ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Our Company
We are one of the world's largest and oldest lessors of intermodal containers and chassis. Intermodal containers are large, standardized steel boxes used to transport freight by ship, rail or truck. Because of the handling efficiencies they provide, intermodal containers are the primary means by which many goods and materials are shipped internationally. Chassis are used for the transportation of containers domestically.
Business Segments
We operate our business in one industry, intermodal transportation equipment, and have two business segments:
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Equipment leasing - We own, lease and ultimately dispose of containers and chassis from our lease fleet, as well as manage containers owned by third parties. The Equipment leasing segment contributed 96.7%, 96.1%, and 97.3% of the sum of our Total leasing revenue, Trading margin, and Net gain on sale of leasing equipment for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
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Equipment trading - We purchase containers from shipping line customers and other sellers of containers, and resell these containers to container retailers and users of containers for storage or one-way shipment. The Equipment trading segment contributed 3.3%, 3.9%, and 2.7% of the sum of our Total leasing revenue, Trading margin, and Net gain on sale of leasing equipment for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
Certain financial information for each of our business segments is incorporated by reference to Note 7 "Segment and Geographic Information," to the consolidated financial statements contained in Item 15 of this report.
Equipment Leasing Segment
Our equipment leasing operations include the acquisition, leasing, re-leasing and ultimate sale of multiple types of intermodal transportation equipment, primarily intermodal containers. We have an extensive global presence, offering leasing services through approximately 230 third-party container depot facilities in 40 countries as of December 31, 2014. Our customers are among the world's largest shipping lines and include, among others, CMA CGM, NYK Line, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Mitsui O.S.K., and Hapag-Lloyd.
We lease five types of equipment: (1) dry freight containers, which are used for general cargo such as manufactured component parts, consumer staples, electronics and apparel, (2) refrigerated containers, which are used for perishable items such as fresh and frozen foods, (3) special containers, which are used for heavy and oversized cargo such as marble slabs, building products and machinery, (4) tank containers, which are used to transport bulk liquid products such as chemicals, and (5) chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers domestically.
We generally lease our equipment on a per diem basis to our customers under three types of leases: long-term leases, finance leases and service leases. Long-term leases typically have initial contractual terms ranging from three to eight years and provide us with stable cash flow and low transaction costs by requiring customers to maintain specific units on-hire for the duration of the lease. Finance leases are typically structured as full payout leases, and provide for a predictable recurring revenue stream with the lowest cost to the customer because customers are generally required to retain the equipment for the duration of its useful life. Service leases command a premium per diem rate in exchange for providing customers with a greater level of operational flexibility by allowing the pick-up and drop-off of units during the lease term. We also have expired long-term leases whose fixed terms have ended but for which the related units remain on-hire and for which we continue to receive rental payments pursuant to the terms of the initial contract. Some leases have contractual terms that have features reflective of both long-term and service leases, and we classify such leases as either long-term or service leases, depending upon which features we believe are more predominant.
Our leases require lessees to maintain the equipment in good operating condition, defend and indemnify us from liabilities relating to the equipment contents and handling, and return the equipment to specified drop-off locations. The following table provides a summary of our equipment leasing fleet portfolio by lease type, based on cost equivalent units (CEU), as of December 31, 2014:
As of December 31, 2014, our long-term and finance leases had an average remaining lease term of 41 months.
The most important driver of our profitability is the extent to which leasing revenues, which are driven primarily by our owned equipment fleet size, utilization and average rental rates, exceed our ownership and operating costs. Our profitability is also driven by the gains or losses we realize on the sale of used containers because, in the ordinary course of our business, we sell certain containers when they are returned to us.
Equipment Trading Segment
Through our extensive operating network, we purchase containers from shipping line customers and other sellers of containers and resell these containers to container retailers and users of containers for storage and one-way shipments. Over the last five years, we have sold an average of approximately 29,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) per year of containers purchased for resale.
Total revenues for the equipment trading segment are primarily made up of equipment trading revenues, which represents the proceeds from sales of trading equipment. The profitability of this segment is largely driven by the volume of units purchased and sold, our per-unit selling margin, and our direct operating and administrative expenses.
Industry Overview
Intermodal containers provide a secure and cost-effective method of transporting raw materials, component parts and finished goods because they can be used in multiple modes of transport. By making it possible to move cargo from a point of origin to a final destination without repeated unpacking and repacking, containers reduce freight and labor costs. In addition, automated handling of containers permits faster loading and unloading of vessels, more efficient utilization of transportation equipment and reduced transit time. The protection provided by sealed containers also reduces cargo damage and the loss and theft of goods during shipment.
Over the last twenty-five years, containerized trade has grown at a rate greater than that of general worldwide economic growth. According to Clarkson Research Studies ("Clarkson"), worldwide containerized cargo volume increased at a compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") of 8.8% from 1990 to 2014. We believe that this high historical growth was due to several factors, including the shift in global manufacturing capacity to lower labor cost areas such as China and India, the continued integration of developing high growth economies into global trade patterns and the continued conversion of cargo from bulk shipping into containers. However, worldwide containerized cargo volume growth has been lower over the last few years, averaging 4.4% CAGR from 2010 to 2014, due to weak economic growth in many developed countries.
Container leasing firms maintain inventories of new and used containers in a wide range of worldwide locations and supply these containers primarily to shipping line customers under a variety of short and long-term lease structures. Based on container fleet information reported by Drewry Maritime Research, we estimate that container lessors owned approximately 17.3 million TEU, or approximately 48% of the total worldwide container fleet of 36.3 million TEU, as of the end of 2014.
Leasing containers helps shipping lines improve their overall container fleet efficiency and provides the shipping lines with an alternative source of equipment financing. Given the uncertainty and variability of export volumes, and the fact that shipping lines have difficulty in accurately forecasting their container requirements on a day-by-day, port-by-port basis, the availability of containers for lease on short notice reduces a shipping line's need to purchase and maintain larger container inventory buffers. In addition, the drop-off flexibility provided by operating leases also allows the shipping lines to adjust their
container fleet sizes and the mix of container types in their fleets both seasonally and over time and helps to balance trade flows. Leasing containers also provides shipping lines with an additional source of funding to help them manage a high-growth, asset intensive business.
Spot leasing rates are typically a function of, among other things, new equipment prices (which are heavily influenced by steel prices), interest rates and the equipment supply and demand balance at a particular time and location. Average leasing rates on an entire portfolio of leases respond more gradually to changes in new equipment prices or changes in the balance of container supply and demand because lease agreements are generally only re-priced upon the expiration of the lease. In addition, the value that lessors receive upon resale of equipment is closely related to the cost of new equipment.
Operations
We operate our business through 17 offices located in 11 different countries as of December 31, 2014. Our field operations include a global sales force, a global container operations group, an equipment resale group, and a logistics services group. Our headquarters are located in Purchase, New York, USA.
Our Equipment
Intermodal containers are designed to meet a number of criteria outlined by the International Standards Organization (ISO). The standard criteria include the size of the container and the gross weight rating of the container. This standardization ensures that containers can be used by the widest possible number of transporters and it facilitates container and vessel sharing by the shipping lines. The standardization of the container is also an important element of the container leasing business since we can operate one fleet of containers that can be used by all of our major customers.
Our fleet consists of five types of equipment:
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Dry Containers. A dry container is essentially a steel constructed box with a set of doors on one end. Dry containers come in lengths of 20, 40 or 45 feet. They are 8 feet wide, and either 8½ or 9½ feet tall. Dry containers are the least expensive and most widely used type of intermodal container and are used to carry general cargo such as manufactured component parts, consumer staples, electronics and apparel.
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Refrigerated Containers. Refrigerated containers include an integrated cooling machine and an insulated container, come in lengths of 20 or 40 feet, are 8 feet wide, and are either 8½ or 9½ feet tall. These containers are typically used to carry perishable cargo such as fresh and frozen produce.
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Special Containers. Most of our special containers are open top and flat rack containers. Open top containers come in similar sizes as dry containers, but do not have a fixed roof. Flat rack containers come in varying sizes and are steel platforms with folding ends and no fixed sides. Open top and flat rack containers are generally used to move heavy or bulky cargos, such as marble slabs, steel coils or factory components, that cannot be easily loaded on a fork lift through the doors of a standard container.
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Tank Containers. Tank containers are stainless steel cylindrical tanks enclosed in rectangular steel frames with the same outside dimensions as 20 foot dry containers. They carry bulk liquids such as chemicals.
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Chassis. An intermodal chassis is a rectangular, wheeled steel frame, generally 23½, 40 or 45 feet in length, built specifically for the purpose of transporting intermodal containers domestically. Longer sized chassis, designed solely to accommodate domestic containers, can be up to 53 feet in length. Once mounted, the chassis and container are the functional equivalent of a trailer. When mounted on a chassis, the container may be trucked either to its destination or to a railroad terminal for loading onto a rail car. Our chassis are primarily used in the United States.
Our Leases
Most of our revenues are derived from leasing our equipment fleet to our core shipping line customers. The majority of our leases are structured as operating leases, though we also provide customers with finance leases. Regardless of lease type, we seek to exceed our targeted return on our investments over the life cycle of the equipment by managing utilization, lease rates, and the used equipment sale process.
Our lease products provide numerous operational and financial benefits to our shipping line customers. These benefits include:
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Operating Flexibility. The timing, location and daily volume of cargo movements for a shipping line are often unpredictable. Leasing containers and chassis helps the shipping lines manage this uncertainty and minimizes the requirement for large inventory buffers by allowing them to pick-up leased equipment on short notice.
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Fleet Size and Mix Flexibility. The drop-off flexibility included in container and chassis operating leases allows shipping lines to more quickly adjust the size of their fleets and the mix of container types in their fleets as their trade volumes and patterns change due to seasonality, market changes or changes in company strategies.
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Alternative Source of Financing. Container and chassis leases provide an additional source of equipment financing to help shipping lines manage the high level of investment required to maintain pace with the rapid growth of the asset intensive container shipping industry.
Operating Leases. Operating leases are structured to allow customers flexibility to pick-up equipment on short notice and to drop-off equipment prior to the end of its useful life. Because of this flexibility, most of our containers and chassis will go through several pick-up and drop-off cycles. Our operating lease contracts specify a per diem rate for equipment on-hire, where and when such equipment can be returned, how the customer will be charged for damage and the charge for lost or destroyed equipment, among other things.
We categorize our operating leases as either long-term leases or service leases. Some leases have contractual terms that have features reflective of both long-term and service leases. We classify such leases as either long-term or service leases, depending upon which features we believe are predominant. Long-term leases typically have initial contractual terms ranging from three to eight years with an average term of approximately five years at lease inception. Our long-term leases require our customers to maintain specific units on-hire for the duration of the lease term, and they provide us with predictable recurring cash flow. As of December 31, 2014, 68.9% of our on-hire containers and chassis were under long-term operating leases.
We also have expired long-term leases whose fixed terms have ended but for which the related units remain on-hire and for which we continue to receive rental payments pursuant to the terms of the initial contract. As of December 31, 2014, 5.4% of our on-hire containers and chassis were on long-term leases whose fixed terms have expired but for which the related units remain on-hire and for which we continue to receive rental payments.
Some of our long-term leases give our customers Early Termination Options ("ETOs"). If exercised, ETOs allow customers to return equipment prior to the expiration of the long-term lease. However, if an ETO is exercised, the customer is required to pay a penalty per diem rate that is applied retroactively to the beginning of the lease. As a result of this retroactive penalty, ETOs have historically been exercised infrequently.
Service leases allow our customers to pick-up and drop-off equipment during the term of the lease, subject to contractual limitations. Service leases provide the customer with a higher level of flexibility than term leases and, as a result, typically carry a higher per diem rate. The terms of our service leases can range from twelve months to five years, though, because equipment can be returned during the term of a service lease and since service leases are generally renewed or modified and extended upon expiration, lease term does not dictate expected on-hire time for our equipment on service leases. As of December 31, 2014, 17.7% of our on-hire containers and chassis were under service leases and this equipment has been on-hire for an average of 35 months.
Finance Leases. Finance leases provide our customers with an alternative method to finance their equipment acquisitions. Finance leases typically have lease terms ranging from five to ten years. Finance leases are generally structured for specific quantities of equipment, generally require the customer to keep the equipment on-hire for its remaining useful life, and typically provide the customer with a purchase option at the end of the lease term. As of December 31, 2014, approximately 8.0% of our on-hire containers and chassis were under finance leases.
As of December 31, 2014, our long-term and finance leases had an average remaining duration of 41 months, assuming no leases are renewed. However, we believe that many of our customers will renew operating leases for equipment that is less than sale age at the expiration of the lease. In addition, our equipment on operating leases typically remains on-hire at the contractual per diem rate for an additional six to twelve months beyond the end of the contractual lease term due to the logistical requirements of our customers having to return the containers and chassis to specific drop-off locations.
Lease Documentation. In general, our lease agreements consist of two basic elements, a master lease agreement and a lease addendum. Lease addenda typically contain the business terms (including daily rate, term duration and drop-off schedule, among other things) for specific leasing transactions, while master lease agreements typically outline the general rights and obligations of the lessor and lessee under all of the lease addenda covered by the master lease agreement (lease addenda will specify the master lease agreement that governs the addenda). For most customers, we have a small number of master lease agreements (often one) and a large number of lease addenda.
Our master lease agreements generally require the lessees to pay rentals, depot charges, taxes and other charges when due, to maintain the equipment in good condition, to return the equipment in accordance with the return condition set forth in the master lease agreement, to use the equipment in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws, and to pay us for the value of the equipment as determined by us if the equipment is lost or destroyed. The default clause gives us certain legal remedies in the event that the lessee is in breach of the lease.
The master lease agreements usually contain an exclusion of warranties clause and require lessees to defend and indemnify us in most instances from third-party claims arising out of the lessee's use, operation, possession or lease of the equipment. Lessees are generally required to maintain all risks physical damage insurance, comprehensive general liability insurance and to indemnify us against loss. We also maintain our own off-hire physical damage insurance to cover our equipment when it is not on-hire to lessees and third-party liability insurance for both on-hire and off-hire equipment. Nevertheless, such insurance or indemnities may not fully protect us against damages arising from the use of our containers.
Logistics Management, Re-leasing, Depot Management and Equipment Disposals
We believe that managing the period after our equipment's first lease is the most important aspect of our business. Successful management of this period requires disciplined logistics management, extensive re-lease capability, careful cost control and effective sales of used equipment.
Logistics Management. Since the late 1990's, the shipping industry has been characterized by large regional trade imbalances, with loaded containers generally flowing from export oriented economies in Asia to North America and Western Europe. Because of these trade imbalances, shipping lines have an incentive to return leased containers in North America and Europe to reduce the cost of empty container backhaul. TAL attempts to mitigate the risk of these unbalanced trade flows by maintaining a large portion of our fleet on long-term and finance leases and by contractually restricting the ability of our customers to return containers outside of Asian demand locations.
In addition, TAL attempts to minimize the costs of any container imbalances by finding local users in surplus locations and by moving empty containers as cheaply as possible. While we believe we manage our logistics risks and costs effectively, logistical risk remains an important element of our business due to competitive pressures, changing trade patterns and other market factors and uncertainties.
Re-leasing. Since our operating leases allow customers to return containers and chassis, we typically are required to place containers and chassis on several leases during their useful lives. Initial lease transactions for new containers and chassis can usually be generated with a limited sales and customer service infrastructure because initial leases for new containers and chassis typically cover large volumes of units and are fairly standardized transactions. Used equipment, on the other hand, is typically leased out in small transactions that are structured to accommodate pick-ups and returns in a variety of locations. As a result, leasing companies benefit from having a large number of customers and maintaining a high level of operating contact with these customers.
Depot Management. As of December 31, 2014, we managed our equipment fleet through approximately 230 third-party owned and operated depot facilities located in 40 countries. Depot facilities are generally responsible for repairing our containers and chassis when they are returned by lessees and for storing the equipment while it is off-hire. We have a global operations group that is responsible for managing our depot contracts and they also regularly visit the depot facilities to conduct inventory and repair audits. We also supplement our internal operations group with the use of independent inspection agents.
We are in constant communication with our depot partners through the use of electronic data interchange, or EDI. Our depots gather and prepare all information related to the activity of our equipment at their facilities and transmit the information via EDI and the Internet to us. The information we receive from our depots updates our fully integrated container fleet management and tracking system.
Most of the depot agency agreements follow a standard form and generally provide that the depot will be liable for loss or damage of equipment and, in the event of loss or damage, will pay us the previously agreed loss value of the applicable
equipment. The agreements require the depots to maintain insurance against equipment loss or damage and we carry insurance to cover the risk that the depots' insurance proves insufficient.
Our container repair standards and processes are generally managed in accordance with standards and procedures specified by the Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL). The IICL establishes and documents the acceptable interchange condition for containers and the repair procedures required to return damaged containers to the acceptable interchange condition. At the time that containers are returned by lessees, the depot arranges an inspection of the containers to assess the repairs required to return the containers to acceptable IICL condition. This inspection process also splits the damage into two components, customer damage and normal wear and tear. Items typically designated as customer damage include dents in the container and debris left in the container, while items such as rust are typically designated as normal wear and tear.
Our leases are generally structured so that the lessee is responsible for the customer damage portion of the repair costs, and customers are billed for damages at the time the equipment is returned. We sometimes offer our customers a repair service program whereby we, for an additional payment by the lessee (in the form of a higher per-diem rate or a flat fee at off-hire), assume financial responsibility for all or a portion of the cost of repairs upon return of the equipment (but not of total loss of the equipment), up to a pre-negotiated amount.
Equipment Disposals. Our in-house equipment sales group has a worldwide team of specialists that manage the sale process for our used containers and chassis from our lease fleet. We generally sell to portable storage companies, freight forwarders (who often use the containers for one-way trips) and other purchasers of used containers. We believe we are one of the world's largest sellers of used containers.
