Our Internet-based sales model has increased the relative importance of intellectual property assets to our business, and any inability to protect those rights could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, or results of operations.
Our intellectual property rights include patents relating to our auction technologies as well as trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights and other intellectual property rights. In addition, we may enter into agreements with third parties regarding the license or other use of our intellectual property in foreign jurisdictions. Effective intellectual property protection may not be available in every country in which our products and services are distributed, deployed, or made available. We seek to maintain certain intellectual property rights as trade secrets. The secrecy could be compromised by third parties, or intentionally or accidentally by our employees, which would cause us to lose the competitive advantage resulting from those trade secrets. Any significant impairment of our intellectual property rights, or any inability to protect our intellectual property rights, could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, and financial position.
We have in the past been and may in the future be subject to intellectual property rights claims, which are costly to defend, could require us to pay damages, and could limit our ability to use certain technologies in the future.
Litigation based on allegations of infringement or other violations of intellectual property rights are common among companies who rely heavily on intellectual property rights. Our reliance on intellectual property rights has increased significantly in recent years as we have implemented our auction-style sales technologies across our business and ceased conducting live auctions. As we face increasing competition, the possibility of intellectual property rights claims against us grows. Litigation and any other intellectual property claims, whether with or without merit, can be time-consuming, expensive to litigate and settle, and can divert management resources and attention from our core business. An adverse determination in current or future litigation could prevent us from offering our products and services in the manner currently conducted. We may also have to pay damages or seek a license for the technology, which may not be available on reasonable terms and which may significantly increase our operating expenses, if it is available for us to license at all. We could also be required to develop alternative non-infringing technology, which could require significant effort and expense.
If we experience problems with our subhaulers and trucking fleet operations, our business could be harmed.
We rely solely upon independent subhaulers to pick up and deliver vehicles to and from our North American and Brazilian storage facilities. We also utilize, to a lesser extent, independent subhaulers in the U.K. Our failure to pick up and deliver vehicles in a timely and accurate manner could harm our reputation and brand, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Further, an increase in fuel cost may lead to increased prices charged by our independent subhaulers, which may significantly increase our cost. We may not be able to pass these costs on to our sellers or buyers.
In addition to using independent subhaulers, in the U.K. we utilize a fleet of company trucks to pick up and deliver vehicles from our U.K. storage facilities. In connection therewith, we are subject to the risks associated with providing trucking services, including inclement weather, disruptions in transportation infrastructure, availability and price of fuel, any of which could result in an increase in our operating expenses and reduction in our net income.
We are partially self-insured for certain losses and if our estimates of the cost of future claims differ from actual trends, our results of operations could be harmed.
We are partially self-insured for certain losses related to medical insurance, general liability, workers' compensation and auto liability. Our liability represents an estimate of the ultimate cost of claims incurred as of the balance sheet date. The estimated liability is not discounted and is established based upon analysis of historical data and actuarial estimates. Further, we utilize independent actuaries to assist us in establishing the proper amount of reserves for anticipated payouts associated with these self-insured exposures. While we believe these estimates are reasonable based on the information currently available, if actual trends, including the severity of claims and medical cost inflation, differ from our estimates, our results of operations could be impacted.
Our executive officers, directors and their affiliates hold a large percentage of our stock and their interests may differ from other stockholders.
Our executive officers, directors and their affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, 20% of our common stock as of October 31, 2013. If they were to act together, these stockholders would have significant influence over most matters requiring approval by stockholders, including the election of directors, any amendments to our certificate of incorporation and certain significant corporate transactions, including potential merger or acquisition transactions. In addition, without the consent of these stockholders, we could be delayed or prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us or our other investors. These stockholders may take these actions even if they are opposed by our other investors.
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