ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Investing in or maintaining your investment in Herc Holdings common stock involves risk. You should carefully consider each of the risks and uncertainties set forth below as well as the other information contained in this Report before deciding to invest in our securities. We have grouped our Risk Factors under captions that we believe describe various categories of potential risk. For the reader’s convenience, we have not duplicated risk factors that could be considered to be included in more than one category. Any of the following risks and uncertainties could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and/or cash flows and the impact could be compounded if multiple risks were to occur. However, the following risks and uncertainties are not the only risks and uncertainties facing us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or those we currently view to be immaterial also may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and/or cash flows. In the event that any of these risks have such a material adverse effect, the value of our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business
Our business is cyclical and depends on the levels of capital investment and maintenance expenditures by our customers. A slowdown in economic conditions or adverse changes in the level of economic activity or other economic factors specific to our customers or their industries, in particular contractors and industrial customers, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our rental equipment is used by our customers in a wide variety of industries, including contractors in residential and commercial construction and restoration, remediation and environment; general industrial, including refineries and petrochemical operations, manufacturing, power, metals and mining and agriculture; infrastructure; and other customers, including commercial and retail services, facility maintenance, recreation and entertainment production. Many of these industries are cyclical in nature. The demand for our rental equipment is directly affected by the level of economic activity in these industries, which means that when these industries experience a decline in activity, there is likely a corresponding decline in the demand for our rental equipment. This could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
A substantial portion of our revenues are derived from the rental of equipment to various types of contractors, including in the non-residential construction market, and to industrial customers. A decline in construction or industrial activity could lead to a decrease in the demand for our rental equipment and intensified price competition from other equipment rental industry participants. Similarly, declines in oil or gas prices, or even the perception of longer-term lower oil and natural gas prices, could lead to a significant slowdown in business activity, capital investments and maintenance expenditures of industrial customers in the upstream oil and gas markets and related service providers, which could negatively affect our rentals to participants in this industry, and could extend to other markets that we serve. Worsening of economic conditions or not achieving anticipated levels of economic expansion, either generally or in our customers’ specific industries, could have an adverse effect on demand for our products and services within those industries and extend to other markets that we serve, and could therefore materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The following factors, among others, may cause weakness in our markets, either temporarily or long-term:
•a decrease in the expected levels of rental versus ownership of equipment;
•government regulations and policies, including government initiatives for infrastructure improvements or expansions, or the policies of governments regarding exploration for, and production and development of, oil and natural gas reserves;
•a prolonged or recurring shutdown of the U.S. and Canadian federal, state, provincial and local governments;
•an increase in the cost of construction materials;
•the level of supply and demand and relative prices or anticipated prices for oil and natural gas;
•an overcapacity of fleet in the equipment rental industry;
•a lack of availability of credit;
•an increase in interest rates; and
•terrorism or hostilities involving the United States or Canada.
Additionally, some of our customers may delay capital investment and maintenance even when favorable conditions exist in their industries or markets.
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If we were to experience a significant decrease in orders or an increase in order delays or cancellations that can result from the aforementioned economic conditions or other factors beyond our control, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our industry is highly competitive, and competitive pressures or not timely identifying and responding to customer needs, expectations or trends could lead to a decrease in our market share or in the prices that we can charge.
The equipment rental industry is highly fragmented and competitive. Our competitors include small, independent businesses with one or two rental locations, regional competitors that operate in one or more states, public companies or divisions of public companies, and equipment vendors and dealers who both sell and rent equipment directly to customers. We may in the future encounter increased competition from our existing competitors or from new competitors. Competitive pressures could adversely affect our revenues and operating results by, among other things, decreasing our rental volumes, depressing the prices that we can charge or increasing our costs to retain employees. In addition, the success of our business depends, in part, on our ability to identify and respond promptly to evolving trends in consumer preferences, expectations and needs while also managing appropriate equipment in our branches and maintaining an excellent customer experience. It is difficult to successfully predict the equipment and services our customers will demand. We also need to offer more localized assortments of our equipment to address local requirements and needs. If we do not successfully identify and provide the appropriate equipment to meet our customers’ needs and expectations, we may lose market share.
We are dependent on our relationships with key suppliers to obtain equipment for our business.
We are dependent on suppliers for access to the equipment and other products we offer and use throughout our network of branches.If we fail to have or maintain adequate relationships with suppliers or if we fail to timely receive equipment and products from our suppliers, then our competitive position may be harmed and our results of operations and/or cash flows may be negatively impacted.In addition, the prices of equipment and products have significantly increased in the past twelve months and there continues to be inflationary pressures that could further increase such costs. We may not be able to pass on these costs to our customers, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and/or cash flows.
We have experienced, and in the future are likely to experience, lack of access to and delays in receipt of equipment and products from suppliers.For example, the rapid increase in demand as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes has caused, and is expected to continue to cause, significant stress on global supply chains. Unavailability of, and delays in obtaining, equipment and products may result from a number of factors affecting our suppliers including capacity constraints, labor shortages or disputes, supplier product quality issues, suppliers’ impaired financial condition and suppliers’ allocations to other purchasers. These risks are increased in a weak economic environment or when demand increases coming out of an economic downturn. Such disruptions have resulted and could further result in our inability to effectively meet our customers’ needs, impair our ability to execute our growth plans and could result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and/or cash flows.
A widespread outbreak of an illness or any other communicable disease, or any other public health crisis, could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
A widespread outbreak of epidemic, pandemic, or contagious diseases in the human population, including the COVID-19 pandemic, could cause a widespread public health crisis that results in economic and trade disruptions that could negatively impact our business and the businesses of our customers.
While the pandemic's impact on social and economic conditions has begun to subside and potentially shifting toward becoming more endemic in the U.S. , the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our operational and financial performance, including our ability to execute our business strategies and initiatives in the expected time frame, will depend on future developments, including the duration and spread of COVID-19 and related restrictions on economic activity, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. An extended period of economic disruption could materially affect our business, results of operations, access to sources of liquidity, particularly our cash flow from operations, and financial condition.
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Our business is heavily reliant upon communication networks, centralized information technology ("IT") systems, and third-party technologies and services, and the concentration of our IT systems and sensitive information creates or increases risks for us, including the risk of the misuse or theft of information as a result of cybersecurity breaches or otherwise, which could harm our brand, reputation or competitive position and give rise to material liabilities.
We regularly possess, collect, receive, store, process, generate, use, disclose, transmit, protect, and handle non-public information about individuals and businesses, including both credit and debit card information and other proprietary, sensitive and confidential personal information (collectively, sensitive information). In addition, our customers regularly transmit sensitive information to us via the Internet and through other electronic means.
We rely heavily on communication networks, including the Internet and on IT systems, to process rental and sales transactions, manage our pricing, manage our equipment fleet, manage our financing arrangements, pay suppliers and other third parties, collect from our customers, account for our activities and otherwise conduct our business and report our financial results. Our major IT systems and accounting functions are centralized in a few locations. Any disruption, termination or substandard provision of these services, whether as the result of computer or telecommunications issues (including operational failures, server malfunctions, software bugs, software or hardware failures, loss of data or other IT assets, or similar), cyber attacks (such as computer malware, ransomware, business e-mail compromise, malicious code like viruses or worms, denial of service attacks, credential stuffing, credential harvesting, supply-chain attacks or other social engineering attacks like phishing attacks), personnel misconduct or error, localized conditions (such as a power outage, fire or explosion) or events or circumstances of broader geographic impact (such as an earthquake, storm, flood, other natural disaster, epidemic, strike, act of war, civil unrest or terrorist act), could materially adversely affect our business by disrupting normal operations. In particular, severe ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly prevalent and can lead to significant interruptions in our operations, loss of sensitive information and income, reputational harm, and diversion of funds. Extortion payments may alleviate the negative impact of a ransomware attack, but we may be unwilling or unable to make such payments due to, for example, applicable laws or regulations prohibiting such payments.
Our facilities and systems and those of our third-party service providers may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could compromise information security, and are also subject to the risk of human error. Unauthorized parties also may attempt to gain access to our systems or facilities, or those of third parties with whom we do business. All of the aforementioned threats are prevalent, increasing in their frequency, sophistication and intensity, and come from a variety of sources, including traditional computer “hackers,” threat actors, “hacktivists,” organized criminal threat actors, sophisticated nation states, and nation-state-supported actors (including nation-state actors for geopolitical reasons and in conjunction with military conflicts and defense activities). During times of war and other major conflicts, we, the third parties upon which we rely, and our customers may be vulnerable to a heightened risk of these attacks, including retaliatory cyber attacks, that could materially disrupt our systems and operations, supply chain, and ability to produce, sell and distribute our goods and provide services.
Any of the previously identified or similar threats could cause a security breach or other interruption that could result in unauthorized, unlawful, or accidental acquisition, modification, destruction, loss, alteration, encryption, disclosure of, or access to our sensitive information or our IT systems, or those of the third parties upon whom we rely. A security breach or other interruption could disrupt our ability (and that of third parties upon whom we rely) to provide our products and services.
We may expend significant resources or modify our business activities to try to protect against security breaches, and certain data privacy and security obligations may require us to implement and maintain specific security measures or industry-standard or reasonable security measures to protect our IT systems and sensitive information. While we have implemented security measures designed to protect against security breaches, there can be no assurance that these measures are effective. We may be unable in the future to detect vulnerabilities in our IT systems and networks because many of the techniques used to effectuate a security breach are difficult to detect or anticipate until launched against a target and we may be unable to (or delayed in adopting measures to) prevent, contain or detect security breaches or other compromises or implement adequate preventative measures.
Applicable data privacy and security obligations may require us to notify relevant stakeholders of security breaches. Such disclosures are costly, and the disclosure or the failure to comply with such requirements could lead to adverse consequences. A security breach could adversely affect our corporate reputation as well as our operations, and could result in government enforcement actions, litigation against us, additional reporting requirements and/or oversight, restrictions on processing sensitive information, indemnification obligations, monetary fund diversions, interruptions in our operations, financial loss, the
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imposition of penalties, and other similar harms. A security breach and attendant consequences could cause the loss of customers, deter new customers from using our services, negatively impact our ability to grow and operate our business, and require that we invest significant additional resources related to our information security systems.
In addition, we rely on third-party service providers and technologies to operate critical business systems to process sensitive information in a variety of contexts, including, without limitation, cloud-based infrastructure, data center facilities, encryption and authentication technology, employee email, and other functions. We may also rely on third-party service providers to provide other products, services, parts, or otherwise to operate our business. Therefore, we are also susceptible to disruptions, failures and breaches of the systems maintained by our outsourced providers, which we do not control. Our ability to monitor these third parties’ information security practices is limited, and these third parties may not have adequate information security measures in place. Any disruption, failure, breach or poor performance of any of these systems could lead to lower revenues, increased costs or other material adverse effects on our business and results of operations. While we may be entitled to damages if our third-party service providers fail to satisfy their privacy or security-related obligations to us, any award may be insufficient to cover our damages, or we may be unable to recover such award. In addition, supply-chain attacks have increased in frequency and severity, and we cannot guarantee that third parties’ infrastructure in our supply chain or our third-party partners’ supply chains have not been compromised. Additionally, future or past business transactions (such as acquisitions or integrations) could expose us to additional cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities, as our systems could be negatively affected by vulnerabilities present in acquired or integrated entities’ systems and technologies.
