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Once a year, publicly traded companies issue a comprehensive report of their business, called a 10-K. A component mandated in the 10-K is the ‘Risk Factors’ section, where companies disclose any major potential risks that they may face. This dashboard highlights all major changes and additions in new 10K reports, allowing investors to quickly identify new potential risks and opportunities.

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Risk Factors - SYK

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ITEM 1A.RISK FACTORS.

This report contains statements that are not historical facts and are considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current projections about operations, industry conditions, financial condition and liquidity. Words that identify forward-looking statements include, without limitation, words such as “may,” “could,” “will,” “should,” “possible,” “plan,” “predict,” “forecast,” “potential,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “may impact,” “on track,” “goal,” “strategy” and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance, an acquisition or our businesses. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. Those statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results could differ materially and adversely from these forward-looking statements, historical experience or our present expectations. Some important factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our expectations in any forward-looking statements include:

•weakening of economic conditions, or the anticipation thereof, that could adversely affect the level of demand for our or Inari Medical, Inc.’s (“Inari”) products;

•geopolitical risks, including from international conflicts, which could, among other things, lead to increased market volatility;


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STRYKER CORPORATION						2024 FORM 10-K

•pricing pressures generally, including cost-containment measures that have adversely affected and could in the future adversely affect the price of or demand for our or Inari’s products;

•changes in foreign currency exchange markets;

•legislative and regulatory actions;

•unanticipated issues arising in connection with clinical studies and otherwise that affect approval of new products, including Inari products, by the FDA and foreign regulatory agencies;

•inflationary pressures;

•increased interest rates or interest rate volatility;

•supply chain disruptions;

•changes in labor markets;

•changes in coverage and reimbursement levels from third-party payors;

•changes in the competitive environment;

•breaches, failures or other disruptions of our or our vendors’ or customers’ information technology systems or products, including by cyber-attack, data leakage, unauthorized access or theft;

•a significant increase in product liability claims;

•the ultimate total cost with respect to recall-related and other regulatory and quality matters;

•the impact of investigative and legal proceedings and compliance risks;

•resolution of tax audits;

•changes in tax laws and regulations;

•the impact of legislation to reform the healthcare system in the United States or other countries;

•costs to comply with medical device regulations;

•changes in financial markets;

•changes in our credit ratings;

•our ability to integrate and realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions in full or at all or within the expected timeframes, including our acquisition of Inari;

•our ability to realize any anticipated cost savings;

•potential negative impacts resulting from climate change or other environmental, social and governance and sustainability related matters;

•the impact on our operations and financial results of any public health emergency and any related policies and actions by governments or other third parties;

•uncertainties as to the timing of the tender offer for shares of Inari common stock and the subsequent merger with Inari;

•uncertainties as to how many of Inari’s stockholders will tender their shares in the tender offer;

•the failure to satisfy any of the closing conditions to the acquisition of Inari, including the expiration or termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act waiting period (and the risk that such governmental approval may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the expected benefits of the transaction);

•delays in consummating the acquisition of Inari or the risk that the transaction may not close at all;

•unexpected liabilities, costs, charges or expenses in connection with the acquisition of Inari;

•the effects of the proposed Inari transaction (or the announcement thereof) on the parties’ relationships with employees, customers, other business partners or governmental entities; and

•other risks detailed in our filings with the SEC.

While we believe that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that future events or developments will not cause such statements to be inaccurate. All forward-looking statements

contained in this report are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem not to be material or that could apply to any company may also materially and adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition or results of operations. If any of the risks discussed below or other risks actually occur or continue to occur, our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows could be materially adversely affected. Accordingly, you should carefully consider the following risk factors, as well as other information contained in or incorporated by reference in this report.

