hri-20231231
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
_______________________________________________________________________________
FORM 10-K
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023
OR
Commission File Number 001-33139
HERC HOLDINGS INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
27500 Riverview Center Blvd.
Bonita Springs, Florida34134
(239) 301-1000
(Address, including Zip Code, and telephone number,
including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share HRI New York Stock Exchange
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of Securities Act. Yes☒ No o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes oNo☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes☒ No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒ No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☒ Smaller reporting company ☐
Accelerated filer ☐ Emerging growth company ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. o
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No☒
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2023, the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, based on the closing price of the stock on the New York Stock Exchange on such date, was $3.42 billion.
As of February 9, 2024, there were 28,320,161 shares of the registrant's common stock outstanding.
Documents incorporated by reference:
Certain portions, as expressly described in this report, of the Registrant's Proxy Statement for its 2024 annual meeting of stockholders, to be filed within 120 days of December 31, 2023 (the "Proxy Statement"), are incorporated by reference into Part III.
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HERC HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX
Page
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements i
PART I
ITEM 1. Business 1
ITEM 1A. Risk Factors 9
ITEM 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 20
ITEM 1C. Cybersecurity 21
ITEM 2. Properties 22
ITEM 3. Legal Proceedings 22
ITEM 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 22
PART II
ITEM 6. Reserved 25
ITEM 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 36
ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 37
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 37
Consolidated Balance Sheets 39
Consolidated Statements of Operations 40
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income 41
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity 42
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 43
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 45
ITEM 9A. Controls and Procedures 79
ITEM 9B. Other Information 79
ITEM 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions That Prevent Inspections 79
PART III
ITEM 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 80
ITEM 11. Executive Compensation 80
ITEM 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 80
PART IV
ITEM 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedule 81
SIGNATURES 84
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HERC HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (this "Report") includes "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined by the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning our business plans and strategy, projected profitability, performance or cash flows, future capital expenditures, our growth strategy, including our ability to grow organically and through M&A, anticipated financing needs, business trends, our capital allocation strategy, liquidity and capital management, exploring strategic alternatives for Cinelease, including the timing of the review process, the outcome of the process and the costs and benefits of the process, and other information that is not historical information. Forward looking statements are generally identified by the words "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "plans," "intends," "believes," "forecasts," "looks," and future or conditional verbs, such as "will," "should," "could" or "may," as well as variations of such words or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and various assumptions and apply only as of the date of this Report. Our expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and we believe there is a reasonable basis for them. However, there can be no assurance that our expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved.
There are a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those suggested by our forward-looking statements, including those set forth in Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" in this Report and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by such cautionary statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements that have been made to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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PART I
ITEM l. BUSINESS
Our Company
Herc Holdings Inc. ("we," "us," "our," "Herc Holdings," or the "Company") is one of the leading equipment rental suppliers with 397 locations in North America. We conduct substantially all of our operations through subsidiaries, including Herc Rentals Inc. ("Herc"). With over 58 years of experience, we are a full-line equipment rental supplier offering a broad portfolio of equipment for rent. In addition to our principal business of equipment rental, we sell used equipment and contractor supplies such as construction consumables, tools, small equipment and safety supplies; provide repair, maintenance, equipment management services and safety training to certain of our customers; offer equipment re-rental services and provide on-site support to our customers; and provide ancillary services such as equipment transport, rental protection, cleaning, refueling and labor.
Our classic fleet includes aerial, earthmoving, material handling, trucks and trailers, air compressors, compaction and lighting. Our equipment rental business is supported by ProSolutions®, our industry-specific solutions-based services, which includes power generation, climate control, remediation and restoration, pump, trench shoring, studio and production equipment, and our ProContractor professional grade tools.
Our Industry
The equipment rental industry serves a diverse group of customers from individuals and small local contractors to large national accounts providing a wide variety of rental equipment including mid-size and heavy equipment, specialty equipment and contractor tools. The equipment rental industry is highly fragmented with few national competitors and many regional and local operators.
The growth and financial health of the North American equipment rental industry is driven by a number of factors including economic trends, non-residential construction activity, capital investment in the industrial sector, repair, maintenance and overhaul spending, government spending and demand for construction and other rental equipment generally, including for remediation and re-building efforts related to natural disasters. We believe that companies have increasingly turned to the equipment rental market to manage their capital needs, which allows our customers to operate their businesses without incurring the significant acquisition cost and maintenance expense associated with owning their own equipment fleet. We believe the trend from equipment ownership to rental in the North American construction industry will continue in the near term.
Our Competitive Strengths
Our competitive strengths include the following:
A Market Leader in North America with Significant Scale and Broad Footprint—We believe we are one of the largest equipment rental companies in the North American equipment rental industry, with an estimated 4% market share by revenue and 397 locations in 42 states in the United States and five provinces in Canada. Our scale compared to most of our competitors provides us with a number of significant competitive advantages including:
•the ability to provide premium brands and a comprehensive line of equipment and services, allowing us to be a single-source solution for our customers;
•the ability to track utilization and facilitate the seamless transfer of our fleet across multiple locations to adjust to local customer demand;
•a geographic footprint that allows us to maintain proximity and local expertise to serve our customers in local markets as well as serve national accounts with geographically dispersed equipment rental needs;
•favorable purchasing power or volume discount pricing opportunities on material and equipment;
•operational cost efficiencies across our organization, including with respect to purchasing, information technology, back-office support and marketing;
•a national sales force with significant expertise across our equipment fleet; and
•industry-specific expertise to assist our customers with customized solutions.
