--- ticker: PSA company: Public Storage filing_type: 10-K year_current: 2025 year_prior: 2024 risks_added: 5 risks_removed: 1 risks_modified: 3 risks_unchanged: 29 source: SEC EDGAR url: https://riskdiff.com/psa/2025-vs-2024/ markdown_url: https://riskdiff.com/psa/2025-vs-2024/index.md generated: 2026-05-11 --- # Public Storage: 10-K Risk Factor Changes 2025 vs 2024 > Source: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR) > Generated: 2026-05-11 > All data extracted directly from official filings. No hallucinated content. > **[AI-Generated Summary]** The paragraph below was produced by a language > model and may contain errors. All other content on this page is deterministically > extracted from the original SEC filing. > Public Storage's 2025 risk disclosure adds five new risk factors, including emerging concerns around unionization efforts, artificial intelligence implementation, tax treatment of forward sale agreements, and international trade tariffs, while removing only one legacy risk related to CPRA compliance. Three substantive modifications to existing risks reflect heightened focus on climate change consequences, elevated interest rate impacts, and economic conditions - suggesting management views these as increasingly material threats to operations. The net expansion of nine risk factors (from 29 unchanged risks) indicates Public Storage perceives a materially broader risk landscape in 2025 compared to 2024. --- ## Summary | Status | Count | |--------|-------| | New risks added | 5 | | Risks removed | 1 | | Risks modified | 3 | | Unchanged | 29 | --- ## New in Current Filing: We may be subject to labor disruptions related to unionization efforts. Our employees have been and may in the future be subject to unionization efforts. These activities could lead to labor disruptions which could adversely impact our ability to operate our business and could negatively impact our reputation. In addition, these activities could result in collective bargaining agreements, which could result in increased operating and legal costs. --- ## New in Current Filing: Our use of artificial intelligence could expose us to various risks. We have begun to utilize artificial intelligence technologies in various aspects of our business. Artificial intelligence technologies are susceptible to errors and other malfunctions which could lead to operational challenges and reputational risks. In addition, we may be subject to increasing regulations related to our use of these technologies, including regulations related to privacy, data security, and intellectual property rights, which could expose us to legal risks. 14 14 14 --- ## New in Current Filing: We are subject to extensive laws and regulations and to frequent changes in such laws and regulations. We are subject to extensive laws and regulations, and to frequent changes in such laws and regulations, at the city, county, state, and federal level. These laws and regulations include (i) laws and regulations related to access to our self-storage facilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ii) laws and regulations related to taxes, including property taxes, income taxes, and REIT status compliance, (iii) labor and employment laws and regulations, (iv) consumer protection laws and regulations, including those related to lien sales, (v) state and local business licensing laws and regulations, (vi) zoning laws and regulations, (vii) privacy laws and regulations, including the California Privacy Rights Act and the California Consumer Privacy Act, and (viii) securities laws. Compliance with these laws and regulations, including changes thereto, have imposed significant costs and could in the future impose greater costs or require adverse changes to our business and operations. Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations may subject us to increased litigation and regulatory actions and negatively affect our business and operations or reputation. --- ## New in Current Filing: In the event that we recognize a significant gain from cash settlement of a forward sale agreement, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the cash that we receive in such instance is unclear and could impact our ability to meet the REIT qualification requirements. We may enter into forward sale agreements from time to time and, subject to certain conditions, we have the right to elect physical, cash or net share settlement under these agreements at any time and from time to time, in part or in full. In the event that we elect to settle a forward sale agreement for cash and the settlement price is below the forward sale price, we would be entitled to receive a cash payment from the applicable forward purchaser(s). Under Section 1032 of the Code, generally, no gains and losses are recognized by a corporation in dealing in its own shares, including pursuant to a "securities futures contract," as defined in the Code by reference to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Although we believe that any amount received by us in exchange for our common shares would qualify for the exemption under Section 1032 of the Code, because it is not entirely clear whether a forward sale agreement qualifies as a "securities futures contract," the U.S. federal income tax treatment of any cash settlement payment we receive is uncertain. In the event that we recognize a significant gain from the cash settlement of a forward sale agreement, we might not be able to satisfy the gross income requirements applicable to REITs under the Code. If we were to fail to satisfy one or both of the gross income tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for such year if we were entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. If these relief provisions were inapplicable, we would not qualify to be taxed as a REIT. --- ## New in Current Filing: International trade disputes, including U.S. trade tariffs and retaliatory tariffs, could adversely impact our business. International trade disputes, including threatened or implemented tariffs imposed by the U.S. and threatened or implemented tariffs imposed by foreign countries in retaliation, could result in inflationary pressures that directly impact our costs, such as costs for steel, lumber and other materials applicable to our development and redevelopment projects. Trade disputes could also adversely impact global supply chains which could further increase costs for us or delay delivery of key inventories and supplies. Tariffs and trade restrictions can be announced with little or no advance notice, and we may not be able to effectively mitigate all adverse impacts from such measures. If we are not able to navigate these changes, it could have a material adverse effect on our business. --- ## No Match in Current: We are subject to new and changing legislation and regulations, including the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). *This section from the 2024 filing does not have a high-confidence textual match in 2025. It may have been removed, merged, or substantially reworded.