INTEL CORPORATION | Report on Risk of China Exposure at INTEL CORPORATION

Status
Filed
AGM date
Previous AGM date
Proposal number
6
Resolution details
Company ticker
INTC
Resolution ask
Report on or disclose
ESG theme
  • Social
ESG sub-theme
  • Decent work
Type of vote
Shareholder proposal
Filer type
Shareholder
Company sector
Technology
Company HQ country
United States
Resolved clause
Resolved: Shareholders request that the Board of Directors of Intel, Inc. prepare a report, at reasonable expense and excluding proprietary information, disclosing the Company’s business dealings in China and assessing related risks. This report should be made available to shareholders within one year and published on the Company’s website.
Whereas clause
Whereas: As a dominant global company, Intel has an obligation to its shareholders to ensure its assets are not unduly exposed to geopolitical and regulatory risks that could jeopardize financial performance. Yet the company’s operations and supply chains involve significant exposure to the People’s Republic of China, exposure increasingly associated with significant concerns surrounding threats to Intel revenue. This exposure introduces substantial risk, particularly in light of potential sanctions, trade restrictions, and forced labor enforcement actions. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a direct threat to the revenue of U.S. companies, and U.S. companies operating in China face scrutiny for inadvertently supporting entities tied to the People’s Liberation Army. These risks are materially significant to shareholders and, aside from the clear threat to Intel’s revenue, may additionally result in reputational damage, legal liabilities, and operational disruptions. If further tariffs or sanctions are imposed on China, corporations with significant exposure could face substantial losses in assets and revenue streams comparable to those suffered by companies exiting Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) prohibits goods tied to forced labor from entering the U.S., and since 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has detained billions of dollars’ worth of goods. Future trade restrictions or sanctions could further impact companies like Intel dependent on the Chinese industry and supply chains and negatively affect their ability to deliver returns to shareholders. As per data from the corporate accountability group 1792 Exchange, Intel’s financial exposure to China places $41 billion in company assets at risk, a notable proportion of the company’s more than $150 billion in global assets. This risk only becomes more significant when estimated sanctions (estimated at more than $5 billion) and international ramifications are considered, which could put more than $18 billion at risk, threatening more than 25% of Intel’s annual global revenue. While Intel has reportedly disclosed elements of its China exposure, it has not disclosed the potential concessions made to secure CCP approval for operations, how these arrangements influence corporate decision-making, and the long-term risk this poses to shareholder return. This lack of transparency leaves shareholders unable to adequately assess risk. As such, shareholders are right to ask Intel to explain the steps it is taking to mitigate these risks to revenue and continued company success. In keeping with its fiduciary obligation, Intel should commission and publish an assessment of the risks to company revenue created by its exposure to China. This review should evaluate the company’s exposure and provide recommendations for mitigating material risks.

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