UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

__________________



FORM 10‑K



☒  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017



OR



☐  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ____________to____________



Commission File No. 001-34220

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3D SYSTEMS CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

_______________  _____________________________



(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code): (803) 326‑3900



Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:





Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐



Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes ☒ No ☐



Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ☐



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.  (Check one): 







If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b‑2 of the Exchange Act.) Yes ☐ No ☒



The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on June 30, 2017 was $1,979,637,446. For purposes of this computation, it has been assumed that the shares beneficially held by directors and executive officers of the registrant were “held by affiliates.” This assumption is not to be deemed an admission by these persons that they are affiliates of the registrant.



The number of outstanding shares of the registrant’s common stock as of March 7, 2018 was 113,805,067.



DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.



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3D SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the
Year Ended December 31, 2017



TABLE OF CONTENTS





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This Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”) contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve risks and uncertainties. Many of the forward-looking statements are located in Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “may”, “will”, “estimates,” “intends,” “anticipates,” or “plans” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.  Forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions and current expectations concerning future events and trends, using information currently available, and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside our control. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at or by which any such performance or results will be achieved. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements.  Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Part I, Item 1A of this Form 10-K under the heading “Risk Factors.” All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or to individuals acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this discussion. The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.



PART I



Item 1. Business



General



3D Systems Corporation (“3D Systems” or the “Company” or “we” or “us”) is a holding company incorporated in Delaware in 1993 that markets our products and services through subsidiaries in North America and South America (collectively referred to as “Americas”), Europe and the Middle East (collectively referred to as “EMEA”) and the Asia Pacific region (“APAC”). We provide comprehensive 3D printing solutions, including 3D printers, materials, software, on demand manufacturing services and digital design tools. Our solutions support advanced applications in a wide range of industries and key verticals including healthcare, aerospace, automotive and durable goods. Our precision healthcare capabilities include simulation, Virtual Surgical Planning (“VSP™”), and printing of medical and dental devices, anatomical models, and surgical guides and instruments. We have over 30 years of experience and expertise which have proven vital to our development of end-to-end solutions that enable customers to optimize product designs, transform workflows, bring innovative products to market and drive new business models.



Customers can use our 3D solutions to design and manufacture complex and unique parts, eliminate expensive tooling, produce parts locally or in small batches and reduce lead times and time to market. A growing number of customers are shifting from prototyping applications to also using 3D printing for production. We believe this shift will be further driven by our continued advancement and innovation of 3D printing solutions that improve durability, repeatability, productivity and total cost of operations.



Products



We offer a comprehensive range of 3D printers, materials, software, haptic design tools, 3D scanners and virtual surgical simulators.



3D Printers and Materials



Our 3D printers transform digital data input generated by 3D design software, CAD software or other 3D design tools, into printed parts using several unique print engines that employ proprietary, additive layer by layer building processes with a variety of materials. We offer a broad range of 3D printing technologies including Stereolithography (“SLA”), Selective Laser Sintering (“SLS”), Direct Metal Printing (“DMP”), MultiJet Printing (“MJP”) and ColorJet Printing (“CJP”), which are discussed in more detail below.



Our printers utilize a wide range of materials, the majority of which are proprietary materials that we develop, blend and market. Our comprehensive range of materials includes plastic, nylon, metal, composite, elastomeric, wax, polymeric dental materials and Class IV bio-compatible materials. We augment and complement our portfolio of engineered materials with materials that we purchase or develop with third parties under private label and distribution arrangements.



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We work closely with our customers to optimize the performance of our materials in their applications. Our expertise in materials science and formulation, combined with our processes, software and equipment, enables us to provide unique and highly specialized materials and help our customers select the material that best meets their needs with optimal cost and performance results.



As part of our solutions approach, our currently offered printers, with the exception of direct metal printers, have built-in intelligence to make them integrated, closed systems. For these integrated printers, we furnish materials specifically designed for use in those printers which are packaged in smart cartridges and utilize material delivery systems. These integrated materials are designed to enhance system functionality, productivity, reliability and materials shelf life, in addition to providing our customers with a built-in quality management system and a fully integrated workflow solution.



SLA Printers



Our SLA 3D printers cure liquid resin materials with light or a laser to produce durable plastic parts with surface smoothness, high resolution, edge definition and tolerances that rival the accuracy of machined or molded plastic parts. We offer SLA printers with a wide range of materials, sizes and price points, which are designed for prototyping, end-use part production, casting patterns, molds, tooling, fixtures and medical models.



Figure 4™, a light-based SLA platform, is an ultra-fast additive manufacturing technology with a discrete module design. This design allows a range of products and configurations to meet customer needs from a stand-alone product to modular products to fully-automated solutions, all of which we plan to bring to market in 2018. Unlike other photopolymer 3D printing, Figure 4 is capable of manufacturing parts in hybrid materials (multi-mode polymerization) that offer toughness, durability, biocompatibility, high temperature deflection and elastomeric properties. These capabilities enable new end-use applications in healthcare, dental, durable goods, automotive, aerospace and other verticals.



For SLA printers, we offer a variety of liquid resin materials, primarily under the Accura® brand name. The resins are designed to mimic specific, engineered thermoplastics and provide a wide range of characteristics, including tough, durable, clear, castable, polypropylene-like, ABS-like, high-temperature resistant and Class IV bio-compatible materials. We also offer dental materials for light-based SLA 3D printers under our NextDent™ brand name.



SLS Printers



Our SLS 3D printers use a laser beam to melt and fuse powder-based nylon, engineered plastic and composite materials to produce very strong and durable parts. Customer uses of our SLS printers include functional test models and end-use parts, such as housings, machinery components, ducting, tooling, jigs and fixtures and medical devices and personalized surgery kits and guides. 



Our proprietary SLS materials include a range of flexible and rigid plastics, nylons and composite materials marketed under the DuraForm®, LaserForm® and CastForm™ brand names. These materials are available in a variety of lightweight, tough, versatile, high temperature, flexible and durable formulations.

 

DMP Printers



Our DMP solutions use a laser beam to sinter powders in a variety of metals to produce fully dense parts with outstanding purity, surface finish and resolution. We offer DMP solutions that can process a wide range of materials and powders, including materials with very fine granularity and proven manufacturing applications. We sell DMP systems in various sizes and configurations. Certain models are optimized for specific metals, including titanium, stainless steel and nickel super alloys. Our DMP printers are used in medical and dental implants, aerospace, automotive and hi-tech and industrial applications, such as conformal cooling, enhanced fluid flow and other complex, lightweight parts.



We offer metal powder materials for our DMP printers, including titanium, stainless steels, tool steels, super alloys, non-ferrous alloys, precious metals and aluminum.



MJP Printers



Our MJP 3D printers utilize jetting head technology to deliver precise, tough parts with exceptional resolution in plastic, wax, elastomeric and engineered materials that we sell under the VisiJet® brand name. Our MJP printers offer the capability to print in real wax as well as rigid and flexible plastics and multiple materials in one build, making them ideal for mechanical functional testing, rapid tooling, jigs and fixtures, casting patterns, over-molding and medical models.

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CJP Printers



Our CJP 3D printers produce parts from our VisiJet branded, powder-based ceramic-like materials. CJP printers build high-definition, full-color parts that can be sanded, drilled, infiltrated, painted and electroplated, which further expands the options available for finished part characteristics. CJP printers are ideal for producing models used in mechanical design, healthcare, architecture, education, entertainment and packaging applications.



Software and Related Products



We also provide digital design tools, including software, scanners and haptic devices. We offer solutions for product design, mold and die design, 3D scan-to-print, reverse engineering, production machining, metrology and inspection. These products are designed to enable a seamless workflow for customers, and are marketed under our Geomagic®, Cimatron® and GibbsCAM® brand names. We also offer proprietary software and drivers with our printers that provide part review, part preparation, part placement, automated support building and placement, build platform management and print queue management capabilities.



Other Products



As part of our portfolio of precision healthcare solutions, we offer 3D virtual reality simulators and simulator modules for medical applications. These 3D simulators are sold under our Simbionix™ brand name and offer clinicians a realistic, hands-on experience to master critical skills, prepare for upcoming procedures and create patient specific simulations and operating room environments through augmented reality and virtual reality. We also provide digitizing scanners for medical and mechanical applications.



Services



Warranty, Maintenance and Training Services



We provide a variety of customer services, local application support and field support on a worldwide basis for our products, including installation of new printers at customers’ sites, printer warranties, maintenance agreements, periodic hardware upgrades and software updates. We also provide services to assist our customers and partners in developing new applications for our technologies, to facilitate the use of our technology for specific applications, to train customers on the use of our printers and to maintain our printers at customers’ sites.



We provide these services, spare parts and field support either directly or through a network of reseller partners. We employ customer-support sales engineers to support our worldwide customer base, and we are continuing to strengthen and enhance our partner network.