We have sold approximately 87,000 TEU per year of our owned and managed used containers on average over the last five years. The sale prices we receive for our used containers from our lease fleet are influenced by many factors, including the level of demand for used containers compared to the number of used containers available for disposal in a particular location, the cost of new containers, and the level of damage on the containers. While our total revenue is primarily made up of leasing revenues, gains or losses on the sale of used containers can have a significant positive or negative impact on our profitability.
Equipment Trading. We also buy and sell new and used containers and chassis acquired from third parties. We typically purchase our equipment trading fleet from our shipping line customers or other sellers of used or new equipment. Trading margins are dependent on the volume of units purchased and resold, selling prices, costs paid for equipment sold and selling and administrative costs. We have sold approximately 29,000 TEU per year of containers purchased from third parties for resale on average over the last five years.
Management Services
Approximately 1.2% of our fleet is managed for third-party owners. We receive a specified percentage of the net revenue generated by our managed containers in return for our management services. If operating expenses were to exceed revenues, the owners are obligated to pay the excess or we may deduct the excess, including our management fee, from future net revenues. We typically receive a commission for selling managed containers, though in some cases, we are compensated for sales through a percentage sharing of sale proceeds over an agreed upon floor amount. Typically, the terms of the management agreements are 10 to 12 years from the acceptance dates of containers under the agreement.
Environmental
We face a number of environmental concerns, including potential liability due to accidental discharge from our containers, potential equipment obsolescence, retrofitting expenses due to changes in environmental regulations and increased risk of container performance problems due to container design changes driven by environmental factors. While we maintain environmental liability insurance coverage, and the terms of our leases and other arrangements for use of our containers place the responsibility for environmental liability on the end user, we still may be subject to environmental liability in connection with our current or historical operations. In certain countries like the United States, the owner of a leased container may be liable for the costs of environmental damage from the discharge of the contents of the container even though the owner is not at fault. Our lessees are required to indemnify us from environmental claims and our standard master tank container lease agreement insurance clause requires our tank container lessees to provide pollution liability insurance.
We also face risks from changing environmental regulations, particularly with our refrigerated container product line. Many countries, including the United States, restrict, prohibit or otherwise regulate the use of chemical refrigerants due to their ozone depleting and global warming effects. Our refrigerated containers currently use R134A or 404A refrigerant. While R134A and 404A do not contain CFC's (which have been restricted since 1995), the European Union has instituted regulations to phase out the use of R134A in automobile air conditioning systems beginning in 2011 due to concern that the release of R134A into the atmosphere may contribute to global warming. While the European Union regulations do not currently restrict the use of R134A or 404A in refrigerated containers or trailers, it has been proposed that R134A and 404A usage in intermodal containers will be banned beginning in 2025, although the final decision has not been made as of yet. Further, certain manufacturers of refrigerated containers, including the largest manufacturer of cooling machines for refrigerated containers, have begun testing units that utilize alternative refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide, that may have less global warming potential than R134A and 404A. If future regulations prohibit the use or servicing of containers using R134A or 404A refrigerants, we could be forced to incur large retrofitting expenses. In addition, refrigerated containers that are not retrofitted may become difficult to lease and command lower rental rates and disposal prices.
Also, the insulation foam in the walls of refrigerated containers requires the use of a blowing agent that contains CFC's. Manufacturers are in various stages of phasing out the use of this blowing agent in the manufacturing process, however, if future regulations prohibit the use or servicing of containers with insulation manufactured with this blowing agent, we could be forced to incur large retrofitting expenses and refrigerated containers that are not retrofitted may become more difficult to lease and command lower rental rates and disposal prices.
An additional environmental concern affecting our operations relates to the construction materials used in our dry containers. The floors of dry containers are plywood usually made from tropical hardwoods. Due to concerns regarding de-forestation of tropical rain forests and climate change, many countries which have been the source of these hardwoods have implemented severe restrictions on the cutting and export of these woods. Accordingly, container manufacturers have switched a significant portion of production to more readily available alternatives such as birch, bamboo, and other farm grown wood species. Container users are also evaluating alternative designs that would limit the amount of plywood required and are also considering possible synthetic materials to replace the plywood. These new woods or other alternatives have not proven their durability over the typical 13-15 year life of a dry container, and if they cannot perform as well as the hardwoods have historically, the future repair and operating costs for these containers could be significantly higher and the useful life of the containers may be decreased.
Credit Controls
We monitor our customers' performance and our lease exposures on an ongoing basis. Our credit management processes are aided by the long payment experience we have with most of our customers and our broad network of relationships in the shipping industry that provides current information about our customers' market reputations. Credit criteria may include, but are not limited to, customer payment history, customer financial position and performance (e.g., net worth, leverage and profitability), trade routes, country of domicile and the type of, and location of, equipment that is to be supplied. To mitigate the impact from potential defaults, we currently maintain credit insurance that in certain circumstances covers losses and costs incurred in default situations. However, this insurance must be renewed annually and it has significant deductibles, exclusions, payment and other limitations, and therefore may not protect us from losses arising from customer defaults.
Marketing and Customer Service
Our global sales force and our customer service representatives are responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with senior operations staff at our shipping line customers, negotiating lease contracts and maintaining day-to-day coordination with junior level staff at our customers. This close customer communication helps us to negotiate lease contracts that satisfy both our financial return requirements and our customers' operating needs, and ensures that we are aware of our customers' potential equipment shortages and that they are aware of our available equipment inventories.
Customers
We believe that we have strong, long standing relationships with our largest customers, most of whom we have done business with for over 20 years. We currently have equipment on-hire to more than 300 customers, although our twenty largest customers account for 81% of our leasing revenues. Our customers are mainly international shipping lines, but we also lease containers to freight forwarding companies and manufacturers. The shipping industry has been consolidating for a number of years, and further consolidation could increase the portion of our revenues that come from our largest customers. Our five largest customers accounted for 52% of our leasing revenues in 2014. Our largest customer is CMA CGM, which accounted for 16%, 17%, and 16% of our leasing revenues in 2014, 2013 and 2012. No other customer exceeded 10% of our leasing
revenues in 2014, 2013 and 2012. A default by one of our major customers could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and future prospects.
Currency
Although we have significant foreign based operations, the U.S. dollar is the operating currency for the large majority of our leases and obligations, and most of our revenues and expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars. However we pay our non-U.S. staff in local currencies; and our direct operating expenses and disposal transactions for our older containers are often structured in foreign currencies. We record realized and unrealized foreign currency exchange gains and losses primarily due to fluctuations in exchange rates related to our Euro and Pound Sterling transactions and related assets and liabilities.
Systems and Information Technology
We have a proprietary, fully integrated fleet management system. The system tracks all of our equipment individually by unit number, provides design specifications for the equipment, tracks on-hire and off-hire transactions, matches each on-hire unit to a lease contract and each off-hire unit to a depot contract, maintains the major terms for each lease contract, calculates the monthly bill for each customer and tracks and bills for equipment repairs. Our system is EDI capable, which means it can receive and process equipment activity and transactions electronically.
In addition, our system allows our business partners to conduct business with us through the Internet. It allows customers to check our equipment inventories, review design specifications, request clearances for returning equipment (the system will issue the clearance electronically if the return to the specified location is currently allowed by the contract covering the equipment), request bookings for equipment pick-ups and review and approve repair bills.
Suppliers
We have long relationships with all of our major suppliers. We purchase most of our containers and chassis in China. There are five large manufacturers of dry containers and three large manufacturers of refrigerated containers, though for both dry containers and refrigerated containers, the largest manufacturer accounts for nearly 50% of global production volume. Our operations staff reviews the designs for our containers and periodically audits the production facilities of our suppliers. In addition, we use our Asian operations group and third party inspectors to visit factories when our containers are being produced to provide an extra layer of quality control. Nevertheless, defects in our containers do sometimes occur. We work with the manufacturers to correct these defects, and our manufacturers have generally honored their warranty obligations in such cases.
Competition
We compete with over ten other major intermodal equipment leasing companies, many smaller lessors, manufacturers of intermodal equipment and companies offering finance leases as distinct from operating leases. It is common for our customers to utilize several leasing companies to meet their equipment needs.
Our competitors compete with us in many ways, including lease pricing, lease flexibility, supply reliability and customer service. In times of weak demand or excess supply, leasing companies often respond by lowering leasing rates and increasing the logistical flexibility offered in their lease agreements. In addition, new entrants into the leasing business have been attracted by the high rate of containerized trade growth in recent years, and they are often aggressive on pricing and lease flexibility.
While we are forced to compete aggressively on price, we attempt to emphasize our supply reliability and high level of customer service to our customers. We invest heavily to ensure adequate equipment availability in high demand locations, dedicate large portions of our organization to building customer relationships and maintaining close day-to-day coordination with customers' operating staffs, and we have developed powerful and user-friendly systems that allow our customers to transact with us through the Internet.
Employees
As of December 31, 2014, we employed 170 people in 17 offices, in 11 countries. We believe that our relations with our employees are good and we are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements.
ITEM 1A.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Our business, financial condition and results of operations are subject to various risks and uncertainties noted throughout this report, including those discussed below, which may affect the value of our securities. In addition to the risks discussed below, there may be additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem less significant that also may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, perhaps materially. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and elsewhere in this report. Some statements in our risk factors constitute forward looking statements. Please refer to the section entitled "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in this report.
Market lease rates are currently historically very low. As a result, TAL’s profitability may decline due to reduced returns on new investments and reduced profitability on existing containers as leases expire and lease rates are re-priced.
Market leasing rates decreased significantly from 2012 through 2014 due to a substantial decrease in new container prices, widely available low-cost financing for leasing companies and aggressive competition. This decrease in market leasing rates has negatively impacted the expected investment returns on our new container investments and it is reducing the profitability of the existing containers in our fleet as existing leases expire and are re-priced. From 2012 to 2014, the average lease rate in our fleet decreased 7% on a CEU basis. We expect our average lease rates will decrease in 2015. If market lease rates remain near their current low level for an extended period of time, we expect the decrease in our average lease rates to accelerate in 2016 and 2017 and have a substantial negative impact on our profitability.
The size of our owned fleet increased significantly in 2010 to 2011 due to our large purchases of new equipment and investments in sale-leaseback transactions. Many of the containers purchased in those years were purchased at relatively high prices and leased out at lease rates well above our portfolio average. As a result, the high level of procurement from 2010 through 2011 has created a concentration of leases with historically high leasing rates that will generally expire from 2015 through 2020. If container prices and market leasing rates remain near their current level for an extended period of time, we could be forced to re-lease those containers at significantly reduced lease rates. We estimate that the average lease rates on containers purchased in 2010 and 2011 are roughly 41% higher than current market leasing rates. We calculate that our annual leasing revenue would decrease by $2.0 million for each 1% reduction in the average lease rate on the containers purchased in 2010 and 2011.
Container leasing demand can be negatively affected by numerous market factors as well as external political and economic events that are beyond our control. Decreasing leasing demand could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Demand for containers depends largely on the rate of world trade and economic growth. Demand for leased containers is also driven by our customers' "lease vs. buy" decisions. Cyclical recessions can negatively affect lessors' operating results because during economic downturns or periods of reduced trade, shipping lines tend to lease fewer containers, or lease containers only at reduced rates, and tend to rely more on their own fleets to satisfy a greater percentage of their requirements. As a result, during periods of weak global economic activity, we typically experience decreasing leasing demand, decreasing equipment utilization, lower average rental rates, decreased leasing revenue, decreased used container resale prices and significantly decreased profitability. These effects can be severe.
For example, our profitability decreased significantly from the third quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009 due to the effects of the global financial crisis, and our profitability would have decreased further if trade activity did not start to recover at the end of 2009. TAL's performance and profitability will likely be similarly impacted if current economic uncertainties or other events lead to slower global economic growth and reduced containerized trade growth in the future.
Other general factors affecting demand for leased containers, container utilization and per diem rental rates include:
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the available supply and prices of new and used containers;
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changes in the operating efficiency of our customers, economic conditions and competitive pressures in the shipping industry;
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the availability and terms of equipment financing for our customers;
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fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency values;
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import/export tariffs and restrictions;
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customs procedures;
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foreign exchange controls and
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other governmental regulations and political or economic factors that are inherently unpredictable and may be beyond our control.
Any of the aforementioned factors may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Lease rates may further decrease due to a decrease in new container prices, weak leasing demand, increased competition or other factors, resulting in reduced revenues, lower margins, and reduced profitability and cash flows.
Market leasing rates are typically a function of, among other things, new equipment prices (which are heavily influenced by steel prices), interest rates, the type and length of the lease, the equipment supply and demand balance at a particular time and location, and other factors more fully described below. A decrease in leasing rates can have a materially adverse effect on our leasing revenues, profitability and cash flow.
A decrease in market leasing rates negatively impacts the leasing rates on both our new container investments and the existing containers in our fleet. Most of our existing containers are on operating leases, which means that the lease term is shorter than the expected life of the container, so the lease rate we receive for the container is subject to change at the expiration of the current lease. Lower new container prices, widespread availability of attractively priced financing, and aggressive competition for new leasing transactions continue to pressure market lease rates, and market lease rates are currently well below our portfolio average. As a result, during periods of low market lease rates, the average lease rate we receive for our containers is negatively impacted by both the addition of new containers at low lease rates as well as the turnover of existing containers from leases with higher lease rates to leases with lower lease rates.
Lessee defaults may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow by decreasing revenues and increasing storage, positioning, collection, recovery and lost equipment expenses.
Our containers and chassis are leased to numerous customers. Lease rentals and other charges, as well as indemnification for damage to or loss of our equipment, are payable under the leases and other arrangements by the lessees. Inherent in the nature of the leases and other arrangements for use of the equipment is the risk that once the lease is consummated, we may not receive, or may experience delay in realizing, all of the amounts to be paid in respect of the equipment. A delay or diminution in amounts received under the leases and other arrangements could adversely affect our business and financial prospects and our ability to make payments on our debt.
The cash flow from our equipment, principally lease rentals, management fees and proceeds from the sale of owned equipment, is affected significantly by our ability to collect payments under leases and other arrangements for the use of the equipment and our ability to replace cash flows from terminating leases by re-leasing or selling equipment on favorable terms. All of these factors are subject to external economic conditions and performance by lessees and service providers that are beyond our control.
In addition, when lessees or sub-lessees of our containers and chassis default, we may fail to recover all of our equipment, and the containers and chassis we do recover may be returned in damaged condition or to locations where we will not be able to efficiently re-lease or sell them. As a result, we may have to repair and reposition these containers and chassis to other places where we can re-lease or sell them, and we may lose lease revenues and incur additional operating expenses in repossessing, repositioning and storing the equipment.
We believe that the risk of large lessee defaults remains elevated. Persistent excess vessel capacity has pressured the freight rates our customers receive for moving cargo, and many of our customers have generated large financial losses over the last several years. Several of our customers have or are going through significant financial restructurings as a result of the large losses they incurred. Over the next several years, new vessel deliveries are anticipated to remain at a high level. As a result, we expect excess vessel capacity to persist for several more years and expect the financial performance of our customers to remain under pressure.
Our balance sheet includes an allowance for doubtful accounts as well as an equipment reserve related to the expected costs of recovering and remarketing containers currently in the possession of customers that have either defaulted or that we believe currently present a significant risk of loss. However, we do not maintain a general equipment reserve for equipment on-hire under operating leases to performing customers. As a result, any major customer default would have a significant impact on our profitability at the time the customer defaulted. Such a default could also have a material adverse effect on our business condition and financial prospects.
Our customer base is highly concentrated. A default from any large customer, and especially our largest customer, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and future prospects. In addition, a significant reduction in leasing business from any of our large customers could have a material adverse impact on demand for our containers and our financial performance.
Our five largest customers represented approximately 52% of our leasing revenues in 2014, with our single largest customer representing 16% of our leasing revenues during this period. Furthermore, the shipping industry has been consolidating for a number of years, and further consolidation is expected and could increase the portion of our revenues that come from our largest customers.
Several of our major customers underwent significant financial restructurings as a result of the large financial losses they incurred in recent years and they continue to face significant financial headwinds due to excess vessel capacity. Given the high concentration of our customer base, a default by any of our largest customers would result in a major reduction in our leasing revenue, large repossession expenses, potentially large lost equipment charges and a material adverse impact on our performance and financial condition. In addition, the loss or significant reduction in orders from any of our major customers could materially reduce the demand for our containers and result in lower leasing revenue, higher operating expenses and diminished growth prospects.
Used container selling prices may decrease, leading to lower gains or potentially large losses on the disposal of our equipment.
Although our revenues primarily depend upon equipment leasing, our profitability is also affected by the gains or losses we realize on the sale of used containers because, in the ordinary course of our business, we sell certain containers when they are returned to us. The volatility of the selling prices and gains or losses from the disposal of such equipment may be significant. Used container selling prices, which can vary substantially, depend upon, among other factors, the cost of new containers, the global supply and demand balance for containers, the location of the containers, the supply and demand balance for used containers at a particular location, the repair condition of the container, refurbishment needs, materials and labor costs and equipment obsolescence. Most of these factors are outside of our control. Operating leases, which represent the predominant form of leases in our portfolio, are subject to greater selling price risk than finance leases.
Containers are typically sold if it is in our best interest to do so after taking into consideration local and global leasing and sale market conditions and the age, location, repair condition and net book value of the container. As these considerations vary, gains or losses on sale of equipment will also fluctuate and may be significant if we sell large quantities of containers.
Used container selling prices and the gains or losses that we have recognized from selling used containers have varied widely over the last fifteen years. From 1999 through 2003, our average sale prices for used containers were historically low due to low prices for new containers and an extreme over-supply of used containers in North America and Europe following the Asia crisis. We recorded large losses on the disposal of our equipment during those years.