* We are subject to new and changing legislation and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and legislation regarding property taxes, income taxes, REIT status, labor and employment, privacy, and lien sales at the city, county, state, and federal level, which could materially impact our business and operations. Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and policies may subject us to increased litigation and regulatory actions and negatively affect our business and operations or reputation. 17 17 17 On November 3, 2020, Californians passed a ballot measure that creates the California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA"). The CPRA amends and expands the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which went into effect on January 1, 2020. The CPRA, which went into effect on January 1, 2023, provides new rights and amends existing rights found in the CCPA. It also creates a new privacy enforcement authority, the California Privacy Protection Agency ("CalPPA"). The CPRA grants the Attorney General and the CalPPA the authority to issue regulations on a wide range of topics. It therefore remains unclear what, if any, modifications will be made to the CPRA or how it will be interpreted. While we believe we have developed processes to comply with current privacy requirements, a regulatory agency may not agree with certain of our implementation decisions, which could subject us to litigation, regulatory actions, or changes to our business practices that could increase costs or reduce revenues. Other states have also enacted or are considering enacting privacy laws similar to those passed in California. Similar laws may be implemented in other jurisdictions in which we do business and in ways that may be more restrictive than those in California, increasing the cost of compliance, as well as the risk of noncompliance, on our business. --- ## Modified: We are subject to risks from the consequences of climate change, including severe weather events and the adverse impact of other steps that may be taken to prevent or mitigate climate change. **Key changes:** - Reworded sentence: "In addition, government and private efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy present certain risks for us and our customers, including increased energy costs and macroeconomic risks related to high energy costs and energy shortages, among other things." **Prior (2024):** Our self-storage facilities are located in areas that may be subject to the direct impacts of climate change, such as increased destructive weather events like floods, fires, drought, and prolonged periods of extreme temperature or other extreme weather, which could result in significant damage to our facilities, increased capital expenditures, increased expenses, reduced revenues, or reduced demand for our facilities. Indirect impacts of climate change could also adversely impact our business, including through increased costs, such as insurance costs or regulatory compliance costs. In addition, the ongoing transition to a low-carbon economy presents certain risks for us and our customers, including stranded assets, increased costs, lower profitability, lower property values, lower household wealth, and macroeconomic risks related to high energy costs and energy shortages, among other things. Governmental, political, and societal pressures, including expectations of institutional and activist investors and other interest groups, could require us to accelerate our initiatives and, with it, the costs of their implementation. These same potential governmental, political, and social pressures could in the future result in (i) costly changes to newly developed facilities or retrofits of our existing facilities to reduce carbon emissions through multiple avenues, including changes to insulation, space configuration, lighting, heating, and air conditioning, (ii) increased energy costs as a result of transitioning to less carbon-intensive, but more expensive, sources of energy to operate our facilities, and (iii) consumers reducing their individual carbon footprints by owning fewer durable material consumer goods and other such items requiring storage, resulting in a reduced demand for our self-storage space. For example, beginning in 2026, we expect to be required to disclose our Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data and certain climate-related risk matters under California SB 253 and SB 261, which we expect to result in increased compliance costs. In addition, our reputation and investor relationships could be damaged as a result of our involvement with activities perceived to be causing or exacerbating climate change, as well as any decisions we make to continue to conduct or change our activities in response to considerations relating to climate change. **Current (2025):** Our self-storage facilities are located in areas that may be subject to the direct impacts of climate change, such as increased destructive weather events like floods, fires, drought, and prolonged periods of extreme temperature or other extreme weather, which could result in significant damage to our facilities, increased capital expenditures, increased expenses, reduced revenues, or reduced demand for our facilities. Indirect impacts of climate change could also adversely impact our business, including through increased costs, such as insurance costs or regulatory compliance costs. In addition, government