Our 3D printers are sold with maintenance support that generally covers a warranty period ranging from 90 days to one year. We generally offer service contracts that enable our customers to continue service and maintenance coverage beyond the initial warranty period. These service contracts are offered with various levels of support and options and are priced accordingly. Our service engineers provide regularly scheduled preventive maintenance visits to customer sites, and we also provide training to our partners to enable them to perform these services.



From time to time, we also offer upgrade kits for certain of our printers that enable our existing customers to take advantage of new or enhanced printer capabilities. In some cases, we have discontinued upgrade support and maintenance agreements for certain of our older legacy printers.



On Demand Manufacturing Solutions



We provide on demand manufacturing services through facilities worldwide in the Americas, EMEA and APAC. We provide a broad range of prototyping, production and finishing capabilities for precision plastic and metal parts and tooling with a wide range of additive and traditional manufacturing processes.



In addition to the sales of parts to customers, we, and our partners, utilize our on demand manufacturing operation as a sales and lead generation tool. Third party preferred service providers also use our on demand manufacturing service as their comprehensive order-fulfillment center, and customers can use our facilities as fulfilment centers in disaster recovery plans. We also provide professional 3D scanning, printing and parts production related to the entertainment industry through our Gentle Giant™ brand.

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Software Services



In addition to our software license products described above, we offer software maintenance, which includes updates and support for our software products. Our software is sold with maintenance service that generally covers a period of one year. After this initial period, we offer single and multi-year maintenance contracts that enable our customers to continue coverage. These software service contracts typically include free software updates and various levels of technical support.



Healthcare Services



As part of our precision healthcare services, we provide surgical planning, modeling, prototyping and manufacturing services. We offer printing and finishing of medical and dental devices, anatomical models and surgical guides and tools, as well as modeling, design and planning services, including virtual surgical planning, VSP™. We also provide service and maintenance for our surgical simulator products.



Global Operations



We operate in the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions, and market our products and services in those areas as well as to other parts of the world.



In maintaining operations outside the United States  (the “U.S.”), we expose our business to risks inherent in such operations, including currency exchange rate fluctuations. Information on foreign exchange risk appears in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors”, Part II, Item 7A, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” and Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” of this Form 10-K.



Financial information about geographic areas, including revenue, long-lived assets and cash balances, appears in Note 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements and in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors”, Part II, Item 7A, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” and Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” of this Form 10-K.



Marketing and Customers



Our sales and marketing strategy focuses on an integrated approach that is directed at providing comprehensive solutions designed to meet customer needs. We use a full range of marketing and lead generation tools to promote our products and services on a worldwide basis. Our marketing department supports our global sales organization and distribution channels by providing marketing materials, potential sales leads and co-marketing funds.



We sell our solutions globally through a direct sales force, partner channel and in certain geographies, appointed distributors. Our go-to-market and sales organization includes regional general managers, channel managers, direct sales people and application engineers and other support staff throughout the Americas, EMEA and APAC, who are responsible for the sale of products and services and for the management of our network of channel partners.



Additionally, our application engineers provide pre-sales and post-sales support, assist customers with leveraging our latest solutions and production techniques and help identify new applications and sales opportunities. Our on demand manufacturing service also expands our customer relationships and generates leads for future sales.



Our customers include major companies as well as small and midsize businesses in a broad range of industries, including medical, dental, automotive, aerospace, durable goods, government, defense, technology, jewelry, electronics, education, consumer goods, energy and others. No single customer accounted for more than 10 percent of our consolidated revenue for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 or 2015.



Production and Supplies



At our Rock Hill, South Carolina location, we assemble MJP, CJP and certain models of our SLA 3D printers, as well as other equipment related to these printers. We assemble certain models of our DMP printers in our Riom, France facility. We produce our Simbionix branded 3D simulators in Airport City, Israel.



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We outsource certain SLA, SLS and DMP printer assembly and refurbishment activities to selected design, engineering and manufacturing companies in the U.S. and Belgium. We purchase finished printers from these suppliers pursuant to forecasts and customer orders that we supply to them. These suppliers also carry out quality control procedures on our printers prior to their shipment to customers. As part of these activities, these suppliers have responsibility for procuring the components and sub-assemblies either from us or third-party suppliers. While the outsourced suppliers of our printers have responsibility for the supply chain and inventory of components for the printers they assemble, the components, parts and sub-assemblies that are used in our printers are generally available from several potential suppliers.



We produce materials at our facilities in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Marly, Switzerland and Soesterberg, Netherlands. We also have arrangements with third parties who blend certain materials according to our specifications that we sell under our own brand names, and we purchase certain materials from third parties for resale to our customers.



Our equipment assembly and materials blending activities, on demand manufacturing services and certain research and development activities are subject to compliance with applicable federal, state and local provisions regulating the storage, use and discharge of materials into the environment. We believe that we are in compliance, in all material respects, with such regulations as currently in effect, and we expect continued compliance with them will not have a material adverse effect on our capital expenditures, results of operations or consolidated financial position.



Research and Development



The 3D printing industry continues to experience rapid technological change and developments in hardware, software and materials. Consequently, we have ongoing research and development programs to develop new products and to enhance our portfolio of products and services, as well as to improve and expand the capabilities of our solutions. Our efforts are often augmented by development arrangements with research institutions, customers, suppliers, assembly and design firms, engineering companies, materials companies and other partners.



Research and development expenses were $94.6 million, $88.4 million and $92.8 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.



In addition to our internally developed technology platforms, we have acquired products and technologies developed by others by acquiring business entities that held ownership rights to such products and technologies. In other instances, we have licensed or purchased the intellectual property rights of technologies developed by third parties through agreements that may obligate us to pay a license fee or royalty, typically based upon a dollar amount per unit or a percentage of the revenue generated by such products.



Intellectual Property



We regard our technology platforms and materials as proprietary and seek to protect them through copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets.  We held 1,171 patents worldwide at both December 31, 2017 and 2016. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, we had 271 and 249 pending patent applications worldwide, respectively. The principal issued patents covering aspects of our various technologies will expire at varying times through the year 2027.



In addition, we are a party to various licenses that have had the effect of broadening the range of the patents, patent applications and other intellectual property available to us.



We have also entered into licensing or cross-licensing arrangements with various companies in the U.S. and other countries that enable those companies to utilize our technologies in their products or that enable us to use their technologies in our products. Under certain of these licenses, we are entitled to receive, or we are obligated to pay, royalties for the sale of licensed products in the U.S. or in other countries. The amount of such royalties was not material to our results of operations or financial position for the three-year period ended December 31, 2017.



We believe that, while our patents and licenses provide us with a competitive advantage, our success also depends on our marketing, business development, applications know-how and ongoing research and development efforts. Accordingly, we believe the expiration of any of the patents, patent applications or licenses discussed above would not be material to our business or financial position.



Competition



We compete with other suppliers of 3D printers, materials, software and healthcare solutions as well as with suppliers of conventional manufacturing solutions. We compete with these suppliers for customers as well as channel partners for certain of our products. We also

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compete with businesses and service bureaus that use such equipment to produce models, prototypes, molds and end-use parts.  Development of new technologies or techniques not encompassed by the patents that we own or license may result in additional future competition.



Our competitors operate both globally and regionally, and many of them have well-recognized brands and product lines. Additionally, certain of our competitors are well established and may have greater financial resources than us.



We believe principal competitive factors include technology capabilities, materials, process and application know-how, total cost of operation of solution, product reliability and the ability to provide a full range of products and services to meet customer needs. We believe that our future success depends on our ability to provide high quality solutions, introduce new products and services to meet evolving customer needs and market opportunities, and extend our technologies to new applications. Accordingly, our ongoing research and development programs are intended to enable us to continue technology advancement and develop innovative new solutions for the marketplace.



Employees



At December 31, 2017, we had 2,666 full-time and part-time employees, compared to 2,445 at December 31, 2016.  None of our U.S. employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, however, some of our employees outside the U.S. are subject to local statutory employment and labor arrangements. We have not experienced any material work stoppages and believe that our relations with our employees are satisfactory.



Available Information



Our website address is www.3DSystems.com. The information contained on our website is neither a part of, nor incorporated by reference into, this Form 10-K or any other document that we file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). We make available free of charge through our website our Annual Reports on Form 10 K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10 Q, Current Reports on Form 8 K, amendments to those reports and other documents that we file with the SEC, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC. The public may read and copy materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Information on the operation of the public reference room can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, from which investors can electronically access our SEC filings.



Many of our corporate governance materials, including our Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Executives and Directors, Corporate Governance Guidelines, current charters of each of the standing committees of the Board of Directors and our corporate charter documents and by-laws are available on our website. 



Executive Officers



The information appearing in the table below sets forth the position or positions held by each of our executive officers and his age as of March 14, 2018. All of our executive officers serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers or directors.