Selling prices for used containers and our disposal gains were exceptionally high from 2010 to 2012 due to a generally tight global supply and demand balance for containers. Since then, used container prices and our disposal gains have decreased and disposal prices are nearing our current residual values. However, they could decrease further from current levels which would have a negative impact on our financial performance and cash flow. These effects could be significant if used container sale prices decreased rapidly.
Equipment trading is dependent upon a steady supply of used equipment.
We purchase used containers for resale from our shipping line customers and other sellers. If the supply of equipment becomes limited because these sellers develop other means for disposing of their equipment or develop their own sales network, we may not be able to purchase the inventory necessary to meet our goals, and our equipment trading revenues and our profitability could be negatively impacted.
Abrupt changes in selling prices on equipment purchased for resale could negatively affect our equipment trading margins.
We purchase and sell containers opportunistically as part of our equipment trading segment. We purchase equipment for resale on the premise that we will be able to sell this inventory in a relatively short time frame. If selling prices rapidly deteriorate and we are holding a large inventory that was purchased when prices for equipment were higher, then our gross margins could decline or become negative.
Our customers may decide to lease fewer containers. Should shipping lines decide to buy a larger percentage of the containers they operate, our utilization rate and level of investment would decrease, resulting in decreased leasing revenues, increased storage costs, increased positioning costs and lower growth.
We, like other suppliers of leased containers, are dependent upon decisions by shipping lines to lease rather than buy their container equipment. Should shipping lines decide to buy a larger percentage of the containers they operate, our utilization rate would decrease, resulting in decreased leasing revenues, increased storage costs and increased positioning costs. A decrease in the portion of leased containers would also reduce our investment opportunities and significantly constrain our growth. Most of the factors affecting the decisions of our customers are outside of our control.
While the percentage of leased containers has been fairly consistent historically, this percentage decreased steadily from 2004 to 2008. We believe that the increasing share of containers owned directly by the shipping lines during this time was the result of the improved financial performance, increased operating scale and improved information systems of our customers, which made it easier for our customers to finance and deploy new container purchases efficiently.
We face extensive competition in the container leasing industry.
We may be unable to compete favorably in the highly competitive container leasing and sales business. We compete with more than ten other major leasing companies, many smaller lessors, manufacturers of container equipment, companies offering finance leases as distinct from operating leases, promoters of container ownership and leasing as a tax shelter investment, shipping lines, which sometimes lease their excess container stocks, and suppliers of alternative types of equipment for freight transport. Some of these competitors may have greater financial resources and access to capital than we do. Additionally, some of these competitors may, at times, accumulate a high volume of underutilized inventories of containers, which could lead to significant downward pressure on lease rates and margins.
Competition among container leasing companies depends upon many factors, including, among others, lease rates, lease terms (including lease duration, drop-off restrictions and repair provisions), customer service, and the location, availability, quality and individual characteristics of equipment. New entrants into the leasing business have been attracted by the high rate of containerized trade growth, and new entrants have generally been less disciplined than we are in pricing and structuring leases. As a result, the entry of new market participants together with the already highly competitive nature of our industry may reduce lease rates and undermine our ability to maintain our current level of container utilization or achieve our growth plans.
If we are unable to finance capital expenditures, our business and growth plans will be adversely affected.
We make capital investments to, among other things, maintain and expand the size of our container fleet. We have relied heavily on debt financing to help us fund our new container investments. During the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, bank financing became much more difficult to obtain and the asset securitization market was not available to us. In the future, our bank financing and asset-backed financing capacity could decrease, our financing costs and interest rates could increase, or our future access to the financial markets could be limited, as a result of risks and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, including: (i) the acceptance by credit markets of the structures and structural risks associated with our bank financing and asset-backed financing arrangements; (ii) the credit ratings provided by credit rating agencies for our asset-backed indebtedness; (iii) third parties requiring changes in the terms and structure of our asset-backed financing arrangements, including increased credit enhancements (such as lower advance rates) or required cash collateral and/or other liquid reserves; or (iv) changes in laws or regulations that negatively impact the terms on which the banks may finance us or any of our asset-backed financing arrangements. If we are unsuccessful in obtaining sufficient additional financing on acceptable terms, on a timely basis, or at all, then our costs of financing could increase significantly and have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, interest costs, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.
We have a substantial amount of debt outstanding on a consolidated basis and have significant debt service requirements. This increases the risk that adverse changes in our operating performance, our industry or the financial markets could severely diminish our financial performance and future business and growth prospects, and increases the chance that we might face insolvency due to a default on our debt obligations.
As of December 31, 2014, we had outstanding indebtedness of $3.0 billion under our asset backed securities, capital lease obligations and other debt facilities. Our interest and debt expense for the year ended December 31, 2014 was $109.3 million. As of December 31, 2014, our total net debt (total debt plus equipment purchases payable less cash) to total revenue earning assets was 76%.
Our substantial amount of debt could have important consequences for investors, including:
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making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our debt facilities. Any failure to comply with such obligations, including a failure to make timely interest or principal payments, or a breach of financial or other restrictive covenants, could result in an event of default under the agreements governing such indebtedness, which could lead to, among other things, an acceleration of our indebtedness or foreclosure on the assets securing our indebtedness and which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, future prospects and solvency;
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requiring us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to make payments on our debt, thereby reducing funds available for operations, capital expenditures, future business opportunities and other purposes;
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limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
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limiting our ability to borrow additional funds, or to sell assets to raise funds, if needed, for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other purposes;
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making it difficult for us to pay dividends on our common stock;
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increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions, including changes in interest rates; and
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placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors having less debt.
Despite our substantial leverage, we and our subsidiaries may be able to incur additional indebtedness. This could further exacerbate the risks described above.
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future. Although our asset backed securities and other credit facilities contain restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, such restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, and, under certain circumstances, indebtedness incurred in compliance with such restrictions could be substantial. To the extent that new indebtedness is added to our and our subsidiaries' current debt levels, the risks described above would increase.
We will require a significant amount of cash to service and repay our outstanding indebtedness. This may limit our ability to fund future capital expenditures, pursue future business opportunities or make acquisitions.
Our high level of indebtedness requires us to make large interest and principal payments. These debt service payments currently represent a significant portion of our cash flow, and if our operating cash flow decreases in the future, or if it becomes more difficult for us to arrange financing to refinance existing debt facilities or fund our new equipment purchases, we may need to reduce or delay future capital expenditures or other business investments, which could have a material adverse impact on our growth rate, profitability and cash flow.
Our asset backed securities and other credit facilities impose significant operating and financial restrictions, which may prevent us from pursuing certain business opportunities and taking certain actions.
Our asset backed securities and other credit facilities impose, and the terms of any future indebtedness may impose, significant operating, financial and other restrictions on us and our subsidiaries. These restrictions will limit or prohibit, among other things, our ability to:
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incur additional indebtedness;
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pay dividends on or redeem or repurchase our stock;
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issue capital stock of TAL and our subsidiaries;
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make loans and investments;
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create liens;
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sell certain assets or merge with or into other companies;
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enter into certain transactions with stockholders and affiliates;
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cause our subsidiaries to make dividends, distributions and other payments to TAL; and
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otherwise conduct necessary corporate activities.
These restrictions could adversely affect our ability to finance our future operations or capital needs and pursue available business opportunities. A breach of any of these restrictions could result in a default in respect of the related indebtedness. If a default occurs, the relevant lenders could elect to declare the indebtedness, together with accrued interest and fees, to be immediately due and payable and proceed against any collateral securing that indebtedness, which will constitute substantially all of our material container assets.
Environmental regulations may result in equipment obsolescence or require substantial investments to retrofit existing equipment, especially for our refrigerated containers. Additionally, environmental concerns are leading to significant design changes for new containers that have not been extensively tested, which increases the risks we face from potential technical problems.
Many countries, including the United States, restrict, prohibit or otherwise regulate the use of chemical refrigerants due to their ozone depleting and global warming effects. Our refrigerated containers currently use R134A or 404A refrigerant. While R134A and 404A do not contain CFC's (which have been restricted since 1995), the European Union has instituted regulations to phase out the use of R134A in automobile air conditioning systems beginning in 2011 due to concern that the release of R134A into the atmosphere may contribute to global warming. While the European Union regulations do not currently restrict the use of R134A or 404A in refrigerated containers or trailers, it has been proposed that R134A and 404A usage in intermodal containers will be banned beginning in 2025, although the final decision has not been made as of yet. Further, certain manufacturers of refrigerated containers, including the largest manufacturer of cooling machines for refrigerated containers, have begun testing units that utilize alternative refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide, that may have less global warming potential than R134A and 404A. If future regulations prohibit the use or servicing of containers using R134A or 404A refrigerants, we could be forced to incur large retrofitting expenses. In addition, refrigerated containers that are not retrofitted may become difficult to lease, command lower rental rates and disposal prices, or may have to be scrapped.
Also, the insulation foam in the walls of refrigerated containers requires the use of a blowing agent that contains CFC's. Manufacturers are in various stages of phasing out the use of this blowing agent in the manufacturing process, however, if future regulations prohibit the use or servicing of containers with insulation manufactured with this blowing agent we could be forced to incur large retrofitting expenses and those that are not retrofitted may become more difficult to lease and command lower rental rates and disposal prices.
An additional environmental concern affecting our operations relates to the construction materials used in our dry containers. The floors of dry containers are plywood usually made from tropical hardwoods. Due to concerns regarding the de-forestation of tropical rain forests and climate change, many countries which have been the source of these hardwoods have implemented severe restrictions on the cutting and export of these woods. Accordingly, container manufacturers have switched a significant portion of production to more readily available alternatives such as birch, bamboo, and other farm grown wood species. Container users are also evaluating alternative designs that would limit the amount of plywood required and are also considering possible synthetic materials to replace the plywood. These new woods or other alternatives have not proven their durability over the typical 13-15 year life of a dry container, and if they cannot perform as well as the hardwoods have historically, the future repair and operating costs for these containers could be significantly higher and the useful life of the containers may be decreased.
Litigation to enforce our leases and recover our containers has inherent uncertainties that are increased by the location of our containers in jurisdictions that have less developed legal systems.
While almost all of our lease agreements are governed by New York law and provide for the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in the state of New York, our ability to enforce the lessees' obligations under the leases and other arrangements for use of the containers often is subject to applicable laws in the jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. It is not possible to predict, with any degree of certainty, the jurisdictions in which enforcement proceedings may be commenced. Our containers are manufactured primarily in China, and a substantial portion of our containers are leased out of Asia, primarily China, and are used by our customers in a wide range of global trades. Litigation and enforcement proceedings have inherent uncertainties in any jurisdiction and are expensive. These uncertainties are enhanced in countries that have less developed legal systems where the interpretation of laws and regulations is not consistent, may be influenced by factors other than legal merits and may be cumbersome, time-consuming and even more expensive. For example, repossession from defaulting lessees may be difficult and more expensive in jurisdictions whose laws do not confer the same security interests and rights to creditors and lessors as those in the United States and where the legal system is not as well developed. As a result, the remedies available and the relative success and expedience of collection and enforcement proceedings with respect to the containers in various jurisdictions cannot be predicted. As more of our business shifts to areas outside of the United States and Europe, such as China, it may become more difficult and expensive to enforce our rights and recover our containers.
The success of our recovery efforts for defaulted leases has been hampered by undeveloped creditor protections and legal systems in a number of countries. In these situations, we experienced an increase in average recovery costs per unit and a decrease in the percentage of containers recovered in default situations primarily due to excessive charges applied to our containers by the depot or terminal facilities that had been storing the containers for the defaulted lessee. In these cases, the payments demanded by the depot or terminal operators often significantly exceeded the amount of storage costs that we would reasonably expect to pay for the release of the containers. However, our legal remedies were limited in many of the jurisdictions where the containers were being stored, and we were sometimes forced to accept the excessive storage charges to gain control of our containers. If the number and size of defaults increases in the future, and if a large percentage of the defaulted containers are being stored in countries with less developed legal systems, losses resulting from recovery payments and unrecovered containers could be large and our profitability significantly reduced.
We may incur future asset impairment charges.
An asset impairment charge may result from the occurrence of unexpected adverse events or management decisions that impact our estimates of expected cash flows generated from our long-lived assets. We review our long-lived assets, including our container and chassis equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets for impairment, when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. We may be required to recognize asset impairment charges in the future as a result of reductions in demand for specific container and chassis types, a weak economic environment, challenging market conditions, events related to particular customers or asset types, or as a result of asset or portfolio sale decisions by management.
Effective October 1, 2012, we further increased the estimated residual values used in our depreciation calculations for several of our containers types from the last increase made in the fourth quarter of 2010. If, in the future, we experience weak demand for these specific container types the amount of a potential impairment charge would be higher than if we had not increased our residual estimates.
Manufacturers of our equipment may be unwilling or unable to honor manufacturer warranties covering defects in our equipment.
We obtain warranties from the manufacturers of our equipment. When defects in the containers occur, we work with the manufacturers to identify and rectify the problem. However, there is no assurance that manufacturers will be willing or able to honor warranty obligations. If defects are discovered in containers that are not covered by manufacturer warranties we could be required to expend significant amounts of money to repair the containers, the useful lives of the containers could be shortened and the value of the containers reduced.
For example, there has been an increase in the number of premature failures of wood floors on our containers. A shortage of mature tropical hardwood has forced manufacturers to use younger and alternative species of wood to make container floors, and it is likely that the number and magnitude of warranty claims related to premature floor failure will increase. If container manufacturers do not honor warranties covering these failures, or if the failures occur after the warranty period expires, we could be required to expend significant amounts of money to repair or sell containers earlier than expected. This could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.
Changes in market price or availability of containers in China could adversely affect our ability to maintain our supply of containers.
China is currently the largest container producing nation in the world, and we currently purchase substantially all of our dry containers, special containers and refrigerated containers from manufacturers based there. Currently, there are two manufacturers controlling a majority of the market. In the event that it were to become more expensive for us to procure containers in China because of further consolidation among container suppliers, a dispute with one of our manufacturers, increased tariffs imposed by the United States or other governments or for any other reason, we would have to seek alternative sources of supply. We may not be able to make alternative arrangements quickly enough to meet our equipment needs, and the alternative arrangements may increase our costs.
We may incur significant costs associated with relocation of leased equipment.
When lessees return equipment to locations where supply exceeds demand, we routinely reposition containers to higher demand areas. Positioning expenses vary depending on geographic location, distance, freight rates and other factors. Positioning expenses can be significant if a large portion of our containers are returned to locations with weak demand. For example, prior to the Asia crisis of the late 1990's containerized trade was relatively evenly balanced globally, and as a result, many of our lease contracts provided extensive drop-off flexibility in North America and Europe. However, global containerized trade patterns changed dramatically in the aftermath of the Asia crisis, and demand for leased containers in North America and Europe substantially decreased. We incurred significant positioning expenses from 2000-2003 to shift our inventory of containers from North America and Europe to Asia.
We currently seek to limit the number of containers that can be returned to areas where demand for such containers is not expected to be strong. However, future market conditions may not enable us to continue such practices. In addition, we may not be successful in accurately anticipating which port locations will be characterized by weak or strong demand in the future, and our current contracts will not provide much protection against positioning costs if ports that we expect to be strong demand ports turn out to be surplus container ports at the time leases expire. In particular, we could incur significant positioning costs in the future if trade flows change from net exports to net imports in locations such as the main ports in China that we currently consider to be high demand locations and where our leases typically allow large numbers of containers to be returned to us.
Sustained Asian economic, social or political instability could reduce demand for leasing.
Many of the shipping lines to which we lease containers are entities domiciled in Asian countries. In addition, many of our customers are substantially dependent upon shipments of goods exported from Asia. From time to time, there have been economic disruptions, financial turmoil and political instability in this region. If these events were to occur in the future, they could adversely affect these customers and lead to reduced demand for leasing of our containers or otherwise adversely affect us.
It may become more expensive for us to store our off-hire containers.
We are dependent on third party depot operators to repair and store our equipment in port areas throughout the world. In many locations the land occupied by these depots is increasingly being considered as prime real estate. Accordingly, local communities are considering increasing restrictions on the depot operations which would increase their costs and in some cases force depots to relocate to sites further from the port areas. If these changes affect a large number of our depots it could significantly increase the cost of maintaining and storing our off-hire containers.
We rely on our information technology systems to conduct our business. If these systems fail to adequately perform their functions, or if we experience an interruption in their operation, our business and financial results could be adversely affected.
The efficient operation of our business is highly dependent on two of our information technology systems: our equipment tracking and billing system and our customer interface system. For example, these systems allow customers to place pick-up and drop-off orders on the Internet, view current inventory and check contractual terms in effect with respect to any given container lease agreement. We correspondingly rely on such information systems to track transactions, such as container pick-ups and drop-offs, repairs, and to bill our customers for the use and damage to our equipment. We also use the information provided by these systems in our day-to-day business decisions in order to effectively manage our lease portfolio and improve customer service. The failure of these systems to perform as we anticipate could limit our ability to bill customers for the use of our containers, disrupt our business and cause our relationships with our customers to suffer. In addition, our information technology systems are vulnerable to damage or interruption from circumstances beyond our control, including fire, natural
disasters, power loss and computer systems failures and viruses. Any such interruption could have a material adverse effect on our business.
A number of key personnel are critical to the success of our business.
Most of our senior executives and other management level employees have been with us for over ten years and have significant industry experience. We rely on this knowledge and experience in our strategic planning and in our day-to-day business operations. Our success depends in large part upon our ability to retain our senior management, the loss of one or more of whom could have a material adverse effect on our business. Our success also depends on our ability to retain our experienced sales force and technical personnel as well as recruiting new skilled sales, marketing and technical personnel. Competition for experienced managers in our industry can be intense and we may not be able to successfully recruit, train or retain qualified personnel. If we fail to retain and recruit the necessary personnel, our business and our ability to retain customers and provide acceptable levels of customer service could suffer.