BUSINESS AND OPERATIONAL RISKS

We use a variety of raw materials, components, devices and third-party services in our global supply chains, production and distribution processes; significant shortages, price increases or unavailability of third-party services have in the past increased, and could in the future increase, our operating costs and could require significant capital expenditures or adversely impact the competitive position of our products: Our reliance on certain suppliers to secure raw materials, components and finished devices, and on certain third-party service providers, such as sterilization service providers, exposes us to the risk of product shortages and unanticipated increases in prices, whether due to inflationary pressure, regulatory changes, litigation exposure, geopolitical tensions or otherwise. For example, in the past we experienced limited product availability due to an electronic components shortage in certain product lines. If a similar shortage occurs in the future with respect to any raw materials or components, we may not be able to obtain them from our suppliers on a timely basis, or at all, or identify alternative suppliers. If sole-source suppliers or service providers are unable or unwilling to deliver these materials or services as a result of financial difficulties, business disruptions, acquisition by a third party, natural disasters or otherwise, we may not be able to manufacture or have available one or more products during such period of unavailability and our business could suffer, possibly materially. In certain instances we have been unable to meet demand due to supply chain challenges, which has led to loss of sales. Although the impacts have not been material to date, an inability to meet demand due to supply chain challenges in the future could materially adversely impact our reputation, the competitive position of our products and our business. Any of the foregoing risks could have a material adverse impact on our profitability and results of operations.


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STRYKER CORPORATION						2024 FORM 10-K

In addition, in recent years, the market has experienced inflationary pressures in part due to global supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and other impacts following the COVID-19 pandemic. We have experienced, and may in the future experience, inflationary increases in manufacturing costs and operating expenses, as well as negative impacts from weakening or strengthening exchange rates against the United States Dollar. Although we have been able to pass certain cost increases on to our customers, we have not been able to pass along all cost increases and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so in the future. Inflation, high interest rates or interest rate volatility may also cause our customers to reduce or delay orders for our products and services. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse impact on our sales, profitability and results of operations.

We are subject to pricing pressures as a result of cost containment measures in the United States and other countries and other factors, including changes in reimbursement practices and coverage policies and third-party payor cost containment measures: Initiatives to limit the growth of general healthcare expenses and hospital costs are ongoing in the markets in which we do business. These initiatives are sponsored by government agencies, legislative bodies and the private sector and include price regulation and competitive pricing. For example, China has implemented a volume-based procurement process designed to decrease prices for medical devices and other products. Pricing pressure has also increased due to continued consolidation among healthcare providers, trends toward managed care, the shift toward governments becoming the primary payers of healthcare expenses, reduction in coverage or reimbursement levels and medical procedure volumes and government laws and regulations relating to sales and promotion, reimbursement and pricing generally. Coverage policies and reimbursement levels can vary across the payer community globally, regionally, and locally, and may affect which products customers purchase, the market acceptance rate for new technologies and the prices customers are willing to pay for those products in a particular jurisdiction. Furthermore, any changes to the coverage or reimbursement landscape, or adverse decisions relating to our products by administrators of these systems could significantly reduce reimbursement for procedures using our products or result in denial of reimbursement for those products, which could adversely affect customer demand, or the price customers are willing to pay for such products. Public and private payers have challenged, and are expected to continue to challenge, prices charged for medical products and services. Such downward pricing pressures from any or all of these payers may result in an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. We have also reduced prices for certain products due to increased competition and if we further reduce prices, we could become less profitable. In addition, due to healthcare industry consolidation in recent years, competition to provide goods and services to industry participants has become, and may continue to become, more intense, and this consolidation has produced, and may continue to produce, larger enterprises with more bargaining power. Pricing pressures related to any of the foregoing or other factors have impacted and could in the future impact our results of operations and profitability.

We operate in a highly competitive industry in which competition and the regulatory burden in the development and improvement of new and existing products is significant: The markets in which we compete are highly competitive, and a significant element of our strategy is to increase revenue growth by focusing on innovation, new product development and improvement of existing products. The success of our products and services depends on, among other things, our ability to properly identify customer needs and predict future needs; innovate and develop new technologies, services and applications at an accelerated pace; and appropriately allocate our research and development spending to products and services with higher growth. There can be no assurance that any products now in development, or that we may seek to develop in the future, will achieve technological feasibility, obtain regulatory approval or gain market acceptance. If we are unable to develop and launch new products, our ability to maintain or expand our market position in the markets in which we participate may be negatively impacted.

We may be unable to maintain adequate working relationships with healthcare professionals: We work with healthcare professionals in a transparent and responsible manner and seek to maintain these relationships with respected physicians and medical personnel in healthcare organizations, such as hospitals and universities, who assist in product research and development. We rely on these professionals to assist us in the development and improvement of proprietary products. If we are unable to maintain these relationships due to regulatory restrictions, hospital access restrictions for non-patients or for other reasons, our ability to develop, market and sell new and improved products could be adversely affected.