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Mr. Joshi was appointed the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2016. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Joshi worked at Hewlett-Packard Company (“HP”) from 1980 until his retirement on March 21, 2012.  From 2001 to 2012, he was Executive Vice President of HP’s Imaging and Printing Group, following two decades of research, engineering and management in HP’s imaging and printing systems. In addition to his service on our Board of Directors, Mr. Joshi currently serves on the Board of Directors of Harris Corporation and formerly served on the Board of Directors at Yahoo! Inc. and Wipro Ltd.



Mr. Hull is a founder of the Company and has served on our Board of Directors since 1993.  He has served as Chief Technology Officer since 1997 and as Executive Vice President since 2000. He has also previously served in various other executive capacities at the Company since 1986, including Chief Executive Officer, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and President and Chief Operating Officer.



Mr. Johnson has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer since November 2014.  He served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary from October 2015 to April 2016 and as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from April 2012 to November 2014.  Previously, he served as Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary.



Dr. McAlea currently serves as Executive Vice President, General Manager, Metals & Healthcare. Dr. McAlea joined the Company in 2001 and has served in various executive positions since that time. 



Mr. McMullen joined the Company as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer in July 2016. From 2014 to 2016, he was Chief Financial Officer of Eastman Kodak Company, a technology company focused on imaging. Before that, Mr. McMullen had a 32 year career at HP and its acquired companies, including positions as Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Treasurer of HP, Chief Financial Officer of HP’s Imaging and Printing Group and Vice President of Finance and Strategy for Compaq’s Worldwide Sales and Services Group.



Item 1A. Risk Factors 



The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only risks that we face. Additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem not to be material also may impair our business operations, results of operations and financial condition. If any of the risks described below or if any other risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem not to be material actually occurs, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment in our common stock.  



We face significant competition in many aspects of our business, which could cause our revenue and gross profit margins to decline. Competition could also cause us to reduce sales prices or to incur additional marketing or production costs, which could result in decreased revenue, increased costs and reduced margins.



We compete for customers with a wide variety of producers of equipment and software for models, prototypes, other three-dimensional objects and end-use parts as well as producers of materials and services for this equipment. Some of our existing and potential competitors are researching, designing, developing and marketing other types of competitive equipment and software, materials and services. Certain of these competitors may have financial, marketing, manufacturing, distribution and other resources substantially greater than ours.



We also expect that future competition may arise from the development of allied or related techniques for equipment and materials that are not encompassed by our patents, from the issuance of patents to other companies that may inhibit our ability to develop certain products and from improvements to existing materials and equipment technologies.



Some of our patents have recently expired and others will expire in coming years. Upon expiration of those patents, our competitors may introduce products using the technology previously protected by the expired patents and those products may have lower prices than those of our products. To compete, we may need to reduce our prices for those products, which could adversely affect our revenues, margins and profitability. Additionally, the expiration of our patents could reduce barriers to entry into additive manufacturing, which could result in the reduction of our sales and earnings potential. If competitors using technology previously protected by our expired patents were to introduce products of inferior quality, our potential customers may view the technology negatively, which would have an adverse effect on our image and reputation and on our ability to compete with systems using other additive fabrication technologies.



We intend to follow a strategy of continuing product development to enhance our position to the extent practicable. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain our current position in the field or continue to compete successfully against current and future sources of competition. If we do not keep pace with technological change and introduce new products, we may lose revenue and demand

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for our products. We also incur significant costs associated with the investment in our product development in furtherance of our strategy that may not result in increased revenue or demand for our products and that could negatively affect our operating results.



We believe that our future success depends on our ability to deliver products that meet changing technology and customer needs.



Our business may be affected by rapid technological change, changes in user and customer requirements and preferences, frequent new product and service introductions embodying new technologies and the emergence of new standards and practices, any of which could render our existing products and proprietary technology obsolete. Accordingly, our ongoing research and development programs are intended to enable us to maintain technological leadership. We believe that to remain competitive we must continually enhance and improve the functionality and features of our products, services and technologies. However, there is a risk that we may not be able to:













If we are unable to meet changing technology and customer needs, our competitive position, revenue, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.



We have made, and may make in the future, strategic acquisitions that may involve significant risks and uncertainties.  We may not realize the anticipated benefits of past or future acquisitions and integration of these acquisitions may disrupt our business and divert management attention.



From time to time, we evaluate acquisition candidates that fit our business objectives. For example, in January 2017, we acquired Vertex-Global Holding B.V. (“Vertex”), a provider of dental materials. Acquisitions involve certain risks and uncertainties, including, among others, the following:





















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Historically, we have grown organically and from acquisitions, and we intend to continue to grow. Our infrastructure will require, among other things, continued development of our financial and management controls and management information systems, management of our sales channel, continued capital expenditures, the ability to attract and retain qualified management personnel and the training of new personnel. We cannot be sure that our infrastructure, systems, procedures, business processes and managerial controls will be adequate to support the growth in our operations. Any delays in, or problems associated with, implementing, or transitioning to, new or enhanced systems, procedures, or controls to accommodate and support the requirements of our business and operations and to effectively and efficiently integrate acquired operations may adversely affect our ability to meet customer requirements, manage our product inventory, and record and report financial and management information on a timely and accurate basis. These potential negative effects could prevent us from realizing the benefits of an acquisition transaction or other growth opportunity. In that event, our competitive position, revenues, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.



Changes in business conditions may cause goodwill and other intangible assets to become impaired.



Goodwill represents the purchase price paid in excess of the fair value of net tangible and intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized and remains on our balance sheet indefinitely unless there is an impairment or a sale of a portion of the business. Goodwill is subject to an impairment test on an annual basis and when circumstances indicate that an impairment is more likely than not. Such circumstances include a significant adverse change in the business climate or a decision to dispose of a business or product line. We face some uncertainty in our business environment due to a variety of challenges, including changes in customer demand. We may experience unforeseen circumstances that adversely affect the value of our goodwill or intangible assets and trigger an evaluation of the amount of the recorded goodwill and intangible assets. Future write-offs of goodwill or other intangible assets as a result of an impairment in the business could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.



We may incur substantial costs enforcing or acquiring intellectual property rights and defending against third-party claims as a result of litigation or other proceedings.



In connection with the enforcement of our own intellectual property rights, the acquisition of third-party intellectual property rights or disputes related to the validity or alleged infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, including patent rights, we have been, and may in the future be, subject to claims, negotiations or complex, protracted litigation. Intellectual property disputes and litigation may be costly and can be disruptive to our business operations by diverting attention and energies of management and key technical personnel, and by increasing our costs of doing business. Although we have successfully defended or resolved past litigation and disputes, we may not prevail in any ongoing or future litigation and disputes, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.  



Third-party intellectual property claims asserted against us could subject us to significant liabilities, require us to enter into royalty and licensing arrangements on unfavorable terms, prevent us from assembling or licensing certain of our products, subject us to injunctions restricting our sale of products, cause severe disruptions to our operations or the marketplaces in which we compete or require us to satisfy indemnification commitments with our customers, including contractual provisions under various license arrangements. In 

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addition, we may incur significant costs in acquiring the necessary third-party intellectual property rights for use in our products. Any of these could seriously harm our business.



We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights and confidential information, including our digital content, from third-party infringers or unauthorized copying, use or disclosure.



Although we defend our intellectual property rights and endeavor to combat unlicensed copying and use of our digital content and intellectual property rights through a variety of techniques, preventing unauthorized use or infringement of our rights (“piracy attacks”) is inherently difficult. If our intellectual property becomes subject to piracy attacks, our business may be harmed.



Additionally, we endeavor to protect the secrecy of our digital content, confidential information and trade secrets. If unauthorized disclosure of our trade secrets occurs, we could potentially lose trade secret protection. The loss of trade secret protection could make it easier for third parties to compete with our products by copying previously confidential features, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, revenue and operating margins. We also seek to protect our confidential information and trade secrets through the use of non-disclosure agreements. However, there is a risk that our confidential information and trade secrets may be disclosed or published without our authorization, and in these situations it may be difficult and/or costly for us to enforce our rights. 



Our business could be adversely impacted in the event of a failure of our information technology infrastructure or adversely impacted by a successful cyber-attack.



We have experienced cyber security threats, threats to our information technology infrastructure and unauthorized attempts to gain access to our sensitive information. Prior cyber-attacks directed at us have not had a material impact on our business or financial results; however, this may not continue to be the case in the future. Cyber security assessment analyses undertaken by us have identified and prioritized steps to enhance our cyber security safeguards. We are in the process of implementing these recommendations to enhance our threat detection and mitigation processes and procedures. Despite the implementation of these new safeguards, there can be no assurance that we will adequately protect our information or that we will not experience any future successful attacks. The threats we face vary from attacks common to most industries to more advanced and persistent, highly organized adversaries who target us because of the products and services we provide. If we are unable to protect sensitive information, our customers or governmental authorities could question the adequacy of our threat mitigation and detection processes and procedures. Due to the evolving nature of these security threats, however, the impact of any future incident cannot be predicted.