Our contracts may not contain limitations of liability, and even where they do, there can be no assurance that limitations of liability in our contracts are sufficient to protect us from liabilities, damages, or claims related to our data privacy and security obligations. We cannot be sure that our insurance coverage will be adequate or sufficient to protect us from or to mitigate liabilities arising out of our privacy and security practices, that such coverage will continue to be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or that such coverage will pay future claims. Additionally, we are incorporated into the supply chain of a large number of companies in North America and, as a result, if our products are compromised, a significant number or, in some instances, all of our customers and their data could be simultaneously affected. The potential liability and associated consequences we could suffer as a result of such a large-scale event could be catastrophic and result in irreparable harm.
Failure to maintain, upgrade or replace our IT systems could materially adversely affect us.
Our business continues to demand the use of sophisticated systems and technologies, including digital tools, SaaS offerings and cloud computing. As a result, we devote significant time and resources in maintaining, upgrading or replacing our systems and technologies in order to meet customers' demands and expectations. These types of activities subject us to additional costs and inherent risks associated with maintaining, upgrading, replacing and changing these systems and technologies, including impairment of our ability to manage our business, loss of customer confidence and business, potential disruption of our internal control structure, substantial capital expenditures, additional administration and operating expenses, demands on management time, training our employees to operate the systems, and other risks and costs of delays or difficulties in transitioning to, or integrating, new systems and technologies into our current business. We rely on certain third party software providers to maintain and periodically upgrade many of these systems and technologies so that they can continue to support our business. Further, the software programs supporting our business are licensed to us by independent software developers. The inability of these developers or us to continue to maintain and upgrade our systems and technologies would disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our operations if we were unable to convert to alternate systems in an efficient and timely manner.
In addition, costs and potential problems and interruptions associated with the implementation of new or upgraded systems and technologies, maintenance or adequate support of outdated or other existing systems and technologies could disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our business operations and could have an adverse effect on our operations if not anticipated and appropriately mitigated. Our competitive position may be adversely affected if we are unable to maintain, upgrade or replace systems and technologies that allow us to manage our business in a competitive manner. We also may not achieve the benefits that we anticipate from an upgraded or replaced system and technology. Additionally, any failure of a system or technology could impede our ability to timely collect and report financial results in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
We may fail to respond adequately to changes in technology and customer demands.
In recent years, our industry has been characterized by rapid changes in technology and customer demands. For example, industry participants have taken advantage of new technologies, including digital tools, SaaS offerings and cloud computing, to improve fleet efficiency, decrease customer wait times and improve customer satisfaction. Our ability to continually improve
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our current processes and customer-facing tools in response to changes in technology or in customer expectations is essential in maintaining our competitive position and maintaining current levels of customer satisfaction. We may experience technical or other difficulties that could delay or prevent the development or implementation of new technologies. We also may not achieve the benefits that we anticipate from new technologies we develop or implement. The effects of these risks may, individually or in the aggregate, materially adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.
We face intense competition, including from our own suppliers, that may lead to downward pricing or an inability to increase prices.
The markets in which we operate are highly competitive. Competitive factors in our industry include price competition, the importance of customer loyalty, changes in market penetration, the introduction of new equipment, services and technology by competitors, changes in marketing, product diversity and quality and the ability to supply equipment and services to customers in a timely, predictable manner. Because we do not have multi-year contractual arrangements with many of our customers, these competitive factors could cause our customers to cease renting our equipment and shift suppliers quickly.
The equipment rental market is highly fragmented, and we believe that price is one of the primary competitive factors. The Internet has enabled cost-conscious customers to more easily compare rates available from rental companies. If we try to increase our pricing, our competitors, some of whom may have greater resources and better access to capital or lower fixed operating costs, may seek to compete aggressively on the basis of pricing. In addition, our competitors may reduce prices in order to attempt to gain a competitive advantage, capture market share or compensate for declines in rental activity. To the extent we do not match or remain within a reasonable competitive margin of our competitors’ pricing, our revenues and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. If competitive pressures lead us to match any of our competitors’ downward pricing and we are not able to reduce our operating costs, then our margins, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely impacted.
We face competition from traditional rental companies as well as our own suppliers. We purchase our rental equipment from leading, globally-known original equipment manufacturers. Under our supplier arrangements, the suppliers may appoint additional distributors, elect to sell or rent directly to our customers or unilaterally terminate their arrangements with us at any time without cause. Any such actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows due to a reduction of, or an inability to increase, our revenues.
Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain key management, sales and trades talent, while supporting the onboarding and career development of our team members.
Our ability to successfully execute on our business plan depends upon the contributions of our senior management team as well as other key talent including our dedicated sales force and trades talent such as drivers and mechanics. In recent years, we have experienced increasing competition for available talent in the North American workforce as reflected by the low unemployment rate, shortages of available industry trades talent and increasing costs to retain employees. As a result, we could experience inefficiencies or a lack of business continuity due to employee turnover, new employees’ lack of historical knowledge and lack of familiarity with the business processes, operating requirements, purpose and culture, policies and procedures, and key information technologies and related infrastructure used in our day-to-day operations and financial reporting. Historically we have noted a ramp-up period before new members of our sales organization typically achieve a level of sales comparable to those we have employed for a longer period of time. We may also experience additional costs as new employees learn their roles and gain necessary experience, in addition to the cost of hiring new individuals. It is important to our success that newly hired team members quickly adapt to and excel in their new roles. If they are unable to do so, our business and financial results could be materially adversely affected. Further, if we cannot meet our needs for IT staff, we may not be able to fulfill our technology initiatives while continuing to provide maintenance on existing systems.
If we were to lose the services of members of our senior management team or other key talent, whether due to death, disability, resignation or termination of employment, our ability to successfully implement our business strategy, financial plans, marketing and other objectives could be significantly impaired. In addition, if we are unable to attract and retain qualified key talent, we may not be able to effectively and efficiently manage our business and execute our business plan.
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Due to seasonality, especially in the construction industry, any occurrence that disrupts rental activity during our peak periods could materially adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.
Significant components of our expenses are fixed in the short-term, including real estate taxes, rent, insurance, utilities, maintenance and other facility-related expenses, the costs of operating our IT systems and certain staffing costs. Seasonal changes in our revenues do not alter those fixed expenses, typically resulting in higher profitability in periods when our revenues are higher, and lower profitability in periods when our revenues are lower. Our business, especially in the construction industry, has historically experienced lower levels of business from December until late spring, particularly in the northern United States and Canada, and heightened activity during our third and fourth quarter until December. Any occurrence that disrupts rental activity during this period of heightened activity, including adverse weather conditions such as prolonged periods of cold, rain, blizzards, floods, fires, hurricanes or other severe weather patterns, could have a disproportionately adverse effect on our business, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.
Some or all of our deferred tax assets could expire if we experience an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code").
An "ownership change" could limit our ability to utilize tax attributes, including net operating losses, capital loss carryovers, excess foreign tax carryforwards, and credit carryforwards, to offset future taxable income. As of December 31, 2022, we had unutilized U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $532.1 million. Our ability to use such tax attributes to offset future taxable income and tax liabilities may be significantly limited if we experience an "ownership change" as defined in Section 382(g) of the Code. In general, an ownership change will occur if and when the percentage of Herc Holdings’ ownership (by value) of one or more "5-percent shareholders" (as defined in the Code) has increased by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of stock owned by such shareholders at any time during the prior three years (calculated on a rolling basis). An entity that experiences an ownership change generally should be subject to an annual limitation on its pre-ownership change tax loss carryforward which accumulates each year to the extent that there is any unused limitation from a prior year. The limitation on our ability to utilize tax losses and credit carryforwards arising from an ownership change under Section 382 depends on the value of our equity at the time of any ownership change. If we were to experience an "ownership change,” it is possible that a significant portion of our tax loss carryforwards could expire before we would be able to use them to offset future taxable income. Many states have adopted the federal Section 382 rules and therefore have similar limitations with respect to state tax attributes.
Other Operational Risks
Any decline in our relationships with our key national account customers or the amount of equipment they rent from us could materially adversely affect our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
Our business depends on our ability to maintain positive relations with our key national account customers, which collectively accounted for 43% of our rental revenue in 2022. We cannot assure you that all of these relationships will continue at current levels or on current terms. Our contracts with our customers generally do not obligate them to rent equipment from us. Revenue from customers that have accounted for significant revenue in past periods, individually or as a group, may not continue in future periods or, if continued, may not reach or exceed historical levels in any period. Further, if our key customers fail to remain competitive in their respective markets or encounter financial or operational problems, our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
Our rental fleet is subject to residual value risk upon disposition and may not sell at the prices we expect.
The market value of our equipment at the time of its disposition could be less than its estimated residual value or its depreciated value at such time. A number of factors could affect the value received upon disposition of our equipment, including:
•the market price for similar new equipment;
•the age of the equipment, wear and tear on the equipment relative to its age and the performance of preventive maintenance;
•the time of year that it is sold;
•the supply of used equipment relative to the demand for used equipment, including as a result of changes in economic conditions or conditions in the markets that we serve;
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•inventory levels at original equipment manufacturers; and
•the existence and capacities of different sales outlets.
A sale of equipment below its net book value could adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity and cash flows. Accordingly, decisions to reduce the size of our rental fleet in the event of an economic downturn or to respond to changes in rental demand are subject to the risk of loss based on the residual value of rental equipment.
We incur maintenance and repair costs associated with our rental fleet that could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows in the event these costs are greater than anticipated.
As our rental equipment ages, the cost of maintaining such equipment, if not replaced within a certain period of time, and the risk of fleet equipment being out of service, generally increase. As of December 31, 2022, the average age of our rental equipment fleet was approximately 48 months. Determining the optimal age at disposition for our rental equipment is subjective and requires considerable estimates by management. We have made estimates regarding the relationship between the age of our rental equipment, the maintenance and repair costs, the availability of our fleet and the market value of used equipment. It is possible that we may allow the average age of our rental equipment fleet to increase, which could increase our costs for maintenance and repair and likely would negatively impact the market value of such equipment at the time of its disposition. If maintenance and repair costs are higher than estimated or in-service times or market values of used equipment are lower than estimated, our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
We are exposed to a variety of claims and losses arising from our operations, and our insurance may not cover all or any portion of such claims.
We are exposed to a variety of claims arising from our operations, including claims by third parties for injury or property damage arising from the operation of our equipment or acts or omissions of our personnel and workers’ compensation claims. We are currently a defendant in numerous actions and have received numerous claims on which actions have not yet been commenced for liability and property damage arising from the operation of equipment rented from us. We also are exposed to risk of loss from damage to our equipment and resulting business interruption. Our responsibility for such claims and losses is increased when we waive the provisions in certain of our rental contracts that hold a renter responsible for damage or loss under an optional loss or damage waiver that we offer. While we attempt to mitigate our exposure to large liability losses arising from such claims by maintaining general liability, workers' compensation and vehicle liability insurance coverage, our coverage may not be adequate to protect us against these exposures and we self-insure against losses associated with exposures not covered by these insurance policies.
Moreover, in the event that insurance coverage does apply, we will bear a portion of the associated losses through the application of deductibles and self-insured retention in the insurance policies. For a company our size, such deductibles or self-insured retention could be substantial. There is also no assurance that insurance policies of these types will be available for purchase or renewal on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, or that the premiums and deductibles under such policies will not substantially increase, including as a result of market conditions in the insurance industry.
If we were to incur one or more liabilities that are significant, individually or in the aggregate, where we are not fully insured, that we self-insure against or that our insurers dispute, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. Even with adequate insurance coverage, we still may experience a significant interruption to our operations as a result of third-party claims or other losses arising from our operations.
Environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations and the costs of complying with them, or any change to them impacting our markets, could materially adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
Our operations are subject to numerous national, state, provincial and local laws and regulations governing environmental protection and occupational health and safety matters. These laws govern such issues as wastewater, storm water, solid and hazardous wastes and materials, air quality and matters of workplace safety. Under these laws and regulations, regardless of fault we may be liable for, among other things, the cost of investigating and remediating contamination at our sites as well as sites to which we have sent hazardous wastes for disposal or treatment, and also fines and penalties for non-compliance. We use hazardous materials to clean and maintain equipment, dispose of solid and hazardous waste and wastewater from equipment washing, and store and dispense petroleum products from storage tanks at certain of our locations. We also indemnify various parties for the costs associated with remediating numerous hazardous substance storage, recycling or disposal sites in many
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states and, in some instances, for natural resource damages. The amount of any such expense or related natural resource damages for which we may be held responsible could be substantial. We cannot predict the potential financial impact on our business if adverse environmental, health, or safety conditions are discovered, or environmental, health, and safety requirements become more stringent. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the aggregate amounts accrued for environmental liabilities, including liability for environmental indemnities, reflected in the Company's consolidated balance sheets in "Accrued liabilities" were $0.4 million and $0.3 million, respectively. If we are required to incur environmental, health, or safety compliance or remediation costs that are not currently anticipated by us, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected, depending on the magnitude of the cost.
Climate change and legal or regulatory responses thereto may have a long-term negative impact on our business and results of operations.
There is increasing concern that a gradual increase in global average temperatures due to the concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will cause significant change in weather patterns around the globe and increase the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Climate change may also exacerbate water scarcity, negatively impacting our capability to deliver equipment that meets the safety and functional expectations of our customers as well as the health and safety of our employees. Increased frequency or duration of extreme weather conditions could impact our business and the demand for our equipment and services. An increase in demand for rental equipment may require additional capital expenditures in order for us to compete for such demand and we may not be able to make similar levels of investment as our larger competitors. In addition, in an effort to combat climate change, our customers may require our rental equipment to meet certain standards. If we are unable to meet such standards and the expectations of our customers, our business and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
In addition, the U.S. Congress and other legislative and regulatory authorities in the United States and internationally have considered, and likely will continue to consider, numerous measures related to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and other laws and regulations affecting our end markets, such as oil, gas and other natural resource extraction. Should such laws and regulations become effective, demand for our services could be affected, our fleet and/or other costs could increase and our business could be materially adversely affected.
Further, investors are placing a greater emphasis on non-financial factors, including ESG factors, when evaluating investment opportunities. If we are unable to provide sufficient disclosure about ESG practices or if we fail to achieve ESG goals, investors may not view us as an attractive investment, which could have a negative effect on our stock price and business.
Part of our strategy includes pursuing strategic transactions, which could be difficult to identify and implement, and could disrupt our business or change our business profile significantly.
Our strategy includes growth through the acquisition of other companies or service lines of other businesses that either complement or expand our existing business. We also may consider the divestiture of some of our businesses. Any acquisitions or divestitures we may seek to consummate will be subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements, satisfactory financing arrangements and applicable governmental approvals and consents, including under applicable antitrust laws, such as the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. We cannot assure you that we will be able to identify suitable transactions and, even if we are able to identify such transactions, that we will be able to consummate any such acquisitions or divestitures on acceptable terms. Any future acquisitions or divestitures we pursue may involve a number of risks, including some or all of the following:
•the diversion of management’s attention from our core business;
•the disruption of our ongoing business;
•inaccurate assessment of undisclosed liabilities;
•potential known and unknown liabilities of the acquired or divested businesses and lack of adequate protections or potential related indemnities;
•the inability to integrate our acquisitions without substantial costs, delays or other problems;
•the loss of key customers or employees of the acquired or divested business;
•increasing demands on our operational systems;
•the integration of information systems and internal control over financial reporting; and
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•possible adverse effects on our reported results of operations or financial position, particularly during the first several reporting periods after an acquisition or divestiture is completed.
Any acquired entities or assets may not enhance our results of operations. Even if we are able to integrate future acquired businesses with our operations successfully, we cannot assure you that we will realize the cost savings, synergies or revenue enhancements that we may anticipate from such integration or that we will realize such benefits within the expected time frame. Any acquisition also may cause us to assume liabilities, record goodwill and other intangible assets that will be subject to impairment testing and potential impairment charges, incur potential restructuring charges and increase working capital and capital expenditure requirements, which may reduce our return on invested capital.
If we were to undertake a substantial acquisition, the acquisition likely would need to be financed in part through additional financing from banks, through public offerings or private placements of debt or equity securities or with other arrangements. We cannot assure you that the necessary acquisition financing would be available to us on acceptable terms if and when required, given our substantial indebtedness and restrictions in the terms of our indebtedness that may limit the additional indebtedness that we may incur or the acquisitions that we may pursue, which may make it difficult or impossible for us to obtain financing for acquisitions. If we were to undertake an acquisition by issuing equity securities or equity-linked securities, the acquisition may have a dilutive effect on the interests of the holders of our common stock.
A significant divestiture would, in the short term, result in loss of revenues and possibly earnings, and could require the amendment or refinancing of our outstanding indebtedness or a portion thereof. Further, to the extent that we agree to accept payment of all or a portion of the sale price over time, we will bear the risk that the portion of the price that is not paid at closing may be uncollectible. In addition, in connection with any divestiture, we may agree to retain obligations related to the business or assets sold and we may agree to indemnify the purchaser for outstanding liabilities or with respect to the representations, warranties or covenants included in the definitive agreement between the parties. These retained obligations and indemnification obligations could result in significant costs and expenses.
We may face issues with our union employees.
Labor contracts covering the terms of employment of approximately 585 employees in the U.S. and 105 employees in Canada were in effect as of December 31, 2022 under approximately 25active contracts with local unions, affiliated primarily with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Union of Operating Engineers. These contracts are renegotiated periodically. Failure to negotiate a new labor agreement when required could result in a work stoppage. Although we believe that our labor relations have generally been good, it is possible that we could become subject to additional work rules imposed by agreements with labor unions, or that work stoppages or other labor disturbances could occur in the future. In addition, our non-union workforce has been subject to unionization efforts in the past, and we could be subject to future unionization, which could lead to increases in our operating costs and/or constraints on our operating flexibility.
Risks Related to the Spin-Off and Our Separation from New Hertz
We and New Hertz have assumed and will share responsibility for certain liabilities in connection with the Spin-Off, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement entered into in connection with the Spin-Off, we assumed, among other things, liabilities associated with our equipment rental business and related assets, whether such liabilities arose prior to or subsequent to the Spin-Off, and have agreed to indemnifyNew Hertz for any losses arising from such liabilities, as well as any other liabilities we assumed pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement. We also will be responsible for a portion (typically 15%) of certain shared liabilities not otherwise specifically allocated to us or New Hertz under the separation and distribution agreement. Although we will be responsible for a portion of these shared liabilities, New Hertz has the authority to manage the defense and resolution of them. The amount of such liabilities could be greater than anticipated and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
In addition, New Hertz has assumed, among other things, liabilities associated with its vehicle rental business and related assets, whether such liabilities arose prior to or subsequent to the Spin-Off, and has agreed to indemnify us for any losses arising from such liabilities, as well as any other liabilities it assumed pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement. New Hertz also will be responsible for a portion (typically 85%) of certain shared liabilities not otherwise specifically allocated to New Hertz or us under the separation and distribution agreement. We rely on New Hertz to manage the defense and resolution of these shared
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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
liabilities. If New Hertz fails to satisfy its performance and payment obligations under the separation and distribution agreement, including its indemnification obligations, such failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
If there is a determination that any portion of the Spin-Off transaction is taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then we and our stockholders could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.
Hertz Holdings received a favorable private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") to the effect that, subject to the accuracy of and compliance with certain representations, assumptions and covenants, (i) the Spin-Off qualified as a tax-free transaction under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code), and (ii) the internal spin-off transactions (collectively with the Spin-Off, the "Spin-Offs") qualified as tax free under Section 355 of the Code. A private letter ruling from the IRS generally is binding on the IRS. However, the IRS ruling does not rule that the Spin-Offs satisfied every requirement for a tax-free spin-off, and Hertz Holdings relied solely on opinions of its tax advisors to determine that such additional requirements were satisfied. The ruling and the opinions relied on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings from Hertz Holdings and New Hertz regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not otherwise satisfied, Herc Holdings, its affiliates and its stockholders may not be able to rely on the ruling or the opinions of tax advisors and could be subject to significant tax liabilities. Notwithstanding the private letter ruling and opinions of tax advisors, the IRS could determine on audit that the Spin-Offs and related transactions are taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are not correct or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinions that are not covered by the private letter ruling, or for other reasons, including as a result of certain significant changes in the stock ownership of Herc Holdings or New Hertz after the Spin-Off. If the Spin-Offs or related transactions are determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we and, in certain cases, our stockholders could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities, including taxation on the value of the New Hertz common stock in the Spin-Off.
Risks Related to Our Significant Indebtedness
Our significant level of indebtedness exposes or makes us more vulnerable to a number of risks that could materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and ability to compete.
As of December 31, 2022, we had total outstanding debt of approximately $2.9 billion, including our outstanding senior notes and the amounts drawn under our credit facilities. This significant indebtedness requires us to dedicate a significant portion of our cash flows from operations and investing activities to make payments on our debt, which reduces the amount available for working capital, capital expenditures or other general corporate purposes and which decreases our profitability and cash flow. We cannot assure you that we will maintain financing activities and cash flows sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness. In addition, our indebtedness could materially adversely affect us. For example, it could: (i) make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations to the holders of our outstanding debt securities and to the lenders under our credit facilities, resulting in possible defaults on, and acceleration of, such indebtedness; (ii) be difficult to refinance or borrow additional funds in the future; (iii) increase our vulnerability to, and limit our flexibility to plan for, or react to, general adverse economic and industry conditions, (iv) place us at a competitive disadvantage to our competitors that have proportionately less debt or comparable debt at more favorable interest rates or on better terms; (v) limit our ability to declare and pay dividends; and (vi) limit our ability to react to competitive pressures, or make it difficult for us to carry out capital spending that is necessary or important to our growth strategy and our efforts to improve operating margins. There is also a risk that one or more of the financial institutions providing commitments under our revolving credit facilities could fail to fund an extension of credit under any such facility, due to insolvency or otherwise, leaving us with less liquidity than expected. Our ability to manage these risks will depend, among other things, on financial market conditions as well as our financial and operating performance, which, in turn, is subject to a wide range of risks, including those described above under “—Risks Related to Our Business.”
If our capital resources (including borrowings under our financing arrangements and access to other refinancing indebtedness) and operating cash flows are not sufficient to pay our obligations as they mature or to fund our liquidity needs, we may be forced, among other things, to do one or more of the following: (i) sell certain of our assets; (ii) reduce the size of our rental fleet; (iii) reduce or delay capital expenditures; (iv) reduce or eliminate our dividend; (v) obtain additional equity capital; (vi) forgo business opportunities, including acquisitions and joint ventures; or (vii) restructure or refinance all or a portion of our debt before maturity. We cannot assure you that we would be able to accomplish any of these alternatives on a timely basis or on satisfactory terms, if at all. If we cannot refinance or otherwise pay our obligations as they mature and fund our liquidity
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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
needs, our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, ability to obtain financing and ability to compete could be materially adversely affected.
Substantially all of our consolidated assets secure certain of our indebtedness, which could materially adversely affect our business and holders of our debt and equity.
Substantially all of our consolidated assets, including our rental fleet, are subject to security interests under our revolving credit facility. As a result, the lenders under those financing arrangementshave a secured claim on such assets in the event of our bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation or reorganization, and we may not have sufficient funds to pay in full, or at all, all of our creditors or make any amount available to holders of our equity. The same is true with respect to structurally senior obligations. In general, all liabilities and other obligations of a subsidiary must be satisfied before the assets of such subsidiary can be made available to the unsecured or junior creditors (or equity holders) of the parent entity.
Because substantially all of our assets are encumbered under our revolving credit facility, our ability to incur additional secured indebtedness or to sell or dispose of assets to raise capital may be impaired, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial flexibility and liquidity and force us to attempt to incur additional unsecured indebtedness, which may not be available to us.
An increase in interest rates or in our borrowing margin would increase the cost of servicing our debt and could reduce our profitability.
A significant portion of our indebtedness bears interest at floating rates, which increases our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions (such as economic cycles and credit-related disruptions), including interest rate fluctuations. To the extent we have not hedged against rising interest rates, an increase in the applicable benchmark interest rates would increase our cost of servicing our debt and could reduce our profitability and materially adversely affect our results of operations.
In addition, we may in the future seek to refinance our indebtedness. If interest rates or our borrowing margins increase between the time an existing financing arrangement was consummated and the time such financing arrangement is refinanced, the cost of servicing our debt would increase and our results of operations and liquidity could be materially adversely affected.
Despite our current level of indebtedness, we may still be able to incur substantially more debt. This could further exacerbate the risks described above.
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness in the future. Although the agreements and instruments governing our financing arrangements contain restrictions on our ability to incur additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, and the additional indebtedness that could be incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. Further, these restrictions also do not prevent us from incurring obligations that do not constitute indebtedness. If new debt or other obligations are added to our current debt and liability levels without a corresponding refinancing or redemption of our existing indebtedness and obligations, the risks related to our substantial indebtedness could increase.
Risks Related to the Securities Markets and Ownership of Our Common Stock
The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of the sale or distribution of a large number of shares of our common stock in the market or the perception that a sale or distribution could occur. These factors also could make it more difficult for us to raise funds through future offerings of our common stock.
We are unable to predict whether significant amounts of our common stock will be sold in the open market or the potential negative effects that these sales could have on the price of our common stock. Certain shareholders, most notably affiliates of Carl Icahn and Mario Gabelli, have accumulated significant amounts of our common stock. Sales or distributions of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales or distributions will occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and make it difficult for us to raise funds through securities offerings in the future. As of December 31, 2022, there were 28.9 million shares of our common stock outstanding, which are freely transferable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), unless held or acquired by our “affiliates” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. In addition, all shares of our common
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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
stock acquired upon exercise of stock options and other equity-based awards granted under our stock incentive plan also will be freely tradable under the Securities Act unless acquired by our affiliates, as will shares acquired by our employees under our employee stock purchase plan. Approximately 2.6 million shares of common stock have been issued or are reserved for issuance under our stock incentive plan and our employee stock purchase plan.
We also may issue additional common stock for a number of reasons, including to finance our operations and business strategy (including acquisitions), to adjust our ratio of debt to equity, or to provide incentives pursuant to certain executive compensation arrangements. Such future issuances of equity securities, or the expectation that they will occur, could cause the market price for our common stock to decline.
Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and our By-Laws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could deter or prevent a change in control.
Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws contain provisions that are intended to deter coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage prospective acquirers to negotiate with our Board of Directors rather than to attempt a hostile takeover. These provisions include:
•granting to our Board of Directors sole power to set the number of directors and to fill any vacancy on the Board of Directors, whether such vacancy occurs as a result of an increase in the number of directors or otherwise;
•the ability of our Board of Directors to designate and issue one or more series of preferred stock without stockholder approval, the terms of which may be determined at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors;
•prohibiting our stockholders from acting by written consent;
•prohibiting our stockholders from calling special meetings of stockholders;
•the absence of cumulative voting; and
•advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations for election to the Board of Directors at stockholder meetings.
We believe that these provisions protect our stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with our Board of Directors and by providing our Board of Directors with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. These provisions are not intended to make us immune from takeovers. However, these provisions apply even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our Board of Directors determines is in our best interests and that of our stockholders. Any or all of the foregoing provisions could limit the price that some investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
As of February 10, 2023, we had 358 locations in the United States and Canada. We also operate regional headquarters, sales offices and service facilities in the foregoing countries in support of our equipment rental operations. Our principal executive offices are located in Bonita Springs, Florida.
As of December 31, 2022, we owned approximately 7% of the locations from which we operate our equipment rental business, with the remainder leased. Those leases are typically triple net leases, where Herc is responsible for the ongoing expenses of the property, including real estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance, in addition to paying rent and utilities.
Our rental locations generally are located in industrial or commercial zones. A growing number of locations have highway or major thoroughfare visibility. The typical location includes a customer reception area, an equipment service area and storage facilities for equipment. Most branches have stand-alone maintenance and fueling facilities and showrooms.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
The information required with respect to this item can be found in Note 17, "Commitments and Contingencies" of our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.
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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
Executive Officers of the Registrant
The name, age, position and a description of the business experience of each of our executive officers is provided below. There is no family relationship among the executive officers or between any executive officer and a director.
Name Age Position
Lawrence H. Silber 66 President and Chief Executive Officer, Director
Mark H. Irion 56 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Aaron D. Birnbaum 57 Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Tamir Peres 53 Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
S. Wade Sheek 46 Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Lawrence H. Silber. Mr. Silber joined the Company in May 2015. Prior to that, Mr. Silber most recently served as an executive advisor at Court Square Capital Partners, LLP, a private equity firm primarily investing in the business services, healthcare, general industrial and technology and telecommunications sectors, from April 2014 to May 2015. Mr. Silber led Hayward Industries, one of the world’s largest swimming pool equipment manufacturers, as chief operating officer from 2008 to 2012, overseeing a successful transition through the recession and returning the company to solid profitability. From 1978 to 2008, Mr. Silber worked for Ingersoll-Rand plc, a publicly traded manufacturer of industrial products and components, in a number of roles of increasing responsibility. He led major Ingersoll-Rand business groups, including Utility Equipment, Rental and Remarketing and the Equipment and Services businesses. Earlier in his career, he led sales, marketing and operations functions in Ingersoll-Rand’s Power Tool Division and Construction and Mining Group. Mr. Silber has also served as a director of Hayward Holdings, Inc., one of the world's largest swimming pool manufacturers, since November 2019. Mr. Silber previously served on the board of directors of SMTC Corporation, a mid-size provider of end-to-end electronics manufacturing services, from 2012 to 2015 (and from May 2013 through January 2014 served as its interim president and CEO).
Mark H. Irion. Mr. Irion joined the Company in June 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Irion most recently served as the chief financial officer of Neff Corporation, a publicly traded equipment rental company, for 19 years until its sale in October 2017. Prior to his role with Neff, he was chief financial officer for Markvision Holdings, Inc., a computer component distribution company, from 1994 to 1998 and, before that, he was an audit senior for Deloitte & Touche LLP in the U.S. and New Zealand.
Christian J. Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham joined the Company in September 2014 from DFC Global Corporation where he served as vice president, corporate HR and HR services since June 2013 with global responsibility for all human resource matters for corporate staff. Previously, Mr. Cunningham held the position of vice president, HR, compensation and benefits at Sunoco Inc. and Sunoco Logistics from 2010 to 2013. Prior to Sunoco, Mr. Cunningham served at ARAMARK as vice president, global compensation and strategy from 2008 to 2010; at Scholastic Inc. as vice president, compensation, benefits and HRIS from 2006 to 2007; and at Pep Boys as assistant vice president, human resources from 2005 to 2006. Previously, Mr. Cunningham held director and regional managerial positions in roles with increasing levels of responsibility at Pep Boys from 1995 to 2005 and Tire Service Corporation, Inc. from 1985 to 1995.
Aaron D. Birnbaum. Mr. Birnbaum served the Company and its predecessor business for more than 30 years. Prior to his current role, Mr. Birnbaum has served as the Company’s Senior Vice President from 2017 to 2019 and served as a Regional Vice President from 2012 to 2017. As Senior Vice President, Mr. Birnbaum oversaw the Company's Western, Northwest, North Central and Canada regions as well as its Herc Entertainment Services® and Cinelease® specialty equipment rental units. Mr. Birnbaum also has held leadership responsibilities related to the Company's strategic planning, operational execution and M&A activities.
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Executive Officers of the Registrant (continued)
Tamir Peres. Mr. Peres joined the Company in September 2017 from Sunoco Logistics, a publicly-traded, midstream energy company, where he served as vice president and chief information officer since 2012, leading the Sunoco Logistics Information Technology group. From 2005 to 2012, Mr. Peres held the position of director of corporate information technology at Sunoco, Inc., where he was responsible for all strategic and tactical aspects of technology across the Refining and Supply, Retail Marketing, Chemicals, Logistics and Coke business units. He was previously director of Worldwide Financial Systems for Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc., a global manufacturer and supplier of semiconductor equipment, and before that he worked for Ernst & Young, including as an audit senior in its Assurance Services area.
S. Wade Sheek. Mr. Sheek joined the Company in November 2019 from Republic Airways Holdings Inc., a regional airline, where he served as general counsel and secretary from 2018 to 2019 and oversaw the legal, contracting, communications and government relations functions. From 2013 to 2018, he served as deputy general counsel and corporate secretary at Allegion plc, a multi-national manufacturing company, and had responsibility for SEC matters, corporate governance, M&A and strategic initiatives. Prior to that, Mr. Sheek held roles with increasing responsibility with The Home Depot, Inc., UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and Ingersoll-Rand plc.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANTS COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITY
Common Stock and Registered Holders
Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") under the symbol "HRI". On February 10, 2023, there were 1,527 registered holders of our common stock. The number of beneficial owners is substantially greater than the number of record holders because a large portion of our common stock is held of record in "street name."
