Our business may be adversely affected by changes in global economic, capital market, and political conditions. Our business, operating results, financial condition, and liquidity may be adversely affected by changes in global economic conditions, international relations, and geopolitical events and actions, including inflation, credit market conditions, levels of consumer and business confidence, commodity (including energy) prices and supply, trade policies, exchange rates, changing policy positions or priorities, levels of government spending and deficits, the threat environment, political conditions, and actual or anticipated default on sovereign debt. The current global supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures have negatively affected, and we expect will continue to negatively affect, our performance as well as the performance of our suppliers and subcontractors. High inflation levels have increased material and component prices, labor rates, and supplier costs. In addition, due to the nature of our government and commercial aerospace businesses, and their respective customer and supplier contracts, we may be unable to increase our contract value or pricing to offset cost increases, in particular on our fixed price contracts. Our operating profits and margins under our contracts could be adversely affected by these factors. Similarly, interest rate increases have created financial market volatility and could further negatively impact financial markets, lead to an economic downturn or recession, and tighten the availability of, and increase the cost of, capital for the Company, which could have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition, and liquidity. Tightening of credit in financial markets also could adversely affect the ability of our customers and suppliers to obtain financing for significant purchases and operations, could result in a decrease in, or cancellation of, orders for our products and services, could impact the ability of our customers to make payments, and could increase the risk of supplier financial distress. Our global business is also adversely affected by decreases in the general level of economic activity, such as decreases in business and consumer spending, air travel, the financial strength of airlines and business jet operators, and government procurement. In addition, geopolitical risks could affect government priorities, budgets, and policies, such as U.S. approvals of our foreign defense sales as well as sanctions and other trade-restrictive activities, which could impact sales of defense and other products and services.
Changes in U.S. government defense spending could negatively impact our financial position, results of operations, liquidity, and overall business. U.S. government sales constitute a significant portion of our consolidated sales. Our U.S. government revenues largely result from contracts awarded under various U.S. government programs, primarily defense-related programs with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and a broad range of programs with the U.S. Intelligence Community and other departments and agencies. Changes in U.S. government defense spending for various reasons, including as a result of potential changes in policy or budgetary positions or priorities, could negatively impact our results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity. Our programs are subject to U.S. government policies, budget decisions, and appropriation processes, which are driven by numerous factors including U.S. domestic and broader geopolitical events, macroeconomic conditions, and the ability of the U.S. government to enact relevant legislation, such as appropriations bills. In recent years, U.S. government appropriations have been affected by larger U.S. government budgetary issues and related legislation, and the U.S. government has been unable to complete its budget process before the end of its fiscal year, resulting in both governmental shutdowns and continuing resolutions (CRs) providing only enough funds for U.S. government agencies to continue operating at prior-year levels. The U.S. government is currently operating under a CR to keep the government funded while Congress works to enact full year fiscal year 2024 (FY24) appropriation bills. While we expect Congress to complete the full year FY24 appropriations bills before the current CR expire, if Congress is unable to complete the FY24 appropriation bills, (or pass another CR), then the U.S. government would shut down during which federal agencies would cease all non-essential functions. Our business, program performance, and results of operations could be impacted by the resulting disruptions to federal government offices, workers, and operations, including risks relating to the funding of certain programs, stop work orders, as well as delays in contract awards, new program starts, payments for work performed, and other actions. We also may experience similar impacts in the event of an extended period of continuing resolutions. Generally, the significance of these impacts will primarily be based on the length of the continuing resolution or shutdown. Furthermore, under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which imposes limits on discretionary spending for defense and non-defense programs in exchange for the lifting of the debt ceiling in June 2023, if Congress fails to enact all appropriation bills by April 30, 2024, then the budget caps will be reduced and corresponding automatic reductions to agency budget accounts will be enforced through sequestration. As a result, U.S. government defense spending levels are subject to a wide range of outcomes and are difficult to predict beyond the near-term due to numerous factors, including the external threat environment, future governmental priorities, and the state of governmental finances. Significant changes in U.S. government defense spending or changes in U.S. government priorities, policies, and requirements could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity.