Climate and weather
92 of 521 companies added a paragraph in Risk Factors that uses one of these words:
climate change, greenhouse gas, carbon emissions, extreme weather, hurricane, wildfire.
The paragraph is in the latest 10-K and nothing like it was in the one before.
It counts text; it does not say how serious a risk is. Words in capitals only (such as AI) must be in capitals.
By sector
Sector is the SEC's industry description of the company. Each count opens that sector's quotes below.
| Sector | Companies | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| Accident & Health Insurance | 2 | 2 |
| Apparel & Other Finishd Prods of Fabrics & Similar Matl | 1 | 1 |
| Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip | 1 | 1 |
| Engines & Turbines | 1 | 1 |
| Food and Kindred Products | 1 | 1 |
| Gas & Other Services Combined | 1 | 1 |
| Gold and Silver Ores | 1 | 1 |
| Grain Mill Products | 1 | 1 |
| Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors | 1 | 1 |
| Meat Packing Plants | 1 | 1 |
| Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment | 1 | 1 |
| Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products | 1 | 1 |
| Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution | 1 | 1 |
| Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment | 1 | 1 |
| Paper Mills | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Eating & Drinking Places | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management | 1 | 1 |
| Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) | 1 | 1 |
| Television Broadcasting Stations | 1 | 1 |
| Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas | 5 | 7 |
| Retail-Eating Places | 2 | 4 |
| Agricultural Chemicals | 1 | 2 |
| Converted Paper & Paperboard Prods (No Contaners/Boxes) | 1 | 2 |
| Fats & Oils | 1 | 2 |
| Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments | 1 | 2 |
| Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) | 1 | 2 |
| Printed Circuit Boards | 1 | 2 |
| Refuse Systems | 1 | 2 |
| Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers | 1 | 2 |
| Rubber & Plastics Footwear | 1 | 2 |
| Services-Computer Programming Services | 1 | 2 |
| Ship & Boat Building & Repairing | 1 | 2 |
| Electric & Other Services Combined | 5 | 12 |
| Laboratory Analytical Instruments | 2 | 5 |
| Petroleum Refining | 2 | 6 |
| Air Transportation, Scheduled | 1 | 3 |
| Computer & office Equipment | 1 | 3 |
| Computer Communications Equipment | 1 | 3 |
| Electronic Computers | 1 | 3 |
| Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers | 1 | 3 |
| Finance Services | 9 | 28 |
| National Commercial Banks | 3 | 11 |
| Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance | 3 | 12 |
| Investment Advice | 2 | 8 |
| Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) | 1 | 4 |
| Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys | 1 | 4 |
| Electric Services | 3 | 15 |
| Semiconductors & Related Devices | 3 | 15 |
| Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus | 2 | 10 |
| Hotels & Motels | 1 | 5 |
| Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, and Control | 1 | 5 |
| Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies | 1 | 5 |
| Pharmaceutical Preparations | 2 | 11 |
| Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service | 1 | 6 |
| Services-Business Services, NEC | 2 | 16 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts | 3 | 27 |
| Services-Prepackaged Software | 1 | 19 |
141 paragraphs · Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution show all sectors
In addition, scrutiny regarding climate change and other ESG matters has resulted in an increased likelihood of governmental investigations, regulation, shareholder activism and private litigation by both advocates and opponents of such matters, which could increase our costs or otherwise adversely affect our business. For example, while some policymakers (including certain states and the SEC under the previous administration) have adopted, or are considering adopting, requirements for the disclosure of climate risks or other information, other policymakers have sought to constrain companies’ considerations of ESG matters. Any failure to successfully navigate stakeholder expectations, including regulatory developments, may result in reputational harm, increased costs or other adverse impacts.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 24, 2026 ↗
Upon entering office, the new administration issued a series of executive orders that signal a shift in the United States’ energy, environmental and climate change policy. Among other directives, such executive orders: (i) direct federal agencies to identify and exercise emergency authorities to facilitate conventional energy production, transportation and refining and call for the use of emergency regulations to expedite energy infrastructure projects; (ii) promote energy explorations and production on federal lands and waters; (iii) mandate a review of existing regulations that may burden domestic energy development; and (iv) rescission of funds and programs related to the IRA and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. We continue to assess the long-term impacts of such actions on our operations, if any. However, such actions may prompt various states and other policymakers to take more stringent action on such matters. Therefore, the net impact of any developments is difficult to predict with any certainty.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 24, 2026 ↗