TJX Companies Inc.: 10-K Risk Factor Changes

Various stakeholders, including certain advocacy groups, investors, customers, governmental officials and Associates, have increasingly focused on social impact, environmental sustainability, human capital management, human rights and other related matters in a variety of ways that are not necessarily consistent. From time to time, we have announced certain initiatives related to our corporate responsibility efforts, which we have focused under four pillars: workplace, environmental sustainability, communities and responsible sourcing, which includes social compliance. These initiatives may be considered to be overreaching by some stakeholders and inadequate by other stakeholders. We could fail or be perceived to fail or fall short in our pursuit of such initiatives, in going too far in pursuing priorities perceived as outside of our business mission, or in accurately and comprehensively reporting our progress on such initiatives and any related goals and commitments. If our practices or disclosures in these areas do not meet investor or other stakeholder expectations and standards, including related to climate change, environmental sustainability, human capital management, inclusion and diversity, supply chain management and human rights, or do not meet related regulations and expectations for transparency, our reputation may be impacted negatively, and we may be subject to litigation risk, regulatory enforcement and/or other governmental action, which could materially impact our operating results. In addition, we could be criticized for the scope of our programs, initiatives or goals, which some may consider too wide and others may perceive as too narrow, or perceived as not acting responsibly in connection with these matters or otherwise, and that evaluation may be based on factors unrelated to the impact of these matters on our business, financial or otherwise. Our failure, or perceived failure, with these programs or initiatives or more generally to manage reputational threats and meet shifting and, in certain cases, inconsistent, stakeholder expectations or consumer preferences could negatively impact our brand, image, reputation, credibility, Associate retention and the willingness of our customers and suppliers to do business with us.

Certain investor advocacy groups, investors, customers, regulators, Associates, and other stakeholders have increasingly focused on social impact, environmental sustainability, human capital management, human rights and other related matters in a variety of ways that are not necessarily consistent. From time to time, we announce certain initiatives related to our corporate responsibility efforts, which we have focused under four pillars: environmental sustainability, workplace, communities, and responsible business, including responsible sourcing and social compliance. These initiatives may be considered to be overreaching by some stakeholders and inadequate by other stakeholders. We could fail or be perceived to fail or fall short in our pursuit of such initiatives or to go too far in pursuing priorities perceived as outside of our business mission, or in accurately and comprehensively reporting our progress on such initiatives and any related goals and commitments. If our ESG practices do not meet investor or other stakeholder expectations and standards, including related to climate change, environmental sustainability, human capital management, supply chain management, and human rights, or do not meet related regulations and expectations for increased transparency, which continue to increase, our reputation may be impacted negatively, and we may be subject to litigation risk and/or regulatory enforcement. In addition, we could be criticized for the scope of our initiatives or goals, which some may consider too wide and others may perceive as too narrow, or perceived as not acting responsibly in connection with these matters or otherwise, and that evaluation may be based on factors unrelated to the impact of these matters on our business, financial or otherwise. Our failure, or perceived failure, with these initiatives or more generally to manage reputational threats and meet shifting and in certain cases, inconsistent, stakeholder expectations or consumer preferences could negatively impact our brand, image, reputation, credibility, Associate retention, and the willingness of our customers and suppliers to do business with us.

Our growth strategy includes successfully expanding our business within our current markets and/or into new geographic regions, appropriately calibrating product lines and channels (including within our e-commerce sites) and, as appropriate, adding new businesses, whether by development, investment, or acquisition. If any aspect of our expansion strategy does not achieve the success we expect, in whole or in part, we may fail to meet our financial performance expectations generally or within certain markets or divisions, and we may be required to increase or decrease investments or slow our planned growth. For our store growth, even if a particular market has high commercial vacancies, if we are not able to find and lease appropriate real estate on attractive terms in the locations where we seek to open stores, or if new stores do not perform as well as we anticipated, we may need to change our planned growth in those markets. We have closed stores and operations and have divested from and disposed of businesses in the past, including for performance-related reasons, and we may be required to do so again in the future. Growth can also add complexity to our business operations by requiring effective and timely information sharing; significant additional attention from our management and other functions across our business, including compliance and risk management; development of new capabilities, processes and controls; increased staffing and Associate training and/or retention and management of appropriate third-party providers, including training or coordinating with those operating businesses in which we are invested or with which we share certain responsibilities. These requirements may increase with further growth, particularly if we expand into additional countries. If we are unable to manage our growth effectively, our business may be adversely affected or we may need to reduce the rate of expansion or otherwise curtail growth, which may adversely affect our sales, business plans and results. 12 12 12 12 12 12