We rely on indirect distribution channels and major distributors that are independent of Stryker: In many markets we rely on indirect distribution channels to market, distribute and sell our products. These indirect channels often are the main point of contact for the healthcare professionals and healthcare organization customers who buy and use our products.

We are subject to risks associated with our extensive global operations: We develop, manufacture and distribute our products globally. Our global operations are subject to risks and costs related to, among other things, changes in coverage or reimbursement levels from third-party payors in the United States and other countries; changes in regulatory requirements (such as the staggered phase-in period for manufacturers to comply with


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the European Union Medical Device Regulation (MDR) through December 2028); differing local product preferences and product requirements; diminished protection of intellectual property in some countries; tariffs and other trade protection measures, as well as increasing localization and protectionism policies in certain jurisdictions; international trade disputes and import or export requirements; difficulty in staffing and managing foreign operations; introduction of new internal business structures and programs; political and economic instability and uncertainty; current or potential geopolitical conflicts, such as the tensions between China and Taiwan and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and related sanctions and other developments; disruptions of transportation, including port closures, increased border controls or border closures or reduced transportation availability, due to military conflicts, a global pandemic of contagious diseases like COVID-19 or otherwise; increased energy or transportation costs; fluctuations in currency exchange rates and financial markets; and increased security threats to our supply chain. Many of these risks are rapidly evolving and subject to an accelerating pace of change. Our business could be adversely impacted if we are unable to successfully manage these and other risks of global operations in an increasingly volatile environment.

We may be unable to capitalize on previous or future acquisitions: In addition to internally developed products, we invest in new products and technologies through acquisitions. Such investments are inherently risky, and we cannot guarantee that any acquisition will be successful or will not have a material unfavorable impact on us. The risks include the activities required and resources allocated to integrate new businesses, diversion of management time that could adversely affect management’s ability to focus on other projects, the inability to realize the expected benefits, savings or synergies from the acquisition, the loss of key personnel, litigation resulting from the acquisition and exposure to unexpected liabilities of acquired companies. Certain acquisitions are subject to antitrust and competition laws, and antitrust scrutiny by regulatory agencies and changes to the regulatory approval process in the United States and foreign jurisdictions may cause approvals to take longer than anticipated to obtain, not be obtained at all, or contain burdensome conditions, which may jeopardize, delay or reduce the anticipated benefits of acquisitions to us and could impede the execution of our business strategy. In addition, we cannot be certain that the businesses we acquire will become or remain profitable.

We, our business partners or our third-party vendors could experience a material failure or breach of a key information technology system, network, process or site: We rely extensively on information technology (IT) systems to conduct business. In addition, we rely on networks and services, including internet sites, cloud and software-as-a-service solutions, data hosting and processing facilities and tools and other hardware, software (including open-source software) and technical applications and platforms, some of which are managed, hosted, provided and/or used by third parties or their vendors, to assist in conducting our business. Emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) may be used by malicious actors to create more targeted

phishing narratives, spread disinformation about us or our products or otherwise strengthen social engineering capabilities. We, our customers and third-party hosting services have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, security breaches of, unauthorized access to, and disruptions of, products or systems. While such breaches, unauthorized access and disruptions have not had a material effect on us to date, we cannot guarantee that any future breach or unauthorized access will not be material and any breach or unauthorized access could impact the use of such products and systems and the security of information stored therein.

When cybersecurity or other technology related incidents occur, we follow our incident response protocols and address them in accordance with applicable governmental regulations and other legal requirements. Moreover, given the increasing complexity and sophistication of the techniques used by threat actors to obtain unauthorized access or disable or degrade systems, a cyberattack could occur and persist for an extended period of time before being detected, and we may not anticipate these acts or mitigate them adequately or timely, which may compound damages before the incident is discovered or remediated. The extent of a particular cyber incident and the steps that we may need to take to investigate the incident may not be immediately clear, and it may take a significant amount of time before such investigation can be completed and full and reliable information about the incident is known. New regulations may require us to disclose information about a material cybersecurity incident before it has been resolved or fully investigated. Additionally, as threats continue to evolve and increase, and as the regulatory environment and customer requirements related to information security, data collection and use, and privacy become increasingly rigorous, we may be required to devote significant additional resources to modify and enhance our security controls and to identify and remediate any security vulnerabilities, which could adversely impact our net income.