We may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our cyber security protective measures, to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures or to make required notifications, and we may be subject to litigation and financial losses. These costs related to cyber or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means. Occurrence of any of these events could adversely affect our internal operations, the services we provide to our customers, our financial results or our reputation; or such events could result in the loss of competitive advantages derived from our research and development efforts or other intellectual property or early obsolescence of our products and services.



If we do not generate net cash flow from operations and if we are unable to raise additional capital, our financial condition could be adversely affected and we may not be able to execute our growth strategy.



We cannot assure you that we will generate cash from operations or other potential sources to fund future working capital needs and meet capital expenditure requirements.



If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as selling assets, restructuring or incurring additional debt or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to obtain additional capital or refinance any indebtedness will depend on, among other things, the capital markets, our financial condition at such time and the terms and conditions of any such financing or indebtedness. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default on our debt obligations.



The lack of additional capital resulting from any inability to generate cash flow from operations or to raise equity or debt financing could force us to substantially curtail or cease operations and would, therefore, have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that any necessary funds, if available, would be available on attractive terms or that they would not have a significantly dilutive effect on our existing stockholders. If our financial condition were to worsen and we become unable to attract additional equity or debt financing or enter into other strategic transactions, we could become insolvent or be forced to declare bankruptcy, and we would not be able to execute our growth strategy.

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Global economic, political and social conditions and financial markets may harm our ability to do business, adversely affect our sales, costs, results of operations and cash flow. 



We are subject to global economic, political and social conditions that may cause customers to delay or reduce technology purchases due to economic downturns, difficulties in the financial services sector and credit markets, geopolitical uncertainties and other macroeconomic factors affecting spending behavior. We face risks that may arise from financial difficulties experienced by our suppliers, resellers or customers, including, among others, the following:











Our uneven sales cycle makes planning and inventory management difficult and future financial results less predictable.



Our quarterly sales often have reflected a pattern in which a disproportionate percentage of each quarter’s total sales occurs towards the end of the quarter. This uneven sales pattern makes predicting net revenue, earnings, cash flow from operations and working capital for each financial period difficult, increases the risk of unanticipated variations in our quarterly results and financial condition and places pressure on our inventory management and logistics systems. If predicted demand is substantially greater than orders, there may be excess inventory. Alternatively, if orders substantially exceed predicted demand, we may not be able to fulfill all of the orders received in each quarter and such orders may be cancelled. Depending on when they occur in a quarter, developments such as an information systems failure, component pricing movements, component shortages or global logistics disruptions could adversely impact our inventory levels and results of operations in a manner that is disproportionate to the number of days in the quarter affected.



The variety of products that we sell could cause significant quarterly fluctuations in our gross profit margins, and those fluctuations in margins could cause fluctuations in operating income or loss and net income or loss.



We continuously work to expand and improve our products, materials and services offerings, the number of geographic areas in which we operate and the distribution channels we use to reach various target product applications and customers. This variety of products, applications and channels involves a range of gross profit margins that can cause substantial quarterly fluctuations in gross profit and gross profit margins depending upon the mix of product shipments from quarter to quarter. Additionally, the introduction of new products or services may further heighten quarterly fluctuations in gross profit and gross profit margins due to manufacturing ramp-up and start-up costs. We may experience significant quarterly fluctuations in gross profit margins or operating income or loss due to the impact of the mix of products, channels or geographic areas in which we sell our products from period to period.



We derive a significant portion of our revenue from business conducted outside the U.S. and are subject to the risks of doing business outside the U.S.



We face many risks inherent in conducting business activities outside the U.S. that, unless managed properly, may adversely affect our profitability, including our ability to collect amounts due from customers. While most of our operations outside the U.S. are conducted in highly developed countries, our operations could be adversely affected by, among others, the following:





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These uncertainties may make it difficult for us and our customers to accurately plan future business activities and may lead our customers in certain countries to delay purchases of our products and services. More generally, these geopolitical, social and economic conditions could result in increased volatility in global financial markets and economies.



The consequences of terrorism or armed conflicts are unpredictable, and we may not be able to foresee events that could have an adverse effect on our market opportunities or our business. We are uninsured for losses and interruptions caused by terrorism, acts of war and similar events.



While the geographic areas outside the U.S. in which we operate are generally not considered to be highly inflationary, our foreign operations are sensitive to fluctuations in currency exchange rates arising from, among other things, certain intercompany transactions that are generally denominated, for example, in U.S. dollars rather than their respective functional currencies.



Moreover, our operations are exposed to market risk from changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates and commodity prices, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. We seek to minimize these risks through regular operating and financing activities and, when we consider it to be appropriate, through the use of derivative financial instruments. However, our efforts to minimize our exposure to market risks from changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and commodity prices may prove to be insufficient or unsuccessful.



We depend on our supply chain for components and sub-assemblies used in our 3D printers and other products and for raw materials used in our materials. If these relationships were to terminate or be disrupted, our business could be disrupted while we locate alternative suppliers and our expenses may increase.



We  have outsourced the assembly of certain of our printers to third party suppliers. In addition, we purchase components and sub-assemblies for our printers from third-party suppliers, and we purchase raw materials that are used in our materials, as well as certain of those materials, from third-party suppliers.



While there are several potential suppliers of the components, parts and sub-assemblies for our products, we currently choose to use only one or a limited number of suppliers for several of these components, including our lasers, materials and certain jetting components. Our reliance on a single or limited number of suppliers involves many risks, including, among others, the following:











While we believe that we can obtain all the components necessary for our products from other manufacturers, we require any new supplier to become “qualified” pursuant to our internal procedures, which could involve evaluation processes of varying durations. We generally have our printers and other products assembled based on our internal forecasts and the supply of raw materials, assemblies,

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components and finished goods from third parties, which are subject to various lead times.  In addition, at any time, certain suppliers may decide to discontinue production of an assembly, component or raw material that we use. Any unanticipated change in the sources of our supplies, or unanticipated supply limitations, could increase production or related costs and consequently reduce margins.



If our forecasts exceed actual orders, we may hold large inventories of slow-moving or unusable parts, which could have an adverse effect on our cash flow, profitability and results of operations. Inversely, we may lose orders if our forecast is low and we are unable to meet demand.



We have engaged selected design and manufacturing companies to assemble certain of our production printers. In carrying out these outsourcing activities, we face a number of risks, including, among others, the following:









Our products and services may experience quality problems from time to time that can result in decreased sales and operating margin, product returns, product liability, warranty or other claims that could result in significant expenses and harm to our reputation.



We sell complex hardware and software products, materials and services that can contain undetected design and manufacturing defects or errors when first introduced or as enhancements are released that, despite testing, are not discovered until after the product has been installed and used by customers. Sophisticated software and applications, such as those sold by us, may contain “bugs” that can unexpectedly interfere with the software’s intended operation. Defects may also occur in components and products we purchase from third parties. There can be no assurance we will be able to detect and fix all defects in the hardware, software, materials and services we sell. Failure to do so could result in lost revenue, product returns, product liability, delayed market acceptance of those products and services, claims from distributors, end-users or others, increased end-user service and support costs, and significant warranty claims and other expenses to correct the defects, diversion of management time and attention and harm to our reputation.



The costs and effects of litigation, investigations or similar matters involving us or our subsidiaries, or adverse facts and developments related thereto, could materially affect our business, operating results and financial condition.



We may be involved from time to time in a variety of litigation, investigations, inquiries or similar matters arising out of our business, including those described in Note 21 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. We cannot predict the outcome of these or any other legal matters.  In the future, we may need to record litigation reserves with respect to these matters because our insurance may not cover all claims that may be asserted against us. Should the ultimate judgments or settlements in any litigation or investigation significantly exceed our insurance coverage, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.



Our operations could suffer if we are unable to attract and retain key management or other key employees.



Our success depends upon the continued service and performance of our senior management and other key personnel. Our senior executive team is critical to the management of our business and operations, as well as to the development and execution of our strategy. The loss of the services of one or more members of our senior executive team could delay or prevent the successful implementation of our growth strategy, or our commercialization of new applications for our systems or other products, or could otherwise adversely affect our ability to manage our company effectively and carry out our business plan. Members of our senior management team may resign at any time. High demand exists for senior management and other key personnel (including scientific, technical and sales personnel) in the 3D printing industry, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to retain such personnel. We experience intense competition for qualified personnel.



While we intend to continue to provide competitive compensation packages to attract and retain key personnel, some of our competitors for these employees have greater resources and more experience, making it difficult for us to compete successfully for key personnel. If we cannot attract and retain sufficiently qualified technical employees for our research and development and manufacturing operations, we may be unable to achieve the synergies expected from mergers and acquisitions that we may effect from time to time, or to develop

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and commercialize new products or new applications for existing products. Furthermore, possible shortages of key personnel, including engineers, in the regions surrounding our facilities could require us to pay more to hire and retain key personnel, thereby increasing our costs.