The international nature of the container industry exposes us to numerous risks.
We are subject to risks inherent in conducting business across national boundaries, any one of which could adversely impact our business. These risks include:
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regional or local economic downturns;
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changes in governmental policy or regulation;
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restrictions on the transfer of funds into or out of countries in which we operate;
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compliance with U.S. Treasury sanctions regulations restricting doing business with certain nations or specially designated nationals;
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import and export duties and quotas;
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domestic and foreign customs and tariffs;
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international incidents;
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military outbreaks;
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government instability;
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nationalization of foreign assets;
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government protectionism;
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compliance with export controls, including those of the U.S. Department of Commerce;
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compliance with import procedures and controls, including those of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security;
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potentially negative consequences from changes in tax laws;
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requirements relating to withholding taxes on remittances and other payments by subsidiaries;
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labor or other disruptions at key ports;
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difficulty in staffing and managing widespread operations; and
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restrictions on our ability to own or operate subsidiaries, make investments or acquire new businesses in these jurisdictions.
Any one or more of these factors could impair our current or future international operations and, as a result, harm our overall business.
The lack of an international title registry for containers increases the risk of ownership disputes.
There is no internationally recognized system of recordation or filing to evidence our title to containers nor is there an internationally recognized system for filing security interests in containers. Although this has not occurred to date, the lack of a title recordation system with respect to containers could result in disputes with lessees, end-users, or third parties who may improperly claim ownership of the containers.
Certain liens may arise on our containers.
Depot operators, repairmen and transporters may come into possession of our containers from time to time and have sums due to them from the lessees or sublessees of the containers. In the event of nonpayment of those charges by the lessees or sublessees, we may be delayed in, or entirely barred from, repossessing the containers, or be required to make payments or incur expenses to discharge such liens on the containers.
We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and any determination that we violated this act may affect our business and operations adversely.
As a U.S. corporation, we are subject to the regulations imposed by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which generally prohibits U.S. companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. Any determination that we have violated the FCPA could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We are subject to U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. Treasury Sanctions Regulations regarding doing business in or with certain nations and specially designated nationals (SDNs).
As a U.S. corporation, we are subject to U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. Treasury sanctions regulations restricting or prohibiting business dealings in or with certain nations and with certain SDNs (individuals and legal entities). Any determination that we have violated such Executive Orders and U.S. Treasury sanctions regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We may incur increased costs associated with the implementation of new security regulations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We may be subject to regulations promulgated in various countries, including the United States, seeking to protect the integrity of international commerce and prevent the use of containers for international terrorism or other illicit activities. For example, the Container Safety Initiative, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and Operation Safe Commerce are among the programs administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that are designed to enhance security for cargo moving throughout the international transportation system by identifying existing vulnerabilities in the supply chain and developing improved methods for ensuring the security of containerized cargo entering and leaving the United States. Moreover, the International Convention for Safe Containers, 1972 (CSC), as amended, adopted by the International Maritime Organization, applies to containers and seeks to maintain a high level of safety of human life in the transport and handling of containers by providing uniform international safety regulations. As these regulations develop and change, we may incur increased compliance costs due to the acquisition of new, compliant containers and/or the adaptation of existing containers to meet any new requirements imposed by such regulations. Additionally, certain companies are currently developing or may in the future develop products designed to enhance the security of containers transported in international commerce. Regardless of the existence of current or future government regulations mandating the safety standards of intermodal shipping containers, our competitors may adopt such products or our customers may require that we adopt such products in the conduct of our container leasing business. In responding to such market pressures, we may incur increased costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Terrorist attacks could negatively impact our operations and our profitability and may expose us to liability and reputational damage.
Terrorist attacks may negatively affect our operations. Such attacks have contributed to economic instability in the United States and elsewhere, and further acts of terrorism, violence or war could similarly affect world trade and the industries in which we and our customers operate. In addition, terrorist attacks or hostilities may directly impact ports our containers come in and out of, depots, our physical facilities or those of our suppliers or customers and could impact our sales and our supply chain. A severe disruption to the worldwide ports system and flow of goods could result in a reduction in the level of international trade and lower demand for our containers. The consequences of any terrorist attacks or hostilities are
unpredictable, and we may not be able to foresee events that could have an adverse effect on our operations.
It is also possible that one of our containers could be involved in a terrorist attack. Although our lease agreements require our lessees to indemnify us against all damages arising out of the use of our containers, and we carry insurance to potentially offset any costs in the event that our customer indemnifications prove to be insufficient, our insurance does not cover certain types of terrorist attacks, and we may not be fully protected from liability or the reputational damage that could arise from a terrorist attack which utilizes one of our containers.
Environmental liability may adversely affect our business and financial situation.
We are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing the discharge of pollutants to air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes and the cleanup of contaminated sites. We could incur substantial costs, including cleanup costs, fines and third-party claims for property damage and personal injury, as a result of violations of or liabilities under environmental laws and regulations in connection with our current or historical operations. Under some environmental laws in the United States and certain other countries, the owner of a leased container may be liable for environmental damage, cleanup or other costs in the event of a spill or discharge of material from a container without regard to the owner's fault. We have not yet experienced any such claims, although we cannot assure you that we will not be subject to such claims in the future. Liability insurance policies, including ours, usually exclude claims for environmental damage. Some of our lessees may have separate insurance coverage for environmental damage, but we cannot assure you that any such policies would cover or otherwise offset any liability we may have as the owner of a leased container. Our standard master tank container lease agreement insurance clause requires our tank container lessees to provide pollution liability insurance. Such insurance or indemnities may not fully protect us against damages arising from environmental damage.
Adverse changes in U.S. tax rules or a reduction in our level of investment and growth could negatively impact our income tax provision or future cash tax payments.
While we record a tax provision in our financial statements, we currently do not pay any meaningful income taxes primarily due to the benefit we receive from accelerated tax depreciation on our container investments. A change in the rules governing the tax depreciation for our containers, in particular, a change that increases the period over which we can depreciate our containers for tax purposes, could reduce or eliminate this tax benefit and significantly increase our cash tax payments.
In addition, even under current tax rules, we need to make substantial, ongoing investments in new containers in order to continue to benefit from the tax deferral generated by accelerated tax depreciation. If our investment level slows due to a decrease in the growth rate of world trade, decisions by our customers to buy more of their containers, a loss of market share to one or more of our peers, or for any other reason, the favorable tax treatment from accelerated tax depreciation would diminish, and we could face significantly increased cash tax payments.
Also, our net deferred tax liability balance includes a deferred tax asset for U.S. federal and various states resulting from net operating loss carryforwards. A reduction to our future earnings, which will lower taxable income, may require us to record a charge against earnings in the form of a valuation allowance, if it is determined that it is more-likely-than-not that some or all of the loss carryforwards will not be realized.
Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates could reduce our profitability.
The majority of our revenues and costs are billed in U.S. dollars. Most of our non-U.S. dollar transactions are individually of small amounts and in various denominations and thus are not suitable for cost-effective hedging. In addition, almost all of our container purchases are paid for in U.S. dollars.
Our operations and used container sales in locations outside of the U.S. have some exposure to foreign currency fluctuations, and trade growth and the direction of trade flows can be influenced by large changes in relative currency values. Adverse or large exchange rate fluctuations may negatively affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Most of our equipment fleet is manufactured in China. Although the purchase price is in U.S. dollars, our manufacturers pay labor and other costs in the local currency, the Chinese Yuan. To the extent that our manufacturers' costs increase due to changes in the valuation of the Chinese Yuan, the dollar price we pay for equipment could be affected.
Increases in the cost of or the lack of availability of insurance could increase our risk exposure and reduce our profitability.
Our lessees and depots are required to maintain all risks physical damage insurance, comprehensive general liability insurance and to indemnify us against loss. We also maintain our own contingent liability insurance and off-hire physical damage insurance. Nevertheless, lessees' and depots' insurance or indemnities and our insurance may not fully protect us. The cost of such insurance may increase or become prohibitively expensive for us and our customers and such insurance may not continue to be available.
We also maintain director and officer liability insurance. Potential new accounting standards and new corporate governance regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to incur substantial costs to maintain increased levels of coverage or it may not continue to be available.
We currently maintain credit insurance that in certain circumstances covers losses and costs incurred due to defaults by our lessees. However, this insurance has significant deductibles, exclusions, payment and other limitations, and therefore may not protect us from losses arising from customer defaults. We typically need to renew these insurance policies on an annual basis, and the cost of such insurance may increase or become prohibitively expensive for us and our customers and such insurance may not continue to be available.
The price of our common stock may be highly volatile and may decline regardless of our operating performance.
The trading price of our common shares is likely to be subject to wide fluctuations. Factors affecting the trading price of our common shares may include:
•
variations in our financial results;
•
changes in financial estimates or investment recommendations by securities analysts following our business;
•
the public's response to our press releases, other public announcements and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission;
•
changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance or interpretations or principles;
•
future sales of common stock by us and our directors, officers and significant stockholders;
•
announcements of technological innovations or enhanced or new products by us or our competitors;
•
our failure to achieve operating results consistent with securities analysts' projections;
•
the operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors may deem comparable to us;
•
changes in our dividend policy;
•
fluctuations in the worldwide equity markets;
•
recruitment or departure of key personnel;
•
our failure to timely address changing customer preferences;
•
broad market and industry factors; and
•
other events or factors, including those resulting from war, incidents of terrorism or responses to such events.
In addition, if the market for intermodal equipment leasing company stocks or the stock market in general experiences a loss of investor confidence, the trading price of our common shares could decline for reasons unrelated to our business or financial results. The trading price of our common shares might also decline in reaction to events that affect other companies in our industry even if these events do not directly affect us.
If securities analysts do not publish research or reports about our business or if they downgrade our stock, the price of our stock could decline.
The trading market for our common shares relies in part on the research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us or our business or our industry. We have no influence or control over these analysts. Furthermore, if one or more of the analysts who do cover us downgrades our stock, the price of our stock could decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our company, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price to decline.
Our failure to comply with required public company corporate governance and financial reporting practices and regulations could materially and adversely impact our financial condition, operating results and the price of our common stock. Further, our internal controls over financial reporting may not detect all errors or omissions in the financial statements.
We are subject to meet the regulatory compliance and reporting requirements applicable to us as a public company, including those issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange. Failure to meeting these requirements may lead to adverse regulatory consequences, and could lead to a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of confidence in the reliability of our financial statements. If we fail to maintain effective controls and procedures, we may be unable to provide the required financial information in a timely and reliable manner or otherwise comply with the standards applicable to us as a public company. Any failure by us to timely provide the required financial information could materially and adversely impact our financial condition and the market value of our common shares. Furthermore, testing and maintaining internal controls can divert our management’s attention from other matters that are important to our business.
The Sarbanes Oxley Act requires that we maintain effective internal controls for financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. If we do not maintain compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act, or if we or our independent registered public accounting firm identify deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, we could suffer a loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which could cause the market price of our stock to decline. We can also be subject to sanctions or investigations by the New York Stock Exchange, the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory authorities for failure to comply with public company corporate governance and financial reporting practices and regulations.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act requires an annual management assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting and a report by our independent registered public accounting firm. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of internal controls over financial accounting, we may not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with the Sarbanes Oxley Act and related regulations. Although our management has concluded that adequate internal control procedures are currently in place, no system of internal controls can provide absolute assurance that the financial statements are accurate and free of material errors. As a result, the risk exists that our internal controls may not detect all errors or omissions in the financial statements.
We may decide to pursue acquisitions and joint ventures that may present unforeseen integration obstacles or costs.
We may selectively pursue acquisitions and joint ventures, which could involve a number of risks and present financial, managerial and operational challenges, including:
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dilution of shareholders' ownership interest of TAL if new shares are issued to fund an acquisition;
•
potential disruption of our ongoing business and distraction of management;
•
difficulty with integration of personnel and financial and other systems;
•
hiring additional management and other critical personnel; and
•
increasing the scope, geographic diversity and complexity of our operations.
In addition, we may encounter unforeseen obstacles or costs in the integration of acquired businesses. Also, the presence of one or more material liabilities of an acquired company that are unknown to us at the time of acquisition may have a material adverse effect on our business. Our acquisition and joint venture strategy may not be successfully received by customers, and we may not realize any anticipated benefits from acquisitions or joint ventures.
ITEM 1B.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None
ITEM 2.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Office Locations. As of December 31, 2014, our employees are located in 17 offices in 11 different countries. We have 6 offices in the U.S. including our headquarters in Purchase, New York. We have 11 offices outside the U.S. We lease all of our office space.
ITEM 3.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
From time to time we are a party to litigation matters arising in connection with the normal course of our business. While we cannot predict the outcome of these matters, in the opinion of our management, any liability arising from these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our business. Nevertheless, unexpected adverse future events, such as an unforeseen development in our existing proceedings, a significant increase in the number of new cases or changes in our current insurance arrangements could result in liabilities that have a material adverse impact on our business.
ITEM 4.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II
ITEM 5.
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS, AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Our common stock has been traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TAL" since October 12, 2005. Prior to that time, there was no public market for our common stock.
The following table reflects the range of high and low sales prices, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange, for our common stock in each quarter of the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.
On February 12, 2015, the closing price of our common stock was $40.63, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange. On that date, there were approximately 48 holders of record of our common stock and approximately 37,144 beneficial holders, based on information obtained from our transfer agent.
PERFORMANCE GRAPH
The graph below compares our cumulative shareholder returns with the S&P 500 Stock Index and the Russell 2000 Stock Index for the five years ended December 31, 2014. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our common stock, the S&P 500 Stock Index and the Russell 2000 Stock Index was $100 as of December 31, 2009, and that all dividends were reinvested.
Comparison of Cumulative Total Return
Five Years Ended December 31, 2014
Dividends
We paid the following quarterly dividends during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 on our issued and outstanding common stock:
Historically, most of our dividends have been treated as a return of capital, and we believe that 100% our dividends paid in 2014 will also be treated as a return of capital to TAL shareholders. The taxability of the dividends to TAL shareholders does not impact TAL's corporate tax position. Investors should consult with a tax advisor to determine the proper tax treatment of these distributions.
Stock Repurchase Program
On March 13, 2006, our Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program for the repurchase of our common stock. The stock repurchase program, as now amended, authorizes us to repurchase up to 4.0 million shares of our common stock. Since September 1, 2014, TAL repurchased 900,000 shares of its stock at an average price of $41.95. As of February 10, 2015, there were 88,157 shares authorized for purchase under TAL's stock repurchase program.
On February 11, 2015, TAL's Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program of up to 3.0 million of its outstanding shares. These shares augment the remaining 88,157 shares authorized for purchase under TAL's existing stock repurchase program. Repurchases will be made from time to time at TAL's discretion, based on ongoing assessments of the capital needs of the business, the market price of TAL's common stock and general market and other conditions. No time limit was set for the completion of the repurchase program.
Stock repurchases under this program may be made through open market and/or privately negotiated transactions at such times and in such amounts as a committee of our Board of Directors deems appropriate. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, restrictions regarding a repurchase program included in our credit facilities and other market conditions. The stock repurchase program does not have an expiration date and may be limited or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time without prior notice.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds From Registered Securities
None.
ITEM 6.
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
The following table sets forth certain selected historical financial, operating and other data of TAL International Group, Inc. The selected historical consolidated statements of income data, balance sheet data and other financial data for each of the five years ended December 31, 2014 were derived from the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and related notes. The data below should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified by reference to, our Management's Discussion and Analysis and our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained elsewhere in this report. The historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in any future period.
_____________________
(1)
Depreciation expense was reduced by $5.2 million ($3.4 million after tax or $0.10 per diluted share) beginning October 1, 2012 and by $5.5 million ($3.6 million after tax or $0.12 per diluted share) beginning October 1, 2010 as the result of the increase in residual value estimates included in the Company's depreciation policy (see Note 2 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements).
(2)
Net losses and gains on interest rate swaps are primarily due to changes in interest rates, and reflect changes in the fair value of interest rate swaps not designated as cash flow hedges.
____________________
(1)
Includes both owned and managed units, as well as units on finance leases.
(2)
Calculated as of the end of the relevant period.
(3)
The Company has included total fleet count information based on cost equivalent units (CEU). CEU is a ratio used to convert the actual number of containers in the Company's fleet to a figure based on the relative purchase price of various equipment types to that of a 20 foot dry container. For example, the CEU ratio for a 40 foot standard height dry container is 1.6, and a 40 foot high cube refrigerated container is 10.0. These CEU ratios are from the Company's debt agreements and may differ slightly from CEU ratios used by others in the industry.
(4)
Average utilization is computed by dividing total units on lease (in CEU) by the total units in the Company's fleet (in CEU) excluding new units not yet leased and off-hire units designated for sale.
ITEM 7.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The statements in this discussion regarding industry outlook, our expectations regarding our future performance, liquidity and capital resources and other non-historical statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" as discussed elsewhere in this Form 10-K. Our actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by any forward-looking statements.
Our Company
We are one of the world's largest and oldest lessors of intermodal containers and chassis. Intermodal containers are large, standardized steel boxes used to transport freight by ship, rail or truck. Because of the handling efficiencies they provide, intermodal containers are the primary means by which many goods and materials are shipped internationally. Chassis are used for the transportation of containers domestically.
We operate our business in one industry, intermodal transportation equipment, and have two business segments:
•
Equipment leasing-we own, lease and ultimately dispose of containers and chassis from our lease fleet, as well as manage containers owned by third parties.