Share Repurchase Program
In March 2014, we announced a $1.0 billion share repurchase program (the "Share Repurchase Program"), which replaced an earlier program. The Share Repurchase Program permits us to purchase shares through a variety of methods, including in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, in accordance with applicable securities laws. We are not obligated to make any repurchases at any specific time or in any specific amount and our repurchases may be subject to certain predetermined price/volume guidelines, set from time-time, by our Board of Directors. The timing and extent to which we repurchase shares will depend upon, among other things, strategic priorities, market conditions, share price, liquidity targets, contractual restrictions, regulatory requirements and other factors. Share repurchases may be commenced or suspended at any time or from time to time, subject to legal and contractual requirements, without prior notice.
The following table provides information about our repurchases of our common stock during the fourth quarter of 2022:
Dividends
On February 8, 2023, the Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.6325 per share to record holders as of February 22, 2023, with payment date of March 9, 2023. The agreements governing our indebtedness restrict our ability to pay dividends. See Item 7, "Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources — Dividends," in this Report.
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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES (Continued)
Recent Performance
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on Herc Holdings common stock from December 31, 2017 through December 31, 2022, with the cumulative total returns of the Standard & Poor's Small Cap 600 Index, the Standard & Poor's Mid Cap 400 Trading Companies & Distributors Industry Index and an industry peer group. The Standard & Poor's Mid Cap 400 Trading Companies & Distributors Industry Index was added in 2022 as the companies included more closely align to the Company's industry and business. The industry peer group is comprised of publicly traded companies participating in the equipment rental industry and other relevant companies of comparable size in the broader industry in which we compete. Our industry peer group is comprised of Applied Industrial Tech Inc., Ashstead Group plc, Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc., Fastenal Company, GATX Corp., H&E Equipment Services, KAR Auction Services Inc., McGrath RentCorp, NOW Inc., Pool Corp., Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated, Triton International Ltd., Watsco Inc., WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. and United Rentals, Inc.
The graph assumes that $100 was invested on December 31, 2017 over the indicated time periods and assumes reinvestment of all dividends, if any, paid on the securities. The cumulative total return calculation for Herc Holdings is based on stock price appreciation and payment of cash dividends. The stock price performance shown on the graph is not necessarily indicative of future price performance.
ITEM 6. RESERVED
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations ("MD&A") should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in Item 8 of this Report, which include additional information about our accounting policies, practices and the transactions underlying our financial results. The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes including receivables allowances, depreciation of rental equipment, the recoverability of long-lived assets, useful lives and impairment of long-lived tangible and intangible assets including goodwill and trade name, pension and postretirement benefits, valuation of stock-based compensation, reserves for litigation and other contingencies, accounting for income taxes and other matters arising during the normal course of business. We apply our best judgment, our knowledge of existing facts and circumstances and our knowledge of actions that we may undertake in the future in determining the estimates that will affect our consolidated financial statements. We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis using our historical experience, as well as other factors we believe appropriate under the circumstances, such as current economic conditions, and adjust or revise our estimates as circumstances change. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results may differ from these estimates.
OVERVIEW OF OUR BUSINESS AND OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
We are engaged principally in the business of renting equipment. Ancillary to our principal business of equipment rental, we also sell used rental equipment, sell new equipment and consumables and offer certain services and support to our customers. Our profitability is dependent upon a number of factors including the volume, mix and pricing of rental transactions and the utilization of equipment. Significant changes in the purchase price or residual values of equipment or interest rates can have a significant effect on our profitability depending on our ability to adjust pricing for these changes. Our business requires significant expenditures for equipment, and consequently we require substantial liquidity to finance such expenditures. See "Liquidity and Capital Resources" below.
Our revenues are primarily derived from rental and related charges and consist of:
•Equipment rental (includes all revenue associated with the rental of equipment including ancillary revenue from delivery, rental protection programs and fueling charges);
•Sales of rental equipment and sales of new equipment, parts and supplies; and
•Service and other revenue (primarily relating to training and labor provided to customers).
Our expenses primarily consist of:
•Direct operating expenses (primarily wages and related benefits, facility costs and other costs relating to the operation and rental of rental equipment, such as delivery, maintenance and fuel);
•Cost of sales of rental equipment, new equipment, parts and supplies;
•Depreciation expense relating to rental equipment;
•Selling, general and administrative expenses; and
•Interest expense.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
2022 Overview
Our results for 2022 reflect the strong demand in the rental industry as demonstrated by our equipment rental revenues of $2.6 billion, an increase of 33.6% over 2021, reflecting positive pricing of 5.8% and increased volume of equipment on rent of 31.8%. Our local markets and industries have shown continued strength in economic activity and we believe the operating environment continues to be favorable for equipment rental companies of scale. We continued to execute on company-wide initiatives to increase our margins and profitability, resulting in an increase in net income to $329.9 million from $224.1 million in 2021.
We invested significantly in our rental equipment as part of our long-term capital expenditure plans, adding rental equipment in high growth markets in response to customer demand and to position ourselves for growth into 2023. Additionally, during 2022, we completed 18 acquisitions, adding 29 branches, totaling a net cash outflow of $515.2 million, while also opening 21 new greenfield locations. The addition of new locations supports our long-term strategy to achieve greater density and scale in select urban markets across North America to better serve both our local and national customers.
In order to provide financial flexibility and continue investment in our business, we amended our senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility to increase the aggregate amount of the revolving credit commitments from $1.75 billion to $3.5 billion and extended the maturity to 2027. Additionally, we amended and extended our account receivable securitization facility, which now matures August 31, 2023 and increased the aggregate commitments from $250 million to $335 million.
As part of our capital allocation strategy, we have continued to pay quarterly dividends at $0.575 per share throughout 2022 and also repurchased approximately 1.1 million shares of our common stock for $115.2 million.
COVID-19
We continue to monitor the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential shift toward becoming more endemic in the U.S. The health and safety of our employees, customers, and the communities in which we operate remains our top priority. We remain focused on the safety and well-being of our employees, customers and communities as we maintain a high-level of service to our customers. As part of our overall safety culture, we communicate frequently throughout the organization to reinforce our health and safety guidelines, informed by the Center for Disease Control recommendations.
The impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve and the impact on the economy may be influenced by a number of factors, including a widespread resurgence in COVID-19 infections, whether due to the spread of variants of the virus or otherwise, the rate and efficacy of vaccinations, labor constraints, the strength of the global supply chain, and government actions. We cannot predict the extent to which the ultimate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, or a shift from pandemic to endemic, will have on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, however, we believe we are well-positioned to operate effectively through the present environment.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Year Ended December 31,
($ in millions) 2022 2021 $ Change % Change
Sales of new equipment, parts and supplies 35.8 30.1 5.7 18.9
Cost of sales of rental equipment 88.8 93.3 (4.5) (4.8)
Cost of sales of new equipment, parts and supplies 22.3 20.3 2.0 9.9
Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2021
Equipment rental revenue increased $641.1 million, or 33.6%. The increase was primarily due to higher volume of equipment on rent of 31.8% and positive pricing of 5.8% during 2022 over the prior year.
Sales of rental equipment increased $12.6 million, or 11.1%, during the year ended December 31, 2022 when compared with 2021 as disposals in the fourth quarter returned to a more seasonal pattern in line with rotating the fleet as part of our long-term strategy. The margin on sales of rental equipment was 29.4% in 2022 compared to 17.5% in 2021. The increase in margin on sale of rental equipment in 2022 was driven by improved pricing due to the overall strong market for used equipment.
Direct operating expenses increased $245.4 million, or 31.4%, related to increases in (i) personnel-related expenses of $106.0 million primarily resulting from increased headcount and increased wages and benefits, (ii) fleet related expenses including fuel and maintenance expense of $86.0 million resulting from our increased fleet size and higher volume and higher average fuel prices in 2022, (iii) facilities expense of $25.6 million as we have added more locations through acquisitions and opening greenfield locations, (iv) delivery expense of $16.2 million due to increased volume of transactions, and (v) re-rent expense of $13.0 million due to the corresponding increase in re-rent revenue.
Depreciation of rental equipment increased $115.2 million, or 27.4%, during 2022 due to the increase in average fleet size. Non-rental depreciation and amortization increased $26.9 million, or 39.6%, primarily due to amortization of intangible assets related to acquisitions.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $99.3 million, or 31.9%. The increase was primarily due to selling expense, including commissions and other variable compensation increases, of $44.9 million, and general payroll and benefits increases of $14.4 million, which includes an increase in stock compensation expense of $3.8 million. Travel expense and credit and collections expense also increased by $13.0 million and $8.2 million, respectively.
Interest expense, net increased $35.7 million, or 41.4%, during 2022 due to higher average outstanding balances and weighted average interest rates on the ABL Credit Facility and AR Facility when compared to 2021.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
Income tax provision was $103.5 million during 2022 when compared with $66.3 million for the same period in 2021. The provision during 2022 was primarily driven by the increased level of pre-tax income, non-deductible expenses, stock-based compensation, state taxes and tax credits.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Our primary liquidity needs include the payment of operating expenses, purchases of rental equipment to be used in our operations, servicing of debt, funding acquisitions, payment of dividends, and share repurchases. Our primary sources of funding are operating cash flows, cash received from the disposal of equipment and borrowings under our debt arrangements. As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $2.9 billion of total nominal indebtedness outstanding.
Our liquidity as of December 31, 2022 consisted of cash and cash equivalents of $53.5 million and unused commitments of approximately $1.6 billion under our ABL Credit Facility. See "Borrowing Capacity and Availability" below for further discussion. Our practice is to maintain sufficient liquidity through cash from operations, our ABL Credit Facility and our AR Facility to mitigate the impacts of any adverse financial market conditions on our operations. We believe that cash generated from operations and cash received from the disposal of equipment, together with amounts available under the ABL Credit Facility and the AR Facility or other financing arrangements will be sufficient to meet working capital requirements and anticipated capital expenditures, and other strategic uses of cash, if any, and debt payments, if any, over the next twelve months.
Cash Flows
Significant factors driving our liquidity position include cash flows generated from operating activities and capital expenditures. Historically, we have generated and expect to continue to generate positive cash flow from operations. Our ability to fund our capital needs will be affected by our ongoing ability to generate cash from operations and access to capital markets.
The following table summarizes the change in cash and cash equivalents for the periods shown (in millions):
Years Ended December 31,
Cash provided by (used in):
Effect of exchange rate changes (0.6) (0.2) (0.4)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents $ 18.4 $ 2.1 $ 16.3
Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2021
Operating Activities
During the year ended December 31, 2022, we generated $172.7 million more cash from operating activities compared with the same period in 2021. The increase was related to improved operating results primarily resulting from higher revenues coupled with improved operating leverage on costs.
Investing Activities
Cash used in investing activities increased $720.5 million during 2022 when compared with the prior-year period. Our primary use of cash in investing activities is for the acquisition of rental equipment, non-rental capital expenditures and acquisitions. Generally, we rotate our equipment and manage our fleet of rental equipment in line with customer demand and continue to invest in our information technology, service vehicles and facilities. Changes in our net capital expenditures are described in more detail in the "Capital Expenditures" section below. Additionally, we closed on 18 acquisitions during the year ended December 31, 2022 for a net cash outflow of $515.2 million.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
Financing Activities
Cash provided by financing activities increased $564.5 million during 2022 when compared with the prior-year period. Financing activities during 2022 primarily represent our changes in debt, which included net borrowings of $1.0 billion on our revolving lines of credit and securitization, which were used primarily to fund acquisitions and invest in rental equipment during the year. Net borrowings in the prior year period were $251.6 million.
