirement Income Plan
Cooper's Retirement Income Plan (Plan), a defined benefit plan, covers substantially all full-time United States employees. Cooper's contributions are designed to fund normal cost on a current basis and to fund the estimated prior service cost of benefit improvements. The unit credit actuarial cost method is used to determine the annual cost. Cooper pays the entire cost of the Plan and funds such costs as they accrue. Virtually all of the assets of the Plan are comprised of equities and participation in equity and fixed income funds.
The Company uses individual spot rates along the yield curve that correspond with the timing of each benefit payment to determine the service and interest costs of components of its net periodic benefit cost utilizing the correlation of projected cash outflows and corresponding spot rates on the yield curve.
The following table sets forth the Plan's benefit obligations and fair value of the Plan assets at October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 and the funded status of the Plan and net periodic pension costs for each of the years in the three-year periods ended October 31, 2021.
Retirement Income Plan
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The discount rate enables us to state expected future cash flows at a present value on the measurement date. The discount rate used for the Plan is based primarily on the yields of a universe of high-quality corporate bonds rated AA or above, with durations corresponding to the expected durations of the benefit obligations. A change in the discount rate will cause the present value of benefit obligations to change in the opposite direction. If a discount rate of 2.78%, which is 0.35% lower than prior fiscal year, had been used, the projected benefit obligation would have been $230.2 million, and the accumulated benefit obligation would have been $207.0 million.
The expected rate of return on plan assets was determined based on a review of historical returns, both for this plan and for medium- to large-sized defined benefit pension funds with similar asset allocations. This review generated separate expected returns for each asset class listed below. These expected future returns were then blended based on this Plan's target asset allocation.
Reasons for Significant Liability Gains and Losses
The projected benefit obligation experienced a net loss of approximately $2.0 million during the year. This loss is primarily due to losses from assumption changes of approximately $0.7 million, and losses of approximately $1.3 million due to demographic experience. The key assumption changes were the decrease in the discount rate (loss of $0.7 million), a change in the mortality tables projection scale (loss of $0.5 million), and changes in assumptions for lump sum determination (gain of $0.5 million). The primary reasons for demographic losses were the net effect of retirement rates, termination rates, salary increases and other experience that was different from assumed.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Plan Assets
Weighted-average asset allocations at year end, by asset category are as follows:
The Plan invests in a diversified portfolio of assets intended to minimize risk of poor returns while maximizing expected portfolio returns. To achieve the long-term rate of return, plan assets will be invested in a mixture of instruments, including but not limited to, corporate common stock (may include the Company's stock), investment grade bond funds, cash, balanced funds, real estate funds, small or large cap equity funds and international equity funds. The allocation of assets will be determined by the investment manager and will typically include 50% to 70% equities with the remainder invested in fixed income, real estate, alternatives and cash. Presently, this diversified portfolio is expected to return roughly 8% in the long run.
As of the measurement date of October 31, 2021, the fair value measurement of plan assets is as follows:
The Plan has an established process for determining the fair value of plan assets. Fair value is based upon quoted market prices, as Level 1 inputs, where available. For investments in equity and bond mutual funds, and real estate funds, fair value is based on observable, Level 1 inputs, as price quotes are available and the fair values of these funds were not impacted by liquidity restrictions or the fund status. Level 2 assets are those where price quotes are not readily available and the fair value would be determined based on other observable inputs. Level 3 assets are those where price quotes are not readily available and the fair value would be determined based on unobservable inputs.
While the Company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Plan Cash Flows
Contributions
The Company contributions to the Plan were $12.7 million for fiscal 2021, $23.4 million for fiscal 2020 and, $13.1 million for fiscal 2019. The Company closely monitors the funded status of the Plan with respect to legislative and accounting rules. The Company does not expect to make a contribution to the Plan during fiscal 2022.
Estimated Future Benefit Payments
Plan Soft Freeze
On June 18, 2019 the Board of Directors of the Company approved a soft freeze of the Plan effective August 1, 2019. The Plan was closed to employees hired on or after August 1, 2019, including former participants or employees rehired on or after August 1, 2019 and employees hired in connection with a stock or asset acquisition, merger or other similar transaction on or after August 1, 2019. Existing employees already covered by the Plan, continue to accrue their benefits.