Hardware and software failures or delays in our key information technology systems, networks, processes or sites could disrupt our operations, cause the loss of confidential information or otherwise adversely impact our business. Our systems, networks, processes and sites may be vulnerable to damage, disruptions and shutdown from a variety of sources, including malfunctions in maintenance updates or security patches, design defects, the age of the technology, network failures, modernization or other initiatives, human acts and natural disasters. For example, some of our information technology systems contain legacy third-party software components for which we depend on a layered security


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approach to protect against exploitation, which may not be effective. Any such damage or disruptions could also compromise the security of our information systems and networks. These issues can also arise as a result of failures by, or in the software or hardware of, third parties, including networks or service providers, with whom we do business and over whom we have limited or no control. Any disruption or failure of our systems, networks, processes or sites could have a material impact on our business and operations.

If our IT systems, networks or processes are damaged or cease to function properly for any reason, the networks, service providers, hardware or software we rely upon fail to function properly, or we or one of our third-party providers suffer a loss or disclosure of our business or stakeholder information due to any number of causes ranging from catastrophic events or power outages to improper data handling or security breaches or unauthorized access and our business continuity plans do not effectively address these failures on a timely basis, we may be exposed to reputational, competitive and business harm as well as litigation and regulatory action and fines, penalties and expenses related thereto.

An inability to successfully manage the implementation of our new commercial global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system could adversely affect our operations and operating results: We are in the process of implementing a new commercial ERP system. This system will replace many of our existing operating and financial systems. The implementation is a major undertaking, both financially and from a management and personnel perspective.

We may be unable to attract, develop and retain executives and key employees: Our sales, technical and other key personnel play an integral role in the development, marketing and selling of new and existing products. Our future performance also depends in large part on the continued services of our senior management. Inflationary pressures, labor demand and shortages and other macroeconomic factors have increased and could further increase the cost of labor and could harm our ability to recruit, hire and retain talented employees. In addition, increased unionization could negatively impact our labor costs and ability to create an engaging, connected culture, which could adversely affect our ability to recruit, hire, develop and retain a talented, competitive workforce. Further, if we are unable to maintain competitive and equitable compensation and benefit programs, including incentive programs which reward financial and operational performance, our ability to recruit, hire, engage, motivate and retain talent could be negatively affected. Further, our remote and hybrid work practices, ability to provide flexible and alternative work arrangements, and our practices relating to corporate responsibility may not meet the needs or expectations of our employees, including senior management or other key employees, which could negatively impact our ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees, or

may harm our culture and/or decrease employee engagement, which could adversely impact our ability to recruit, hire, develop and retain a talented, competitive workforce.

Effective succession planning is also important to our long-term success. Failure to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and smooth transitions involving executives and other key employees could hinder our strategic planning and execution. Changes in our management team may be disruptive to our business, and any failure to successfully integrate key new hires or promoted employees could adversely affect our business and results of operations. The loss of the services of any of our senior management or other key personnel, or our inability to attract highly qualified senior management and other key personnel, could harm our business. Our ability to execute our business strategy could be impaired if we are unable to replace such persons timely. In addition, recent legal and regulatory changes affect our ability to enforce post-termination obligations from certain employees with respect to non-competition, non-solicitation and protection of confidential information. This may negatively impact our ability to retain employees and protect our information and relationships with customers and other third parties.

Interruption of manufacturing operations could adversely affect our business: We and our suppliers have manufacturing and supply sites all over the world. However, the manufacturing of certain of our product lines is concentrated in one or more plants or geographic regions. We have principal manufacturing and distribution facilities in the United States in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, and outside the United States in China, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and Turkey. Damage to our facilities, to our suppliers’ or service providers’ facilities, or to our central distribution centers as a result of natural disasters, fires, explosions or otherwise, as well as issues in our manufacturing arising from a failure to follow specific internal protocols and procedures, compliance concerns relating to the quality systems regulation, equipment breakdown or malfunction, IT system failures or cybersecurity incidents, environmental hazard incidents or changes to environmental regulations or other factors, could adversely affect the availability of our products.