In accordance with our Share Repurchase Program, we may from time to time repurchase shares in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, in accordance with applicable securities laws. We repurchased approximately 1.1 million shares during 2022 in accordance with our overall capital allocation strategy and as of December 31, 2022, $280.6 million remains available for repurchases.
In order to reduce future cash interest payments, as well as future amounts due at maturity or upon redemption, we may from time to time repurchase our debt, including our notes, bonds, loans or other indebtedness, in privately negotiated, open market or other transactions and upon such terms and at such prices as we may determine. We will evaluate any such transactions in light of then-existing market conditions, taking into account our current liquidity and prospects for future access to capital. The repurchases may be material and could relate to a substantial proportion of a particular class or series, which could reduce the trading liquidity of such class or series.
Capital Expenditures
Our capital expenditures relate largely to purchases of rental equipment, with the remaining portion representing purchases of property, equipment and information technology. The table below sets forth the capital expenditures related to our rental equipment and related disposals for the periods noted (in millions).
Years Ended December 31,
Rental equipment expenditures $ 1,168.5 $ 593.8
Disposals of rental equipment (121.1) (106.9)
Net rental equipment expenditures $ 1,047.4 $ 486.9
Net capital expenditures for rental equipment increased $560.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021, as we manage our fleet by continuing to invest in our fleet in high growth markets as part of our long-term capital expenditure plans and manage disposals to respond to a tight equipment market.
In 2023, we expect our net rental equipment capital expenditures to be in the range of $1.0 billion to $1.2 billion.
Borrowing Capacity and Availability
Our ABL Credit Facility and AR Facility (together, the "Facilities") provide our borrowing capacity and availability. Creditors under the Facilities have a claim on specific pools of assets as collateral as identified in each credit agreement. Our ability to borrow under the Facilities is a function of, among other things, the value of the assets in the relevant collateral pool. We refer to the amount of debt we can borrow given a certain pool of assets as the "Borrowing Base."
In connection with the AR Facility, we sell accounts receivable on an ongoing basis to a wholly-owned special-purpose entity (the "SPE"). The accounts receivable and other assets of the SPE are encumbered in favor of the lenders under our AR Facility. The SPE assets are owned by the SPE and are not available to settle the obligations of the Company or any of its other subsidiaries. Substantially all of the remaining assets of Herc and certain of its U.S. and Canadian subsidiaries are encumbered in favor of our lenders under our ABL Credit Facility. None of such assets are available to satisfy the claims of our general creditors. See Note 11, "Debt" included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report for more information.
With respect to the Facilities, we refer to "Remaining Capacity" as the maximum principal amount of debt permitted to be outstanding under the Facilities (i.e., the amount of debt we could borrow assuming we possessed sufficient assets as collateral) less the principal amount of debt then-outstanding under the Facility. We refer to "Availability Under Borrowing Base Limitation" as the lower of Remaining Capacity or the Borrowing Base less the principal amount of debt then-outstanding under the Facility (i.e., the amount of debt we could borrow given the collateral we possess at such time).
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
As of December 31, 2022, the following was available to us (in millions):
RemainingCapacity Availability UnderBorrowing BaseLimitation
AR Facility — —
During the third quarter of 2022, we entered into an amendment to the ABL Credit Facility that was executed primarily to increase the aggregate amount of the revolving credit commitments to $3.5 billion and to extend the maturity date to July 5, 2027. Additionally, we amended the AR Facility to increase the aggregate commitments from $250 million to $335 million and extend the maturity to August 31, 2023. See Note 11, "Debt" included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report for more information.
As of December 31, 2022, $25.8 million of standby letters of credit were issued and outstanding under the ABL Credit Facility, none of which have been drawn upon. The ABL Credit Facility had $224.2 million available under the letter of credit facility sublimit, subject to borrowing base restrictions.
Covenants
Our ABL Credit Facility, our AR Facility and our 2027 Notes contain a number of covenants that, among other things, limit or restrict our ability to dispose of assets, incur additional indebtedness, incur guarantee obligations, prepay certain indebtedness, make certain restricted payments (including paying dividends, redeeming stock or making other distributions), create liens, make investments, make acquisitions, engage in mergers, fundamentally change the nature of our business, make capital expenditures, or engage in certain transactions with certain affiliates.
Under the terms of our ABL Credit Facility, our AR Facility and our 2027 Notes, we are not subject to ongoing financial maintenance covenants; however, under the ABL Credit Facility, failure to maintain certain levels of liquidity will subject us to a contractually specified fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1:1 for the four quarters most recently ended. As of December 31, 2022, the appropriate levels of liquidity have been maintained, therefore this financial maintenance covenant is not applicable.
For further information on the terms of our 2027 Notes, ABL Credit Facility and AR Facility see Note 11, "Debt" included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report. For a discussion of the risks associated with our indebtedness, see Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" contained in this Report.
Dividends
On February 8, 2023, the Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.6325 per share to record holders as of February 22, 2023, with payment date of March 9, 2023. The declaration of dividends on our common stock is discretionary and will be determined by our board of directors in its sole discretion and will depend on our business conditions, financial condition, earnings, liquidity and capital requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors. The amounts available to pay cash dividends are restricted by our debt agreements.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
Certain of our accounting policies, as discussed below, involve a higher degree of judgment and complexity in their application and, therefore, represent the critical accounting policies used in the preparation of our financial statements. If different assumptions or conditions were to prevail, the results could be materially different from our reported results. For additional discussion of our critical accounting policies and estimates, as well as our significant accounting policies, see Note 2, "Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies" to the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.
Rental Equipment
Our principal assets are rental equipment, which represented 58.5% and 59.4% of our total assets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Rental equipment consists of equipment utilized in our equipment rental operations. When rental equipment is acquired, we use historical experience, industry residual value guidebooks and the monitoring of market conditions to set depreciation rates. Generally, we estimate the period that we will hold the asset, primarily based on historical measures of the amount of equipment usage and the targeted age of equipment at the time of disposal. We also estimate the residual value of the applicable rental equipment at the expected time of disposal. The residual value for rental equipment is affected by factors which include equipment age and amount of usage. Depreciation is recorded over the estimated holding period. Depreciation rates are reviewed regularly based on management's ongoing assessment of present and estimated future market conditions, their effect on residual values at the time of disposal and the estimated holding periods. To the extent that the useful lives of all of our rental equipment were to increase or decrease by one year, we estimate that our annual depreciation expense would decrease or increase by approximately $50 million or $60 million, respectively. Market conditions for used equipment sales also can be affected by external factors such as the economy, natural disasters, fuel prices, supply of similar used equipment, the market price for similar new equipment and incentives offered by manufacturers. As a result of this ongoing assessment, we make periodic adjustments to depreciation rates of rental equipment in response to changing market conditions. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, there were no material adjustments to our depreciation rates.
Defined Benefit Pension Obligations
The Herc Holdings Retirement Plan is a U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan that has been frozen to new employees since it was established in 2016. Additionally, pursuant to various collective bargaining agreements, certain union-represented employees participate in multiemployer pension plans.
Employee pension costs and obligations are dependent on assumptions used by actuaries in calculating such amounts. These assumptions include discount rates, salary growth, long-term return on plan assets, retirement rates, mortality rates and other factors. Actual results that differ from our assumptions are accumulated and amortized over future periods and, therefore, generally affect our recognized expense in such future periods. While we believe that the assumptions used are appropriate, significant differences in actual experience or significant changes in assumptions would affect our pension costs and obligations. The various employee-related actuarial assumptions (e.g., retirement rates, mortality rates and salary growth) used in determining pension costs and plan liabilities are reviewed periodically by management, assisted by the enrolled actuary, and updated as warranted. The discount rate used to value the pension liabilities and related expenses and the expected rate of return on plan assets are the two most significant assumptions impacting pension expense. The discount rate used is a market-based rate as of the valuation date. For the expected return on assets assumption, we use a forward-looking rate that is based on the expected return for each asset class (including the value added by active investment management), weighted by the target asset allocation. The past annualized long-term performance of the Plan's assets has generally been in line with the long-term rate of return assumption.
Business Combinations
The Company has made multiple acquisitions and may continue to make acquisitions in the future. The assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded based on their respective fair values at the date of acquisition. Determining the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired is judgmental in nature and can involve the use of significant estimates and assumptions. Long-lived assets (principally rental equipment), goodwill and other intangible assets generally represent the largest components of the acquisitions. Rental equipment is valued utilizing either a cost or market approach, or a combination of these methods, depending on the asset being valued and the availability of market data. The intangible assets that the Company has acquired are non-compete agreements, customer relationships and trade names and associated trademarks. The estimated fair values of these intangible assets reflect various assumptions about discount rates, revenue growth rates, operating margins, terminal
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
values, useful lives and other prospective financial information. Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the net of the fair value of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. Non-compete agreements, customer relationships and trade names and associated trademarks are valued based on an excess earnings or income approach based on projected cash flows and may be amortized over the useful life if they are determined to be finite-lived intangible assets.
As part of an acquisition, the Company will also acquire other assets and assume liabilities. These other assets and liabilities typically include, but are not limited to, parts inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other working capital items. Because of their short-term nature, the fair values of these other assets and liabilities generally approximate the book values on the acquired entities' balance sheets.
Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
On an annual basis and at interim periods when circumstances require, we test the recoverability of our goodwill. Goodwill impairment is deemed to exist if the carrying value of goodwill of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a business one level below that operating segment (the component level) if discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by segment management. However, components are aggregated as a single reporting unit if they have similar economic characteristics. We have assessed the guidance and performed our analysis using our one reporting unit, North American equipment rental.
Pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other, an entity may first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. Various factors are considered in performing the qualitative test, including macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, the overall financial performance of our reporting unit, our stock price and the excess amount between our reporting unit’s fair value and carrying value as indicated on our most recent quantitative assessment.
When assessing the fair value of our reporting units using a quantitative approach, we estimate the fair value using a combination of an income approach on the present value of estimated future cash flows and a market approach based on published earnings multiples of comparable entities with similar operations and economic characteristics as well as acquisition multiples paid in recent transactions. The key assumptions used in the discounted cash flow valuation model for impairment testing include discount rates, growth rates, cash flow projections and terminal value rates. Discount rates are set by using the weighted average cost of capital, or "WACC," methodology. The WACC methodology considers market and industry data as well as company specific risk factors for each reporting unit in determining the appropriate discount rates to be used. The discount rate utilized for each reporting unit is indicative of the return an investor would expect to receive for investing in such a business. The cash flows represent management's most recent planning assumptions. These assumptions are based on a combination of industry outlooks, views on general economic conditions and our expected pricing plans. Terminal value rate determination follows common methodology of capturing the present value of perpetual cash flow estimates beyond the last projected period assuming a constant WACC and low long-term growth rates. If the carrying value of the reporting unit is greater than its fair value, we recognize an impairment charge for the amount equal to that excess. A significant decline in the projected cash flows or a change in the WACC used to determine fair value could result in a future goodwill impairment charge.