Cooper's 401(k) Savings Plan
Cooper's 401(k) savings plan provides for the deferral of compensation as described in the Internal Revenue Code and is available to substantially all United States employees. Employees who participate in the 401(k) plan may elect to have up to 75% of their pre-tax salary or wages deferred and contributed to the trust established under the Plan. Cooper's contributions on account of participating employees, were $7.2 million, $6.8 million and $6.5 million for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
International Defined Benefit Plans
For its employees outside the United States, the Company also participates in country-specific defined contribution plans and government-sponsored retirement plans. The defined contribution plans are administered by third-party trustees and the Company is not directly responsible for providing benefits to participants of government-sponsored plans. The Company’s contributions to such plans are not significant individually or in the aggregate.
Note 11. Fair Value Measurements
Accounting standards define fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. An asset’s or liability’s level is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Assets and liabilities carried at fair value are valued and disclosed in one of the following three levels of the valuation hierarchy:
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs reflecting the reporting entity’s own assumptions.
At October 31, 2021 and October 31, 2020, the carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expense and other current assets, lines of credit, accounts payable and other current liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of such instruments and the ability to obtain financing on similar terms.
The carrying value of the Company's revolving credit facility and term loans approximates fair value based on current market rates (Level 2). On April 6, 2020 the Company entered into six interest rate swap contracts which are used to hedge its exposure to changes in cash flows associated with its variable rate debt and are designated as derivatives in a cash flow hedge. The payment streams are based on a total notional amount of $1.5 billion at the inception of the contracts. The interest rate swap contracts had maturities of seven years or less. As of October 31, 2021, three of the six interest rate swap contracts have matured and the outstanding contracts have a total notional amount of $1.0 billion.
The gain or loss on the derivatives is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income and subsequently reclassified into interest expense in the same period during which the hedged transaction affects earnings.
The fair value of the interest rate swap contracts is measured on a recurring basis by netting the discounted future fixed cash payments and the discounted expected variable cash receipts. The variable cash receipts are based on the expectation of future interest rates (forward curves) derived from observable market interest rate curves. The interest rate swap contracts were categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy, as the inputs to the derivative pricing model are generally observable and do not contain a high level of subjectivity. Refer to Note 14. Financial Derivatives and Hedging for further information.
The Company did not have any cross-currency swaps or foreign currency forward contracts as of October 31, 2021.
The fair value of the Company's contingent consideration for which a liability is recorded is measured on a recurring basis as a Level 3 measurement, and the change in fair value is recognized in selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Refer to Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale for further information.
Nonrecurring fair value measurements
The Company uses fair value measures when determining assets and liabilities acquired in an acquisition as described in Note 3. Acquisitions and Assets Held for Sale, which are considered a Level 3 measurement.
Note 12. Contingencies
Legal Proceedings
The Company is involved in various lawsuits, claims and other legal matters from time to time that arise in the ordinary course of conducting business, including matters involving our products, intellectual property, supplier relationships, distributors, competitor relationships, employees and other matters. The Company does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these proceedings or claims pending against it could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. At each reporting period, the Company
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
evaluates whether or not a potential loss amount or a potential range of loss is probable and reasonably estimable under ASC 450, Contingencies. Legal fees are expensed as incurred.
Note 13. Business Segment Information
The Company discloses information about its operating segments, which were established based on the way that management organizes segments within the Company for making operating decisions and assessing financial performance. The Company's two operating segments are described below.
•CooperVision. Competes in the worldwide contact lens market by developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad range of products for contact lens wearers, featuring advanced materials and optics. CooperVision designs its products to solve vision challenges such as astigmatism, presbyopia, myopia, ocular dryness and eye fatigues, with a broad collection of spherical, toric and multifocal contact lenses.
•CooperSurgical. Competes in the general health care market with a focus on advancing the health of women, babies and families through a diversified portfolio of products and services focusing on women's health and fertility.
Cooper uses operating income, as presented in our financial reports, as the primary measure of segment profitability. We do not allocate costs from corporate functions to segment operating income. Items below operating income are not considered when measuring the profitability of a segment. We use the same accounting policies to generate segment results as we do for our consolidated results.
Total net sales include sales to customers as reported in our Consolidated Statements of Income and sales between geographic areas that are priced at terms that allow for a reasonable profit for the seller. Operating income (loss) is total net sales less cost of sales, selling, general and administrative expenses, research and development expenses, amortization and intangible impairments. Corporate operating loss is principally corporate headquarters expense. Interest expense, and other income and expenses are not allocated to individual segments.
No customer accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated net revenue in the fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019.
Identifiable assets are those used in continuing operations except cash and cash equivalents, which we include as corporate assets. Long-lived assets are net property, plant and equipment.