Our growth strategy includes successfully expanding within our current markets and/or into new geographic regions, appropriately calibrating product lines and channels, including e-commerce, and, as appropriate, adding new businesses, whether by development, investment, or acquisition. If any aspect of our expansion strategy does not achieve the success we expect, in whole or in part, we may fail to meet our financial performance expectations generally or within certain markets or divisions, and we may be required to increase or decrease investments or slow our planned growth. We have closed stores and operations, divested from, and disposed of, businesses in the past, including for performance-related reasons, and we may be required to do so again in the future. Even if a particular market has high commercial vacancies, if we are not able to find and lease appropriate real estate on attractive terms in the locations where we seek to open stores, or if new stores do not perform as well as we anticipated, we may need to change our planned growth in those markets. Growth can also add complexity to our business operations by requiring effective and timely information sharing; significant additional attention from our management and other functions across our business, including compliance and risk management; development of new capabilities, processes, and controls; increased staffing and Associate training; and/or retention and management of appropriate third-party providers. These requirements may increase with further growth, particularly if we expand into additional countries. If we are unable to manage our growth effectively, our business may be adversely affected or we may need to reduce the rate of expansion or otherwise curtail growth, which may adversely affect our sales, business plans, and results.

Risk of loss or theft of assets, including inventory shrinkage, is inherent in the retail business. Loss may be caused by error or misconduct of Associates, customers, vendors or other third parties, including through organized retail crime and professional theft, and may be further impacted by macroeconomic factors, including the enforcement environment, as well as increased inventory levels in our stores. We may not be able to determine the cause or extent of the loss in a timely manner or at all. Our inability to prevent and/or minimize or reduce the loss or theft of assets effectively, or to predict and accrue for the impact of those losses accurately, has adversely affected our financial performance in the past and could do so again. In addition, our ability to provide a safe environment in our stores may be impacted in the course of a theft or other behavioral situations that periodically arise.

Risk of loss or theft of assets, including inventory shrinkage, is inherent in the retail business. Loss may be caused by error or misconduct of Associates, customers, vendors or other third parties, including through organized retail crime and professional theft, and may be further impacted by macroeconomic factors, including the enforcement environment. We may not be able to determine the cause or extent of the loss in a timely manner or at all. Our inability to effectively prevent and/or minimize or reduce the loss or theft of assets, or to accurately predict and accrue for the impact of those losses, has adversely affected our financial performance, as it did for part of fiscal 2023, and could do so again. In addition, our ability to provide a safe environment in our stores may be impacted in the course of a theft or other behavioral situations that periodically arise.

Our business is subject to seasonal influences; we generally realize higher levels of sales and earnings in the second half of the year, which includes the back-to-school and year-end holiday seasons. Any significant, unplanned decrease in sales or margins or any significant adverse event or disruption that impacts our business during this period, including those described in these risk factors, could have a disproportionately adverse effect on our results of operations.