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ITEM l. BUSINESS (Continued)
Since the North American equipment rental industry is highly fragmented, with very few national competitors, we believe that the majority of our competitors do not enjoy these same advantages.
Diverse Customer Markets—We provide equipment rental services to customers in a wide variety of large markets, including contractors in commercial and residential construction, specialty and remediation and environmental sectors; industrial, including energy, chemical processing and manufacturing; infrastructure, such as highway and bridges, railroads and sewer and waste disposal; and other industries such as facilities management and entertainment production and services. We believe that diversification of our customer base reduces our exposure to any particular market.
Large, Diverse and High-Quality Equipment Fleet—Our equipment fleet represents a significant investment and reflects our commitment to providing an array of rental equipment to our customers in a variety of industries. We offer a wide range of equipment from leading, globally-known original equipment manufacturers who we believe provide reliable equipment. We also offer a wide range of professional grade tools that target professional contractors. Our extensive and high-quality rental fleet enables us to serve a diverse customer base that requires large quantities and/or varied types of equipment for rent. Our increasing portfolio of specialty equipment further expands our capabilities and customer reach.
In recent years, we have diversified our portfolio into a variety of niche markets that experience business cycles that may vary in intensity and duration from that of the general economy. We believe this diversification also positions us to take advantage of any increase in demand for more specialized rental solutions.
Established National Accounts Program—Our national account program provides us with longer rental durations for much of our equipment, with many of our larger customers renting equipment from us for use in large, complex projects. These arrangements provide a number of additional benefits, including recurring revenue, attractive credit profiles, improved fleet utilization and enhanced presence in new markets. National accounts represented 44% of equipment rental revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023. Through our national customer relationship program, our sales teams serve as a single point of contact for those customers' equipment rental needs. This enables us to be a full end-to-end solutions provider.
Superior Customer Service—We have a well-established reputation for superior customer service, which has been a competitive differentiator for us throughout our history. Senior management remains focused on enhancing our customer service focused culture. We provide a suite of comprehensive services to support our customers and to maintain and service the equipment we rent. We spend significant time and resources training our personnel to effectively address the needs of our customers. We believe that these initiatives help support our pricing strategy and foster customer loyalty.
Range of Value-Added Services—We offer a suite of customer-focused services. These services include equipment transport, fleet management and telematics, power solutions, on-site services and customized advice, re-rental options, and parts and supplies sales. This combination of services is designed to offer comprehensive value-added solutions to our customers that complement and enhance the rental equipment we offer.
Experienced Senior Leadership Team—We have an experienced senior leadership team committed to maintaining operational excellence with an average of approximately 23 years of experience in the equipment rental and heavy equipment industries. Our senior leadership team has extensive knowledge of all aspects of these industries, particularly in North America. Our team is dedicated to providing our customers a quality rental experience and is committed to further improving our performance capabilities.
Our Strategy
Our long-term strategy is focused on the following priorities: grow the core and expand specialty; elevate technology; integrate environmental, social and governance ("ESG") and allocate capital.
Grow the Core and Expand Specialty—We are focusing on growing our core equipment, which includes aerial, earth moving, material handling, trucks and trailers, air compressors, compaction and lighting, by investing in more equipment on existing locations to leverage our network. We are expanding our footprint in North America, with a focus on increasing the number of branches in major urban markets through opening new greenfields and targeting strategic acquisitions. Focusing on urban markets allows us to reach diverse end markets and provides a broad customer base. Growing our diverse core equipment rental fleet provides a range of solutions for a variety of customers in these dynamic markets.
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ITEM l. BUSINESS (Continued)
We also seek to achieve ongoing growth via our strategy to expand and diversify our revenues through a broader mix of equipment that increases the range of customers and markets we serve. We are growing our ProSolutions® business which offers specialized equipment and services, including technical expertise and customized solutions, for customers and projects, as well as our ProContractor business, which focuses on professional grade tools and equipment that meet their needs. We will continue to offer a comprehensive equipment rental fleet to maintain our market leadership.
Our footprint expansion includes locations dedicated to our ProSolutions® and ProContractor business to better support our growing specialty equipment and services operations. We will continue to pursue initiatives that allow us to drive more volume through existing branches and we will also take advantage of cross-selling opportunities to increase our share of our customers’ total rental spend.
Elevate Technology—We are elevating the use of technology across the rental consumption chain by making significant investments in our digital platforms and are leveraging the knowledge that we have in serving customers for over fifty years to ensure that those investments create value throughout the rental experience. We are committed to delivering technology that enables us to drive improvements in customers’ efficiency and productivity. Our redesigned customer platform is based on data-driven business intelligence. We offer a self-service model in which our customers have a real-time view into equipment availability through both a mobile and desktop view. Customers are presented with spot market pricing models and logistics options and can create their own equipment orders based on the information provided. Our customers are able to manage their equipment, rental contracts, and accounts through our technology platform and are also able to use self-service tools to act upon rental decisions such as extending a contract, adding equipment, or indicating that a job is complete.
Integrate ESG—The equipment rental industry highlights the benefits of a sharing economy by minimizing manufacturing and materials purchasing, and the subsequent reduction of related emissions and pollutants that have been associated with negative impacts to our environment. In addition, by maintaining premium rental equipment and updating it annually, with investments in state-of-the-art fuel- and energy-efficient equipment, we assist our customers in achieving their environmental goals and to operate more cost efficiently than if they were to purchase equipment they don't fully utilize.
We have established three major initiatives with a goal to be completed by 2030, using 2019 as our base year for measurement. We intend to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emission intensity by 25%; reduce our non-toxic waste intensity to landfill by 25%, and continue to improve our safety annually, with a Total Reportable Incident Rate of 0.49 or lower.
Allocate Capital—We are committed to delivering long-term sustainable value for shareholders with a balanced, disciplined, and opportunistic approach to capital deployment. Over the past five years, we have laid the foundation for growth and as we continue to invest in the business we will generate surplus capital that we intend to allocate through further investment in rental equipment, strategic acquisitions, distributions to shareholders with a quarterly dividend and opportunistic repurchases under our existing share repurchase program.
Our Products and Services
Our principal products and services are described below.
Equipment Rental—We offer for rent, on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, equipment from a variety of leading, globally known original equipment manufacturers, with which we maintain strong relationships.The equipment is typically new at the time of acquisition and is not subject to any repurchase program. As of December 31, 2023, the average age of our equipment rental fleet was 45months.
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ITEM l. BUSINESS (Continued)
As of December 31, 2023, our rental fleet consisted of equipment with a total original equipment cost, based on the guidelines of the American Rental Association, of $6.3 billion. The following table provides a breakdown of the composition of our equipment rental fleet based on original equipment cost:
% of Original Equipment Cost
December 31,
Material Handling 18 % 17 %
Earthmoving 12 % 13 %
Sales of Used Rental Equipment—We routinely sell our used rental equipment to manage repair and maintenance costs, as well as the composition, age and size of our fleet. We dispose of our used equipment through a variety of channels, including retail sales to customers and other third parties, sales to wholesalers, brokered sales and auctions.
Sales of New Equipment, Parts and Supplies—We also sell new equipment. The types of new equipment that we sell vary by location and include a variety of ProContractor tools and supplies, small equipment (such as work lighting, generators, pumps, and compaction equipment and power trowels), safety supplies and expendables.
Our Customers
We have a wide range of customers across diverse end markets with a large base of local small to mid-size customers to large complex national organizations leveraging our core and specialty solutions or equipment. The principal end user markets we serve, based on our customers’ North American Industrial Classification System ("NAICS") codes, are as follows:
•Contractors -We serve various types of general contractors and subcontractors in non-residential and residential construction, specialty trade, restoration, remediation and environmental and facility maintenance. Contractor business represented approximately 36% of our equipment rental revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023.
•Industrial -We serve industrial customers across a broad range of industries, including refineries and petrochemical operations, industrial manufacturing including automotive and aerospace, power, energy, renewables, metals and mining, agriculture, pulp, paper and wood and food and beverage. We believe that key drivers of growth within the industrial market include increased levels of spending on industrial capital and maintenance, repairs and operations. Industrial customers represented approximately 27% of our equipment rental revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023.
•Infrastructure and Government - We serve our infrastructure customers across a wide range of projects such as streets, roads and highways, bridges, sewer and waste disposal, water treatment, railroads and other transportation and utilities, as well as all governmental spending. Infrastructure and government represented approximately 16% of our equipment rental revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023.
•Commercial Facilities - We serve commercial facility customers within an array of industries, including commercial warehousing, education, healthcare, data centers, hospitality and retail. Commercial facilities customers represented approximately 14% of equipment rental revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023.
•Other Customers - In addition, we serve a variety of other customers through sporting and live events, entertainment production, special event management and non-account customers. These customers collectively represented approximately 7% of our equipment rental revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023.
We operate in mid-size and large urban markets serving a wide range of industries, which enables us to reduce exposure to any single customer or market, with no single customer making up more than 3% of our equipment rental revenue for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 or 2021. Our footprint and broad customer base also assist in reducing the seasonality of our revenues and the impact from any one market's cycle.
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ITEM l. BUSINESS (Continued)
Sales and Marketing
We market and sell our services through a variety of complementary programs. Through a dedicated sales team, we provide our customers with support services, market and application expertise, and sales offerings. For example, we have sales teams committed to servicing various categories of our customer base, including clients in the construction, industrial, government and entertainment industries. Our product experts oversee general rentals and specialty products, providing application support and program management services to our clients. Through our national accounts program, our dedicated sales team provides our large customers with support across a number of diverse geographic, functional and equipment sectors. We also provide client support via our sales coordinators, reservation centers and customer care centers to help customers with their comprehensive needs.
We advertise our broad range of offerings through industry catalogs, participation and sponsorship of industry events, trade shows, and via the Internet. Additionally, through our website and mobile apps, our customers can arrange for the rental of equipment, browse and purchase used equipment, review our service offerings and manage their fleet and overall account with us.
Competition
Competition in the equipment rental industry is intense, often taking the form of price competition. Other competitive factors include 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.
Our competitors in the equipment rental industry range from other large national companies to regional and local businesses and include equipment vendors and dealers who both sell and rent equipment directly to customers. The equipment rental industry is highly fragmented, with many companies operating on a regional or local scale and offering a limited number of products. The number of our competitors operating on a national scale is comparatively much smaller, although they often have significant breadth in their rental equipment categories. We believe, based on market and industry data, that we are one of the leading participants in the North American equipment rental industry, with the remainder comprised of a small number of multi-location regional operators and a large number of relatively small, independent businesses serving discrete local markets and specialty rental segments. In North America, the other leading national-scale industry participants are United Rentals, Inc., Ashtead Group plc’s Sunbelt Rentals brand and H&E Equipment Services, Inc. Aggreko is a global competitor in the power generation rental markets in which we also participate.
Seasonality
Our business is seasonal, with demand for our rental equipment tending to be lower in the winter months, particularly in the northern United States and Canada. Our equipment rental business, especially in the construction industry, has historically experienced decreased levels of business from December until late spring and heightened activity during our third and fourth quarters until December. We have the ability to manage certain costs to meet market demand, such as fleet capacity, the most significant portion of our cost structure. For instance, to accommodate increased demand, we increase our available fleet and staff during the second and third quarters of the year. A number of our other major operating costs vary directly with revenues or transaction volumes; however, certain operating expenses, including rent, insurance and administrative overhead, remain fixed and cannot be adjusted for seasonal demand, typically resulting in higher profitability in periods when our revenues are higher, and lower profitability in periods when our revenues are lower. To reduce the impact of seasonality, we are focused on expanding our customer base through specialty products that serve different industries with less seasonality and different business cycles. See Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business."
Intellectual Property
We own intellectual property, including trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets, that plays an important role in maintaining our competitive position. While no single copyright, patent or trade secret is, in our opinion, of such value to us that our business would be materially affected by the expiration or termination thereof, taken in the aggregate, these intellectual property rights provide meaningful protection for our business. However, we view the name and primary mark "Herc Rentals" and "Herc" as material to our business as a whole. We own a number of secondary trade names and trademarks applicable to certain aspects of our business that we also view as important.
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ITEM l. BUSINESS (Continued)
Human Capital Management
As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 7,200 people, some of whom are covered by a variety of union contracts and, in the case of Canadian employees, have governmental regulations affecting, among other things, compensation, job retention rights and pensions. Approximately 590 employees in the United States and 110 employees in Canada are covered by collective bargaining arrangements and we believe that our relations with the labor unions are good. We also employ a number of temporary workers, and engage outside services, as is customary in the industry, principally for the movement of rental equipment between rental locations and the movement of rental equipment to and from customers’ job sites.
Oversight and Management—Our vision is to be the supplier, employer and investment of choice in our industry. To fulfill this vision, we are investing significant time, effort and resources into recruiting top talent, developing our employees and providing a positive, inclusive and supportive environment. Our Chief Human Resources Officer ("CHRO") is responsible for managing employment-related matters, including recruiting and hiring, onboarding and training, compensation planning, performance management and professional development. In addition, the CEO and CHRO regularly update our Board of Directors and its committees on the operation and status of human capital trends and activities.
Under the direction of the CEO and CHRO, we conduct an anonymous employee survey on an annual basis to seek feedback from our employees on a variety of topics, including confidence in company leadership, competitiveness of our compensation and benefits package, career growth opportunities and improvements on how we could make our company an employer of choice. The results are reviewed by senior leadership and the Board of Directors who analyze areas of progress or deterioration and prioritize actions and activities in response to this feedback to drive meaningful improvements in employee engagement.
Safety—We require an active commitment to, and personal accountability for, safety and safety compliance from all employees and contractors. Operations leaders have a key role in the communication and implementation of, and ensuring adherence to, safety and compliance policies and standards. Our safety culture is predicated on training, communications, empowerment, measurement and recognition.
Training includes more than 100 online, on-demand courses available to all team members, weekly branch "Toolbox Safety Meetings" centered on our safety guides and a lessons learned library of incidents and preventative recommendations.
Safety communications include an annual commitment to safety and ongoing safety reminders from the CEO, monthly "Safety Thoughts" messages that reinforce safety awareness and behaviors at work and at home, safety boards at every branch that serve as a dedicated resource for safety-related information, and morning stretch and safety huddles at all locations to help get every working day off to a safe start. We strive for the “Perfect Day” which is defined as a working day across our company with (i) no OSHA recordable incidents, (ii) no Department of Transportation violations and (iii) no “at fault” motor vehicle accidents.All of our branches achieved at least 98% Perfect Days in 2023.
All employees are empowered to intervene with a Stop Work Authority ("SWA") when they perceive an unacceptable safety condition, act or situation where an individual's lack of understanding could result in an incident. The SWA is supported through Safety Alert communications that emphasize safety practices and a daily observation program at our locations that prepares employees to assess their work environment and tasks for potential hazards.
We track and share standard safety performance metrics throughout the organization, such as the OSHA Total Recordable Incident Rate ("TRIR"), the Days Away/Restricted Transfer Rate ("DART") and Lost Time Case Rate ("LTC"). During the year ended December 31, 2023, we had a TRIR of 0.80, a DART of 0.51 and LTC of 0.15. We report our safety performance to the Board of Directors at each regularly scheduled meeting.
Compensation and Employee Benefits—Our compensation programs provide a package designed to attract, retain and motivate employees and further our vision of being the employer of choice in our industry. In addition to competitive base salaries, we provide a variety of short-term, long-term and commission-based incentive compensation programs to reward performance relative to key financial and non-financial metrics.
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ITEM l. BUSINESS (Continued)
The health and well-being of our employees and their families is a top priority for us and we offer an array of health and financial benefits to our full-time employees including:
•Comprehensive health insurance including semi-annual biometric screening events;
•An employee assistance program which offers confidential resources and assistance for everyday issues, such as work pressure and relationship issues, and highly impactful issues, such as loss, disability, anxiety or depression;
•A life planning account which provides employees with limited reimbursement for items such as wellness activities, student loans and education and financial planning;
•Company paid life and disability insurance;
•Tuition reimbursement programs; and
•Voluntary benefits and optional services that support total well-being, including physical, mental and financial wellness.
As part of our culture and commitment to local communities we serve, a volunteer paid time off benefit was added to the benefits platform in 2023. This new paid time off benefit offers our employees the opportunity to enrich their well-being while giving back and providing support to their local communities.
Training and Talent Development—We are committed to the continued development of our employees and offer learning and development opportunities spanning instructor-led and online, on-demand courses that support improved performance and effectiveness as well as personal and professional growth. These opportunities apply to all employees across all stages of career progression and job responsibilities. More than a dozen instructor-led courses enhance employees' sales, managerial leadership and role-specific skills, such as our shop and counter operations training, sales training, branch manager courses, hands on equipment training for mechanics and a professional development series designed to improve the skills necessary to navigate and succeed in the workplace. In 2023, our employees enhanced their skills through approximately 364,000 hours of training focused in the areas of safety, customer service, sales fundamentals, process and tool training, management basics and soft skills, leveraging over 25,000 unique training assets and programs.
Strategic talent review and succession planning occur on a planned cadence annually. The CEO and CHRO meet regularly with senior leadership and the Board of Directors to review succession plans. We seek to provide opportunities for our employees to grow their careers by increasing our focus on internal talent mobility, which resulted in filling many open management positions internally during the year ended December 31, 2023.
Inclusion and Diversity—We strive to build a team that reflects the variety of people, cultures and communities we interact with to create an inclusive, productive environment. We believe that varied perspectives best leverage employee talents, leading to creative thinking, open communication and greater customer and team engagement. Members of our recruiting team have earned, or are in the process of earning, the AIRS Certified Diversity Recruiter designation, which provides the knowledge and tools to create an effective plan for recruiting a diverse and inclusive workforce. As of December 31, 2023, women represented approximately 12% of our workforce and 17% of our managerial roles. As of December 31, 2023, people of color represented approximately 32% of our workforce and 17% of our managerial roles. Additionally, 50% of our non-employee members of the Board of Directors are women or people of color.
Our efforts to build an inclusive team led to the creation of two employee resource groups, Women in Action and the Veterans Resource Group. Women in Action seeks to empower, support and develop women by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences through learning opportunities as well as with internal and external networking events. Similarly, the Veterans Resource Groups offers veterans a community of support, networking, collaboration, learning and sharing. As of December 31, 2023, approximately 9% of our employees have self-reported as veterans.
Environmental, Health, and Safety Matters and Governmental Regulation
Environmental, Health, and Safety—Our operations are subject to numerous national, state, local and international 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, 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 send hazardous wastes for disposal or treatment regardless of fault, as well as fines and penalties for non-compliance. Our operations generally do not raise significant environmental, health, or safety risks, but we
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ITEM l. BUSINESS (Continued)
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.
There is an increasing global regulatory focus on greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions and their potential impacts relating to climate change. Future laws, regulations or policies in response to concerns over GHG emissions such as carbon taxes, mandatory reporting and disclosure obligations and changes in procurement policies could significantly increase our operational and compliance burdens and costs. We monitor developments in climate-change related regulation for their potential effect on us and also have a sustainability program that seeks to mitigate our impact on the environment, including initiatives and targets to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensity. Based on the conditions currently known to us, we do not believe that any pending or likely remediation and compliance costs will have a material adverse effect on our business. We cannot be certain, however, as to the potential financial impact on our business if new adverse conditions are discovered, or compliance requirements become more stringent. See Item 1A "Risk Factors—Other Operational Risks."
Governmental Regulation—Our operations also expose us to a number of other national, state, local and international laws and regulations, in addition to legal, regulatory and contractual requirements we face as a government contractor. These laws and regulations address multiple aspects of our operations, such as taxes, consumer rights, privacy, data security and employment matters, and also may impact other areas of our business. There are often different requirements in different jurisdictions. Changes in government regulation of our business has the potential to materially alter our business practices or our profitability. Depending on the jurisdiction, those changes may come about through the issuance of new laws and regulations or changes in the interpretation of existing laws and regulations by a court, regulatory body or governmental official. Sometimes those changes may have both a retroactive and prospective effect. This is particularly true when a change is made through reinterpretation of laws or regulations that have been in effect for some time. Moreover, changes in regulation that may seem neutral on their face may have either more or less impact on us than on our competitors, depending on the circumstances. See Item 1A "Risk Factors—Other Operational Risks."
Corporate History
On June 30, 2016, we, in our previous form as the holding company of both the existing equipment rental operations as well as the former vehicle rental operations (in its form prior to the Spin-Off, "Hertz Holdings"), completed a spin-off (the "Spin-Off") of our global vehicle rental business through a dividend to stockholders of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Hertz Rental Car Holding Company, Inc., which was re-named Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. ("New Hertz"). New Hertz continues to operate its global vehicle rental business through its operating subsidiaries including The Hertz Corporation ("THC"). We changed our name to Herc Holdings Inc. on June 30, 2016, and trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "HRI."
Herc was incorporated in Delaware in 1965. Since its incorporation and until the Spin-Off, Herc was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hertz Holdings or one of its subsidiaries operating its equipment rental business. Since the Spin-Off, Herc has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herc Holdings. Herc Holdings was incorporated in Delaware in 2005 under a previous name.
Available Company Information
We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). You may also access, free of charge, our reports filed with the SEC (for example, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) through our Internet website (http://ir.hercrentals.com). Reports filed with or furnished to the SEC will be available through our Internet website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our committee charters, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Ethics are also available on our website. The information found on our website is not part of this or any other report filed with or furnished to the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including Herc Holdings.
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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;
•labor strikes, work stoppages or other labor disruption in one or more markets we serve; 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 certain equipment and products may continue to experience 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 waned caused 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 could 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 U.S. federal government declared that the COVID-19 public health emergency has ended and begun 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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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
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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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
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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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
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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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
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, 2023, we had unutilized U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $436 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 44% of our rental revenue in 2023. 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, 2023, the average age of our rental equipment fleet was approximately 45 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, 2023 and 2022, 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. 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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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
•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 590 employees in the U.S. and 110 employees in Canada were in effect as of December 31, 2023 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, 2023, we had total outstanding debt of approximately $3.7 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.
The amount of borrowings permitted under our revolving credit facility may fluctuate significantly, which may adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations and financial position.
The amount of borrowings permitted at any time under our revolving credit facility is limited to a periodic borrowing base valuation of the collateral thereunder. As a result, our access to credit under our revolving credit facility is potentially subject to significant fluctuations depending on the value of the borrowing base of eligible assets as of any measurement date, as well as certain discretionary rights of the agent in respect of the calculation of such borrowing base value. The inability to borrow under our revolving credit facility, or limitations on the amounts we can borrow under our revolving credit facility, may adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations and financial position.
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. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness is subject to prevailing economic conditions, including our operating and financial performance, as well as financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. 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. A refinancing of our indebtedness could also require us to comply with more onerous covenants and further restrict our business operations. Our inability to refinance our indebtedness or to do so upon attractive terms could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, and make us vulnerable to adverse industry and general economic conditions.
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
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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)
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. 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, 2023, there were 28.2 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 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.
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ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Our executive management team has established an enterprise risk management (“ERM”) program, which includes an evaluation of our cybersecurity program as well as associated risks and risk mitigation strategies. Our ERM program is led by the Senior Director of Internal Audit and our ERM Committee, which is comprised of members of senior management, including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer ("CIO"), Chief Information Security Officer ("CISO") and Chief Legal Officer. Our cybersecurity policies, standards, processes and practices are integrated into our ERM program and leverage the National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines. Generally, we seek to address cybersecurity risk through a cross-functional approach in an effort to preserve the confidentiality, security and availability of information that we collect, store and otherwise process. For a description of the risks from cybersecurity threats that could materially and adversely impact us and how they may do so, see our risk factors under Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business" of this Report.
Risk Management and Strategy
As one of the critical elements of our overall ERM approach, our cybersecurity program is focused on the following key areas:
Governance—The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors oversees our cybersecurity program and management of the associated risks. The Audit Committee periodically receives updates regarding our cybersecurity program through meetings with and reports from our CIO and CISO (or their designees).
Our management team has established a cybersecurity crisis management team, led by our CIO and CISO, that includes other members of management depending on the origin, severity and other factors related to any cybersecurity incident identified. The cybersecurity crisis management team is responsible for communication of significant incidents to the Audit Committee and provides updates to the Audit Committee through incident resolution. Materiality of incidents are evaluated and determined by our cyber incident disclosure committee that includes certain cybersecurity crisis management team members and which may receive input from relevant stakeholders.
Operating Model—We have adopted a cross-functional operating model designed to identify, prevent, assess, manage and mitigate cybersecurity threats and incidents. We have established controls and procedures intended to promptly escalate certain cybersecurity incidents so that decisions regarding the public disclosure and reporting of such incidents can be made by the cyber incident disclosure committee in a timely manner.
Technical Safeguards—We have deployed technical safeguards that are designed to protect our information systems from cybersecurity threats, including firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection systems, anti-malware functionality and access controls. We evaluate and strive to improve upon these safeguards through vulnerability assessments and cybersecurity threat intelligence.
Incident Response and Recovery Planning—We have established and maintain an incident response program that governs our response to a cybersecurity incident from detection and initial assessments to incident resolution and recovery. We have a dedicated cybersecurity team led by our CISO that monitors our information systems for indications of cybersecurity threats and will employ our cybersecurity operational model within the incident response program promptly upon threat detection. Our incident response program is tested and evaluated on a regular basis.
Third-Party Risk Management—We maintain a risk-based approach to identifying and overseeing cybersecurity risks presented by third parties (including vendors, service providers and other external users of our systems) as well as the systems of third parties that could adversely impact our business in the event of a cybersecurity incident affecting those third-party systems.
Education and Training—We conduct mandatory training for all employees to communicate our policies and procedures regarding cybersecurity and to assist employees in learning how to identify potential cybersecurity threats.
Assessment and Testing—We engage in periodic assessments and testing of our policies and procedures that are designed to address cybersecurity threats and incidents. We use a range of activities such as audits, assessments, tabletop exercises, threat modeling, vulnerability testing and other exercises focused on evaluating the effectiveness of our cybersecurity measures and planning. On occasion, we use third parties (such as outside counsel, information security consultants, and software providers) to assist in these assessment and testing exercises.