We may be subject to product liability claims, which could result in material expense, diversion of management time and attention and damage to our business reputation. 



The sale and support of our products entails the risk of product liability claims. From time to time, we may become subject to product liability claims that could lead to significant expenses.  The risk may be heightened when we provide products into certain markets, such as healthcare, aerospace and automotive industries.



This risk of product liability claims may also be greater due to the use of certain hazardous chemicals used in the production of certain of our products, including irritants, harmful chemicals and chemicals dangerous to the environment. We may also be subject to claims that our products have been, or may be used to, create parts that are not in compliance with legal requirements or that infringe on the intellectual property rights of others.



We attempt to include provisions in our agreements with customers that are designed to limit our exposure to potential liability for damages arising from defects or errors in our products and other issues. However, the nature and extent of these limitations vary from customer to customer. Their effect is subject to a variety of legal limitations and it is possible that these limitations may not be effective as a result of unfavorable judicial decisions or laws enacted in the future.



Any claim brought against us, regardless of its merit, could result in significant expense, diversion of management time and attention, damage to our business reputation and failure to retain existing customers or to attract new customers. Although we maintain product liability insurance, such insurance is subject to deductibles and there is no guarantee that such insurance will be available or adequate to protect against all such claims. Costs or payments made in connection with product liability claims could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.



We rely on our management information systems for inventory management, distribution and other key functions. If our information systems fail to adequately perform these functions, or if we experience an interruption in their operation, our business and operating results could be adversely affected.



The efficient operation of our business is dependent on our management information systems. We rely on our management information systems to, among other things, effectively manage our accounting and financial functions, including maintaining our internal controls; to manage our manufacturing and supply chain processes; and to maintain our research and development data. The failure of our management information systems to perform properly could disrupt our business and product development, which may result in decreased sales, increased overhead costs, excess or obsolete inventory, and product shortages, causing our business and operating results to suffer. Although we take steps to secure our management information systems, including our computer systems, intranet and Internet sites, email and other telecommunications and data networks, the security measures we have implemented may not be effective and our systems may be vulnerable to theft, loss, damage and interruption from a number of potential sources and events, including unauthorized access or security breaches, natural or man-made disasters, cyber-attacks, computer viruses, power loss or other disruptive events. Our reputation and financial condition could be adversely affected if, as a result of a significant cyber event or otherwise, our operations are disrupted or shut down; our confidential, proprietary information is stolen or disclosed; we incur costs or are required to pay fines in connection with stolen customer, employee, or other confidential information; we must dedicate significant resources to system repairs or increase cyber security protection; or we otherwise incur significant litigation or other costs.



We are subject to U.S. and other anti-corruption laws, trade controls, economic sanctions and similar laws and regulations. Our failure to comply with these laws and regulations could subject us to civil, criminal and administrative penalties and harm our reputation. 



Doing business on a worldwide basis requires us to comply with the laws and regulations of the U.S. government and various foreign jurisdictions. These laws and regulations place restrictions on our operations, trade practices, partners and investments.



In particular, our operations are subject to U.S. and foreign anti-corruption and trade control laws and regulations, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and United Kingdom Bribery Act (the “Bribery Act”), export controls and economic sanctions programs, including those administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (“DDTC”) and the Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) of the Department of

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Commerce. As a result of doing business in foreign countries and with foreign customers, we are exposed to a heightened risk of violating anti-corruption and trade control laws and sanctions regulations.



As part of our business, we may deal with state-owned business enterprises, the employees of which are considered foreign officials for purposes of the FCPA’s prohibition on providing anything of value to foreign officials for the purposes of obtaining or retaining business or securing any improper business advantage. In addition, the provisions of the Bribery Act extend beyond bribery of foreign public officials and also apply to transactions with individuals that a government does not employ. Some of the international locations in which we operate lack a developed legal system and have higher than normal levels of corruption. Our continued expansion outside the U.S., including in Brazil, China, India and developing countries, and our development of new partnerships and joint venture relationships worldwide, could increase the risk of FCPA, OFAC or Bribery Act violations in the future.



As an exporter, we must comply with various laws and regulations relating to the export of products and technology from the U.S. and other countries having jurisdiction over our operations. In the U.S., these laws include the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) administered by the DDTC, the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) administered by the BIS and trade sanctions against embargoed countries and destinations administered by OFAC. The EAR governs products, parts, technology and software which present military or weapons proliferation concerns, so-called “dual use” items, and ITAR governs military items listed on the United States Munitions List. Prior to shipping certain items, we must obtain an export license or verify that license exemptions are available. Any failures to comply with these laws and regulations could result in fines, adverse publicity and restrictions on our ability to export our products, and repeat failures could carry more significant penalties. 



Violations of anti-corruption and trade control laws and sanctions regulations are punishable by civil penalties, including fines, denial of export privileges, injunctions, asset seizures, debarment from government contracts and revocations or restrictions of licenses, as well as criminal fines and imprisonment and could harm our reputation, create negative shareholder sentiment and affect our share value. We have established policies and procedures designed to assist our compliance with applicable U.S. and international anti-corruption and trade control laws and regulations, including the FCPA, the Bribery Act and trade controls and sanctions programs administered by OFAC, the DDTC and BIS, and have trained our employees to comply with these laws and regulations. However, there can be no assurance that all of our employees, consultants, agents or other associated persons will not take actions in violation of our policies and these laws and regulations. Additionally, there can be no assurance that our policies and procedures will effectively prevent us from violating these regulations in every transaction in which we may engage or provide a defense to any alleged violation. In particular, we may be held liable for the actions that our joint venture partners take inside or outside of the United States, even though our partners may not be subject to these laws. Such a violation, even if our policies prohibit it, could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, various state and municipal governments, universities and other investors maintain prohibitions or restrictions on investments in companies that do business with sanctioned countries, persons and entities, which could adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.



We have received an administrative subpoena from the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce requesting information related to possible violations of U.S. export control laws.

 

In October 2017, we received an administrative subpoena from the BIS requesting the production of records in connection with possible violations of U.S. export control laws, including with regard to our Quickparts.com, Inc. (“Quickparts”) subsidiary. In addition, while collecting information responsive to the above-referenced subpoena, we identified potential violations of the ITAR administered by the DDTC and potential violations of the Export Administration Regulations administered by the BIS. On February 12, 2018, we submitted an initial notice of voluntary disclosure to DDTC in which we identified certain potentially unauthorized exports of technical data.  We are continuing to conduct an internal review and are cooperating fully with BIS and DDTC, but cannot at this time predict the ultimate resolution of this matter. We expect to incur significant legal costs and other expenses in connection with responding to these inquiries.

 

As noted above, if the U.S. government finds that we have violated one or more export control laws or trade sanctions, we could be subject to various penalties. By statute, these penalties can include but are not limited to fines, which may be significant, denial of export privileges, and debarment from participation in U.S. government contracts; and any assessment of penalties could also harm our reputation, create negative investor sentiment, and affect the trading price of our common stock. In connection with any resolution, we may also be required to undertake additional remedial compliance measures and program monitoring.  We cannot at this time predict when BIS and/or DDTC will conclude their investigations or determine an estimated cost, if any, or range of costs, for any penalties or fines that may be incurred upon resolution of this matter.



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Changes in, or interpretation of, tax rules and regulations may impact our effective tax rate and future profitability. 



We are a U.S. based, multinational company subject to taxation in multiple U.S. and foreign tax jurisdictions. Our future effective tax rates could be adversely affected by changes in statutory tax rates or interpretation of tax rules and regulations in jurisdictions in which we do business, changes in the amount of revenue or earnings in the countries with varying statutory tax rates, or by changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities. The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Act”) is one such example of recent legislation that impacts the effective rate and tax posture of the Company. For additional details see Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.



In addition, we are subject to audits and examinations of previously filed income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service and other domestic and foreign tax authorities. We regularly assess the potential impact of such examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for income taxes and have reserved for potential adjustments that we expect may result from the current examinations. We believe such estimates to be reasonable; however, there is no assurance that the final determination of any examination will not have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial position.



Regulation in the areas of privacy, data protection and information security could increase our costs and affect or limit our business opportunities and how we collect and/or use personal information.



As privacy, data protection and information security laws, including data localization laws, are interpreted and applied, compliance costs may increase, particularly in the context of ensuring that adequate data protection and data transfer mechanisms are in place. In recent years, there has been increasing regulatory enforcement and litigation activity in the areas of privacy, data protection and information security in the U.S. and in various countries in which we operate.