•
Equipment trading-we purchase containers from shipping line customers, and other sellers of containers, and resell these containers to container retailers and users of containers for storage or one-way shipment.
Operations
Our consolidated operations include the acquisition, leasing, re-leasing and subsequent sale of multiple types of intermodal containers and chassis. As of December 31, 2014, our total fleet consisted of 1,371,743 containers and chassis, including 16,378 containers under management for third parties, representing 2,249,619 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). We have an extensive global presence, offering leasing services through 17 offices in 11 countries and approximately 230 third party container depot facilities in approximately 40 countries as of December 31, 2014. Our customers are among the largest shipping lines in the world. For the year ended December 31, 2014, our twenty largest customers accounted for 81% of our leasing revenues, our five largest customers accounted for 52% of our leasing revenues, and our largest customer, CMA CGM, accounted for 16% of our leasing revenues.
The following tables provide the composition of our equipment fleet as of the dates indicated (in units, TEU and cost-equivalent units, or "CEU"):
In the equipment fleet tables above, we have included total fleet count information based on CEU. CEU is a ratio used to convert the actual number of containers in our fleet to a figure based on the relative purchase prices of our various equipment types to that of a 20 foot dry container. For example, the CEU ratio for a 40 foot standard height dry container is 1.6, and a 40 foot high cube refrigerated container is 10.0. The CEU ratios used in this calculation are from our debt agreements and may differ slightly from CEU ratios used by others in the industry.
We lease five types of equipment: (1) dry freight containers, which are used for general cargo such as manufactured component parts, consumer staples, electronics and apparel, (2) refrigerated containers, which are used for perishable items such as fresh and frozen foods, (3) special containers, which are used for heavy and over-sized cargo such as marble slabs, building products and machinery, (4) tank containers, which are used to transport bulk liquid products such as chemicals, and (5) chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers domestically. Our in-house equipment sales group manages the
sale process for our used containers and chassis from our equipment leasing fleet and buys and sells used and new containers and chassis acquired from third parties.
The percentage of our equipment fleet by equipment type as of December 31, 2014 and the percentage of our leasing revenues by equipment type for the year ended December 31, 2014 are as follows:
We generally lease our equipment on a per diem basis to our customers under three types of leases: long-term leases, finance leases and service leases. Long-term leases, typically with initial contractual terms ranging from three to eight years, provide us with stable cash flow and low transaction costs by requiring customers to maintain specific units on-hire for the duration of the lease. Finance leases, which are typically structured as full payout leases, provide for a predictable recurring revenue stream with the lowest cost to the customer because customers are generally required to retain the equipment for the duration of its useful life. Service leases command a premium per diem rate in exchange for providing customers with a greater level of operational flexibility by allowing the pick-up and drop-off of units during the lease term. We also have expired long-term leases whose fixed terms have ended but for which the related units remain on-hire and for which we continue to receive rental payments pursuant to the terms of the initial contract. Some leases have contractual terms that have features reflective of both long-term and service leases and we classify such leases as either long-term or service leases, depending upon which features we believe are predominant.
The following table provides a summary of our equipment leasing fleet portfolio by lease type, based on CEU as of the dates indicated below:
As of December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, our long-term and finance leases combined had average remaining contractual term of approximately 41 months, 44 months, and 43 months, respectively, assuming no leases are renewed.
Operating Performance
Our profitability is primarily determined by the extent to which our leasing and other revenues exceed our ownership, operating and administrative expenses. Our profitability is also impacted by the gains or losses that we realize on the sale of our used equipment and the net sales margins on our equipment trading activities.
Our leasing revenues are primarily driven by the size of our owned fleet, our equipment utilization and the average lease rates in our lease portfolio. Our leasing revenues also include ancillary fees driven by container pick-up and drop-off volumes. Leasing revenues for the year ended December 31, 2014 increased 4.2% from 2013.
Owned fleet size. As of December 31, 2014, our owned fleet included 2,752,948 CEU, an increase of 5.5% from December 31, 2013. The increase in our fleet size in 2014 was primarily due to our purchases of new containers and the completion of several large sale-leaseback transactions. In 2014, we invested approximately $638 million in our fleet, purchasing approximately 231,000 TEU of new containers and approximately 71,000 TEU of used containers through sale-leaseback transactions.
These investments in our fleet were supported by solid leasing demand. In 2014, leasing demand was supported by improved trade growth and the continued market share shift from owned to leased containers. Global trade growth was estimated to be between 5% and 6% in 2014 and our customers have continued to lease a larger than normal share of their new container requirements due to strains on their financial performance created by excess vessel capacity and weak freight weights.
Utilization. Our average utilization was 97.6% during 2014, up slightly from 97.4% in 2013, and our ending utilization was 98.1%, up from 97.2% at the end of 2013. Our high utilization in 2014 was supported by a relatively tight supply/demand balance for containers and the high percentage of our units that are on-hire to customers on long-term or finance leases. In general, we expect our utilization will remain historically high in 2015.
The following tables set forth our equipment fleet utilization (1) for the periods indicated below:
_______________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Utilization is computed by dividing our total units on lease (in CEU) by the total units in our fleet (in CEU) excluding new units not yet leased and off-hire units designated for sale.
Average lease rates. Average lease rates for our dry container product line decreased by 4.9% in 2014 compared to 2013. Excluding the impact of sale-leaseback transactions, average lease rates for our dry container product line decreased by 5.8% in 2014 compared to 2013. Lower new container prices, widespread availability of attractively priced financing, and aggressive competition for new leasing transactions continue to pressure market lease rates, and market lease rates for dry containers are currently well below our portfolio average. Low market lease rates negatively impact our overall average lease rates as we add new containers to our fleet and as existing containers either have leases renegotiated and re-priced at expiration or as the containers are dropped-off from older leases with higher lease rates and picked-up onto new leases with lower lease rates. We expect our average dry container lease rates will decrease in 2015 and if market lease rates remain near their current low level for an extended period of time, we expect the decrease in our average dry container lease rates will accelerate in 2016 and 2017 due to the large number of leases with high lease rates that are scheduled to expire in those years.
Average lease rates for refrigerated containers decreased by 4.2% in 2014 compared to 2013. For several years our average lease rates for refrigerated containers have been negatively impacted by the addition of new refrigerated containers placed on lease at rates lower than our portfolio average. The cost of the refrigeration machines included in refrigerated containers has trended down over the last few years, which has led to lower refrigerated container prices and lease rates. Lease rates for new refrigerated containers are also being negatively impacted by aggressive pricing from new entrants seeking to build market share and the widespread availability of attractively priced financing and aggressive competition.
The average lease rates for special containers were approximately 4.3% higher in 2014 than in 2013. Excluding the impact of sale-leaseback transactions, average special container rates were 3.4% higher in 2014 compared to 2013. This increase is mainly the result of the drop-off and sale of older special containers that were on leases with rates well below our portfolio average.
Equipment disposals. During 2014, we recognized a $7.0 million gain on the sale of our used containers compared to a gain of $26.8 million in 2013. During 2014, our gain on sale decreased primarily due to lower average sale prices. Average used container selling prices in 2014 decreased approximately 23% from our average prices in 2013 as leasing companies and shipping lines have increased disposal volumes in response to the lower cost of new containers and the gradual normalization of the global container supply / demand balance. We expect used container selling prices and our disposal gains will continue to trend down toward historical levels as the global supply and demand balance for containers continues to normalize.
Our gain on equipment disposals has also continued to be negatively impacted by the low disposal volume of original TAL dry containers and by high purchase prices paid for sale-leaseback containers. In general, used dry container sale prices remain above our long-term estimated residual values, and the per unit gains on the disposal of original TAL dry containers remain relatively high. However, TAL purchased few new containers in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, and as a result, we have a limited amount of original TAL dry containers currently available for sale.
TAL has been supplementing its reduced sale volume of original TAL containers with older containers purchased from our customers through sale-leaseback transactions. These containers have generally been purchased for prices higher than the net book value of original TAL containers of similar ages. The higher purchase prices are supported by leasing revenues received by TAL under the terms of the sale-leaseback agreements, and these sale-leaseback transactions remain profitable on an overall basis. However, TAL has started to recognize losses on the disposal of a portion of our sale-leaseback containers due to the current reduction in sale prices for used containers and the fact that lease revenue and fees are excluded from the gain or loss calculations upon disposal.
Equipment ownership expenses. Our ownership expenses, which consist of depreciation and interest expense, increased by $17.3 million or 5.5% in 2014 as compared to 2013. The increase in ownership expenses was less than the increase in the net book value of our average revenue earning assets, which increased 7.0% from 2013 to 2014.
Depreciation expense increased $19.7 million or 9.6% in 2014 as compared to 2013 due to the net increase in the size of our depreciable fleet. Depreciation expense increased faster than our revenue earning assets mainly reflecting a decrease in the portion of our fleet that is fully depreciated. TAL purchased few new containers in the late 1990's and early 2000's, and as a result, we have relatively few original TAL containers reaching the end of their depreciable lives. We expect the portion of fully depreciated containers in our fleet will continue to trend down for the next several years.
Interest expense decreased $2.4 million or 2.1% in 2014 as compared to 2013. The decrease was due to a decrease in our average effective interest rate, partially offset by an increase in our average outstanding debt mainly due to new equipment purchases. Our average effective interest rate decreased to 3.69% in 2014 as compared to 4.01% in 2013 as the result of new debt issuances at interest rates lower than those on our existing debt facilities. Our average outstanding debt increased by 6.1% mainly due to the 7.0% increase in average revenue earning assets.
Credit performance. We recorded a $0.2 million provision for doubtful accounts during 2014, compared to a provision of $2.8 million in 2013. The provision in 2013 was related to payment defaults and equipment recovery costs for a few small
regional shipping line customers. While our credit performance during 2014 was strong, our overall concern about credit risk remains heightened due to the difficult market conditions facing our customers. Many of the major shipping lines have reported modest or negative profitability over the last few years due to persistent excess vessel capacity and weak freight rates. Several shipping lines are also currently undertaking significant financial restructurings due to high current financial leverage and ongoing sizable losses. In addition, it is anticipated that the volume of new vessels entering service over the next several years will cause the global container vessel fleet to grow at a higher rate than global containerized trade. As a result, we expect freight rates and our customers' financial performance to remain under pressure.
Operating expenses. Our direct operating expenses were $33.1 million in 2014, compared to $27.1 million in 2013, an increase of 22.1% . This increase was mainly due to an increase in the volume of pick-up and drop-off activity and an increase in the number of containers we are holding for sale.
Administrative expenses. Our administrative expenses were $45.4 million in 2014 compared to $44.2 million in 2013, an increase of 2.7%. The increase was mainly due to an increase in employment costs and foreign exchange losses on our Euro and GBP denominated assets.
Dividends
We paid the following quarterly dividends during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 on our issued and outstanding common stock:
Historically, most of our dividends have been treated as a non-taxable return of capital, and we believe that our dividends paid in 2014 will also be treated as a return of capital to TAL shareholders. The taxability of the dividends to TAL shareholders does not impact TAL's corporate tax position. Investors should consult with a tax adviser to determine the proper tax treatment of these distributions.
Stock Repurchase Program
On March 13, 2006, our Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program for the repurchase of our common stock. The stock repurchase program, as now amended, authorizes us to repurchase up to 4.0 million shares of our common stock. Since September 1, 2014, TAL repurchased 900,000 shares of its stock at an average price of $41.95. As of February 10, 2015, there were 88,157 shares authorized for purchase under TAL's stock repurchase program.
On February 11, 2015, TAL's Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program of up to 3.0 million of its outstanding shares. These shares augment the remaining 88,157 shares authorized for purchase under TAL's existing stock repurchase program. Repurchases will be made from time to time at TAL's discretion, based on ongoing assessments of the capital needs of the business, the market price of TAL's common stock and general market and other conditions. No time limit was set for the completion of the repurchase program.
Stock repurchases under this program may be made through open market and/or privately negotiated transactions at such times and in such amounts as a committee of our Board of Directors deems appropriate. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, restrictions regarding a repurchase program included in our credit facilities and other market conditions. The stock repurchase program does not have an expiration date and may be limited or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time without prior notice.
Results of Operations
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012 (in thousands of dollars):
Comparison of Year Ended December 31, 2014 to Year Ended December 31, 2013
Leasing revenues. The principal components of our leasing revenues are presented in the following table. Per diem revenue represents revenue earned under operating lease contracts; fee and ancillary lease revenue represent fees billed for the pick-up and drop-off of containers in certain geographic locations and billings of certain reimbursable operating costs such as repair and handling expenses; and finance lease revenue represents interest income earned under finance lease contracts.
Total leasing revenues were $594.0 million in 2014, compared to $569.9 million in 2013, an increase of $24.1 million, or 4.2%.
Per diem revenue increased by $17.1 million, or 3.2%, compared to 2013. The primary reasons for this increase are as follows:
•
$37.6 million increase due to an increase of approximately 156,300 CEU in the average number of units on-hire under operating leases; partially offset by a
•
$20.5 million decrease due to lower average per diem rates.
Fee and ancillary lease revenue increased by $4.1 million in 2014, compared to 2013 primarily due to a $3.2 million increase in reimbursable costs and an increase of $1.1 million in fee revenue due to higher pick-up and drop-off volumes.
Finance lease revenue increased by $3.6 million in 2014, compared to 2013 due to an increase in the average size of our finance lease portfolio, partially offset by a decrease in the average interest rate.
Equipment Trading Activities. Equipment trading revenues represent the proceeds on the sale of equipment purchased for resale. Equipment trading expenses represent the cost of equipment sold, including costs associated with the acquisition, maintenance and selling of trading inventory, such as positioning, repairs, handling and storage costs, and estimated direct selling and administrative costs.
The equipment trading margin was $7.2 million in 2014 compared to $10.3 million in 2013, a decrease of $3.1 million. The trading margin decreased mainly due to $2.0 million due to lower per unit margins on equipment sold and decreased by $0.9 million due to lower sales volume.
Net gain on sale of leasing equipment. Gain on sale of equipment was $7.0 million in 2014 compared to $26.8 million in 2013, a decrease of $19.8 million. The primary reasons for this decrease are as follows:
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$20.1 million decrease due to a decline of approximately 23% in used dry container selling prices;
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$2.5 million decrease due to larger gains in 2013 related to units declared lost by one of our customers, which was not repeated in 2014, partially offset by a
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$2.6 million increase due to an increase in sales volume.
Depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization was $224.8 million in 2014, compared to $205.1 million in 2013, an increase of $19.7 million or 9.6%. Depreciation expense increased by $23.9 million due to the net increase in the size of our depreciable fleet, partially offset by a decrease of $4.2 million due to equipment becoming fully depreciated.
Direct operating expenses. Direct operating expenses primarily consist of our costs to repair equipment returned off lease, to store the equipment when it is not on lease and to reposition equipment that has been returned to locations with weak leasing demand.
Direct operating expenses were $33.1 million in 2014, compared to $27.1 million in 2013, an increase of $6.0 million primarily driven by the following:
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$1.8 million increase in repair expense due to a larger volume of dry containers;
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$1.8 million increase in operating, handling and repositioning expenses resulting from a larger volume of pick-up and drop-off activity;
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$1.6 million increase in storage costs due to an increase in the number of idle units, mainly an increase in the number of containers held for sale; and a
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$0.6 million increase in survey costs due to increased procurement activity.
Administrative expenses. Administrative expenses were $45.4 million in 2014 compared to $44.2 million in 2013, an increase of $1.2 million or 2.7%. This increase was mainly due to increased employment costs and greater foreign exchange losses on Euro and GBP denominated assets.
Provision for doubtful accounts. Our provision for doubtful accounts was $0.2 million in 2014 compared to a provision of $2.8 million in 2013. In 2013, we recorded a provision related to payment defaults and estimated recovery costs for several small regional shipping lines. We made no such provisions for defaults this year.
Interest and debt expense. Interest and debt expense was $109.3 million in 2014, compared to $111.7 million in 2013, a decrease of $2.4 million or 2.1%. The decrease in interest and debt expense was mainly driven by a $9.2 million decrease due to a lower average effective interest rate of 3.69% in 2014 compared to 4.01% in 2013. This was primarily offset by an increase of $6.8 million due to a higher average debt balance of $2,916.9 million in 2014, compared to $2,750.1 million in 2013.
Net loss (gain) on interest rate swaps. Net loss on interest rate swaps was $0.8 million in 2014, compared to a gain of $8.9 million in 2013. The fair value of our interest rate swap agreements decreased during 2014 due to a decrease in long-term interest rates. Under the majority of our interest rate swap agreements, we make interest payments based on fixed interest rates and receive payments based on the applicable prevailing variable interest rate. As long-term interest rates decreased during 2014, the current market rate on interest rate swap agreements with similar terms decreased relative to our existing interest rate swap agreements, which caused the fair value of our existing interest rate swap agreements to decrease. However, we designated the majority of our interest rate swaps as hedges starting in 2013, which limits the size of our recognized gains or losses on our swap portfolio as long-term interest rates change.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense was $65.5 million in 2014, compared to $77.7 million in 2013. The effective tax rate was 34.5% in 2014 and 35.2% in 2013. Our effective tax rate decreased due to changes in state apportionment factors for several states which lowered our state effective tax rate.
While we record income tax expense, we do not currently pay any significant federal, state or foreign income taxes due to the availability of net operating loss carryovers and accelerated tax depreciation for our equipment. The majority of the expense recorded for income taxes is recorded as a deferred tax liability on the balance sheet. We anticipate that the deferred income tax liability will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.
Comparison of Year Ended December 31, 2013 to Year Ended December 31, 2012
Leasing revenues. The principal components of our leasing revenues are presented in the following table. Per diem revenue represents revenue earned under operating lease contracts; fee and ancillary lease revenue represent fees billed for the pick-up and drop-off of containers in certain geographic locations and billings of certain reimbursable operating costs such as repair and handling expenses; and finance lease revenue represents interest income earned under finance lease contracts.