Our insurance program may not be adequate to cover future losses: We maintain third-party insurance to cover our exposure to certain property and casualty losses and are self-insured for claims and expenses related to other property and casualty losses, including product liability, intellectual property infringement and enforcement, environmental, and cybersecurity and data privacy losses. Insurance coverage limits provided by third-party insurers and/or our captive insurance company may not be sufficient to fully cover certain losses we may experience.

We have experienced, and may continue to experience, a significant and unpredictable need to adjust our operations as market demand for certain of our products has shifted and continues to shift or as may be mandated by


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governmental authorities: Some of our products are particularly sensitive to reductions in elective medical procedures. Further, our customers have experienced, and may continue to experience, staffing shortages that may result in decreased demand for our products, which could negatively affect our business and financial results.

Unpredictable increases in demand for certain of our products have exceeded in the past, and could exceed in the future, our capacity to meet such demand timely, which could adversely affect our customer relationships and result in negative publicity. In this regard, the accelerated development and production of products and services to address medical and other requirements could increase the risk of regulatory enforcement actions, product defects or related claims or reputational harm, among other things.

Our use of AI and other emerging technologies could adversely impact our business and financial results: We have begun to deploy AI and other emerging technologies in various facets of our operations and we continue to explore further use cases. In addition, any disruption or failure in the AI functionality we incorporate into our business activities, products or services could adversely impact our business or result in delays or errors in our product offerings. The legal and regulatory landscape surrounding AI technologies is rapidly evolving and uncertain, including in the areas of intellectual property, cybersecurity and privacy and data protection. Compliance with new or changing laws, regulations or industry standards relating to AI may impose significant costs on us and limit our ability to effectively develop, deploy or use AI technologies. Furthermore, if we are unable to effectively manage the use of AI technologies by our employees and service providers, our confidential information, intellectual property and reputation could be put at risk. Failure to appropriately respond to this evolving landscape may result in reputational, competitive and business harm as well as litigation and regulatory action and fines, penalties and expenses related thereto.

Pandemics and public health emergencies, and the fear thereof, have in the past materially adversely affected and could in the future materially adversely affect, our operations, supply chain, manufacturing, product distribution, customers and other business activities: In connection with prior pandemics, governmental authorities and private enterprises implemented, and may in the future implement in connection with another pandemic or public health emergency (or in response to the fear thereof), measures, such as travel bans and restrictions, quarantines, shelter-in-place orders and shutdowns. Our customers, global suppliers, distributors and manufacturing facilities have in the past been, and could in the future be, materially affected by restrictive measures implemented in response to a pandemic or public health emergency, which has in the past caused and could in the future cause them to be unable to hire and retain employees,

distribute or use our products or provide required services. The COVID-19 pandemic materially impacted us, and any future pandemic or public health emergency could materially impact us and would heighten many of the other risks described in this report.

LEGAL AND REGULATORY RISKS

Current economic and political conditions make tax rules in jurisdictions subject to significant change: Our future results of operations could be affected by changes in the effective tax rate as a result of changes in tax laws, regulations and judicial rulings. We are continuing to evaluate the impact of tax reform in the countries in which we operate as new guidance is published and new regulations are adopted. The OECD, which represents a coalition of member countries, has put forth two proposed frameworks that revise the existing profit allocation and nexus rules (Pillar 1) and ensure a minimal level of taxation (Pillar 2), respectively. In 2022 the European Union member states agreed to implement the Inclusive Framework’s global corporate minimum tax rate of 15%, and various countries within and outside the European Union have either enacted or proposed new tax laws implementing Pillar Two in 2024. The OECD continues to release additional guidance and we anticipate more countries will enact similar tax laws. Some of the new tax laws are effective in 2024 while others will be effective in future years. These tax law changes and any additional contemplated tax law changes, could increase tax expense in future periods.

We could be negatively impacted by future changes in the allocation of income to each of the income tax jurisdictions in which we operate: We operate in multiple income tax jurisdictions both in the United States and internationally. Accordingly, our management must determine the appropriate allocation of income to each jurisdiction based on current interpretations of complex income tax regulations. Income tax authorities regularly perform audits of our income tax filings. Income tax audits associated with the allocation of income and other complex issues, including inventory transfer pricing and cost sharing, product royalty and foreign branch arrangements, may require an extended period to resolve and may result in significant income tax adjustments.