The following table presents a summary of our business segment net sales:
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Information by business segment for each of the years in the three-year period ended October 31, 2021, follows:
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Information by geographical area by country of domicile for each of the years in the three-year period ended October 31, 2021, follows:
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 14. Financial Derivatives and Hedging
As part of the Company’s overall risk management practices the Company enters into financial derivatives, interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges, to hedge the Company's exposure to changes in cash flows associated with its variable rate debt.
The Company records all derivatives on its Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value of derivatives depends on the intended use of the derivative, whether the Company has elected to designate a derivative in a hedging relationship and apply hedge accounting, and whether the hedging relationship has satisfied the criteria necessary to apply hedge accounting. All of the Company's derivatives have satisfied the criteria necessary to apply hedge accounting.
The gain or loss on derivative instruments designated and qualifying for cash flow hedge accounting is deferred in other comprehensive income. The changes in fair value for all trades that are not designated for hedge accounting are recognized in current period earnings. Deferred gains or losses from designated cash flow hedges are reclassified into earnings in the period that the hedged interest expense affects earnings. The effectiveness of cash flow hedges is assessed at inception and quarterly thereafter. The Company does not offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments in its Consolidated Balance Sheets for presentation purposes.
Credit risk related to derivative transactions reflects the risk that a party to the transaction could fail to meet its obligation under the derivative contracts. Therefore, the Company’s exposure to the counterparty’s credit risk is generally limited to the amounts, if any, by which the counterparty’s obligations to the Company exceed the Company’s obligations to the counterparty. The Company’s policy is to enter into contracts only with financial institutions which meet certain minimum credit ratings to help mitigate counterparty credit risk.
As of October 31, 2021, the Company had the following outstanding derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
These contracts have remaining maturities of six years or less.
The pre-tax impact of gain on derivatives designated for hedge accounting recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) was $17.2 million ($13.1 million, net of tax) as of October 31, 2021. The pre-tax impact of loss on derivatives designated for hedge accounting recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) was $17.1 million ($13.0 million, net of tax) as of October 31, 2020.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The following table summarizes the fair values of derivative instruments as of the periods indicated and the line items in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets where the instruments are recorded:
The following table summarizes the amounts recognized with respect to our derivative instruments within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income:
The Company expects that $5.1 million recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) will be realized in the Consolidated Statements of Income over the next twelve months and the amount will vary depending on prevailing interest rates.
The following table details the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income:
Note 15. Subsequent Events
Term Loan Agreement on November 2, 2021
On November 2, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, the Company entered into a 364-day, $840.0 million, term loan agreement by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto and The Bank
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent (the 2021 Term Loan Agreement), which matures on November 1, 2022. The Company used part of the funds to partially repay outstanding borrowings under the 2020 Revolving Credit Facility and for general corporate purposes.
Amounts outstanding under the 2021 Term Loan Agreement will bear interest, at the Company’s option, at either the alternate base rate, or the adjusted LIBO rate (each as defined in the 2021 Term Loan Agreement), plus, in the case of adjusted LIBO rate loans, an applicable rate of 60 basis points.
The 2021 Term Loan Agreement contains customary restrictive covenants, as well as financial covenants that require the Company to maintain a certain total leverage ratio and interest coverage ratio, each as defined in the 2021 Term Loan Agreement, consistent with the 2020 Credit Agreement. See Note 5. Debt for additional information.
Generate Life Sciences Acquisition
On November 6, 2021, subsequent to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, CooperSurgical entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) to acquire Generate Life Sciences, a privately held leading provider of donor egg and sperm for fertility treatments, fertility cryopreservation services and newborn stem cell (cord blood and cord tissue) storage.
The aggregate consideration is $1.605 billion in cash, subject to adjustment as set forth in the Merger Agreement. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.
This acquisition is a strong strategic fit for CooperSurgical as it allows the Company to better serve fertility clinics and Obstetricians/Gynecologists (OB/GYN) with a more extensive suite of products and services.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Company has established and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in its reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving desired control objectives. In reaching a reasonable level of assurance, management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.
In conjunction with the close of each fiscal quarter, the Company conducts a review and evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's management, including the Chief Executive Officer (our Principal Executive Officer) and Chief Financial Officer (our Principal Financial Officer), of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures. The Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer based upon their evaluation as of October 31, 2021, the end of the fiscal period covered in this report, concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.
Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect all misstatements, errors or fraud.
Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2021, based on the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013). Based on this assessment, management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that the Company's internal control over financial reporting was effective as of October 31, 2021.
The Company's independent registered public accounting firm, KPMG LLP, has audited the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2021, as stated in their report in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting during the Company's fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2021, that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting. We have not experienced any material impact to our internal controls over financial reporting despite the fact that certain of our
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
employees are working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are continually monitoring and assessing the COVID-19 related considerations and any impact on the design and operating effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information.