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, primarily trade names, are not amortized but are evaluated annually for impairment and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of this asset may exceed its fair value. If the carrying value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.
In connection with our impairment analysis for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets conducted as of October 1, 2022, we assessed qualitative factors as described above to determine if it is more likely than not that goodwill and indefinite-lived assets may be impaired and concluded that there was no impairment related to such assets.
Finite-Lived Intangible and Long-Lived Assets
Finite-lived intangible assets include technology, customer relationships, and other intangibles. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over the estimated economic lives of the assets, which range from five to 14 years. These assets are
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
primarily amortized using the straight-line method, however, certain assets may be amortized using an accelerated method that reflects the economic benefit to us. Long-lived assets, including intangible assets with finite lives, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Determination of recoverability is based on an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. Measurement of an impairment loss for long-lived assets that management expects to hold and use is based on the estimated fair value of the asset. Long-lived assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or estimated fair value less costs to sell. During the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, we recorded asset impairment charges of $3.5 million, $3.2 million and $15.4 million, respectively, see Note 8, "Impairment" to the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report for further detail.
Income Taxes
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and net bases of assets and liabilities and aremeasured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates is recognized in the statement of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are recorded to reduce deferred tax assets by the
amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Subsequent changes to enacted tax rates will result in changes to deferred taxes and any related valuation allowances. We have recorded a deferred tax asset for unutilized net operating loss carryforwards in various tax jurisdictions.
The Company has determined not to assert that earnings from foreign operations are permanently reinvested. Therefore, the Company recognizes deferred taxes on foreign earnings as appropriate. The Company has asserted that future earnings associated with the potential stock sale or liquidation of foreign subsidiaries is permanently reinvested. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded any deferred tax liabilities associated with these book-to-tax differences. We regularly review our cash positions and our determination of permanent reinvestment of foreign earnings. If we determine that all or a portion of such foreign earnings are repatriated, we may be subject to additional foreign withholding taxes and U.S. state income taxes. Many foreign jurisdictions impose taxes on distributions to other jurisdictions. Due to the variations and complexities of these laws, we believe it would be impractical to calculate and accrue these taxes beyond the normal earnings and profits standard for U.S. tax purposes.
In accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, the Company recognizes, in its consolidated financial statements, the impact of the Company's tax positions that are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. The Company will determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. In evaluating whether a tax position has met the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the Company presumes that the position will be examined by the appropriate taxing authority with full knowledge of all relevant information. Upon determination that a tax position meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, it is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements.
We are subject to ongoing tax examinations and assessments in various jurisdictions. Accordingly, accruals for tax contingencies are established based on the probable outcomes of such matters. Our ongoing assessments of the probable outcomes of the examinations and related tax accruals require judgment and could increase or decrease our effective tax rate as well as impact our operating results..
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
For a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements, see Note 2, "Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies" to the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report.
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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
RISK MANAGEMENT
For a discussion of additional risks arising from our operations, see Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" included in this Report.
Market Risk
We are exposed to a variety of market risks, including the effects of changes in interest rates (including credit spreads), foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in fuel prices. We manage our exposure to these market risks through our regular operating and financing activities and, when deemed appropriate, through the use of derivative financial instruments. Derivative financial instruments are viewed as risk management tools and have not been used for speculative or trading purposes. In addition, derivative financial instruments are entered into with a diversified group of major financial institutions in order to manage our exposure to counterparty nonperformance on such instruments.
Interest Rate Risk
We have assessed our exposure to changes in interest rates by analyzing the sensitivity to our earnings assuming various changes in market interest rates. Assuming a hypothetical increase of one percentage point in interest rates on our ABL Credit Facility, AR Facility and cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2022, our pre-tax earnings would decrease by an estimated $16.2 million over a 12-month period.
From time to time, we may enter into interest rate swap agreements to manage interest rate risk on our mix of fixed and floating rate debt. Consistent with the terms of certain agreements governing our debt obligations, we may decide to hedge a portion of the floating rate interest exposure under the ABL Credit Facility to provide protection in respect of such exposure.
Foreign Currency Risk
We have foreign currency exposure to exchange rate fluctuations, primarily with respect to the Canadian dollar. We manage our foreign currency risk primarily by incurring, to the extent practicable, operating and financing expenses in the local currency in the countries in which we operate, including making fleet and equipment purchases and borrowing locally.
We also manage exposure to fluctuations in currency risk on cross currency intercompany loans we make to certain of our subsidiaries by entering into foreign currency forward contracts, when appropriate, which are intended to offset the impact of foreign currency movements on the underlying intercompany loan obligations.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, our foreign subsidiaries accounted for less than 10% of our total revenue and total income before income taxes. Based on the size of our foreign operations relative to the Company as a whole, we do not believe that a 10% change in exchange rates would have a material impact on our earnings. We do not engage in purchasing forward exchange contracts for speculative purposes.
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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Herc Holdings Inc.
Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Herc Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the related consolidated statements of operations, of comprehensive income, of changes in equity and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2022, including the related notes and schedule of valuation and qualifying accounts for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2022 appearing under Item 8 (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2022 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.
Basis for Opinions
The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
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Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (ii) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Income Taxes
As noted in Notes 2 and 15 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company recorded an income tax provision of $103.5 million as of December 31, 2022. Additionally, the Company reported a net deferred tax liability balance of $646.5 million. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Management also records deferred tax assets for unutilized net operating loss carryforwards in various tax jurisdictions. Subsequent changes to enacted tax rates will result in changes to deferred taxes. Management recognizes the impact of the Company's uncertain tax positions that are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. Management will determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination. Upon determination that a tax position meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, it is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements.
The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to income taxes is a critical audit matter are the significant judgment by management in determining the income tax provision and in evaluating the Company’s tax positions, which in turn led to significant auditor judgment, subjectivity, and effort in performing audit procedures and evaluating audit evidence relating to income taxes.
Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. These procedures included testing the effectiveness of controls relating to the income tax provision, the identification of uncertain tax positions and assessment of related liability changes, if material. These procedures also included, among others, (i) testing the completeness and accuracy of the income tax provision, including the rate reconciliation, return to provision adjustments, and permanent and temporary differences, and (ii) testing the completeness of management’s uncertain tax positions.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Tampa, Florida
February 14, 2023
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2013.
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In millions, except par value)
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents $ 53.5 $ 35.1
Receivables, net of allowances of $17.6 and $13.6, respectively 522.5 388.1
Other long-term assets 34.1 13.1
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current maturities of long-term debt and financing obligations $ 16.1 $ 15.2
Current maturities of operating lease liabilities 41.9 38.7
Other long-term liabilities 40.2 32.1
Commitments and contingencies (Note 17)
Equity:
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) 224.1 (53.4)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (128.5) (100.2)
Treasury stock, at cost, 3.8 shares and 2.7 shares (807.2) (692.0)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In millions, except per share data)
Years Ended December 31,
Revenues:
Sales of new equipment, parts and supplies 35.8 30.1 28.2
Expenses:
Cost of sales of new equipment, parts and supplies 22.3 20.3 20.5
Non-rental depreciation and amortization 94.9 68.0 62.5
Other expense (income), net 0.2 (2.2) 4.6
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Earnings per share:
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(In millions)
Years Ended December 31,
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments (16.3) 1.2 3.7
Unrealized gains and (losses) on hedging instruments:
Reclassification into net income — — (1.5)
Income tax provision related to hedging instruments — — 0.3
Pension and postretirement benefit liability adjustments:
Total other comprehensive income (loss) (28.3) 6.8 2.7
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(In millions)
Balance at: Shares Amount
Other comprehensive income — — — — 2.7 — 2.7
Stock-based compensation charges — — 16.4 — — — 16.4
Net settlement on vesting of equity awards 0.3 — (3.0) — — — (3.0)
Employee stock purchase plan — — 2.3 — — — 2.3
Exercise of stock options 0.3 — 5.6 — — — 5.6
Other comprehensive income — — — — 6.8 — 6.8
Stock-based compensation charges — — 23.3 — — — 23.3
Dividends declared, $0.50 per share — — (15.1) — — — (15.1)
Net settlement on vesting of equity awards 0.2 — (9.0) — — — (9.0)
Employee stock purchase plan 0.1 — 2.6 — — — 2.6
Exercise of stock options — — 2.2 — — — 2.2
Other comprehensive loss — — — — (28.3) — (28.3)
Stock-based compensation charges — — 27.1 — — — 27.1
Dividends declared, $2.30 per share — — (17.6) (52.4) — — (70.0)
Net settlement on vesting of equity awards 0.3 — (15.5) — — — (15.5)
Employee stock purchase plan — — 3.6 — — — 3.6
Exercise of stock options — — 0.2 — — — 0.2
Repurchase of common stock (1.1) — — — — (115.2) (115.2)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In millions)
Years Ended December 31,
Cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation of property and equipment 63.5 55.6 54.5
Amortization of intangible assets 31.4 12.4 8.0
Amortization of deferred debt and financing obligations costs 3.3 3.2 3.4
Stock-based compensation charges 27.1 23.3 16.4
Provision for receivables allowance 52.3 28.9 31.4
Loss (gain) on sale of rental equipment (36.9) (19.8) 5.1
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities 30.1 16.3 21.4
Cash flows from investing activities:
Non-rental capital expenditures (103.7) (48.0) (41.4)
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment 7.5 4.6 6.6
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (515.2) (431.0) (45.6)
Proceeds from disposal of business — — 24.5
Other investing activities (23.0) — —
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Continued)
(In millions)
Years Ended December 31,
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from revolving lines of credit and securitization 2,617.8 1,131.6 528.0
Payment of debt financing costs (7.6) (0.1) (0.3)
Net settlement on vesting of equity awards (15.5) (9.0) (3.0)
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan 3.6 2.6 2.3
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 0.2 2.2 5.6
Repurchase of common stock (115.2) — —
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 784.1 219.6 (406.0)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents during the period 18.4 2.1 —
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 35.1 33.0 33.0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 53.5 $ 35.1 $ 33.0
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid for income taxes, net $ 22.1 $ 22.8 $ 5.0
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing activity:
Purchases of rental equipment in accounts payable $ 38.4 $ 129.1 $ 4.0
Non-rental capital expenditures in accounts payable $ 16.6 $ — $ 1.3
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing and financing activity:
Equipment acquired through finance lease $ 24.1 $ 22.5 $ 1.4
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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HERC HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1—Organization and Description of Business
Herc Holdings Inc. ("Herc Holdings" or the "Company") is one of the leading equipment rental suppliers with 356 locations in North America as of December 31, 2022. The Company conducts substantially all of its operations through subsidiaries, including Herc Rentals Inc. ("Herc"). With over 57 years of experience, the Company is a full-line equipment rental supplier offering a broad portfolio of equipment for rent. In addition to its principal business of equipment rental, the Company sells used equipment and contractor supplies such as construction consumables, tools, small equipment and safety supplies; provides repair, maintenance, equipment management services and safety training to certain of its customers; offers equipment re-rental services and provides on-site support to its customers; and provides ancillary services such as equipment transport, rental protection, cleaning, refueling and labor.