In addition, state and federal legislators and/or regulators in the U.S. and other countries in which we operate are increasingly adopting or revising privacy, data protection and information security laws that potentially could have significant impact on our current and planned privacy, data protection and information security-related practices, our collection, use, sharing, retention and safeguarding of consumer and/or employee information, and some of our current or planned business activities. New legislation or regulation could increase our costs of compliance and business operations and could reduce revenues from certain business initiatives. Moreover, the application of existing or new laws to existing technology and practices can be uncertain and may lead to additional compliance risk and cost.



Compliance with current or future privacy, data protection and information security laws relating to consumer and/or employee data could result in higher compliance and technology costs and could restrict our ability to provide certain products and services, which could materially and adversely affect our profitability. Our failure to comply with privacy, data protection and information security laws could result in potentially significant regulatory and/or governmental investigations and/or actions, litigation, fines, sanctions, ongoing regulatory monitoring, customer attrition, decreases in the use or acceptance of our products and services and damage to our reputation and our brand.



Our business involves the use of hazardous materials, and we must comply with environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, which can be expensive and restrict how we do business. 



Our business involves the blending, controlled storage, use and disposal of hazardous materials. We and our suppliers are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of these hazardous materials. Although we believe the safety procedures we utilized for handling and disposing of these materials comply with the standards prescribed by these laws and regulations, we cannot eliminate the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials. In the event of an accident, local, state, federal or foreign authorities may curtail the use of these materials and interrupt our business operations. If we are subject to any liability as a result of activities involving hazardous materials, our business and financial condition may be adversely affected and our reputation may be harmed.



Our common stock price has been and may continue to be volatile.



The market price of our common stock has experienced, and may continue to experience, considerable volatility. Between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017, the trading price of our common stock has ranged from a low of $6.00 per share to a high of $23.70 per share. Numerous factors could have a significant effect on the price of our common stock, including those described or referred to in this “Risk Factors” section of this Form 10-K, as well as, among other things:



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Some anti-takeover provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, could impair a takeover attempt.



We have provisions in our certificate of incorporation and by-laws each of which could have the effect of rendering more difficult or discouraging an acquisition of the Company deemed undesirable by our Board of Directors. These include provisions:













These provisions, alone or together, could deter or delay hostile takeovers, proxy contests and changes in control or our management. As a Delaware corporation, we are also subject to provisions of Delaware law, including Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prevents some stockholders from engaging in certain business combinations without approval of the holders of substantially all of our outstanding common stock.



Any provision of our certificate of incorporation or by-laws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control of the Company could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our stock and also could affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our stock.



Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments



None.

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Item 2. Properties



Our headquarters is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. As of December 31, 2017, we owned minimal facilities and we leased approximately 1.1 million square feet, primarily located in the U.S., as summarized below.







Our headquarters also serves as a research and development site. Other major research and development locations include Cary, North Carolina; San Diego, California; Seoul, Korea; Tel Aviv, Israel; Valencia, California and Wilsonville, Oregon, among others. We believe our existing facilities and equipment are in good operating condition and are suitable for our business in the manner that it is currently conducted. We expect to continue to make investments in capital equipment as needed to meet anticipated demand for our products. See “Item 1. Business – Production and Supplies” and Notes 12 and 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of our facilities.





Item 3. Legal Proceedings



Securities and Derivative Litigation 



The Company and certain of its former executive officers have been named as defendants in a consolidated putative stockholder class action lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. The consolidated action is styled KBC Asset Management NV v. 3D Systems Corporation, et al., Case No. 0:15-cv-02393-MGL. The Amended Consolidated Complaint (the “Complaint”), which was filed on December 9, 2015, alleges that defendants violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by making false and misleading statements and omissions and that the former officers are control persons under Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act. The Complaint was filed on behalf of stockholders who purchased shares of the Company’s common stock between October 29, 2013, and May 5, 2015 and seeks monetary damages on behalf of the purported class. Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the Complaint in its entirety on January 14, 2016, which was denied by Memorandum Opinion and Order dated July 25, 2016 (the “Order”). Defendants filed a motion for reconsideration of the Order on August 4, 2016, which was denied by Order dated February 24, 2017.  On September 28, 2017, the court granted Lead Plaintiff’s Motion for Class Certification.  On February 15, 2018, following mediation, the parties entered into a Stipulation of Settlement that provides for, among other things, payment of $50 million by the Company’s insurance carriers and a mutual exchange of releases. The Stipulation of Settlement calls for a dismissal of all claims against the Company and the individual defendants with prejudice following Court approval, a denial by defendants of any wrongdoing, and no admission of liability. On February 15, 2018, Lead Plaintiff filed an Unopposed Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement.  On February 21, 2018, the Court entered an Order Preliminarily Approving Settlement and Providing for Notice.  The final approval hearing has been scheduled for June 25, 2018.

 

Nine related derivative complaints have been filed by purported Company stockholders against certain of the Company’s former executive officers and members of its Board of Directors.  The Company is named as a nominal defendant in all nine actions. The derivative complaints are styled as follows: (1) Steyn v. Reichental, et al., Case No. 2015-CP-46-2225, filed on July 27, 2015 in the Court of Common Pleas for the 16th Judicial Circuit, County of York, South Carolina (“Steyn”); (2) Piguing v. Reichental, et al., Case No. 2015-CP-46-2396, filed on August 7, 2015 in the Court of Common Pleas for the 16th Judicial Circuit, County of York, South Carolina (“Piguing”); (3) Booth v. Reichental, et al., Case No. 15-692-RGA, filed on August 6, 2015 in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware; (4) Nally v. Reichental, et al., Case No. 15-cv-03756-MGL, filed on September 18, 2015 in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (“Nally”); (5) Gee v. Hull, et al., Case No. BC-610319, filed on February 17, 2016 in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Los Angeles (“Gee”); (6) Foster v. Reichental, et al., Case No. 0:16-cv-01016-MGL, filed on April 1, 2016 in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (“Foster”); (7) Lu v. Hull,

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et al., Case No. BC629730, filed on August 5, 2016 in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Los Angeles (“Lu”); (8) Howes v. Reichental, et al., Case No. 0:16-cv-2810-MGL, filed on August 11, 2016 in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (“Howes”); and (9) Ameduri v. Reichental, et al., Case No. 0:16-cv-02995-MGL, filed on September 1, 2016 in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (“Ameduri”). Steyn and Piguing were consolidated into one action styled as In re 3D Systems Corp. Shareholder Derivative Litig., Lead Case No. 2015-CP-46-2225 in the Court of Common Pleas for the 16th Judicial Circuit, County of York, South Carolina. Gee and Lu were consolidated into one action styled as Gee v. Hull, et al., Case No. BC610319 in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Los Angeles.  Nally, Foster, Howes and Ameduri were consolidated into one action in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina with Nally as the lead consolidated case.



The derivative complaints allege claims for breach of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment and seek, among other things, monetary damages and certain corporate governance actions.

 

All of the derivative complaints listed above have been stayed until the earlier of the close of discovery or the deadline for appealing a dismissal in the KBC Asset Management NV securities class action.



The Company believes the claims alleged in the derivative lawsuits are without merit and intends to defend the Company and its officers and directors vigorously.



Ronald Barranco and Print3D Corporation v. 3D Systems Corporation, et. al. 



On August 23, 2013, Ronald Barranco, a former Company employee, filed two lawsuits against the Company and certain officers in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. The first lawsuit (“Barranco I”) is captioned Ronald Barranco and Print3D Corporation v. 3D Systems Corporation, 3D Systems, Inc., and Damon Gregoire, Case No. CV 13-411 LEK RLP, and alleges seven causes of action relating to the Company’s acquisition of Print3D Corporation (of which Mr. Barranco was a 50% shareholder) and the subsequent employment of Mr. Barranco by the Company. The second lawsuit (“Barranco II”) is captioned Ronald Barranco v. 3D Systems Corporation, 3D Systems, Inc., Abraham Reichental, and Damon Gregoire, Case No. CV 13-412 LEK RLP, and alleges the same seven causes of action relating to the Company’s acquisition of certain website domains from Mr. Barranco and the subsequent employment of Mr. Barranco by the Company.  Both Barranco I and Barranco II allege the Company breached certain purchase agreements in order to avoid paying Mr. Barranco additional monies pursuant to royalty and earn out provisions in the agreements. The Company and its officers timely filed responsive pleadings on October 22, 2013 seeking, inter alia, to dismiss Barranco I due to a mandatory arbitration agreement and for lack of personal jurisdiction and to dismiss Barranco II for lack of personal jurisdiction.