and private efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy present certain risks for us and our customers, including increased energy costs and macroeconomic risks related to high energy costs and energy shortages, among other things. Governmental, political, and societal pressures, including expectations of institutional and activist investors and other interest groups, could require us to implement or accelerate emissions initiatives and, with it, the costs of their implementation. These same potential governmental, political, and social pressures could in the future result in, among other things, (i) costly changes to newly developed facilities or retrofits of our existing facilities to reduce carbon emissions through multiple avenues, including changes to insulation, space configuration, lighting, heating, and air conditioning and (ii) increased energy costs as a result of transitioning to less carbon-intensive, but more expensive, sources of energy to operate our facilities. For example, beginning in 2026, we expect to be required to disclose our Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data and certain climate-related risk matters under California SB 253 and SB 261, which we expect to result in increased compliance costs. In addition, our reputation and investor relationships could be damaged as a result of our involvement with activities perceived to be causing or exacerbating climate change, as well as any decisions we make to continue to conduct or change our activities in response to considerations relating to climate change. --- ## Modified: Elevated interest rate levels could adversely impact us and our tenants. **Key changes:** - Reworded sentence: "Interest rates remain elevated compared to recent years and may increase." **Prior (2024):** In response to high inflation, the Federal Reserve has significantly increased the benchmark federal funds rate since early 2022. These actions have significantly increased interest rates. As a result, if we issued new debt or preferred shares or refinanced our indebtedness, our debt service costs or preferred share dividend yields would be, based on current interest rates, significantly higher than current financing costs. These interest rate increases have also adversely impacted the relative attractiveness of the dividend yield on our common shares. Increases in our cost of capital impact our assessment of the yields we consider appropriate to support pursuing property acquisition and development opportunities and thus can impact our external growth prospects. The degree and pace of these changes have had and may continue to have adverse macroeconomic effects that have and may continue to have adverse impacts on our tenants, including as a result of economic recession, increased unemployment, and increased financing costs. For more information on interest rate risk, see Part II, "Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk". **Current (2025):** Interest rates remain elevated compared to recent years and may increase. As a result, if we issued new debt or preferred shares or refinanced our indebtedness, our debt service costs or preferred share dividend yields would likely be, based on current interest rates, significantly higher than current financing costs. Elevated interest rates also adversely impact the relative attractiveness of the dividend yield on our common shares. Increases in our cost of capital impact our assessment of the yields we consider appropriate to support pursuing property acquisition and development opportunities and thus can impact our external growth prospects. The degree and pace of these changes have had and may continue to have adverse macroeconomic effects that have and may continue to have adverse impacts on our tenants, including as a result of economic recession, increased unemployment, and increased financing costs. For more information on interest rate risk, see Part II, "Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk". --- ## Modified: Economic conditions can adversely affect our business, financial condition, and growth. **Key changes:** - Removed sentence: "Our ability to raise capital on attractive terms to fund our activities may be adversely affected by challenging market conditions, including high interest rates resulting from government efforts to manage inflation." - Removed sentence: "In periods when the capital and credit markets experience significant volatility, the amounts, sources, and cost of capital available to us may be adversely affected." - Removed sentence: "If we were unable to raise capital at reasonable rates, prospective earnings growth through expanding our asset base could be limited." **Prior (2024):** Economic downturns or adverse economic or industry conditions, including those related to high levels of inflation, could adversely impact our financial results, growth, and access to capital. Our revenues and operating cash flow can be negatively impacted by reductions in employment and population levels, household and disposable income, and other general economic factors that lead to a reduction in demand for self-storage space in each of the markets in which we operate. Our ability to raise capital on attractive terms to fund our activities may be adversely affected by challenging market conditions, including high interest rates resulting from government efforts to manage inflation. In periods when the capital and credit markets experience significant volatility, the amounts, sources, and cost of capital available to us may be adversely affected. If we were unable to raise capital at reasonable rates, prospective earnings growth through expanding our asset base could be limited. **Current (2025):** Economic downturns or adverse economic or industry conditions, including those related to high levels of inflation, could adversely impact our financial results, growth, and access to capital. Our revenues and operating cash flow can be negatively impacted by reductions in employment and population levels, household and disposable income, and other general economic factors that lead to a reduction in demand for self-storage space in each of the markets in which we operate. --- *Data sourced from SEC EDGAR. Last updated 2026-05-11.*