HR Block 2009 Annual Report Download - page 11

COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS –HRB Bank is highly integrated with our Tax Services segment and its customer
base of tax preparation clients. For many of these clients, HRB Bank is their only access to banking services. HRB
Bank does not seek to compete broadly with regional or national retail banks.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION –HRB Bank is subject to regulation, supervision and examination by the Office
of Thrift Supervision (OTS), the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). All
savings associations are subject to the capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt
corrective action. HRB Bank must meet specific capital guidelines involving quantitative measures of HRB Bank’s
assets, liabilities and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. HRB
Bank’s capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about
components, risk-weightings and other factors. As a savings and loan holding company, H&R Block, Inc. is also
subject to regulation by the OTS.
See Item 7, “Regulatory Environment” and Item 8, note 16 to the consolidated financial statements for additional
discussion of regulatory requirements.
Also see discussion in 1A, “Risk Factors” for additional information.
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 8,300 regular full-time employees as of April 30, 2009. The highest number of persons we
employed during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2009, including seasonal employees, was approximately 133,700.
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. Other factors besides those listed below
or discussed in reports filed with the SEC could adversely affect our results.
H&R BLOCK 2009 Form 10K 7