Natural disasters, weather conditions, geopolitical tensions and other catastrophic events may have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial performance. These may include extreme weather-related events such as hurricanes, tropical storms, typhoons, floods, wildfires, cyclones, tornadoes, winter storms, droughts, and extreme temperatures, any of which may be exacerbated by a changing climate, as well as other natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Moreover, geopolitical tensions or events; and catastrophic and other events, such as war, civil unrest (including theft, looting or vandalism), terrorist attacks or other acts of violence, including active shooter situations (such as those that have occurred in our U.S. stores), or the loss of merchandise as a result of shrink or theft in countries in which we operate, in which our suppliers are located or regions goods are transported from or through, or in other areas of the world (such as in Ukraine and Israel, armed hostilities in the Red Sea and surrounding areas through which ocean carrier vessels travel to the Suez Canal and delays that have occurred traversing the Panama Canal resulting from drought) could adversely affect our operations and financial performance. Protecting the safety of our associates, including our senior leaders, is critical to preventing business disruption and executing on our business strategies and objectives.
Any of the events described above could result in physical damage to, or the complete loss of, one or more of our properties, the closure of one or more stores, clubs and distribution or fulfillment centers, limitations on store or club operating hours, the lack of an adequate work force in a market, the inability of customers and associates to reach or have transportation to our stores and clubs affected by such events, the evacuation of the populace from areas in which our stores, clubs and distribution and fulfillment centers are located, the unavailability of our digital platforms to our customers, changes in the purchasing patterns of consumers (including the frequency of visits by consumers to physical retail locations, whether as a result of limitations on large gatherings, travel and movement limitations or otherwise), temporary or long-term disruption in the supply of products from some suppliers or disruption or delay in the delivery of goods to our distribution and fulfillment centers or stores within a country in which we are operating and could negatively impact our operations and financial performance. In fiscal 2025, Hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted our stores, operations and supply chains in the Southeastern U.S., although such events did not materially impact our consolidated financial performance. Moreover, these disasters and events can negatively impact consumers' disposable income, the temporary or long-term disruption in the supply of products from some suppliers, the disruption in the transport of goods from overseas, the disruption or delay in the delivery of goods to our distribution and fulfillment centers or stores within a country in which we are operating, the reduction in the availability of products in our stores, increases in the costs of procuring products as a result of either reduced availability or economic sanctions, increased transportation costs (whether due to fuel prices, fuel supply or otherwise), the disruption (whether directly or indirectly) of critical infrastructure systems, banking systems, utility services or energy availability to our stores, clubs and our facilities and the disruption in our communications with our stores, clubs and our other facilities.
Furthermore, the long-term impacts of climate change, whether involving physical risks (such as extreme weather conditions, drought or rising sea levels) or transition risks (such as regulatory or technology changes) may be widespread and are unpredictable. Certain impacts of physical risk may include: temperature changes that increase the heating and cooling costs at stores, clubs and distribution or fulfillment centers; extreme weather patterns that affect the production or sourcing of certain commodities; flooding and extreme storms that damage or destroy our buildings and inventory; disruption of electrical grids or utilities required to operate our stores, clubs and information systems; and heat and extreme weather events that cause long-term disruption or threats to the habitability of the communities in which we operate. Relative to transition risk, certain impacts may include: changes in energy and commodity prices driven by climate-related weather events; prolonged climate-related events affecting macroeconomic conditions with related effects on consumer spending and confidence; stakeholder perception of our engagement in climate-related policies; and new regulatory requirements resulting in higher compliance risk and operational costs.
We bear the risk of losses incurred as a result of physical damage to, or destruction of, any stores, clubs and distribution or fulfillment centers; theft, loss or spoilage of inventory; and business interruption caused by such events. These events and their impacts could otherwise disrupt and adversely affect our operations and could materially adversely affect our financial performance. Moreover, our operations in the U.S. comprise a significant portion of our financial and operational performance. Therefore, any of the above matters that uniquely impact or are specifically concentrated in the U.S. could materially adversely affect our financial and operational performance.