are subject to risks and uncertainties and which could require significant time and resources from management. Although we do not believe any currently pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operations, there are inherent uncertainties in litigation and other claims and regulatory proceedings and such pending matters could result in unexpected expenses and liabilities and might materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or operations, including our reputation.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Due to developments relating to the global coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, the Company is supplementing the risk factors previously disclosed in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (the “2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 21, 2020, to include the following risk factor under the heading “Risks Related to Our Business and Industry”.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused and will likely continue to cause significant disruption to our normal business operations, and the severity and duration of these impacts on future financial performance and results of operations remain uncertain.
The recent outbreak of COVID-19, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, has spread across the globe and is impacting economic activity worldwide. The pandemic poses significant risks to our business and our employees, franchisees, agents, and loan originators.
The COVID-19 pandemic has already negatively impacted our business and that of our franchisees. The pandemic poses the risk of an extended disruption to our business, that of our franchisees and other business partners, and housing and mortgage markets generally, due to the impact of the disease itself, actions intended to limit or slow its spread, and other factors. These include restrictions on travel or transportation, social distancing requirements, limitations on the size of gatherings, policies that ban or severely limit in-person showings of properties, closures of work facilities, schools, public buildings and businesses, cancellation of events, curtailing other activities, quarantines and lock-downs. Further, real estate and mortgage transactions may be delayed if ancillary services, such as home inspections and notarization are unavailable.
In addition, our results are tied to the residential real estate market. Disruptions to the economy related to the COVID-19 pandemic may cause a downturn in the residential real estate and mortgage markets and may cause other changes to the real estate and mortgage markets that may negatively impact our business. Such disruptions may include a downturn in economic conditions generally, declines in consumer confidence and spending, and tightening of credit or instability in the financial markets. These same factors may impair the ability of our franchisees to continue their operations and to pay the fees that are due to us under their franchise agreements. We have offered financial support to our franchisees during this time, but we are unable to estimate the effectiveness of that support or the ultimate effect of such support on our results of operations and financial condition.
Nearly all of the Company’s employees are currently working remotely and may continue to do so for an undetermined amount of time. This may impair the ability of the Company’s management team to successfully implement the Company’s business plans.
The duration and magnitude of the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic depends on future developments that cannot be predicted at this time. The Company has already experienced significant disruption to its business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and such disruptions may continue, particularly if ongoing mitigation actions by government authorities remain in place for a significant amount of time. Notwithstanding any mitigation actions we have initiated and expect to continue as the crisis is ongoing, sustained material revenue declines relating to this crisis could impact our financial condition, results of operations, stock price and ability to access the capital markets. Substantial declines in our profitability could trigger the excess cash flow requirements of our Senior Secured Credit Facility (described above in Item 2) requiring us to make incremental principal payments that would not otherwise be required.
The pandemic and any severe or long-term economic downturn in the housing market or long-term mitigation efforts by government authorities could heighten other important risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, (i) changes in the real estate market or interest rates and availability of financing for homebuyers, (ii) changes in business and economic activity in general, (iii) the Company’s ability to attract and retain quality franchisees, (iv) the Company’s