 

With regard to Barranco I, the Hawaii district court, on February 28, 2014, denied the Company’s motion to dismiss and its motion to transfer venue to South Carolina for the convenience of the parties. However, the Hawaii court recognized that the plaintiff’s claims are all subject to mandatory and binding arbitration in Charlotte, North Carolina. Because the Hawaii court was without authority to compel arbitration outside of Hawaii, the court ordered that the case be transferred to the district court encompassing Charlotte (the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina) so that court could compel arbitration in Charlotte. On April 17, 2014, Barranco I was transferred to the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Plaintiff filed a demand for arbitration on October 29, 2014. On December 9, 2014, the Company filed its answer to plaintiff’s demand for arbitration. On February 2, 2015, plaintiff filed an amended demand that removed Mr. Gregoire as a defendant from the matter, and on February 4, 2015 the Company filed its amended answer. The parties selected an arbitrator and arbitration took place in September 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

On September 28, 2015, the arbitrator issued a final award in favor of Mr. Barranco with respect to two alleged breaches of contract and implied covenants arising out of the contract.  The arbitrator found that the Company did not commit fraud or make any negligent misrepresentations to Mr. Barranco. Pursuant to the award, the Company is to pay approximately $11,282, which includes alleged actual damages of $7,254, fees and expenses of $2,318 and prejudgment interest of $1,710. The Company disagrees with the single arbitrator’s findings and conclusions and believes the arbitrator’s decision exceeds his authority and disregards the applicable law. As an initial response, the Company filed a motion for modification on September 30, 2015, based on mathematical errors in the computation of damages and fees. On October 16, 2015, the arbitrator issued an order denying the Company’s motion and sua sponte issuing a modified final award in favor of Mr. Barranco in the same above-referenced amounts, but making certain substantive changes to the award, which changes the Company believes were improper and outside the scope of his authority and the American Arbitration Association rules. On November 20, 2015, the Company filed a motion to vacate the arbitration award in the federal court in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.  Claimants also filed a motion to confirm the arbitration award. A hearing was held on the motions on September 29, 2016 in federal court in the Western District of North Carolina. The court requested supplemental briefing by the parties, which briefs were filed on July 11, 2016.

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On August 31, 2016, the court issued an order granting in part and denying in part Plaintiff’s motion to confirm the arbitration award and for judgment, entering judgment in the principal amount of the arbitration award and denying Plaintiff’s motion for fees and costs.  The court denied the Company’s motion to vacate.  On September 7, 2016, Plaintiff filed a motion to amend the judgment to include prejudgment interest.  The Company opposed that motion and the parties submitted briefing. On September 28, 2016 the Company filed a motion to alter or amend the judgment.  Plaintiff opposed the motion and the parties submitted briefing.  On May 18, 2017, the court issued an opinion and order denying the Company’s motion to alter or amend and denying Plaintiff’s motion for prejudgment interest.  On September 16, 2017, the Company filed a notice of appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  The appeal is pending.  The Company filed its Opening Brief and the Joint Appendix on August 28, 2017.  Plaintiff filed its Opening Brief on September 11, 2017.  The Company filed its Reply Brief on September 25, 2017.

 

Notwithstanding the Company’s right to appeal, given the arbitrator’s decision, the Company recorded an $11,282 expense provision for this matter in the quarter ended September 30, 2015. The provision is subject to adjustment based on the ultimate outcome of the Company’s appeal. If it is ultimately determined that money is owed following the full appellate process in federal court, the Company intends to fund any amounts to be paid from cash on hand. This amount has been classified as a current liability given the timeline of the appeals process. 



With regard to Barranco II, the Hawaii district court, on March 17, 2014, denied the Company’s motion to dismiss and its motion to transfer venue to South Carolina. However, the Hawaii court dismissed Count II in plaintiff’s complaint alleging breach of the employment agreement.  The Company filed an answer to the complaint in the Hawaii district court on March 31, 2014.  On November 19, 2014, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment on all claims which was heard on January 20, 2015. On January 30, 2015, the court entered an order granting in part and denying in part the Company’s motion for summary judgment. The order narrowed the plaintiff’s claim for breach of contract and dismissed the plaintiff’s claims for fraud and negligent misrepresentation. As a result, Messrs. Reichental and Gregoire were dismissed from the lawsuit. The case was tried to a jury in May 2016, and on May 27, 2016 the jury found that the Company was not liable for either breach of contract or breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.  Additionally, the jury found in favor of the Company on its counterclaim against Mr. Barranco and determined that Mr. Barranco violated his non-competition covenant with the Company. On July 5, 2017, the court ordered a bench trial regarding causation and damages with respect to the equitable accounting on the Company’s prevailing counterclaim against Mr. Barranco. The bench trial took place on November 20, 2017.  The Court ordered the submission of proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law.  The Company submitted its proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law on January 12, 2018.  Barranco submitted his on February 2, 2018.  The Company submitted its Reply on February 16, 2018.  The Court is expected to rule on the accounting thereafter.

 

Export Compliance Matter



In October 2017, the Company received an administrative subpoena from the BIS requesting the production of records in connection with possible violations of U.S. export control laws, including with regard to its Quickparts subsidiary. In addition, while collecting information responsive to the above-referenced subpoena, the Company identified potential violations of the ITAR administered by the DDTC and potential violations of the Export Administration Regulations administered by the BIS.  On February 12, 2018, the Company submitted an initial notice of voluntary disclosure to DDTC in which the Company identified certain potentially unauthorized exports of technical data.  The Company is continuing to conduct and internal review and cooperating fully with the investigation, but cannot predict the ultimate resolution of this matter. The Company expects to incur significant legal costs and other expenses in connection with responding to these inquiries. See “Risk Factors - We have received an administrative subpoena from the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce requesting information related to possible violations of U.S. export control laws” under Part I, Item 1A.



The Company is involved in various other legal matters incidental to its business. Although the Company cannot predict the results of litigation with certainty, the Company believes that the disposition of all current legal matters will not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated results of operations, consolidated statement of cash flows or consolidated financial position.



Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures



Not applicable.

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PART II



Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities



Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the trading symbol “DDD.” The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the range of high and low prices of our common stock, $0.001 par value, as quoted on the NYSE.









As of March 7, 2018, our outstanding common stock was held by approximately 973  stockholders of record. This figure does not reflect the beneficial ownership of shares held in the nominee name.



Dividends



We do not currently pay, and have not paid, any dividends on our common stock, and we currently intend to retain any future earnings for use in our business. Any future determination as to the declaration of dividends on our common stock will be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on our earnings, operating and financial condition, capital requirements and other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors, including the applicable requirements of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which provides that dividends are payable only out of surplus or current net profits.



The payment of dividends on our common stock may be restricted by the provisions of credit agreements or other financing documents that we may enter into or the terms of securities that we may issue from time to time.  Currently, no such agreements or documents limit our declaration of dividends or payments of dividends, other than our $150.0 million five-year revolving, unsecured credit facility with PNC Bank, National Association, which limits the amount of cash dividends that we may pay in any one fiscal year to $30.0 million.

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Issuance of Unregistered Securities and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities



We did not repurchase any of our equity securities during the year ended 2017, except for unvested restricted stock awards repurchased or forfeited pursuant to our 2004 and 2015 Incentive Stock Plans. For information regarding the securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation plans, see “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters – Equity Compensation Plans” under Part III, Item 12 of this Form 10-K. Also see Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.



Issuer purchases of equity securities









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Stock Performance Graph 



The graph below shows, for the five years ended December 31, 2017, the cumulative total return on an investment of $100 assumed to have been made on December 31, 2012 in our common stock. For purposes of the graph, cumulative total return assumes the reinvestment of all dividends. The graph compares such return with those of comparable investments assumed to have been made on the same date in (a) the NYSE Composite Index,  (b) the S&P 500 Information Technology Index and (c) the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, which are published market indices with which we are sometimes compared.



Although total return for the assumed investment assumes the reinvestment of all dividends on December 31 of the year in which such dividends were paid, we paid no cash dividends on our common stock during the periods presented.





COMPARISON OF 5-YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*





*  Fiscal years ending December 31.











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Item 6. Selected Financial Data 



The selected consolidated financial data set forth below for the five years ended December 31, 2017 have been derived from our historical Consolidated Financial Statements. You should read this information together with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and our Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto included in this Form 10-K.











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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations



The following discussion and analysis should be read together with the selected consolidated financial data and our Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in this Form 10-K. Certain statements contained in this discussion may constitute forward‑looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in any forward-looking statements, as discussed more fully in this Form 10-K. See “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A.



Overview and Strategy



We provide comprehensive 3D printing solutions, including 3D printers, materials, software, on demand manufacturing services and digital design tools. Our solutions support advanced applications in a wide range of industries and key verticals including healthcare, aerospace, automotive and durable goods. Our precision healthcare capabilities include simulation, Virtual Surgical Planning (“VSP™”), and printing of medical and dental devices, models, surgical guides and instruments. Our experience and expertise have proven vital to our development of an ecosystem and end-to-end digital workflow which enable customers to optimize product designs, transform workflows, bring innovative products to market and drive new business models.



