1054374--1/28/2008--BROADCOM

related topics

{customer, product, revenue}

{product, market, service}

{system, service, information}

{property, intellectual, protect}

{operation, international, foreign}

{acquisition, growth, future}

{personnel, key, retain}

{control, financial, internal}

{stock, price, share}

{condition, economic, financial}

{operation, natural, condition}

{stock, price, operating}

{regulation, change, law}

Our operating results may be adversely impacted by worldwide political and economic uncertainties and specific conditions in the markets we address, including the cyclical nature of and volatility in the semiconductor industry. As a result, the market price of our Class A common stock may decline. We are subject to order and shipment uncertainties, and our ability to accurately forecast customer demand may be impaired by our lengthy sales cycle. If we are unable to accurately predict customer demand, we may hold excess or obsolete inventory, which would reduce our profit margin. Conversely, we may have insufficient inventory, which would result in lost revenue opportunities and potentially in loss of market share and damaged customer relationships. If we fail to appropriately scale our operations in response to changes in demand for our existing products and services or to the demand for new products requested by our customers, our business could be materially and adversely affected. If we are unable to develop and introduce new products successfully and in a cost-effective and timely manner or to achieve market acceptance of our new products, our operating results would be adversely affected. Because we depend on a few significant customers for a substantial portion of our revenue, the loss of a key customer could seriously impact our revenue and harm our business. In addition, if we are unable to continue to sell existing and new products to our key customers in significant quantities or to attract new significant customers, our future operating results could be adversely affected. We may not be able to adequately protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, which could harm our competitive position. Intellectual property risks and third party claims of infringement, misappropriation of proprietary rights or other claims against us could adversely affect our ability to market our products, require us to redesign our products or seek licenses from third parties, and seriously harm our operating results. In addition, the defense of such claims could result in significant costs and divert the attention of our management or other key employees. We may be unable to attract, retain or motivate key senior management and technical personnel, which could seriously harm our business. We depend on five independent foundry subcontractors to manufacture substantially all of our current products, and any failure to secure and maintain sufficient foundry capacity could materially and adversely affect our business. The complexity of our products could result in unforeseen delays or expenses and in undetected defects, or bugs, which could damage our reputation with current or prospective customers, result in significant costs and claims, and adversely affect the market acceptance of new products. To remain competitive, we must keep pace with rapid technological change and evolving industry standards in the semiconductor industry and the wired and wireless communications markets. We may experience difficulties in transitioning to smaller geometry process technologies or in achieving higher levels of design integration, which may result in reduced manufacturing yields, delays in product deliveries and increased expenses. Our acquisition strategy may result in unanticipated accounting charges or otherwise adversely affect our results of operations, and result in difficulties in assimilating and integrating the operations, personnel, technologies, products and information systems of acquired companies or businesses, or be dilutive to existing shareholders. As our international business expands, we are increasingly exposed to various legal, business, political and economic risks associated with our international operations. We had a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting prior to 2007 and cannot assure you that additional material weaknesses will not be identified in the future. If our internal control over financial reporting or disclosure controls and procedures are not effective, there may be errors in our financial statements that could require a restatement or our filings may not be timely and investors may lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could lead to a decline in our stock price. We face intense competition in the semiconductor industry and the wired and wireless communications markets, which could reduce our market share in existing markets and affect our entry into new markets. We depend on third-party subcontractors to assemble, obtain packaging materials for, and test substantially all of our current products. If we lose the services of any of our subcontractors or if these subcontractors are unable to obtain sufficient packaging materials, shipments of our products may be disrupted, which could harm our customer relationships and adversely affect our net sales. Our stock price is highly volatile. Accordingly, you may not be able to resell your shares of common stock at or above the price you paid for them. Our co-founders, directors, executive officers and their affiliates can control the outcome of matters that require the approval of our shareholders, and accordingly we will not be able to engage in certain transactions without their approval. Some of the independent foundries upon which we rely to manufacture our products, as well as our own California and Singapore facilities, are located in regions that are subject to earthquakes and other natural disasters. Changes in current or future laws or regulations or accounting rules or the imposition of new laws or regulations by federal or state agencies or foreign governments could impede the sale of our products or otherwise harm our business.

Full 10-K form ▸

1054374--1/28/2008--BROADCOM_CORP