None.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.
Not Applicable.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held in March 2022 (the 2022 Proxy Statement).
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the 2022 Proxy Statement.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
See Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters - Equity Compensation Plan Information. Additional information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the 2022 Proxy Statement.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the 2022 Proxy Statement.
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services.
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to “Report of the Audit Committee” section of the 2022 Proxy Statement.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) 1. Financial Statements
The following financial statements are filed as a part of this report:
Report of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Financial Statements:
Statements of Income for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
Balance Sheets as of October 31, 2021 and 2020
Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2. Financial Statement Schedules of the Company.
Schedule Number Description
Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
(b) Exhibits.
The exhibits listed on the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed as part of this report.
All other schedules which are included in the applicable accounting regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission are not required here because they are not applicable.
Schedule II
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
Three Years Ended October 31, 2021
(1) Consists of additions representing allowances and recoveries, less deductions representing receivables written off as uncollectible.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number Description of Document
3.1 Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 13, 2006
3.2 Amended and Restated By-Laws, The Cooper Companies, Inc., dated December 12, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 18, 2018
4.1 Description of Securities of The Cooper Companies, Inc. Registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2019
10.1# The Cooper Companies, Inc. Change in Control Severance Plan, dated May 21, 2007, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2007
10.2# Executive Employment Agreement by and between The Cooper Companies, Inc. and Albert G. White III, effective as of November 1, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 31, 2019
10.3# Executive Employment Agreement by and between The Cooper Companies, Inc. and Daniel G. McBride, effective as of November 1, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 31, 2019
10.4# Executive Employment Agreement by and between The Cooper Companies, Inc. and Brian G. Andrews, effective as of November 1, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 31, 2019
10.5#
Executive Employment Agreement by and between The Cooper Companies, Inc. and Holly R. Sheffield, effective as of November 1, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 31, 2019
10.6# The Third Amended and Restated 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan of The Cooper Companies, Inc., incorporated by reference to the Company's Proxy Statement filed January 29, 2016
10.7# Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement Pursuant to the 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan of The Cooper Companies, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.32 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007
10.8# Form of Deferred Stock Agreement Pursuant to the 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan of The Cooper Companies, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.34 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007
10.9# Form of Long Term Performance Share Award Agreement Pursuant to the 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan of The Cooper Companies, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 13, 2009
10.10# The Cooper Companies, Inc.’s 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan incorporated by reference to Company’s Proxy Statement filed February 01, 2019
10.11# The 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors of The Cooper Companies, Inc., incorporated by reference to the Company's Proxy Statement filed February 4, 2020
10.12# Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement pursuant to the 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan for Non-Employee Directors of The Cooper Companies, Inc.
10.13(a)
License Agreement dated as of November 19, 2007, by and among CIBA Vision AG, CIBA Vision Corporate and CooperVision, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.41 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2008
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Exhibit Number Description of Document
10.14(a)
Amendment No. 1 to the License Agreement dated as of November 19, 2007, by and among CIBA Vision AG, CIBA Vision Corporate and CooperVision, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 21, 2012
10.15 Lease Contract dated as of November 6, 2003, by and between The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company and Ocular Sciences Puerto Rico, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 12, 2005
10.16 First Supplement and Amendment to Lease Contract dated as of December 30, 2003, by and between The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company and Ocular Sciences Puerto Rico, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 12, 2005
10.17 Assignment of Lease Agreement dated as of June 29, 2004, by and among Ocular Sciences Puerto Rico, Inc., Ocular Sciences Cayman Islands Corporation and The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 12, 2005
10.18 Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2020, among the Company, CooperVision International Holding Company, LP, CooperSurgical Netherlands B.V., CooperVision Holding Kft., the lenders from time to time party thereto and KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 2, 2020
10.19 Amendment No. 1 and Joinder, dated as of October 30, 2020, to Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2020, among the Company, CooperVision International Holding Company, LP, CooperSurgical Netherlands B.V., CooperVision Holding Kft., the lenders from time to time party thereto and KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020
10.20 Loan Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2021, among the Company, the lenders party thereto and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as administrative agent, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 5, 2021
10.21# The Cooper Companies, Inc. 2021 Incentive Payment Plan, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 2, 2021
10.22 Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 6, 2021, by and among The Cooper Companies, Inc., CooperSurgical, Inc., Bruin Merger Sub, LLC, GI Generate Parent LLC, and GI Partners Acquisitions LLC., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 10, 2021
21 Subsidiaries
23 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24 Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto)
31.1 Certification of the Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
31.2 Certification of the Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
32.1* Certification of the Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
32.2* Certification of the Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
101 The following materials from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2021, formatted in Inline XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language):(i) Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 (ii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 (iii) Consolidated Balance Sheets at October 31, 2021 and 2020, (iv) Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 (v) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, (vi) related notes to consolidated financial statements and (vii) Schedule II Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Exhibit Number Description of Document
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
(a) The agreement received confidential treatment from the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to certain portions of this exhibit. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the Commission.
# Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.
* The certifications attached as Exhibits 32.1 and 32.2 that accompany this Annual Report on Form 10-K are not deemed filed with the SEC and are not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of The Cooper Companies, Inc. under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether made before or after the date of this Form 10-K, irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary.
None.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on December 10, 2021.
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC.
By: /s/ Albert G. White, III
Albert G. White, III
President & Chief Executive Officer
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on the dates set forth opposite their respective names.
Signature Capacity Date
/s/ ALBERT G. WHITE, III
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) December 10, 2021
(Albert G. White, III)
/s/ ROBERT S. WEISS Chairman of the Board December 10, 2021
(Robert S. Weiss)
/s/ WILLIAM A. KOZY Vice Chairman of the Board and Lead Director December 10, 2021
(William A. Kozy)
/s/ BRIAN G. ANDREWS Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer December 10, 2021
(Brian G. Andrews) (Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ AGOSTINO RICUPATI Chief Accounting Officer & Senior Vice President, Finance & Tax December 10, 2021
(Agostino Ricupati) (Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ COLLEEN E. JAY Director December 10, 2021
(Colleen E. Jay)
/s/ JODY S. LINDELL Director December 10, 2021
(Jody S. Lindell)
/s/ GARY S. PETERSMEYER Director December 10, 2021
(Gary S. Petersmeyer)
/s/ MARIA RIVAS M.D. Director December 10, 2021
(Maria Rivas M.D.)
/s/ TERESA S. MADDEN Director December 10, 2021
(Teresa S. Madden)
THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CORPORATE INFORMATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Robert S. Weiss
Chairman of the Board
William A. Kozy
Vice Chairman and Lead Director
Colleen E. Jay
Director
Jody S. Lindell
President and Chief Executive Officer,
S.G. Management, Inc.
Teresa S. Madden
Director
Gary S. Petersmeyer
Director
Maria Rivas M.D.
Director
Albert G. White, III
President & Chief Executive Officer
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
Audit Committee
Jody S. Lindell (Chairman)
Teresa S. Madden
Maria Rivas M.D.
Gary Petersmeyer
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee
William A. Kozy (Chairman)
Colleen E. Jay
Jody S. Lindell
Maria Rivas M.D.
Organization and Compensation Committee
Colleen E. Jay (Chairman)
William A. Kozy
Teresa S. Madden
Gary S. Petersmeyer
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Albert G. White, III
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mark J. Drury
Vice President, Secretary and
General Counsel
Agostino Ricupati
Senior Vice President Finance and Tax, and Chief Accounting Officer
Brian G. Andrews
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Holly Sheffield
President of CooperSurgical, Inc.
Daniel G. McBride, Esq.
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; President of CooperVision, Inc.
PRINCIPAL SUBSIDIARIES
CooperVision, Inc.
6101 Bollinger Canyon Road
Suite 500
San Ramon, CA 94583
925-460-3600
www.coopervision.com
CooperSurgical, Inc.
75 Corporate Drive
Trumbull, CT 06611
203-601-5200
www.coopersurgical.com
CORPORATE OFFICES
The Cooper Companies, Inc.
6101 Bollinger Canyon Road
Suite 500
San Ramon, CA 94583
925-460-3600
www.coopercos.com
INVESTOR INFORMATION
Recent news releases, the annual report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K, information about the Company's corporate governance program, recent investor presentations, replays of quarterly conference calls and historical stock quotes are available on our Web site at www.coopercos.com.
INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT
Kim Duncan
Vice President, Investor Relations & Risk Management
6101 Bollinger Canyon Road
Suite 500
San Ramon, CA 94583
Voice: 925-460-3663
E-mail: ir@cooperco.com
ANNUAL MEETING
The Cooper Companies will hold its Annual Stockholders' Meeting in March 2022.
TRANSFER AGENT
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
6201 15th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11219
800-937-5449
TRADEMARKS
The Cooper Companies, Inc., its subsidiaries or affiliates own, license or distribute the registered trademarks, common law trademarks and trade names referenced in this report.
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
KPMG LLP
STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING
The New York Stock Exchange
Ticker Symbol “COO”