The Company's classic fleet includes aerial, earthmoving, material handling, trucks and trailers, air compressors, compaction and lighting. The Company's equipment rental business is supported by ProSolutions®, its industry-specific solutions-based services, which includes power generation, climate control, remediation and restoration, pumps, trench shoring, studio and production equipment, and its ProContractor professional grade tools.
Note 2—Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and footnotes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Significant estimates inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements include receivables allowances, depreciation of rental equipment, the recoverability of long-lived assets, useful lives and impairment of long-lived tangible and intangible assets including goodwill and trade name, valuation of acquired intangible assets, pension and postretirement benefits, valuation of stock-based compensation, reserves for litigation and other contingencies and accounting for income taxes, among others.
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Herc Holdings and its wholly owned subsidiaries. In the event that the Company is a primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity, the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the variable interest entity are included in the Company's consolidated financial statements. The Company accounts for investments in joint ventures using the equity method when it has significant influence but not control and is not the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Reclassifications
Certain amounts in prior years have been reclassified to conform with the presentation in the current year.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less.
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company's cash and cash equivalents are held in checking accounts, various investment grade institutional money market accounts or bank term deposits. Deposits held at banks may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. Generally, these deposits may be redeemed upon demand and are maintained with financial institutions with reputable credit and therefore bear minimal credit risk. The Company seeks to mitigate such risks by spreading the risk across multiple counterparties and monitoring the risk profiles of these counterparties. In addition, the Company has credit risk from financial
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
instruments used in hedging activities, when appropriate. The Company limits its exposure relating to financial instruments by diversifying the financial instruments among various counterparties, which consist of major financial institutions.
No single customer accounted for more than 3% of the Company’s equipment rental revenue during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, no single customer accounted for more than 5% of accounts receivable.
Receivables
Receivables are stated net of allowances and represent credit extended to customers and manufacturers that satisfy defined credit criteria. The estimate of the allowance for doubtful accounts is based on the Company's historical experience and its judgment as to the likelihood of ultimate collection. Actual receivables are written-off against the allowance for doubtful accounts when the Company determines the balance will not be collected. Estimates for future credit memos are based on historical experience and are reflected as reductions to revenue, while the provision for bad debt for rental transactions is reflected as a component of "Selling, general and administrative expenses" in the Company's consolidated statements of operations.
Rental Equipment
Rental equipment is stated at cost, net of related discounts, with holding periods ranging from one year to 15 years. Generally, when rental equipment is acquired, the Company estimates the period that it will hold the asset, primarily based on historical measures of the amount of rental activity (e.g. equipment usage) and the targeted age of equipment at the time of disposal. The Company also estimates the residual value of the applicable rental equipment at the expected time of disposal. The residual value for rental equipment is affected by factors which include equipment age and amount of usage. Depreciation is recorded over the estimated holding period. Depreciation rates are reviewed on a quarterly basis based on management's ongoing assessment of present and estimated future market conditions, their effect on residual values at the time of disposal and the estimated holding periods. Market conditions for used equipment sales can also be affected by external factors such as the economy, natural disasters, fuel prices, supply of similar used equipment, the market price for similar new equipment and incentives offered by manufacturers of new equipment. These key factors are considered when estimating future residual values and assessing depreciation rates. As a result of this ongoing assessment, the Company makes periodic adjustments to depreciation rates of rental equipment in response to changed market conditions.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost and are depreciated utilizing the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the estimated useful lives of the related assets or leases, whichever is shorter.
Useful lives are as follows:
Buildings 8 to 33 years
Service vehicles 3 to 13 years
Machinery and equipment 1 to 15 years
Computer equipment 1 to 5 years
Furniture and fixtures 2 to 10 years
The Company follows the practice of charging routine maintenance and repairs, including the cost of minor replacements, to maintenance expense. Costs of major replacements are capitalized and depreciated.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Leases
Leases are classified as either finance or operating at inception of the lease, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. Operating and finance leases result in the recognition of right-of-use ("ROU") assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. ROU assets represent the Company's right to use the leased asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments. The liability is calculated as the present value of the remaining minimum lease payments for existing operating leases using either the rate implicit in the lease or, if none exists, the Company's incremental borrowing rate. Operating lease cost is recorded on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term. Finance lease cost includes amortization of the ROU assets on a straight-line basis and interest on the lease liabilities using the effective interest method.
In certain instances, the Company may sell property and enter into an arrangement to lease the property back from the landlord. In these instances, the Company performs a sale-leaseback analysis to determine if the assets can be removed from the balance sheet. If certain criteria are met, the Company recognizes the transaction as a sale, removes the assets from its balance sheet and reflects the future lease payments as rent expense. If the criteria for sale is not met, such as available repurchase options or continuing involvement with the property, the Company is considered the owner for accounting purposes. In these instances, the Company is precluded from derecognizing the assets from its balance sheet and will continue to depreciate the assets over the expected lease term. In conjunction with these arrangements, the Company records a financing obligation equal to the cash proceeds or fair market value of the assets received from the landlord. Lease payments for these properties are recognized as interest expense and a reduction of the financing obligation using the effective interest method. At the end of the lease term, including exercise of any renewal options, the net remaining financing obligation over the net carrying value of the fixed asset will be recognized as a non-cash gain on sale of the property.
Reserves for Self-Insured Claims
The obligation for public liability and property damage on self-insured equipment represents an estimate for both reported accident claims not yet paid, and claims incurred but not yet reported. The related liabilities are recorded on a non-discounted basis. Reserve requirements are based on actuarial evaluations of historical accident claim experience and trends, as well as future projections of ultimate losses, expenses, premiums and administrative costs. The adequacy of the liability is regularly monitored based on evolving accident claim history and insurance-related state legislation changes. If the Company's estimates change or if actual results differ from these assumptions, the amount of the recorded liability is adjusted to reflect these results.
The Company is exposed to various claims relating to our business, including those for which we provide self-insurance. Claims for which we self-insure include: (i) workers compensation claims; (ii) general liability claims by third parties for injury or property damage caused by our equipment or personnel; (iii) automobile liability claims; and (iv) employee health insurance claims. These types of claims may take a substantial amount of time to resolve and, accordingly, the ultimate liability associated with a particular claim, including claims incurred but not reported as of a period-end reporting date, may not be known for an extended period of time. The Company's methodology for developing self-insurance reserves is based on management estimates and independent third party actuarial estimates. The estimation process considers, among other matters, the cost of known claims over time, cost inflation and incurred but not reported claims. These estimates may change based on, among other things, changes in the Company's claim history or receipt of additional information relevant to assessing the claims and the amount of the recorded liability is adjusted to reflect these changes. The long-term portion of our self-insurance reserves is included in "Other long-term liabilities" in the consolidated balance sheet.
Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Other Employee Benefits
The Company's employee pension costs and obligations are developed from actuarial valuations. Inherent in these valuations are key assumptions, including discount rates, salary growth, long-term return on plan assets, retirement rates, mortality rates and other factors. The selection of assumptions is based on historical trends and known economic and market conditions at the time of valuation, as well as independent studies of trends performed by actuaries. However, actual results may differ substantially from the estimates that were based on the assumptions. The Company uses a December 31 measurement date for all of the plans.
Actual results that differ from the Company's assumptions are accumulated and amortized over future periods and, therefore, generally affect its recognized expense in such future periods. While management believes that the assumptions used are
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
appropriate, significant differences in actual experience or significant changes in assumptions would affect the Company's pension costs and obligations.
Foreign Currency Translation and Transactions
Assets and liabilities of international subsidiaries whose functional currency is the local currency are translated at the rate of exchange in effect on the balance sheet date; income and expenses are translated at the average exchange rates throughout the year. The related translation adjustments are reflected in “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” in the equity section of the Company's consolidated balance sheets. Foreign currency gains and losses resulting from transactions are included in earnings.
Financial Instruments
The Company is exposed to a variety of market risks, including the effects of changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. The Company manages exposure to these market risks through ongoing processes to monitor the impact of market changes and, when deemed appropriate, through the use of financial instruments. Financial instruments are viewed as risk management tools and have not been used for speculative or trading purposes. The Company accounts for all derivatives in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires that they be recorded on the balance sheet as either assets or liabilities measured at their fair value. For financial instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the Company designates the hedging instrument, based upon the exposure being hedged, as either a fair value hedge or a cash flow hedge. The effective portion of changes in fair value of financial instruments designated as cash flow hedging instruments is recorded as a component of other comprehensive income (loss). Amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for cash flow hedges are reclassified into earnings in the same period that the hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective portion of changes in the fair value of financial instruments designated as cash flow hedges is recognized currently in earnings within the same line item as the hedged item, based upon the nature of the hedged item. For financial instruments that are not part of a qualified hedging relationship, the changes in their fair value are recognized currently in earnings.
Business Combinations
The Company has made multiple acquisitions and may continue to make acquisitions in the future. The assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded based on their respective fair values at the date of acquisition. Long-lived assets (principally rental equipment), goodwill and other intangible assets generally represent the largest components of the acquisitions. Rental equipment is valued utilizing either a cost or market approach, or a combination of these methods, depending on the asset being valued and the availability of market data. The intangible assets that the Company has acquired are non-compete agreements, customer relationships, and trade names and associated trademarks. The estimated fair values of these intangible assets reflect various assumptions about discount rates, revenue growth rates, operating margins, terminal values, useful lives and other prospective financial information. Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the net of the fair value of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. Non-compete agreements, customer relationships, and trade names and associated trademarks are valued based on an excess earnings or income approach based on projected cash flows and may be amortized over the useful life if they are determined to be finite-lived intangible assets. Determining the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired is judgmental in nature and can involve the use of significant estimates and assumptions.
As part of an acquisition, the Company will also acquire other assets and assume liabilities. These other assets and liabilities typically include, but are not limited to, parts inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other working capital items. Because of their short-term nature, the fair values of these other assets and liabilities generally approximate the book values on the acquired entities' balance sheets.
Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
On an annual basis and at interim periods when circumstances require, the Company tests the recoverability of its goodwill. The analysis is conducted as of October 1 each year. The Company has one reporting unit and compares the carrying value of its reporting unit to its fair value. If the carrying value of the reporting unit is greater than its fair value, the Company recognizes an impairment charge for the amount equal to that excess.
The Company may first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
goodwill impairment test. If a quantitative impairment test is performed, the fair value of the reporting unit is estimated using a combination of an income approach on the present value of estimated future cash flows and a market approach based on published earnings multiples of comparable entities with similar operations and economic characteristics as well as acquisition multiples paid in recent transactions. The Company’s discounted cash flows are based upon reasonable and appropriate assumptions, which are weighted for their likely probability of occurrence, about the underlying business activities of the Company.
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, primarily the Company's trade name, are not amortized but are evaluated annually for impairment and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of this asset may exceed its fair value. If the carrying value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment charge is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.
Finite-Lived Intangible and Long-Lived Assets
Intangible assets include technology, customer relationships and other intangibles. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over the estimated economic lives of the assets, which range from five to 14 years. These assets are primarily amortized using the straight-line method, however, certain assets may be amortized using an accelerated method that reflects the economic benefit to the Company. Long-lived assets, including intangible assets with finite lives, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Determination of recoverability is based on an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. Measurement of an impairment loss for long-lived assets that management expects to hold and use is based on the estimated fair value of the asset.