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Governance
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors oversees our cybersecurity program and management of the associated risks. The Audit Committee periodically receives presentations and reports on cybersecurity risks on a wide range of topics including recent developments, vulnerability assessments, third-party and independent reviews, the threat environment, technological trends and information security considerations. The Board and the Audit Committee also receive reports regarding cybersecurity incidents that meet established reporting thresholds through the process described above, as well as updates regarding any such incident.
The CIO and CISO are responsible for the maintenance of the incident response program that is designed to protect our information systems and information from cybersecurity threats and oversee the incident response team which responds to any cybersecurity threats or incidents in accordance with our cybersecurity incident response plan. The cybersecurity incident response team is responsible for monitoring, preventing, detecting, mitigating and remediating cybersecurity threats and incidents and reports such threats and incidents to the CISO (or other relevant stakeholders). Depending on the threat or incident level, the CISO will engage the cybersecurity crisis management team and the cyber incident disclosure committee to determine proper escalation with significant incidents being reported to the Audit Committee.
The CISO has served in various roles of increasing responsibility in information technology and information security for over 30 years and has attained several relevant professional certifications. The CIO has also served in various roles in information technology for over 25 years, including as chief information officer at another public company, and has extensive experience managing cybersecurity threats.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
As of February 9, 2024, we had 400 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, 2023, we owned approximately 6% 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.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
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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 67 President and Chief Executive Officer, Director
Mark Humphrey 52 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Aaron D. Birnbaum 58 Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Tamir Peres 54 Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
S. Wade Sheek 47 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 Humphrey. Mr. Humphrey joined the Company in April 2017. Prior to his current role, Mr. Humphrey served as vice president, chief accounting officer from April 2017 to March 2023, served as controller from April 2017 to February 2022 and served as interim chief financial officer from March 2018 to June 2018. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Humphrey served as chief financial officer and controller of Alico, Inc., a publicly traded agribusiness and resource-management company. His nearly 30-year career also includes roles as chief financial officer for Compass Management Group, a property-management company, and nearly 10 years in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Aaron D. Birnbaum. Mr. Birnbaum served the Company and its predecessor business for more than 30 years. Prior to his current role, Mr. Birnbaum 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.
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.
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.
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Executive Officers of the Registrant (continued)
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 SECURITIES
Common Stock and Registered Holders
Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") under the symbol "HRI". On February 9, 2024, there were 1,672 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 2023:
Dividends
On February 7, 2024, the Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.665 per share to record holders as of February 21, 2024, with payment date of March 7, 2024. 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.
Recent Performance
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on Herc Holdings common stock from December 31, 2018 through December 31, 2023, with the cumulative total returns of the Standard & Poor's Mid Cap 400 Trading Companies & Distributors Industry Index, our 2023 industry peer group and our 2022 industry peer group. The 2023 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. The 2023 industry peer group includes the removal of six companies and addition seven companies as compared to the 2022 industry peer group in order to reflect changing market conditions, our growth and to place us near the median in revenue and market capitalization.
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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES (Continued)
Our 2023 industry peer group includes:
Air Lease Corporation H&E Equipment Services Trinity Industries, Inc.
Ashtead Group plc McGrath Rentcorp Triton International Ltd.
Custom Truck One Source Inc. Pool Corp. United Rentals, Inc.
Federal Signal Corporation Rush Enterprises, Inc. Xylem Inc.
GATX Corp. Terex Corporation
Our 2022 industry peer group includes:
Agrekko H&E Equipment Services Triton International Ltd.
Applied Industrial Tech Inc. KAR Auction Services Inc. United Rentals, Inc.
Ashtead Group plc McGrath Rentcorp Watsco Inc.
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. NOW Inc. WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp.
Fastenal Company Pool Corp.
GATX Corp. Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Inc.
The graph assumes that $100 was invested on December 31, 2018 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)
2023 Overview
Our results for 2023 reflect the strong demand in the rental industry as demonstrated by our equipment rental revenues of $2.9 billion, an increase of 12% over 2022, reflecting positive pricing of 6.9% and increased volume of equipment on rent of 14.8%. 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 $347 million from $330 million in 2022.
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 2024. Additionally, during 2023, we completed 12 acquisitions, adding 21 branches, totaling a net cash outflow of $430 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.
Supporting our financial flexibility and continued investment in our business, our senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility has over $1.4 billion of availability at the end of 2023. Additionally, we amended and extended our account receivable securitization facility, which now matures August 31, 2024 and increased the aggregate commitments from $335 million to $370 million. As part of our capital allocation strategy, we have continued to pay quarterly dividends at $0.6325 per share throughout 2023 and also repurchased approximately 1.1 million shares of our common stock for $120 million.
During the fourth quarter, we announced our plans to explore strategic alternatives for our Cinelease studio entertainment and lighting and grip equipment rental business. The film and studio entertainment industry has shifted to a studio centric model where owning or managing a large footprint of studios is becoming more important to be a competitive equipment rental provider, requiring significant investment in fully managed studios. This business model is a departure from our stated growth strategy. We will continue to provide equipment rentals, other than lighting and grip equipment, to the film and entertainment industry through Herc Entertainment Services, which includes aerial equipment, forklifts, carts, generators and climate solutions.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Year Ended December 31,
($ in millions) 2023 2022 $ Change % Change
Sales of new equipment, parts and supplies 38 36 2 6 %
Service and other revenue 28 27 1 4 %
Cost of sales of new equipment, parts and supplies 25 21 4 19 %
Selling, general and administrative 448 411 37 9 %
Non-rental depreciation and amortization 112 95 17 18 %
Other expense (income), net (8) 3 (11) NM
NM - Not meaningful
Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2022
Equipment rental revenue increased $318 million, or 12%, during the year ended of 2023 primarily due to higher volume of equipment on rent of 14.8% and pricing growth of 6.9% over the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a decline in re-rent revenue and a reduction year-over-year in the studio entertainment business as a result of labor disruptions in the film and television industry.
