HollyFrontier 2013 Annual Report Download - page 37

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Product liability claims and litigation could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
A significant portion of our operating responsibility on refined product pipelines is to insure the quality and purity of the products
loaded at our loading racks. If our quality control measures were to fail, we may have contaminated or off-specification commingled
pipelines and storage tanks or off-specification product could be sent to public gasoline stations. These types of incidents could
result in product liability claims from our customers.
Product liability is a significant commercial risk. Substantial damage awards have been made in certain jurisdictions against
manufacturers and resellers based upon claims for injuries caused by the use of or exposure to various products. There can be no
assurance that product liability claims against us would not have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations
or our ability to maintain existing customers or retain new customers.
Our hedging transactions may limit our gains and expose us to other risks.
We periodically enter into derivative transactions as it relates to inventory levels and/or future production to manage the risks from
changes in the prices of crude oil, refined products and other feedstocks. These transactions limit our potential gains if commodity
prices move above or below the certain price levels established by our hedging instruments. We hedge price risk on inventories
above our target levels to minimize the impact these price fluctuations have on our earnings and cash flows. Consequently, our
hedging results may fluctuate significantly from one reporting period to the next depending on commodity price fluctuations and
our relative physical inventory positions. These transactions may also expose us to risks of financial losses; for example, if our
production is less than we anticipated at the time we entered into a hedge agreement or if a counterparty to our hedge agreements
fails to perform its obligations under the agreements.
Changes in our credit profile, or a significant increase in the price of crude oil, may affect our relationship with our suppliers,
which could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and limit our ability to purchase sufficient quantities of crude oil
to operate our refineries at desired capacity.
An unfavorable credit profile, or a significant increase in the price of crude oil, could affect the way crude oil suppliers view our
ability to make payments and induce them to shorten the payment terms of their invoices with us or require credit enhancement.
Due to the large dollar amounts and volume of our crude oil and other feedstock purchases, any imposition by our suppliers of
more burdensome payment terms or credit enhancement requirements on us may have a material adverse effect on our liquidity
and our ability to make payments to our suppliers. This in turn could cause us to be unable to operate our refineries at desired
capacity. A failure to operate our refineries at desired capacity could adversely affect our profitability and cash flow.
Our debt agreements contain operating and financial restrictions that might constrain our business and financing activities.
The operating and financial restrictions and covenants in our credit facility and any future financing agreements could adversely
affect our ability to finance future operations or capital needs or to engage, expand or pursue our business activities. For example,
our revolving credit facility imposes usual and customary requirements for this type of credit facility, including: (i) limitations on
liens, investments, indebtedness and dividends; (ii) a prohibition on changes in control and (iii) restrictions on engaging in mergers,
consolidations and sales of assets, entering into certain lease obligations, and making certain investments or capital expenditures.
If we fail to satisfy the covenants set forth in the credit facility or another event of default occurs under the facility, the maturity
of the loan could be accelerated or we could be prohibited from borrowing for our future working capital needs and issuing letters
of credit. We might not have, or be able to obtain, sufficient funds to make these immediate payments. If we desire to undertake
a transaction that is prohibited by the covenants in our credit facility, we will need to obtain consent under our credit facility. Such
refinancing may not be possible or may not be available on commercially acceptable terms. In addition, our obligations under our
credit facility are secured by inventory, receivables and pledged cash assets. If we are unable to repay our indebtedness under our
credit facility when due, the lenders could seek to foreclose on the assets or we may be required to contribute additional capital
to our subsidiaries. Any of these outcomes could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations.
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