We are pursuing a strategy focused on offering a comprehensive ecosystem that provides solutions aimed at healthcare, dental, aerospace, automotive and durable goods verticals to address professional and industrial applications. We believe a shift in 3D printing from prototyping to also using additive manufacturing for production is underway. We are focused on innovation and new products to drive expansion into 3D production through improving durability, reliability, repeatability and total cost of operations of 3D printing solutions.



We have launched new 3D printers with increased speeds and capabilities as well as introduced materials with improved strength, durability, elasticity and high temperature capabilities, developments we believe are well suited for advanced and demanding applications. We have also expanded and strengthened our software portfolio to help enhance our customers’ workflows from digitize to design to simulate to manufacture, inspect and manage. We plan to continue to invest in development of hardware, software, materials and services to provide comprehensive solutions in plastics and metals to address significant market opportunities with a use-case by use-case approach, focusing on solving specific customer applications and needs within our targeted vertical markets.



To execute this strategy, we are focusing on an operating framework and go-to-market model that drives sustainable, long-term growth and profitability. We are balancing investments to support process improvements, infrastructure enhancements and focused innovation to transform the Company, while also driving an appropriate cost structure.  We expect to be able to support growth by prioritizing and focusing our resources, leveraging our technology and domain expertise and maintaining and expanding strong customer and partner relationships. As with any growth strategy, there can be no assurance that we will succeed in accomplishing our strategic initiatives.



Recent Developments



In November 2017, we held a Launch Event at our Denver, Colorado facility which showcased our innovation and unveiled our next generation additive manufacturing solutions, which we plan to roll out and make commercially available throughout 2018. We unveiled new plastic and metal 3D printers, a range of materials and new software releases, and we also demonstrated our unmatched healthcare solutions workflow and production facility. In February 2018, we introduced the NextDent 5100, a Figure 4-based 3D printer specifically designed for dental labs. The NextDent 5100 is our first entry to market with our scalable Figure 4 platform, which we believe is a breakthrough product for digital dentistry in terms of cost and capabilities. At the same time, we launched several new materials, bringing the total number to 30 dental-specific materials for the NextDent 5100. In February, we also launched the FabPro 1000, our new low cost, high productivity DLP-based 3D printer designed for dental and jewelry production as well as high functionality and throughput, industrial prototyping. During the first quarter, we plan to begin shipping our next generation SLS printer, the ProX SLS 6100, with six production-grade materials to deliver superior part quality with greater efficiency and lower total cost of operation versus competitors. Over the following months, we plan to launch additional Figure 4 products designed to meet various production environment needs from a standalone unit to modular to fully automated production solutions. Later in 2018, we also plan to launch a scalable, automated, fully integrated, next generation metals platform, the DMP 8500, to deliver an end-to-end solution for metal additive manufacturing. We believe the DMP 8500 will offer the industry’s largest part diameter compared to current systems as well as an expanded materials portfolio, durable and removable print modules, powder management modules and fully integrated 3DXpert software to help streamline the production of parts.



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2017 Summary



Total consolidated revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by 2.1%, or $13.1 million, to $646.1 million, compared to $633.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. These results reflect an increase in materials and services revenue, partially offset by a decrease in products revenue, as further discussed below.



Healthcare revenue includes sales of products, materials and services for healthcare-related applications, including simulation, training, planning, 3D printing of anatomical models, surgical guides and instruments and medical and dental devices. For the year ended December 31, 2017, healthcare revenue increased by 18.5%, to $188.7 million, and made up 29.2% of total revenue, compared to $159.3 million, or 25.2% of total revenue, for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in healthcare revenue is driven by growth in products, including printers, materials, including the acquisition of Vertex-Global Holding B.V. (“Vertex”), a provider of dental materials worldwide under the Vertex and NextDent brands, and services, including virtual surgical planning and contract manufacturing services.



For the year ended December 31, 2017, total software revenue from products and services increased 4.5% to  $91.7 million, and made up 14.2% of total revenue, compared to $87.7 million, or 13.9% of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016.



As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, our backlog was $33.1 million and $31.7 million, respectively. Production and delivery of our printers is generally not characterized by long lead times; backlog is more dependent on timing of customers’ requested deliveries. In addition, on demand manufacturing services lead time and backlog depends on whether orders are for rapid prototyping or longer-range production runs. As of both December 31, 2017 and 2016, backlog included $9.2 million of on demand manufacturing service orders.



Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2017 decreased by 1.6%, or $4.9 million, to $304.8 million, compared to $309.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Gross profit margin for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was 47.2% and 48.9%, respectively. Gross profit margin for the years ended of 2017 and 2016 included charges of $12.9 million and $10.7 million, respectively, related to the write-off of excess and obsolete inventory as well as to maintain alignment with our strategy.



Operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by 3.1%, or $10.6 million, to $358.8 million, compared to $348.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.  Selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by 1.7%, or $4.4 million, to $264.2 million, compared to  $259.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2016,  predominantly due to our investment in go to market and IT infrastructure.  Research and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by 7.1%, or $6.2 million, to $94.6 million, compared to  $88.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016,  predominantly due to increased research and development related to our updated strategy and project reprioritization.  Our operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $54.0 million, compared to an operating loss of $38.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.



For the year ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, we generated $25.9 million and $57.5 million of cash from operations, respectively, as further discussed below. In total, our unrestricted cash balance at December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $136.3 million and $184.9 million, respectively. A key driver for the lower cash balance was the Company’s acquisition of Vertex for approximately $37.6 million, of which $34.3 million was in cash, net of cash assumed.



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Results of Operations for 2017,  2016 and 2015



Comparison of revenue by geographic region



2017 compared to 2016



The following table sets forth the change in revenue by geographic region for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016:



Table 1





Consolidated revenue increased 2.1%, driven by higher sales volume in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions as well as the favorable impact of foreign currency, offset by a shift in product mix and average selling price across all geographic regions.  The increase in revenue in the EMEA region primarily reflects higher sales volume, including the addition of Vertex and NextDent branded dental materials, and the favorable impact of foreign currency, partially offset by a shift in product mix and average selling price. The decrease in revenue in the Americas and Asia Pacific regions are primarily due to a shift in product mix and average selling price, partially offset by an increase in sales volume in the Asia Pacific region.



For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, revenue from operations outside the U.S., including Latin America, EMEA and APAC, was 50.1% and 47.9%  of total revenue, respectively.



2016 compared to 2015



The following table sets forth the change in revenue by geographic region for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015:



Table 2





Consolidated revenue decreased 5.0% across all regions,  primarily reflective of lower sales of 3D printers and on demand manufacturing services, partially offset by increased sales from materials, software and healthcare-related solutions.



For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, revenue from operations outside the U.S., including Latin America, EMEA and APAC, was 47.9% and 49.0% of total revenue, respectively.



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Comparison of revenue by class



We earn revenue from the sale of products, materials and services. The products category includes 3D printers, healthcare simulators and digitizers, as well as software, 3D scanners and haptic devices. The materials category includes a wide range of materials to be used with our 3D printers, the majority of which are proprietary, as well as acquired conventional dental materials. The services category includes warranty and maintenance on 3D printers and simulators, software maintenance, on demand manufacturing solutions and healthcare services.



Due to the relatively high price of certain 3D printers and a corresponding lengthy selling cycle and relatively low unit volume of the higher priced printers in any particular period, a shift in the timing and concentration of orders and shipments from one period to another can affect reported revenue in any given period. Revenue reported in any particular period is also affected by timing of revenue recognition under rules prescribed by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).



In addition to changes in sales volumes and the impact of revenue from acquisitions, there are two other primary drivers of changes in revenue from one period to another: (1) the combined effect of changes in product mix and average selling prices, sometimes referred to as price and mix effects, and (2) the impact of fluctuations in foreign currencies. As used in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis, the price and mix effects relate to changes in revenue that are not able to be specifically related to changes in unit volume.



2017 compared to 2016



The following table sets forth the change in revenue by class for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016. 



Table 3





Consolidated revenue increased 2.1%, driven by increased sales volume in both materials and services as well as the favorable impact of foreign currency, offset by a shift in product mix and average selling prices.



Products revenue decreased due to changes in product mix and average selling prices, including a shift in demand for lower priced printers and a moderate decrease in sales volume.  For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, revenue from printers contributed  $123.4 million and $133.3 million, respectively. Software revenue included in the products category, including scanners and haptic devices, contributed $47.8 million and $44.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.



The increase in materials revenue reflects continued utilization by the installed base and demand from healthcare customers, including acquired Vertex and NextDent dental materials. This increased demand was partially offset by a decrease related to a shift in product mix and average selling prices.



Services revenue increased primarily due to higher demand for healthcare services. For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, revenue from on demand manufacturing services contributed $104.6 million and $104.4 million, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, software services revenue contributed $43.9 million and $43.2 million, respectively.



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2016 compared to 2015



The following table sets forth the change in revenue by class for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.



Table 4