for completing the merger, general conditions in the geographic areas where we operate and our respective effective tax rates, cost structure, dividend policy, cash flows or liquidity — are forward-looking statements.
These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained and therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. For example, these forward-looking statements could be affected by factors including, without limitation, risks associated with: (i) the satisfaction of the remaining conditions precedent to consummation of the merger and the divesture of the Company’s CGS business and IHS Markit’s OPIS, CMM, PetroChem Wire and Base Chemicals businesses (together, the “proposed transaction”); (ii) uncertainty relating to the impact of the proposed transaction on the businesses of the Company and IHS Markit, including potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction and changes to existing business relationships and increased cyber risks during the pendency of the acquisition that could affect the Company’s and/or IHS Markit’s financial performance; (iii) the ability of the Company to successfully integrate IHS Markit’s operations and retain and hire key personnel; (iv) the ability of the Company to implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to IHS Markit’s business after the consummation of the proposed transaction and realize expected synergies; (v) business disruption following the proposed transaction; (vi) economic, financial, political and regulatory conditions, in the United States and elsewhere, and other factors that contribute to uncertainty and volatility, including the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, natural and man-made disasters, civil unrest, pandemics (e.g., COVID-19 and its variants (the “COVID-19 pandemic”)), geopolitical uncertainty, and conditions that may result from legislative, regulatory, trade and policy changes associated with the current U.S. administration; (vii) the ability of the Company and IHS Markit to successfully recover from a disaster or other business continuity problem due to a hurricane, flood, earthquake, terrorist attack, war, pandemic, security breach, cyber-attack, data breach, power loss, telecommunications failure or other natural or man-made event, including the ability to function remotely during long-term disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic; (viii) the impact of public health crises, such as pandemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic) and epidemics and any related company or governmental policies and actions to protect the health and safety of individuals or governmental policies or actions to maintain the functioning of national or global economies and markets, including any quarantine, “shelter in place,” “stay at home,” workforce reduction, social distancing, shut down or similar actions and policies; (ix) the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries; (x) changes in debt and equity markets, including credit quality and spreads; (xi) demand for investment products that track indices and assessments, and trading volumes of certain exchange-traded derivatives; (xii) changes in financial markets, capital, credit and commodities markets and interest rates; (xiii) the possibility that the proposed transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; (xiv) the parties’ ability to meet expectations