The impact of healthcare reform legislation on our business remains uncertain: Several markets where we sell our products are making efforts to expand access to healthcare or health insurance coverage while decreasing costs. These efforts may have a direct or unintended negative impact on access to medical technology and could have a significant effect on our business. Both in the U.S. and internationally, governmental authorities may make legislative or administrative reforms to existing reimbursement programs, make adverse decisions relating to our


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STRYKER CORPORATION						2024 FORM 10-K

products’ coverage or reimbursement, or make changes to patient access to healthcare, all of which could adversely impact the demand for and usage of our products or the prices that our customers are willing to pay for them. Similarly, we cannot predict the impact that healthcare reform legislation in other countries where we sell our products may have on our business.

We are subject to extensive governmental regulation relating to the classification, manufacturing, sterilization, licensing, labeling, marketing and sale of our products: The classification, manufacturing, sterilization, licensing, labeling, marketing and sale of our products are subject to extensive and evolving regulations and rigorous regulatory enforcement by the FDA, state governments, European Union and other governmental authorities in the United States and internationally. These governmental authorities may impose additional requirements or limits on the methods, procedures or agents we use to manufacture and sterilize our products, which could have a negative impact on our business. For example, governmental authorities in the United States and internationally have or are considering adopting regulations on the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. We have ongoing responsibilities under the laws and regulations applicable to the manufacturing of products within our facilities and those contracted by third parties that are subject to periodic inspections by the FDA, state Boards of Pharmacy and other governmental authorities to determine compliance with the quality system, medical device reporting regulations and other requirements. We may also be subject to legal obligations in some countries that require disclosure or sharing of proprietary information. We incur significant costs to comply with regulations, including the MDR.

We are subject to federal, state and foreign healthcare regulations, including anti-bribery, anti-corruption, anti-kickback and false claims laws, globally and could face substantial penalties if we fail to comply with such regulations and laws: The relationships that we, and third parties that market and/or sell our products, have with healthcare professionals, such as physicians, hospitals, healthcare organizations and others, are subject to scrutiny under various state and federal laws often referred to collectively as healthcare fraud and abuse laws. In addition, the United States and foreign government regulators have increased the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other anti-bribery and anti-kickback laws. We also must comply with a variety of other laws that impose extensive tracking and reporting related to all transfers of value provided to certain healthcare professionals and others. These laws and regulations are broad in scope and are subject to evolving interpretation and we have in the past been, and in the future could be, required to incur substantial costs to investigate, audit and monitor compliance or to alter our practices. Violations or alleged violations of these laws have in

the past resulted and could in the future result in investigations, litigation or government proceedings, and we have been and may in the future be subject to criminal or civil penalties and sanctions, including substantial fines, imprisonment of current or former employees and exclusion from participation in governmental healthcare programs. For example, in 2013 and 2018 we settled claims brought by the SEC related to the FCPA. Pursuant to these settlements, we paid fines and penalties and retained an independent compliance consultant. We continue to implement recommendations that resulted from the independent compliance consultant’s review of our commercial practices to enhance our commercial business practices. In addition, we are currently investigating whether certain business activities in certain foreign countries violated provisions of the FCPA and have been contacted by the SEC, United States Department of Justice and certain other regulatory authorities. Although we are currently unable to predict the outcome of the investigations or the potential impact, if any, on our financial statements, the impacts could potentially be significant.

We are subject to privacy, data protection and data security regulations and laws globally, and could face substantial penalties if we fail to comply with such regulations and laws: We are subject to a variety of laws and regulations globally regarding privacy, data protection, and data security, including those related to the collection, storage, handling, use, disclosure, transfer and security of personally identifiable healthcare information. For example, in the United States, privacy and security regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, including the expanded requirements under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, establish comprehensive standards with respect to the use and disclosure of protected health information (PHI), by covered entities, in addition to setting standards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and security of PHI. Regulators are also imposing new data privacy and security requirements, including new and greater monetary fines for privacy violations. For example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) established rules regarding the handling of personal data. Non-compliance with the GDPR may result in monetary penalties of up to 4% of total company revenue. Various U.S. states and other governmental authorities around the world have imposed or are considering similar types of laws and regulations, data breach reporting and penalties for non-compliance and increasing security requirements. As new privacy-related laws and regulations are implemented, the time and resources needed for us to comply with such laws and regulations, as well as our potential liability for non-compliance and reporting obligations in the case of data breaches, have increased and may further increase.