Sales of rental equipment increased $221 million, or 177%, during the year ended of 2023 when compared to the year ended of 2022. As supply chain disruptions have begun to ease in certain categories of equipment, we have increased the volume of sales in line with our fleet rotation planning to improve the equipment mix and manage fleet age. The margin on sales of rental equipment was 27% in 2023 compared to 29% in 2022.
Direct operating expenses increased $110 million, or 11%. Direct operating expenses were 39.7% of equipment rental revenue in 2023, compared to 40.3% in the prior-year period, reflecting better cost performance and fixed cost absorption on higher revenue despite increases in (i) personnel-related expenses of $73 million primarily resulting from increased headcount and increased wages and benefits, (ii) maintenance expense of $22 million resulting from our increased fleet size and higher volume in 2023, (iii) facilities expense of $18 million as we have added more locations through acquisitions and opening greenfield locations. Increases were partially offset by reduced re-rent expense of $20 million due to the corresponding decrease in re-rent revenue.
Depreciation of rental equipment increased $107 million, or 20%, during 2023 due to the increase in average fleet size. Non-rental depreciation and amortization increased $17 million, or 18%, primarily due to amortization of intangible assets related to acquisitions.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $37 million, or 9%. The increase was primarily due to credit and collections expense of $19 million resulting from increased rental revenue and volume of transactions. Selling expense, including commissions and other variable compensation increases, also increased by $8 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses were 15.6% of equipment rental revenue in 2023 compared to 16.1% in the prior-year period due to continued focus on improving operating leverage while expanding revenues.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
Interest expense, net increased $102 million, or 84%, during the year ended of 2023 when compared with the year ended of 2022 due to higher interest rates on floating rate debt and increased borrowings on the ABL Credit Facility primarily to fund acquisition growth and invest in rental equipment.
Income tax provision was $100 million during the year ended of 2023 when compared with $104 million for the same period in 2022. The effective tax rate during 2023 was 22% compared to 24% in 2022. The rate decrease was driven by a benefit related to stock-based compensation of $12 million in 2023 and $8 million in 2022, certain non-deductible expenses, and return to provision adjustments.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Our primary uses of liquidity 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, 2023, we had approximately $3.7 billion of total nominal indebtedness outstanding.
Our liquidity as of December 31, 2023 consisted of cash and cash equivalents of $71 million and unused commitments of approximately $1.4 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 — (1) 1
Net change in cash and cash equivalents $ 17 $ 19 $ (2)
Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2022
Operating Activities
During the year ended December 31, 2023, we generated $169 million more cash from operating activities compared with the same period in 2022. The increase was related to improved operating results primarily resulting from higher revenues coupled with improved operating leverage on costs, collection of receivables and the timing of payments on accounts payable.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
Investing Activities
Cash used in investing activities decreased $101 million during 2023 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 12 acquisitions during the year ended December 31, 2023 for a net cash outflow of $430 million, compared to cash outflow of $515 million during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Financing Activities
Cash provided by financing activities decreased $273 million during 2023 when compared with the prior-year. Financing activities primarily represent our changes in debt, which included net borrowings of $740 million on our revolving lines of credit and securitization, which were used primarily to fund acquisitions and invest in rental equipment during the period. Net borrowings in the prior year period were $1 billion.
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 for approximately $120 million during 2023 in accordance with our overall capital allocation strategy and as of December 31, 2023, $161 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 $ 1,320 $ 1,168
Disposals of rental equipment (325) (121)
Net rental equipment expenditures $ 995 $ 1,047
Net capital expenditures for rental equipment decreased $52 million during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, as we optimize our fleet by continuing to invest in high growth markets as part of our long-term capital expenditure plans. Disposals have increased in the current year to maintain an appropriate mix of fleet and manage fleet age, while ensuring we have sufficient capacity of equipment to meet customer demand in light of the continuing supply chain constraints in certain equipment categories.
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."
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
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).
As of December 31, 2023, the following was available to us (in millions):
RemainingCapacity Availability UnderBorrowing BaseLimitation
AR Facility 25 —
During the third quarter of 2023, we entered into an amendment to the AR Facility to increase the aggregate commitments from $335 million to $370 million and extend the maturity to August 31, 2024. 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, 2023, $27 million of standby letters of credit were issued and outstanding, none of which have been drawn upon. The ABL Credit Facility had $223 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, 2023, the appropriate levels of liquidity have been maintained, therefore this financial maintenance covenant is not applicable.
At December 31, 2023, Herc Holdings' balance sheet was substantially identical to that of Herc, with the exception of the debt held by Herc Holdings (2027 Notes and ABL Credit Facility) and certain components of shareholders equity. For the year ended December 30, 2023 and 2022, the statements of operations of Herc Holdings and Herc were identical with the exception of interest expense on the debt held at Herc Holdings that is not reflected in the statement of operations of Herc.
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.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)
Dividends
On February 7, 2024, we declared a quarterly dividend of $0.665 per share to record holders as of February 21, 2024, with payment date of March 7, 2024. 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.
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