Our business is subject to seasonal influences; we generally realize higher levels of sales and earnings in the second half of the year, which includes the back-to-school and year-end holiday seasons. Any decrease in sales or margins or any significant adverse event during this period, including those described in these risk factors, could have a disproportionately adverse effect on our results of operations. 19 19 19 19 19 19

We are subject to national, state, provincial, regional and local laws, rules, regulations, mandates, accounting standards, principles and interpretations, as well as government orders in various countries in which we operate that collectively affect multiple aspects of our business. We are also subject to new and changing laws, rules and regulations, mandates, evolving interpretations of existing laws by judicial and regulatory authorities, changes in accounting standards, principles or interpretations and reforms in jurisdictions where we do business. These requirements, current or changing, could adversely affect our operating results and may affect our operations, and include those involving: –labor and employment practices and benefits, including pay transparency requirements, and rules applicable to labor unions and works councils; –import/export, supply chain, social compliance, trade restrictions and logistics, including resulting from changes to requirements or policies from the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act and the continuation of widespread sanctions as a result of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict; –climate change, energy, waste, deforestation, biodiversity, chemicals management and water; –consumer protection, product safety and product compliance; –marketing; –financial regulations and reporting, including various climate-related financial disclosure regulations; –tax; –cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, such as to comply with, or fines and penalties related to, General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act; –internet regulations, including e-commerce, electronic communications and privacy; –protection of intellectual property rights; –health, welfare and safety requirements; and –compliance with governmental assistance programs. Complying with applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, interpretations, orders and our own internal policies may require us to spend additional time and resources to develop and implement new policies, procedures and other controls, consolidate and report additional data, conduct audits, train Associates and third parties on our compliance methods, or take other actions, particularly as we continue to grow globally and enter new markets, countries, or product categories and affect our operations including where, what, and how we source and how we allocate what we buy, any of which could adversely impact our results. Particularly in a dynamic regulatory environment, anticipated changes to laws and regulations have required, and are expected to continue to require, us to invest in compliance efforts or otherwise expend resources before changes are certain. There have been significant and wide-ranging reforms to federal policy and the federal government in the U.S. since the presidential administration changed at the beginning of 2025, and there is significant uncertainty regarding the impact of such reforms. In addition, if we, or third parties that perform services on our behalf, including those operating retail businesses, fail to comply with applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, interpretations and orders, or are unable to provide us with data or other information needed to meet our regulatory reporting obligations, we may be subject to judgments, fines or other costs or penalties, which may cause reputational harm and could adversely affect our operations and our financial results and condition. 21 21 21 21 21 21

We are subject to national, state, provincial, regional and local laws, rules, regulations, mandates, accounting standards, principles and interpretations, as well as government orders in various countries in which we operate that collectively affect multiple aspects of our business. We are also subject to new and changing laws, rules and regulations, mandates, evolving interpretations of existing laws by judicial and regulatory authorities, changes in accounting standards or interpretations, and reforms in jurisdictions where we do business. These requirements, current or changing, could adversely affect our operating results, increase our reporting burdens, require us to develop new policies and procedures, and may affect our operations, including where, what, and how we source and how we allocate what we buy, and include those involving: –labor and employment practices and benefits, including pay transparency requirements and rules applicable to labor unions and works councils; –import/export, supply chain, social compliance, trade restrictions, and logistics, including resulting from changes to requirements or policies from the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the emergence of widespread sanctions as a result of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict; –climate change, energy, waste and water; 20 20 20 20 20 20 –consumer protection, product safety, and product compliance; –marketing; –financial regulations and reporting; –tax; –cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, such as to comply with, or fines and penalties related to, General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act; –Internet regulations, including e-commerce, electronic communications and privacy; –protection of intellectual property rights; –health, welfare and safety requirements; and –compliance with governmental assistance programs. Complying with applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, interpretations, orders and our own internal policies may require us to spend additional time and resources to implement new procedures and other controls, conduct audits, train Associates and third parties on our compliance methods, or take other actions, particularly as we continue to grow globally and enter new markets, countries, or product categories, any of which could adversely impact our results. Particularly in a dynamic regulatory environment, anticipated changes to laws and regulations has required, and is expected to continue to require, us to invest in compliance efforts or otherwise expend resources before changes are certain. In addition, if we, or third parties that perform services on our behalf, fail to comply with applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, interpretations and orders, or are unable to provide us with data or other information needed to meet our regulatory reporting obligations, we may be subject to judgments, fines or other costs or penalties, which may cause reputational harm and could adversely affect our operations and our financial results and condition.