We may be adversely affected by product liability claims, unfavorable court decisions or legal settlements: We are exposed to potential product liability risks inherent in the design, manufacture and marketing of medical devices, many of which are implanted in the human body for long periods of time or indefinitely. We are currently defendants in a number of product liability matters, including those relating to our Rejuvenate and ABGII Modular-Neck hip stems, LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 Femoral Heads and the product liability lawsuits and claims relating to Wright Medical Group N.V. (Wright) legacy hip products discussed in Note 7 to our Consolidated Financial


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Statements. The European Product Liability Directive was revised in 2024 and will become fully adopted into each member state’s national laws by 2026. The revised Product Liability Directive and Collective Redress Directive exposes us to additional litigation risks and could result in significant legal expenses.

Intellectual property litigation and infringement claims could cause us to incur significant expenses or prevent us from selling certain of our products: The medical device industry is characterized by extensive intellectual property litigation and, from time to time, we are the subject of claims of infringement or misappropriation. A successful claim or claims of patent or other intellectual property infringement against us could result in payment of significant monetary damages and/or royalty payments or negatively impact our ability to sell current or future products in the affected category.

Dependence on intellectual proprietary rights and failing to protect such rights or to be successful in litigation related to such rights may impact offerings in our product portfolios: Our long-term success largely depends on our ability to market technologically competitive products. If we fail to obtain or maintain adequate intellectual property protection, it could allow others to sell products that directly compete with proprietary features in our product portfolio. Also, our issued patents may be subject to claims challenging their validity and scope and raising other issues.

MARKET RISKS

We have exposure to exchange rate fluctuations on cross border transactions and translation of local currency results into United States Dollars: We report our financial results in United States Dollars and approximately 25% of our net sales are denominated in foreign currencies, including the Australian Dollar, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Euro and Japanese Yen. Cross border transactions with external parties, financing transactions in currencies other than the United States Dollar and intercompany relationships result in increased exposure to foreign currency exchange effects. While we use derivative instruments to manage the impact of currency exchange, our hedging strategies may not be successful, and our unhedged exposures continue to be subject to currency fluctuations. In addition, the weakening or strengthening of the United States Dollar results in favorable or unfavorable translation effects when the results of our foreign locations are translated into United States Dollars. In recent years, currency exchange rates have been especially volatile, and these currency fluctuations have affected, and may continue to affect, our results of operations.

Additional capital that we may require in the future may not be available to us or may only be available to us on unfavorable terms, which could negatively affect our liquidity: Our future capital requirements will depend on many

factors, including operating requirements, current and future acquisitions and the need to refinance existing debt. Our ability to issue additional debt or enter into other financing arrangements on acceptable terms could be adversely affected by our debt levels, unfavorable changes in economic conditions or uncertainties that affect the capital markets. Changes in credit ratings issued by nationally recognized credit rating agencies could also adversely affect our access to and cost of financing. Higher borrowing costs or the inability to access capital markets could adversely affect our ability to support future growth and operating requirements. As a result, we may be compelled to take additional measures to preserve our cash flow, including through the reduction of operating expenses or suspension of dividend payments.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE RISKS

We could be negatively impacted by corporate responsibility and sustainability-related matters: Governments, investors, customers, employees and other stakeholders have been focused on corporate responsibility practices and disclosures, and expectations in this area continue to rapidly evolve, including in diverging directions. Implementation of these initiatives involves risks and uncertainties, requires investments and depends in part on third-party performance or data that is outside our control. We cannot guarantee that we will achieve our announced corporate responsibility initiatives. Moreover, the increasing attention to corporate responsibility initiatives could also result in, among other things, reduced demand for our products, reduced profits, increased investigations and litigation and an increased risk of reputational damage.

Physical effects of climate change or legal, regulatory or market measures intended to address climate change could adversely affect our operations and operating results: Risks associated with climate change are subject to increasing societal, regulatory and political focus in the United States and globally. Shifts in weather patterns caused by climate change have increased and are expected to further increase the frequency, severity or duration of certain adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, droughts, extreme temperatures and flooding, which could cause more significant business and supply chain


Dollar amounts in millions except per share amounts or as otherwise specified.			11


STRYKER CORPORATION						2024 FORM 10-K

interruptions, damage to our products and facilities as well as the infrastructure of hospitals, medical care facilities and other customers, reduced workforce availability, increased costs of raw materials and components, increased liabilities and decreased revenues than what we have experienced in the past from such events.


ITEM 1B.			UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

None.


ITEM 1C.ITEM 1A.			CYBERSECURITY.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGY

We review cybersecurity risk as part of our overall enterprise risk management program. This ensures that cybersecurity risk management remains a top priority in our business strategy and operations.

MANAGEMENT'S ROLE IN MANAGING RISK

Primary management responsibility for assessing, monitoring and managing our cybersecurity risks rests with our chief information security officer ("CISO"). Our current CISO has over 30 years of experience in information technology including over 20 years in cybersecurity and oversees a team of cybersecurity professionals with over 140 security, risk, and compliance certifications. The CISO is regularly informed about recent developments in cybersecurity, including potential threats and innovative risk management techniques.

The CISO implements and oversees processes for the regular monitoring of our information systems. We use various tools and methodologies to manage cybersecurity risk that are tested regularly. We also monitor and evaluate our cybersecurity posture and performance on an ongoing basis through regular vulnerability scans, penetration tests and threat intelligence feeds. In addition, we engage third-party consultants to conduct annual cybersecurity assessments and to conduct audits for compliance with regulatory, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Service Organization Control Type 2 and International Organization for Standardization standards. We also engage third parties to assess our cybersecurity maturity and risk management programs.

We use a cross-departmental approach to addressing cybersecurity risk, with our cybersecurity, product security and legal teams presenting quarterly on key topics to a committee of leaders in finance, regulatory, and corporate affairs functions. This leadership committee meets quarterly to ensure that we have input and oversight from critical stakeholders into our cybersecurity program and evolving issues.

The CISO oversees a training and awareness program for employees to take part in protecting the Company against cybersecurity risks. We have implemented annual mandatory security education to help employees understand cybersecurity risks and comply with our cybersecurity policies. Additionally, we provide frequent communications around pertinent cybersecurity topics and policies to all employees. We also provide additional

cybersecurity and data protection training to employees in certain roles.

As part of our cybersecurity risk management program, we also conduct cybersecurity and privacy assessments on all third parties who integrate with Stryker’s data, network, systems and products. We use a combination of internal and external tools to confirm that these third parties meet our security requirements. We leverage standard industry threat model and privacy impact assessment concepts to confirm that data minimization and adequate data protections are in place. We perform supplemental reviews as necessary, commensurate with the risk associated with each vendor.

In the event of a cybersecurity incident, we have an incident response plan that includes immediate actions to mitigate the impact and long-term strategies for remediation and prevention of future incidents. The cybersecurity and product security teams routinely practice this plan with functions across the organization. We conduct tabletop exercises with senior management, during which we practice the procedures in place to ensure that potentially material cybersecurity risks and incidents are escalated to management and the Board of Directors where applicable.

GOVERNANCE

Cybersecurity risks are overseen by the full Board of Directors and the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is central to the Board of Directors’ oversight of cybersecurity risks and bears the primary responsibility for overseeing cybersecurity risk. The Audit Committee actively participates in strategic decisions related to cybersecurity, offering guidance and approval for major cybersecurity initiatives. This involvement ensures that cybersecurity considerations are integrated into our broader strategic objectives.

Our CISO provides comprehensive updates to the Audit Committee quarterly and the full Board of Directors periodically. These briefings include a range of topics, including:

•Current cybersecurity landscape and emerging threats;

•Status of ongoing cybersecurity initiatives and strategies;

•Incident reports and learnings from any cybersecurity events;

•Metrics demonstrating company and industry-standard prevention of common threats; and

•Regulatory changes impacting cybersecurity requirements and strategy.

The Board of Directors is aware of the critical nature of managing risks associated with cybersecurity threats and is actively engaged in our cybersecurity risk management strategy.

RISKS FROM CYBERSECURITY THREATS

Although cybersecurity risks have not materially affected us, including our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition, to date, we face numerous and evolving cybersecurity threats in our business. For more information about the cybersecurity risks we face, see the risk factor entitled "We, our business partners or our third-party vendors could experience a material failure or breach of a key information technology system, network, process or site" in Item 1A. Risk Factors.

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