Total leasing revenues were $569.9 million in 2013, compared to $528.2 million in 2012, an increase of $41.7 million, or 7.9%.
Per diem revenue increased by $40.7 million, or 8.3%, compared to 2012. The primary reasons for this increase are as follows:
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$56.1 million increase due to an increase of approximately 211,400 CEU in the average number of units on-hire under operating leases; partially offset by a
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$12.2 million decrease due to lower average per diem rates; and a
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$3.3 million decrease due to the recognition of revenue during the second quarter of 2012 for the early termination of certain lease contracts, which did not reoccur in 2013.
Fee and ancillary lease revenue increased by $0.8 million in 2013 compared to 2012 due to an increase in drop-off volumes partially offset by a decrease in the average drop-off fee per unit.
Finance lease revenue increased by $0.9 million in 2013, compared to 2012 due to an increase in the average size of our finance lease portfolio, partially offset by a decrease in the average portfolio yield.
Equipment Trading Activities. Equipment trading revenues represent the proceeds on the sale of equipment purchased for resale. Equipment trading expenses represent the cost of equipment sold, including costs associated with the acquisition,
maintenance and selling of trading inventory, such as positioning, repairs, handling and storage costs, and estimated direct selling and administrative costs.
The equipment trading margin increased $2.7 million in 2013 compared to 2012 due to higher sales volumes.
Net gain on sale of leasing equipment. Gain on sale of equipment was $26.8 million in 2013 compared to $44.5 million in 2012, a decrease of $17.7 million. The primary reasons for this decrease are as follows:
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$14.7 million decrease due to a decrease in average selling prices;
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$4.9 million decrease due to lower volume of higher margin original TAL units sold. A larger portion of containers sold in 2013 were purchased through sale-leaseback transactions for values above the net book values of our typical sale age units; and
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$1.9 million increase due to larger gains resulting from payments by customers for lost units. During 2013, one of our customers declared an unusually large number of units as lost.
Depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization was $205.1 million in 2013, compared to $193.5 million in 2012, an increase of $11.6 million or 6.0%. Depreciation expense increased by $29.9 million due to the net increase in the size of our depreciable fleet, partially offset by a decrease of $4.4 million due to equipment becoming fully depreciated and a benefit of $13.8 million, resulting from the change in residual value estimates effective October 1, 2012.
Direct operating expenses. Direct operating expenses primarily consist of our costs to repair equipment returned off lease, to store the equipment when it is not on lease and to reposition equipment that has been returned to locations with weak leasing demand.
Direct operating expenses were $27.1 million in 2013, compared to $25.0 million in 2012, an increase of $2.1 million primarily driven by the following:
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$4.2 million increase in storage costs due to an increase in the number of idle units partially offset by
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$0.7 million decrease in survey and inspection expense due to lower new equipment purchases;
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$1.0 million decrease in repair expense due to a lower volume of repairs on refrigerated and special containers; and
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$0.6 million decrease in repositioning costs.
Administrative expenses. Administrative expenses were $44.2 million in 2013 compared to $44.0 million in 2012, an increase of $0.2 million or 0.5%.
Provision (reversal) for doubtful accounts. Our provision for doubtful accounts was $2.8 million in 2013 compared to a reversal of $0.2 million in 2012. During 2013, we recorded a $2.8 million provision for doubtful accounts related to payment defaults and estimated recovery costs for a few small regional shipping lines.
Interest and debt expense. Interest and debt expense was $111.7 million in 2013, compared to $114.6 million in 2012, a decrease of $2.9 million. The decrease in interest and debt expense was mainly driven by a $20.6 million decrease due to a lower average effective interest rate of 4.01% in 2013 compared to 4.75% in 2012. This was mostly offset by an increase of $18.0 million due to a higher average debt balance of $2,750.1 million in 2013, compared to $2,374.4 million in 2012.
Net (gain) loss on interest rate swaps Net gain on interest rate swaps was $8.9 million in 2013, compared to a loss of $2.5 million in 2012. The fair value of our interest rate swap agreements increased during 2013 due to an increase in long-term interest rates. Under the majority of our interest rate swap agreements, we make interest payments based on fixed interest rates and receive payments based on the applicable prevailing variable interest rate. As long term-interest rates increased during 2013, the current market rate on interest rate swap agreements with similar terms increased relative to our existing interest rate swap agreements, which caused the fair value of our existing interest rate swap agreements to increase.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense was $77.7 million in 2013, compared to $70.7 million in 2012. The effective tax rate for 2013 and 2012 was 35.2%.
While we record income tax expense, we do not currently pay any significant federal, state or foreign income taxes due to the availability of net operating loss carryovers and accelerated tax depreciation for our equipment. The majority of the expense recorded for income taxes is recorded as a deferred tax liability on the balance sheet. We anticipate that the deferred income tax liability will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.
Business Segments
We operate our business in one industry, intermodal transportation equipment, and in two business segments, Equipment leasing and Equipment trading.
Equipment leasing
We own, lease and ultimately dispose of containers and chassis from our leasing fleet, as well as manage containers owned by third parties. Equipment leasing segment revenues represent leasing revenues from operating and finance leases, fees earned on managed container leasing activities, as well as other revenues. Expenses related to equipment leasing include direct operating expenses, administrative expenses, depreciation expense and interest expense. The Equipment leasing segment also includes gains and losses on the sale of owned leasing equipment.
Equipment trading
We purchase containers from shipping line customers and other sellers of containers, and resell these containers to container retailers and users of containers for storage or one-way shipment. Equipment trading segment revenues represent the proceeds on the sale of containers purchased for resale. Expenses related to equipment trading include the cost of containers purchased for resale that were sold and related selling costs, as well as direct operating expenses, administrative expenses and interest expense.
Segment income before income taxes
The following table lists the income before income taxes for the Equipment leasing and Equipment trading segments for the periods indicated:
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(1)
Income before income taxes excludes net losses on interest rate swaps and the write-off of deferred financing costs.
Equipment leasing income before income taxes. Income before income taxes for the Equipment leasing segment was $180.4 million in 2014 compared to $198.2 million in 2013, a decrease of $17.8 million. This decrease was mainly due to a decrease in the gain on the sale of leasing equipment of $19.8 million mostly due to lower selling prices. In addition, direct operating expenses increased $5.8 million. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in the leasing margin (leasing revenues net of depreciation and amortization and interest and debt expense) of $6.5 million due to an increase in the fleet size and average number of units on-hire and a reduction in our average effective interest rate.
Income before income taxes for the Equipment leasing segment was $198.2 million in 2013 compared to $195.2 million in 2012, an increase of $3.0 million. The leasing margin (leasing revenue net of depreciation and amortization, interest and debt expense, and direct operating expenses) increased by $24.5 million primarily due to an increase in fleet size and the average number of units on-hire in 2013 and a lower effective interest rate. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in the gain on the sale of leasing equipment of $17.7 million due to lower selling prices and a decrease in the number of original TAL units sold that have higher per unit gains, an increase in the provision for doubtful accounts of $3.0 million and a decrease in management fee income of $0.8 million.
Equipment trading income before income taxes. Income before income taxes for the Equipment trading segment was $15.1 million in 2014, compared to $17.7 million in 2013, a decrease of $2.6 million. This decrease was primarily due to a decline in the equipment trading margin due to lower per unit margins on equipment sold and lower sales volume.
Income before income taxes for the Equipment trading segment was $17.7 million in 2013, compared to $8.2 million in 2012, an increase of $9.5 million. This increase was due to a $7.1 million increase in leasing margin due to an increase in units on lease purchased for resale that will remain on leases until they are dropped off and eventually sold. In addition, equipment trading margin net of administrative expenses increased by $2.5 million resulting from an increase in sales volume partially offset by a decrease in selling prices.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our principal sources of liquidity are cash flows provided by operating activities, proceeds from the sale of our leasing equipment, principal payments on finance lease receivables and borrowings under our credit facilities. Our cash in-flows and borrowings are used to finance capital expenditures, meet debt service requirements and pay dividends.
We continue to have sizable cash in-flows. For the year ended December 31, 2014, cash provided by operating activities, together with the proceeds from the sale of our leasing equipment and principal payments on our finance leases, was $612.4 million. In addition, as of December 31, 2014 we had $79.1 million of unrestricted cash and $853.2 million of additional borrowing capacity under our current credit facilities. During 2014, we issued $795.0 million of fixed rate secured term notes under the asset backed securitization ("ABS") facilities.
As of December 31, 2014, major committed cash outflows in the next 12 months include $376.3 million of scheduled principal payments on our existing debt facilities and $257.4 million of committed but unpaid capital expenditures.
We believe that cash provided by operating activities and existing cash, proceeds from the sale of our leasing equipment, principal payments on our finance lease receivables and availability under our borrowing facilities will be sufficient to meet our obligations over the next 12 months.
At December 31, 2014, our outstanding indebtedness was comprised of the following (amounts in millions):
The maximum commitment levels depicted in the chart above may not reflect the actual availability under all of the credit facilities. Certain of these facilities are governed by borrowing bases that limit borrowing capacity to an established percentage of relevant assets.
As of December 31, 2014, we had $1,603.4 million of debt outstanding on facilities with fixed interest rates. These fixed rate facilities are scheduled to mature between 2015 and 2024, and had a weighted average effective interest rate of 3.61% as of December 31, 2014.
As of December 31, 2014, we had $1,437.4 million of debt outstanding on facilities with interest rates based on floating rate indices (primarily LIBOR). These floating rate facilities are scheduled to mature between 2016 and 2021, and had a weighted average effective interest rate of 1.72% as of December 31, 2014. Including the impact of our interest rate swaps, the weighted average effective interest rate on our floating rate facilities was 3.16% as of December 31, 2014.
We economically hedge the risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates on a portion of our floating rate borrowings by entering into interest rate swap agreements that convert a portion of our floating rate debt to a fixed rate basis, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense. As of December 31, 2014, we had interest rate swaps in place with a net notional amount of $1,135.0 million to fix the floating interest rates on a portion of our floating rate debt obligations, with a weighted average fixed leg interest rate of 2.00% and a weighted average remaining term of 7.6 years.
As of December 31, 2014, the Company had a combined $2,738.4 million of debt on facilities with fixed interest rates or floating interest rates that have been synthetically fixed through interest rate swap contracts. This accounts for 90.1% of total debt. These facilities had a weighted average remaining term of 5.7 years.
Asset Backed Securitization Term Notes
Our Asset Backed Securitization ("ABS") facilities have been the largest funding source used to finance our existing container fleet and new container purchases. Under these facilities, our indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries issue asset backed notes. The issuance of asset backed notes is the primary business objective of those subsidiaries.
Our borrowings under the ABS facilities amortize in monthly installments. The borrowing capacity under the ABS facilities is determined by applying an advance rate against the sum of the net book values of designated eligible containers and accounts receivable for sold containers not aged more than 60 days plus 100% of restricted cash. Advance rates under the ABS facilities range from 76% to 87%. We are required to maintain restricted cash balances on deposit in designated bank accounts equal to five to nine months of interest expense depending on the type of facility.
Term Loan Facilities
We utilize our term loan facilities as an important funding source for the purchase of containers and other equipment. The term loan facilities amortize in monthly or quarterly installments.
The borrowing capacity under the term loan facilities is determined by applying an advance rate in the range of 80% to 90% against the net book values of designated eligible containers, which is determined under the terms of each facility.
Asset Backed Warehouse Facility
The asset backed warehouse facility has a maximum borrowing capacity of $650.0 million. Under the amended facility effective as of October 10, 2014, funds are available on a revolving basis until October 10, 2017, after which if the facility is not refinanced, the notes will convert to term notes with a maturity date of October 10, 2021. We primarily use the proceeds of this facility to finance the acquisition of equipment.
The borrowing capacity under the asset backed warehouse facility is determined by applying the advance rate of 81% against the sum of the net book values of designated eligible containers and accounts receivable for sold containers not outstanding more than 60 days plus 100% of restricted cash. The Company is required to maintain restricted cash balances on deposit in a designated bank account equal to three months of interest expense.
Revolving Credit Facilities
We have revolving credit facilities which have a maximum borrowing capacity of $550.0 million with maturity dates on November 30, 2016 and March 12, 2018. These facilities generally provide for an advance rate against eligible assets defined by the terms of their respective agreements.
Capital Lease Obligations
We have entered into a series of lease transactions with various financial institutions to finance chassis and containers. Each lease is accounted for as a capital lease, with interest expense recognized on a level yield basis over the period preceding early purchase options, if any, which is generally five to ten years from the transaction date.
Debt Covenants
We are subject to certain financial covenants under our debt agreements. As of December 31, 2014, we were in compliance with all such covenants. Below are the primary financial covenants to which we are subject:
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Minimum Earnings Before Interest and Taxes ("Covenant EBIT") to Cash Interest Expense;
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Minimum Tangible Net Worth ("TNW"); and
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Maximum Indebtedness to TNW.
Non-GAAP Measures
We primarily rely on our results measured in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in evaluating our business. Covenant EBIT, Cash Interest Expense, TNW, and Indebtedness are non-GAAP financial measures defined in our debt agreements that are used to determine our compliance with certain covenants contained in our debt agreements and should not be used as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. However, we believe that the inclusion of this non-GAAP information provides additional information to investors regarding our debt covenant compliance.
Minimum Covenant EBIT to Cash Interest Expense
For the purpose of this covenant, Covenant EBIT is calculated based on the cumulative sum of our earnings for the last four quarters (excluding income taxes, interest expense, amortization, net gain or loss on interest rate swaps and certain non-cash charges). Cash Interest Expense is calculated based on interest expense adjusted to exclude interest income, amortization of deferred financing costs, and the difference between current and prior period interest expense accruals.
Minimum Covenant EBIT to Cash Interest Expense is calculated on a consolidated basis and for our wholly-owned special purpose entities ("SPEs"), whose primary activity is to issue asset backed notes. Covenant EBIT for each of our SPEs is calculated based on the net earnings generated by the assets pledged as collateral for the underlying debt issued. The actual Covenant EBIT to Cash Interest Expense ratio for each SPE may differ depending on the specific net earnings associated with those pledged assets. As of December 31, 2014, the minimum and actual consolidated Covenant EBIT to Cash Interest Expense ratio and Covenant EBIT to Cash Interest Expense ratio for each of the issuers of our debt facilities whose initial borrowing capacity was approximately $200 million or greater were as follows:
*Reflects the weighted average for all series of notes issued by TAL Advantage V, LLC. Each series of notes must comply separately with this covenant, and as of December 31, 2014, each series is in compliance.
Minimum TNW and Maximum Indebtedness to TNW Covenants
We are required to meet consolidated Minimum TNW and Maximum Indebtedness to TNW covenants. For the purpose of calculating these covenants, all amounts are based on the consolidated balance sheet of TAL International Group, Inc. TNW is calculated as total tangible assets less total indebtedness, which includes equipment purchases payable and, in certain cases, the fair value of derivative instruments liability.
For the majority of our debt facilities, the Minimum TNW is calculated as $321.4 million plus 50% of cumulative net income or loss since January 1, 2006, which as of December 31, 2014 was $697.9 million. As of December 31, 2014, the actual Consolidated TNW for each of our SPEs and for the $450 million revolving credit facility was $1,030.7 million. As of December 31, 2014, the maximum and actual Indebtedness to TNW ratios for each of the issuers of our debt facilities whose initial borrowing capacity was approximately $200 million or greater was as follows:
As of December 31, 2014, our outstanding debt on facilities whose initial borrowing capacity was approximately $200 million or greater was approximately $2.6 billion. Outstanding debt on the remaining facilities of $0.4 billion have various other debt covenants, all of which the Company is in compliance with as of December 31, 2014.
Failure to comply with these covenants could result in a default under the related credit agreements and/or could result in the acceleration of our outstanding debt if we were unable to obtain a waiver from the creditors.
Cash Flow
The following table sets forth certain cash flow information for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012 (in thousands):
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $32.1 million to $398.8 million in 2014, compared to $366.7 million in 2013. The majority of this increase is comprised of the following:
•Earnings excluding non-cash expenses increased by $19.7 million,
•In 2014, we paid $5.0 million to terminate certain interest rate swap agreements and replaced them with new interest rate swap contracts that have a longer duration, while in 2013, we paid $24.2 million for such terminations. This resulted in an increase in operating cash flows of $19.2 million, and
•We had fewer net purchases of equipment bought for resale in 2014, for a net increase to cash provided by operating activities of $4.5 million.
•Increase in net cash provided by operating activities was partially offset by increases in our accounts receivable and customer deferred revenue which decreased operating cash flows by $12.8 million compared to 2013. In addition, we received more cash in advance of amounts due last year than in 2014.
Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $56.5 million to $366.7 million in 2013, compared to $310.2 million in 2012 primarily due to an increase in earnings, excluding non-cash expenses. In addition, we paid $24.2 million to terminate
interest rate swap agreements in 2013, compared to paying $49.1 million for such terminations in 2012, and we had net purchases of equipment for resale of $11.2 million in 2013 versus net sales proceeds for $7.8 million in 2012.
Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities decreased by $23.0 million to $457.2 million in 2014 compared to $480.2 million in 2013 primarily due to an increase in proceeds from the sale of equipment due to higher disposal volumes and an increase in principal payment on finance leases partially offset by an increase in purchases of leasing equipment.
Net cash used in investing activities decreased by $182.7 million to $480.2 million in 2013 compared to $662.9 million in 2012 primarily due to a decrease in purchases of leasing equipment.
Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities decreased by $48.0 million to $68.6 million in 2014 compared to $116.6 million in 2013.This decrease was primarily due to purchases of treasury stock of $34.4 million, an increase in dividends paid of $6.7 million, and a net increase in restricted cash of $13.2 million in 2014 partially offset by an increase in net borrowings under our various debt facilities of $9.2 million.
Net cash provided by financing activities decreased by $161.1 million to $116.6 million in 2013 compared to $277.7 million in 2012. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in net borrowings under our various debt facilities as a result of the reduction of equipment purchases.
Contractual Obligations
We are party to various operating and capital leases and are obligated to make payments related to our long-term borrowings. We are also obligated under various commercial commitments, including obligations to our equipment manufacturers. Our equipment manufacturer obligations are in the form of conventional accounts payable, and are satisfied by cash flows from operations and long-term financing activities.
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations and commercial commitments as of December 31, 2014:
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(1)
Amounts include actual and estimated interest for floating rate debt based on December 31, 2014 rates and the net effect of our interest rate swaps.
(2)
Amounts include interest.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 2014, we did not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, which are often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We are, therefore, not exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in such relationships.
Critical Accounting Policies
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles, which require us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts and disclosures reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Our estimates are based on historical experience and currently available information. Actual results could differ from such estimates. The following paragraphs summarize our critical accounting policies. Additional accounting policies are discussed in the notes to our historical financial statements contained elsewhere in this Form 10-K.
Revenue Recognition
Operating Leases with Customers
We enter into long-term leases and service leases with ocean carriers, principally as lessor in operating leases, for marine cargo equipment. Long-term leases provide our customers with specified equipment for a specified term. Our leasing revenues are based upon the number of equipment units leased, the applicable per diem rate and the length of the lease. Long-term leases typically have initial contractual terms ranging from three to eight years. Revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the respective lease. Advance billings are deferred and recognized in the period earned. Service leases do not specify the exact number of equipment units to be leased or the term that each unit will remain on-hire, but allow the lessee to pick-up and drop-off units at various locations specified in the lease agreement. Under a service lease, rental revenue is based on the number of equipment units on-hire for a given period. Revenue for customers considered to be non-performing is deferred and recognized when the amounts are received.
In accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") Accounting Standards Codification No. 605, Revenue Recognition ("ASC 605"), we recognize billings to customers for damages and certain other operating costs as leasing revenue as it is earned based on the terms of the contractual agreements with the customer. As principal, we are responsible for fulfillment of the services, supplier selection and service specifications, and have ultimate responsibility to pay the supplier for the services whether or not it collects the amount billed to the lessee.
Finance Leases with Customers
We enter into finance leases as lessor for some of the equipment in our fleet. The net investment in finance leases represents the receivables due from lessees, net of unearned income. Unearned income is recognized on a level yield basis over the lease term and is recorded as leasing revenue. Finance leases are usually long-term in nature, typically ranging for a period of five to ten years and typically include an option to purchase the equipment at the end of the lease term for an amount determined to be a bargain.
Equipment Trading Revenues and Expenses
Equipment trading revenues represent the proceeds from the sale of equipment purchased for resale and are recognized as units are sold and delivered to the customer. The related expenses represent the cost of equipment sold as well as other selling costs that are recognized as incurred and are reflected as equipment trading expenses in the consolidated statements of income.
Leasing Equipment
In general, we purchase new equipment from equipment manufacturers for the purpose of leasing such equipment to customers. We also purchase used equipment with the intention of selling such equipment in one or more years from the date of purchase. Used units are typically purchased with an existing lease in place or were previously owned by one of our third party owner investors.
Leasing equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated to an estimated residual value on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. The estimated useful lives and residual values of our leasing equipment are based on historical disposal experience and our expectations for future used container prices. We review our depreciation policies on a regular basis to determine whether changes have taken place that would suggest that a change in depreciation policies, useful lives of equipment or the assigned residual values is warranted.
In 2012, after conducting our regular depreciation policy review, we decided to increase the estimated residual values used in our equipment depreciation policy. The new residual value estimates were put into effect beginning October 1, 2012. The estimated useful lives and residual values for the majority of our leasing equipment purchased new from the factory are as follows:
Depreciation on leasing equipment starts on the date of initial on-hire.
For leasing equipment acquired through sale-leaseback transactions, we often adjust our estimates for remaining useful life and residual values based on current conditions in the sale market for older containers and our expectations for how long the equipment will remain on-hire to the current lessee.
Costs incurred to place new equipment into service, including costs to transport the equipment to its initial on-hire location, are capitalized. We charge to expense inspection costs on new equipment and repair and maintenance costs that do not extend the lives of the assets at the time the costs are incurred, and include these costs in direct operating expenses.
If indicators of impairment are present, a determination is made as to whether the carrying value of our fleet exceeds its estimated future undiscounted cash flows. Leasing equipment is tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying amount may not be recovered. Key indicators of impairment on leasing equipment include, among other factors, a sustained decrease in operating profitability, a sustained decrease in utilization, or indications of technological obsolescence.
When testing for impairment, leasing equipment is generally grouped by equipment type, and is tested separately from other groups of assets and liabilities. Some of the significant estimates and assumptions used to determine future undiscounted cash flows and the measurement for impairment are the remaining useful life, expected utilization, expected future lease rates and expected disposal prices of the equipment. We consider the assumptions on expected utilization and the remaining useful life to have the greatest impact on our estimate of future undiscounted cash flows. These estimates are principally based on our historical experience and management's judgment of market conditions.
An allowance is recorded in the provision for doubtful accounts for equipment on lease to customers considered to be non-performing. The allowance is based on a percentage of the net book value of equipment on-hire to those customers that, based on historical experience, we believe will ultimately not be recovered.
Equipment Held for Sale
When leasing equipment is returned off lease, we make a determination of whether to repair and re-lease the equipment or sell the equipment. At the time we determine that equipment will be sold, we reclassify the appropriate amounts previously recorded as leasing equipment to equipment held for sale. In accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 360, Property, Plant and Equipment ("ASC 360"), equipment held for sale is carried at the lower of its estimated fair value, based on current transactions, less costs to sell, or carrying value; depreciation on such assets is halted and disposals generally occur within 90 days. Subsequent changes to the fair value of those assets, either increases or decreases, are recorded as adjustments to the carrying value of the equipment held for sale; however, any such adjustments may not exceed the respective equipment's carrying value at the time it was initially classified as held for sale. Initial write downs of assets held for sale are recorded as an impairment charge and are included in net gain on sale of leasing equipment. Realized gains and losses resulting from the sale of equipment held for sale are recorded as net gain on sale of leasing equipment, and cash flows associated with the disposal of equipment held for sale are classified as cash flows from investing activities.
Equipment Held for Resale-Trading Activity
On an opportunistic basis, we purchase equipment with markings or specifications different from our own equipment for purposes of reselling it for a net profit. Equipment purchased for resale is reported as equipment held for sale when the timeframe between when the equipment is purchased and when it is sold is expected to be short, generally less than one year. Cash flows associated with equipment purchased for resale having a short expected holding period are classified as cash flows from operating activities. Equipment trading revenues represent the proceeds from the sale of this equipment, while Equipment trading expenses include the cost of equipment sold, any costs to sell such equipment, including administrative costs, and costs associated with the related inventory of equipment, such as storage and handling charges.
Equipment purchased for resale is reported as leasing equipment when the timeframe between when the equipment is purchased and leased back to the seller, and when it is sold is expected to be one year or greater. Cash flows associated with equipment purchased for resale having a long expected holding period are classified as cash flows from investing activities.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Our allowance for doubtful accounts is provided based upon a review of the collectability of our receivables. This review is based on the risk profile of the receivables, credit quality indicators such as the level of past-due amounts, and economic conditions. Generally, we do not require collateral on accounts receivable balances. An account is considered past due when a payment has not been received in accordance with the contractual terms. Accounts are generally charged off after an analysis is completed which indicates that collection of the full principal balance is in doubt. Changes in economic conditions or other events may necessitate additions or deductions to the allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts is intended to provide for losses inherent in the receivables, and requires the application of estimates and judgments as to the outcome of collection efforts and the realization of collateral, among other things. We believe our allowance for doubtful accounts is adequate to provide for credit losses inherent in existing receivables. The Company does not maintain a general reserve against the possibility of lost equipment and recovery expenses for customers currently not in default.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 740, Income Taxes ("ASC 740") using the asset and liability method, which requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for expected future tax consequences of temporary differences that currently exist between the tax basis and financial reporting basis of our assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. In assessing our ability to realize deferred tax assets, we consider whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
If applicable, we accrue income tax liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions by evaluating whether the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained in an audit and measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Potential interest and penalties associated with such uncertain tax positions are recorded as a component of income tax expense.
Deferred Financing Costs
Deferred financing costs represent the fees incurred in connection with our debt obligations, and are amortized using the effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the related obligation, depending on the type of debt obligation to which they relate. Unamortized deferred financing costs are written off when the related debt obligations are refinanced or extinguished prior to maturity, and are determined to be an extinguishment of debt.
Goodwill
We account for goodwill in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other ("ASC 350"). ASC 350 requires goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives to be reviewed for impairment annually, or more frequently if circumstances indicate a possible impairment. In connection with the acquisition that occurred in 2004, we recorded $71.9 million of goodwill. Effective July 1, 2013, the Company acquired the assets and business of Martec Leasing (a worldwide supplier of rolltrailers) where we recorded $2.6 million of goodwill. Management determined that the Company has two reporting units, Equipment leasing and Equipment trading, and allocated $73.5 million and $1.0 million, respectively, to each reporting unit. We have elected to bypass the qualitative approach permitted under ASC 350 for testing goodwill for impairment, but may elect to perform the qualitative approach to test goodwill for impairment in future periods. The annual impairment test is conducted by comparing the Company's carrying amount to the fair value of the Company using a market capitalization approach. Market capitalization of the entity is compared to the carrying value of the entity since virtually all of the goodwill is allocated to, and nearly all of the market capitalization is attributable to, the Equipment leasing reporting unit. If the carrying value of the entity exceeds its market capitalization, then a second step would be performed that compares the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying amount of goodwill. The determination of the implied fair value of goodwill would require management to compare the estimated fair value of the reporting units to the estimated fair value of the assets and liabilities of the reporting units. Any excess fair value represents the implied fair value of goodwill. To the extent that the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment loss would be recorded. Our annual review of goodwill, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2014, indicated that no impairment of goodwill existed.
ITEM 7A.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Market risk represents the risk of changes in value of a financial instrument, derivative or non-derivative, caused by fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and equity prices. Changes in these factors could cause fluctuations in the results of our operations and cash flows. In the ordinary course of business, we are exposed to interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate risks.
Interest Rate Risk
We enter into interest rate swap agreements to fix the interest rates on a portion of our floating rate debt. We assess and manage the external and internal risk associated with these derivative instruments in accordance with our overall operating goals. External risk is defined as those risks outside of our direct control, including counterparty credit risk, liquidity risk, systemic risk and legal risk. Internal risk relates to those operational risks within the management oversight structure and includes actions taken in contravention of our policy.
The primary external risk of our interest rate swap agreements is counterparty credit exposure, which is defined as the ability of a counterparty to perform its financial obligations under a derivative agreement. All of our derivative agreements are with highly rated financial institutions. Credit exposures are measured based on the market value of outstanding derivative instruments. Both current and potential exposures are calculated for each derivative agreement to monitor counterparty credit exposure.
As of December 31, 2014, we had net interest rate swap agreements in place to fix interest rates on a portion of our borrowings under debt facilities with floating interest rates as summarized below:
During 2014, we designated certain interest rate swap agreements as cash flow hedges at their inception. In 2014, we recognized unrealized losses of $52.1 million, in accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income related to changes in the fair value of the designated agreements. Prior to March 2013, we typically did not apply hedge accounting for our interest rate swap agreements. Changes in the fair value of non-designated interest rate swap agreements are recognized in the consolidated statements of income as net gains or losses on interest rate swaps. We recognized net activity on interest rate swaps for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 as follows (amounts in millions):
Since 79% of our floating rate debt is hedged using interest rate swaps, our interest expense is not significantly affected by changes in interest rates. However, a 100 basis point increase in the interest rates on our floating rate debt (primarily LIBOR) would result in an increase of approximately $2.2 million in interest expense over the next 12 months.
ITEM 8.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule listed under Item 15 - Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules are filed as a part of this Item 8. Supplementary financial information may be found in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements.
ITEM 9.
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
ITEM 9A.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
MANAGEMENT'S REPORT REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our President and Chief Executive Officer along with our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based upon their evaluation of these disclosure controls and procedures, our President and Chief Executive Officer along with the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer concluded, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
MANAGEMENT'S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Our internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that: (a) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect our transactions and dispositions of assets; (b) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and Board of Directors; and (c) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, our internal controls and procedures may not prevent or detect misstatements. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can only provide reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
As of December 31, 2014, our management, with the participation of our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO" 2013). Based on this evaluation, management has determined that TAL International Group, Inc.'s internal control over financial reporting is effective as of December 31, 2014.
Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited our 2014 consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, has issued an attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting. The report appears elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Stockholders of
TAL International Group, Inc.
We have audited TAL International Group, Inc.'s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework) (the COSO criteria). TAL International Group, Inc.'s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on TAL International Group, Inc.'s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, TAL International Group, Inc. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of TAL International Group, Inc. as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2014 of TAL International Group, Inc. and our report dated February 19, 2015 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
February 19, 2015
Changes in Internal Controls
There were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the Company's last fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2014, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal controls over financial reporting.
ITEM 9B.
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Not applicable.
PART III
ITEM 10.
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the sections captioned "Election of Directors", "The Named Executive Officers", and "Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance" in our proxy statement to be issued in connection with the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 28, 2015, which will be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the close of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 (the "2015 Proxy Statement").
ITEM 11.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the sections captioned "Director Compensation Table", "Compensation of Executive Officers, Compensation Discussion and Analysis", "Summary Compensation Table", and "Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table", and the other tables and information following the "Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table" in the 2015 Proxy Statement.
ITEM 12.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the sections captioned "Equity Compensation Plan Information" and "Information Regarding Beneficial Ownership of Management and Principal Stockholders" in the 2015 Proxy Statement.
ITEM 13.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the sections captioned "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions" and "Corporate Governance and Related Matters" in the 2015 Proxy Statement.
ITEM 14.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the section captioned "Audit Fees" in the 2015 Proxy Statement.
PART IV
ITEM 15.
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a)(1) Financial Statements
The following financial statements are included in Item 8 of this report:
(a)(2) Financial Statement Schedule
The following financial statement schedule for the Company is filed as part of this report:
Schedule II-Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
S-1
Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the accompanying consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.
(a)(3) List of Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as part of and incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
+ Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
* Filed herewith.
** Furnished herewith.
(b) Exhibits.
The Company hereby files as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K the exhibits listed in Item 15(a)(3) set forth above.
(c) Financial Statement Schedules
The Company hereby files as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K the financial statement schedule listed in Item 15(a)(2) set forth above.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date: February 19, 2015
TAL International Group, Inc.
By:
/s/ BRIAN M. SONDEY
Brian M. Sondey
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES
We, the undersigned officers and directors of TAL International Group, Inc. hereby severally constitute and appoint Brian M. Sondey and John Burns and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with the power to them and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, any amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and generally to do all things in our names and on our behalf in such capacities to enable TAL International Group, Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and all the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant, in the capacities indicated, on the 19th day of February, 2015.
Signature
Title(s)
/s/ BRIAN M. SONDEY
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer), Director
Brian M. Sondey
/s/ JOHN BURNS
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
John Burns
/s/ MICHELLE GALLAGHER
Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
Michelle Gallagher
/s/ MALCOLM P. BAKER
Director
Malcolm P. Baker
/s/ CLAUDE GERMAIN
Director
Claude Germain
/s/ KENNETH HANAU
Director
Kenneth Hanau
/s/ HELMUT KASPERS
Director
Helmut Kaspers
/s/ FREDERIC H. LINDEBERG
Director
Frederic H. Lindeberg
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Stockholders of
TAL International Group, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of TAL International Group, Inc. as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2014. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index Item 15(a)(2). These financial statements and schedule are the responsibility of the TAL International Group Inc.’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and schedule based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of TAL International Group, Inc. at December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2014, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), TAL International Group, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework) and our report dated February 19, 2015 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
February 19, 2015
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
The accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements are
an integral part of these statements.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Dollars and shares in thousands, except earnings per share)
The accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements are
an integral part of these statements.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(Dollars in thousands)
The accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements are
an integral part of these statements.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity
(In thousands, except share amounts)
The accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Dollars in thousands)
The accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1-Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, Business Combination
A. Description of the Business
TAL International Group, Inc. ("TAL" or the "Company") leases intermodal transportation equipment, primarily maritime containers, and provides maritime container management services, through a worldwide network of offices, third party depots and other facilities. The Company operates in both international and domestic markets. The majority of the Company's business is derived from leasing its containers to shipping line customers through a variety of long-term (including finance leases) and short-term contractual lease arrangements. The Company also sells its own containers and containers purchased from third parties for resale. TAL also enters into management agreements with third party container owners under which the Company manages the leasing and selling of containers on behalf of the third party owners.
B. Basis of Presentation
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain reclassifications have been made to the accompanying prior period financial statements and notes to conform to the current year's presentation.
In the second quarter of 2014, the Company revised the Income Statement presentation by removing the line item “Total revenues” and moving “Equipment trading revenues” and “Equipment trading expenses” line items together and adding a line for “Trading margin”. The Company believes that this new presentation better highlights the trends in leasing revenues and the relative size and contribution of the Equipment trading segment.
