HR Block 2011 Annual Report Download - page 19

SERVICE MARKS, TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS
We have made a practice of selling our services and products under service marks and trademarks and of obtaining
protection for these by all available means. Our service marks and trademarks are protected by registration in the
U.S. and other countries where our services and products are marketed. We consider these service marks and
trademarks, in the aggregate, to be of material importance to our business, particularly our business segments
providing services and products under the “H&R Block” brand.
We have no registered patents material to our business.
EMPLOYEES
We have approximately 7,900 regular full-time employees as of April 30, 2011. The highest number of persons we
employed during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2011, including seasonal employees, was approximately 107,200.
AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS AND OTHER INFORMATION
Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments
to those reports filed with or furnished to the SEC are available, free of charge, through our website at
www.hrblock.com as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with or
furnished to the SEC. The public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public
Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of
the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov
containing reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers who file
electronically with the SEC.
Copies of the following corporate governance documents are posted on our website:
쐍The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of H&R Block, Inc.;
쐍The Amended and Restated Bylaws of H&R Block, Inc.;
쐍The H&R Block, Inc. Corporate Governance Guidelines;
쐍The H&R Block, Inc. Code of Business Ethics and Conduct;
쐍The H&R Block, Inc. Board of Directors Independence Standards;
쐍The H&R Block, Inc. Audit Committee Charter;
쐍The H&R Block, Inc. Governance and Nominating Committee Charter; and
쐍The H&R Block, Inc. Compensation Committee Charter.
If you would like a printed copy of any of these corporate governance documents, please send your request to
the Office of the Secretary, H&R Block, Inc., One H&R Block Way, Kansas City, Missouri 64105.
Information contained on our website does not constitute any part of this report.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
An investment in our common stock involves risk, including the risk that the value of an investment may decline or
that returns on that investment may fall below expectations. There are a number of significant factors which could
cause actual conditions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements,
many of which are beyond management’s control or its ability to accurately forecast or predict, or could adversely
affect our operating results and the value of any investment in our stock.
Our access to liquidity may be negatively impacted as disruptions in credit markets occur, if credit rating
downgrades occur or if we fail to meet certain covenants. Funding costs may increase, leading to
reduced earnings.
We need liquidity to meet our off-season working capital requirements, to service debt obligations including
refinancing of maturing obligations and for other related activities. Our access to and the cost of liquidity could be
negatively impacted in the event of credit-rating downgrades or if we fail to meet existing debt covenants. In
addition, events could occur which could increase our need for liquidity above current levels.
If rating agencies downgrade our credit rating, the cost of debt would likely increase and capital market access
could decrease or become unavailable. Our unsecured committed line of credit (CLOC) is subject to various
covenants, including a covenant requiring that we maintain minimum net worth equal to $650.0 million and a
requirement that we reduce the aggregate outstanding principal amount of short-term debt (as defined) to
$200.0 million or less for a minimum period of thirty consecutive days during the period from March 1 to June 30 of
each year. Violation of a covenant could impair our access to liquidity currently available through the CLOC. If
current sources of liquidity were to become unavailable, we would need to obtain additional sources of funding,
which may not be possible or may be available under less favorable terms.
H&R BLOCK 2011 Form 10K 7