When publicly listed companies disclose risks for shareholders in their filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, they typically cite business factors such as potential economic downturns, labor costs and currency fluctuations. But a new threat is starting to appear in annual earnings reports: The danger of getting shot.
The Cheesecake Factory and Dave & Buster’s Entertainment are among the companies that now include the risk of “active shooters” affecting their operations. Corporations are required to flag possible hazards in order to provide investors with a frank assessment of potential downsides that could impact their business and stock price. Today, that means considering the potential financial impact of shootings.
“Any act of violence at or threatened against our restaurants or the centers in which they are located, including active-shooter situations and terrorist activities, may result in restricted access to our restaurants and/or restaurant closures in the short-term,” the Cheesecake Factory said in its most recent annual report.
