E-Z-GO 2009 Annual Report Download - page 15

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Item 1. Business
US Helicopter; V-22 Osprey; XLS; and 429. These marks and their related trademark designs and logotypes (and variations of the foregoing) are
trademarks, trade names or service marks of Textron Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates or joint ventures.
Environmental Considerations
Our operations are subject to numerous laws and regulations designed to protect the environment. Compliance with these laws and expenditures
for environmental control facilities has not had a material effect on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. Additional
information regarding environmental matters is contained in Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements on page 83 of this Annual Report
on Form 10-K.
Employees
At January 2, 2010, we had approximately 32,000 employees.
Available Information
We make available free of charge on our Internet web site (www.textron.com) our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other oral and written statements made by us from time to time are forward-looking
statements, including those that discuss strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters, or project revenues, income, returns or other
financial measures. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual
results to differ materially from those contained in the statements, such as the Risk Factors contained herein and including the following: (a)
changes in worldwide economic and political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates and foreign exchange rates; (b) the
interruption of production at our facilities or our customers or suppliers; (c) performance issues with key suppliers, subcontractors and business
partners; (d) our ability to perform as anticipated and to control costs under contracts with the U.S. Government; (e) the U.S. Government’s ability
to unilaterally modify or terminate its contracts with us for the U.S. Government’s convenience or for our failure to perform, to change applicable
procurement and accounting policies, and, under certain circumstances, to suspend or debar us as a contractor eligible to receive future contract
awards; (f) changing priorities or reductions in the U.S. Government defense budget, including those related to Operation Iraqi Freedom,
Operation Enduring Freedom and the Overseas Contingency Operations; (g) changes in national or international funding priorities, U.S. and
foreign military budget constraints and determinations, and government policies on the export and import of military and commercial products;
(h) legislative or regulatory actions impacting our operations or demand for our products; (i) the ability to control costs and successful
implementation of various cost-reduction programs; (j) the timing of new product launches and certifications of new aircraft products; (k) the
occurrence of slowdowns or downturns in customer markets in which our products are sold or supplied or in which our Finance segment holds
receivables; (l) changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellation or deferrals of orders; (m) the impact of changes in tax legislation; (n) the
extent to which we are able to pass raw material price increases through to customers or offset such price increases by reducing other costs; (o)
our ability to offset, through cost reductions, pricing pressure brought by original equipment manufacturer customers; (p) our ability to realize full
value of receivables; (q) the availability and cost of insurance; (r) increases in pension expenses and other postretirement employee costs; (s) our
Finance segment’s ability to maintain portfolio credit quality; (t) TFC’s ability to maintain certain minimum levels of financial performance required
under its committed bank lines of credit and under Textron’s support agreement with TFC; (u) our Finance segment’s access to financing,
including securitizations, at competitive rates; (v) our ability to successfully exit from TFC’s commercial finance business other than the captive
finance business including effecting an orderly liquidation or sale of certain TFC portfolios and businesses; (w) uncertainty in estimating market
value of TFC’s receivables held for sale and reserves for TFC’s receivables to be retained; (x) uncertainty in estimating contingent liabilities and
unrecognized tax benefits and establishing reserves to address such items; (y) risks and uncertainties related to acquisitions and dispositions,
including difficulties or unanticipated expenses in connection with the consummation of acquisitions or dispositions, the disruption of current
plans and operations, or the failure to achieve anticipated synergies and opportunities; (z) the efficacy of research and development investments
to develop new products; (aa) the launching of significant new products or programs which could result in unanticipated expenses; (bb)
bankruptcy or other financial problems at major suppliers or customers that could cause disruptions in our supply chain or difficulty in collecting
amounts owed by such customers; (cc) difficult conditions in the financial markets which may adversely impact our customers’ ability to fund
or finance purchases of our products; and (dd) continued volatility in the economy resulting in a prolonged downturn in the markets in which we
do business.