Note 2-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Cash and cash equivalents consist of all cash balances and highly liquid investments having original maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
The Company's allowance for doubtful accounts is provided based upon a review of the collectability of its receivables. This review is based on the risk profile of the receivables, credit quality indicators such as the level of past-due amounts, and economic conditions. Generally, the Company does not require collateral on accounts receivable balances. An account is considered past due when a payment has not been received in accordance with the contractual terms. Accounts are generally charged off after an analysis is completed which indicates that collection of the full principal balance is in doubt. Changes in economic conditions or other events may necessitate additions or deductions to the allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts is intended to provide for losses inherent in the receivables, and requires the application of estimates and judgments as to the outcome of collection efforts and the realization of collateral, among other things. The Company believes its allowance for doubtful accounts is adequate to provide for credit losses inherent in its existing receivables.
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company's equipment lease and trade receivables subject it to potential credit risk. The Company extends credit to its customers based upon an evaluation of each customer's financial condition and credit history. The Company's largest customer is CMA CGM, which accounted for 16%, 17%, and 16% of the Company's leasing revenues in 2014, 2013, and 2012. No other customer exceeded 10% of the Company's leasing revenues in 2014, 2013 or 2012.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 2-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Net Investment in Finance Leases
The amounts reported as net investment in finance leases are recorded at the present value of the aggregate future minimum lease payments, including any purchase options granted to customers, less allowances for uncollectible amounts. Allowances are provided based upon a review of the collectability of gross finance lease receivables, including the underlying collateral, and considers the risk profile of the receivables, credit quality indicators such as the level of past due amounts, if any, and economic conditions. Finance lease receivables are generally charged off after an analysis is completed which indicates that collection of the full principal balance is in doubt. Interest from these leases is recognized over the term of the lease using the effective interest method as a component of leasing revenues.
Leasing Equipment
In general, the Company purchases new equipment from equipment manufacturers for the purpose of leasing such equipment to customers. The Company also purchases used equipment with the intention of selling such equipment in one or more years from the date of purchase. Used units are typically purchased with an existing lease in place or were previously owned by one of the Company's third party owner investors.
Leasing equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated to an estimated residual value on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. The estimated useful lives and residual values of the Company's leasing equipment are based on historical disposal experience and the Company's expectations for future used container sale prices. The Company reviews its depreciation policies on a regular basis to determine whether changes have taken place that would suggest that a change in its depreciation policies, useful lives of its equipment or the assigned residual values is warranted.
In 2012, after conducting its regular depreciation policy review, the Company decided to increase the estimated residual values used in its equipment depreciation policy. The new residual value estimates were put into effect beginning October 1, 2012. Based on the Company's fleet as of December 31, 2012, the increase in assigned residual values resulted in a decrease in future depreciation expense of approximately $19.3 million annually ($12.5 million after-tax or $0.37 per diluted share).
The estimated useful lives and residual values for the majority of the Company's leasing equipment purchased new from the factory are as follows:
Depreciation on leasing equipment starts on the date of initial on-hire.
For leasing equipment acquired through sale-leaseback transactions, we often adjust our estimates for remaining useful life and residual values based on current conditions in the sale market for older containers and our expectations for how long the equipment will remain on-hire to the current lessee.
Costs incurred to place new equipment into service, including costs to transport the equipment to its initial on-hire location, are capitalized. The Company charges to expense inspection costs on new equipment and repair and maintenance costs that do not extend the lives of the assets at the time the costs are incurred, and includes these costs in direct operating expenses.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 2-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
If indicators of impairment are present, a determination is made as to whether the carrying value of the Company's fleet exceeds its estimated future undiscounted cash flows. Leasing equipment is tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying amount may not be recovered. Key indicators of impairment on leasing equipment include, among other factors, a sustained low level of operating profitability, sustained low level of utilization, or indications of technological obsolescence.
When testing for impairment, leasing equipment is generally grouped by equipment type, and is tested separately from other groups of assets and liabilities. Some of the significant estimates and assumptions used to determine future undiscounted cash flows and the measurement for impairment are the remaining useful life, expected utilization, expected future lease rates and expected disposal prices of the equipment. The Company considers the assumptions on expected utilization and the remaining useful life to have the greatest impact on its estimate of future undiscounted cash flows. These estimates are principally based on the Company's historical experience and management's judgment of market conditions.
The net book value of the Company's leasing equipment by equipment type as of the dates indicated was (in thousands):
Included in the amounts above are units not on lease at December 31, 2014 and 2013 with a total net book value of $261.8 million and $306.5 million, respectively. Amortization on equipment purchased under capital lease obligations is included in depreciation and amortization expense in the consolidated statements of income.
The Company provides an allowance recorded in the provision for doubtful accounts for equipment on lease to customers considered to be non-performing. The allowance is based on a percentage of the net book value of equipment on-hire to those customers that, based on historical experience, the Company believes will ultimately not be recovered. In certain cases, the equipment allowance includes an accrual for costs expected to be incurred for the portion of units on-hire that the Company believes it will recover. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company's allowance for equipment on lease was $0.6 million and $1.3 million, respectively.
Equipment Held for Sale
When leasing equipment is returned off lease, the Company makes a determination of whether to repair and re-lease the equipment or sell the equipment. At the time the Company determines that equipment will be sold, it reclassifies the appropriate amounts previously recorded as leasing equipment to equipment held for sale. In accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 360, Property, Plant and Equipment ("ASC 360"), equipment held for sale is carried at the lower of its estimated fair value, based on current transactions, less costs to sell, or carrying value; depreciation on such assets is halted and disposals generally occur within 90 days. Subsequent changes to the fair value of those assets, either increases or decreases, are recorded as adjustments to the carrying value of the equipment held for sale; however, any such adjustments may not exceed the respective equipment's carrying value at the time it was initially classified as held for sale. Initial write downs of assets held for sale are recorded as an impairment charge and are included in net gain on sale of leasing equipment. Realized gains and losses resulting from the sale of equipment held for sale are recorded as net gain on sale of leasing equipment, and cash flows associated with the disposal of equipment held for sale are classified as cash flows from investing activities.
Equipment Held for Resale-Trading Activity
On an opportunistic basis, the Company purchases equipment with markings or specifications different from its own equipment for purposes of reselling it for a net profit. Equipment purchased for resale is reported as equipment held for sale when the timeframe between when the equipment is purchased and when it is sold is expected to be short, generally less than one year. Cash flows associated with equipment purchased for resale having a short expected holding period are classified as cash flows from operating activities. Equipment trading revenues represent the proceeds from the sale of this equipment, while Equipment trading expenses include the cost of equipment sold, any costs to sell such equipment, including administrative costs, and costs associated with the related inventory of equipment, such as storage and handling charges.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 2-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Equipment purchased for resale is reported as leasing equipment when the timeframe between when the equipment is purchased and leased back to the seller, and when it is sold is expected to be one year or greater. Cash flows associated with equipment purchased for resale having a long expected holding period are classified as cash flows from investing activities.
Goodwill
The Company accounts for goodwill in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other ("ASC 350"). ASC 350 requires goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives to be reviewed for impairment annually, or more frequently if circumstances indicate a possible impairment. In connection with the acquisition that occurred in 2004, the Company recorded $71.9 million of goodwill. Effective July 1, 2013, the Company acquired the assets and business of Martec Leasing (a worldwide supplier of rolltrailers) where the Company recorded $2.6 million of goodwill. Management determined that the Company has two reporting units, Equipment leasing and Equipment trading, and allocated $73.5 million and $1.0 million, respectively, to each reporting unit. The Company has elected to bypass the qualitative approach permitted under ASC 350 for testing goodwill for impairment, but may elect to perform the qualitative approach to test goodwill for impairment in future periods. The annual impairment test is conducted by comparing the Company's carrying amount to the fair value of the Company using a market capitalization approach. Market capitalization of the entity is compared to the carrying value of the entity since virtually all of the goodwill is allocated to, and nearly all of the market capitalization is attributable to, the Equipment leasing reporting unit. If the carrying value of the entity exceeds its market capitalization, then a second step would be performed that compares the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying amount of goodwill. The determination of the implied fair value of goodwill would require management to compare the estimated fair value of the reporting units to the estimated fair value of the assets and liabilities of the reporting units. Any excess fair value represents the implied fair value of goodwill. To the extent that the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment loss would be recorded. The Company's annual review of goodwill, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2014, indicated that no impairment of goodwill existed.
Deferred Financing Costs
Deferred financing costs represent the fees incurred in connection with the Company's debt obligations, and are amortized using the effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the related obligation, depending on the type of debt obligation to which they relate. Unamortized deferred financing costs are written off when the related debt obligations are refinanced or extinguished prior to maturity, and are determined to be an extinguishment of debt.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company believes that the carrying amounts of its cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, equipment purchases payable, and accounts payable approximated their fair value as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013.
Fair value represents the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company utilizes the following fair value hierarchy when selecting inputs for its valuation techniques, with the highest priority given to Level 1:
•
Level 1-Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on observable inputs such as quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets (unadjusted).
•
Level 2-Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on observable inputs such as (i) quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; (ii) quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; or (iii) model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable in active markets.
•
Level 3-Financial assets and liabilities whose values are derived from valuation techniques based on one or more significant unobservable inputs.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 2-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
The Company does not measure gross net investment in finance leases or debt at fair value in its consolidated balance sheets. The fair value, which was measured using Level 2 inputs, and the carrying value of the Company's gross net investment in finance leases and debt are listed in the table below as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 (in thousands).
The Company estimated the fair value of its net investment in finance leases and debt instruments based on the net present value of its future receipts or payments, using a discount rate which reflects the Company's estimate of current market interest rates and spreads as of the balance sheet date.
Revenue Recognition
Operating Leases with Customers
The Company enters into long-term leases and service leases with ocean carriers, principally as lessor in operating leases, for marine cargo equipment. Long-term leases provide our customers with specified equipment for a specified term. The Company's leasing revenues are based upon the number of equipment units leased, the applicable per diem rate and the length of the lease. Long-term leases typically have initial contractual terms ranging from three to eight years. Revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the respective lease. Advance billings are deferred and recognized in the period earned. Service leases do not specify the exact number of equipment units to be leased or the term that each unit will remain on-hire, but allow the lessee to pick-up and drop-off units at various locations specified in the lease agreement. Under a service lease, rental revenue is based on the number of equipment units on-hire for a given period. Revenue for customers considered to be non-performing is deferred and recognized when the amounts are received.
In accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 605, Revenue Recognition ("ASC 605"), the Company recognizes billings to customers for damages and certain other operating costs as leasing revenue as it is earned based on the terms of the contractual agreements with the customer. As principal, the Company is responsible for fulfillment of the services, supplier selection and service specifications, and has ultimate responsibility to pay the supplier for the services whether or not it collects the amount billed to the lessee.
Finance Leases with Customers
The Company enters into finance leases as lessor for some of the equipment in its fleet. The net investment in finance leases represents the receivables due from lessees, net of unearned income. Unearned income is recognized on a level yield basis over the lease term and is recorded as leasing revenue. Finance leases are usually long-term in nature, typically ranging for a period of five to ten years and typically include an option to purchase the equipment at the end of the lease term for an amount determined to be a bargain.
Other Revenues
The Company manages equipment which is owned by third parties and it earns management fees based on the income earned by the leasing and sales of such equipment. Management fees are recognized as services are provided. The Company collects amounts billed and pays operating costs as agent on behalf of the third parties that own such equipment. These billings and operating costs are not included in revenue and expense; instead, the net amounts owed to these equipment owners are reflected as accrued expenses in the Company's financial statements until paid as required by our contracts. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, approximately $2.2 million and $3.0 million, respectively, was reflected in accounts payable and other accrued expenses, which represent unpaid net earnings owed to third party owners of managed equipment.
Other revenues also includes fee income for third party positioning of equipment.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 2-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Equipment Trading Revenues and Expenses
Equipment trading revenues represent the proceeds from the sale of equipment purchased for resale and are recognized as units are sold and delivered to the customer. The related expenses represent the cost of equipment sold as well as other selling costs that are recognized as incurred and are reflected as equipment trading expenses in the consolidated statements of income.
Direct Operating Expenses
Direct operating expenses are directly related to the Company's equipment under and available for lease. These expenses primarily consist of the Company's costs to repair and maintain the equipment, to reposition the equipment, to store the equipment when it is not on lease and to inspect newly manufactured equipment. These costs are recognized when incurred. Certain positioning costs may be capitalized when incurred to place new equipment on an initial lease.
Derivative Instruments
The Company uses derivatives in the management of its interest rate exposure on its long-term borrowings and its foreign currency rate exposure on certain of its foreign currency based finance lease receivables. The Company accounts for derivative instruments in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging ("ASC 815"). ASC 815 requires that all derivative instruments be recorded on the balance sheet at their fair value and establishes criteria for both the designation and effectiveness of hedging activities.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 740, Income Taxes ("ASC 740") using the asset and liability method, which requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for expected future tax consequences of temporary differences that currently exist between the tax basis and financial reporting basis of the Company's assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. In assessing the ability to realize deferred tax assets, the Company considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
If applicable, the Company accrues income tax liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions by evaluating whether the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained in an audit and measures the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Potential interest and penalties associated with such uncertain tax positions are recorded as a component of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had no liabilities related to uncertain tax positions.
Foreign Currency Translation and Remeasurement
The net assets and operations of foreign subsidiaries included in the consolidated financial statements are attributable primarily to the Company's U.K. subsidiary. The accounts of this subsidiary have been converted at rates of exchange in effect at year end as to balance sheet accounts and at the weighted average of exchange rates for the year as to statements of income accounts. The effects of changes in exchange rates in translating foreign subsidiaries' financial statements are included in stockholders' equity as accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income.
The Company also has certain cash accounts, certain finance lease receivables and certain obligations that are denominated in currencies other than the Company's functional currency. These assets and liabilities are generally denominated in Euros or British Pounds, and are remeasured at each balance sheet date at the exchange rates in effect as of those dates. The impact of changes in exchange rates on the remeasurement of assets and liabilities are included in administrative expenses.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation ("ASC 718") which requires that compensation costs relating to stock-based payment transactions be recognized in the financial statements. The cost is measured at the grant date, based on the calculated fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense over the employee's requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity award).
Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive income includes net income, net gains and losses and related amortization, net of income taxes, on derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges, and foreign currency translation adjustments.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 2-Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflect the potential dilution that would occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock, utilizing the treasury stock method.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results may differ from those estimates.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 ("ASU 2014-09"), Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This new standard will replace all current U.S. GAAP guidance on this topic and eliminate all industry-specific guidance. Leasing revenue recognition is specifically excluded from this ASU, and therefore, the new standard will only apply to Equipment Trading revenues and sales of leasing equipment. ASU No. 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, with early application prohibited. ASU 2014-09 allows for either full retrospective or modified retrospective adoption. The Company is evaluating the transition method that will be elected and the potential effects of adopting the provisions of ASU No. 2014-09.
In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-15 ("ASU 2014-15"), Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. This standard requires management to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that financial statements are issued and to disclose those conditions if management has concluded that substantial doubt exists. Subsequent to adoption, this guidance will need to be applied by management at the end of each annual period and interim period therein to determine what, if any, impact there will be on the Consolidated Financial Statements in a given reporting period. These changes become effective for the Company for the 2016 annual period. Management has determined that the adoption of these changes will not have an impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements as this standard is disclosure only.
Note 3-Debt
Debt consisted of the following (amounts in thousands):
As of December 31, 2014, the Company had $1,603.4 million of debt outstanding on facilities with fixed interest rates. These fixed rate facilities had a weighted average effective interest rate of 4.16% in 2014, are scheduled to mature between 2015 and 2024, and had a weighted average remaining term of 4.4 years as of December 31, 2014.
As of December 31, 2014, the Company had $1,437.4 million of debt outstanding on facilities with interest rates based on floating rate indices (primarily LIBOR). These floating rate facilities had a weighted average effective interest rate of 2.25% in 2014, are scheduled to mature between 2016 and 2021, and had a weighted average remaining term of 4.0 years as of
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 3-Debt (Continued)
December 31, 2014. Including the impact of our interest rate swaps, the weighted average effective interest rate on our floating rate facilities was 3.25% in 2014.
The Company economically hedges the risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates on a portion of its floating rate borrowings by entering into interest rate swap agreements that convert a portion of its floating rate debt to a fixed rate basis, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense. As of December 31, 2014, the Company had interest rate swaps in place with a net notional amount of $1,135.0 million and a weighted average remaining term of 7.6 years to fix the floating interest rates on a portion of its floating rate debt obligations. These interest rate swaps had a weighted average fixed leg interest rate of 2.00% in 2014 (see Note 4 for additional information on the Company's interest rate swap agreements).
As of December 31, 2014, the Company had $2,738.4 million of debt which is at fixed rates or is effectively fixed due to interest rate swap contracts. This accounts for 90.1% of total debt. These facilities had a weighted average remaining term of 5.7 years.
Asset Backed Securitization Term Notes
The Company’s Asset Backed Securitization (“ABS”) facilities have been used to finance its existing container fleet and new container purchases. Under the facilities, indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company issue asset backed notes. The issuance of asset backed notes is the primary business objective of those subsidiaries.
The Company’s borrowings under the ABS facilities amortize in monthly installments. The borrowing capacity under the ABS facilities is determined by applying an advance rate against the sum of the net book values of designated eligible containers and accounts receivable for sold equipment not outstanding more than 60 days plus 100% of restricted cash. The net book values for purposes of calculating the Company’s borrowing capacity is the original equipment cost depreciated over 13, 12, and 20 years to between 15% to 40% of original equipment cost, depending on the type of equipment. Advance rates under the ABS facilities range from 76% to 87%. The Company is required to maintain restricted cash balances on deposit in designated bank accounts equal to five to nine months of interest expense depending on the type of facility.
Term Loan Facilities
The Company utilizes its term loan facilities as an important funding source for the purchase of containers and other equipment. The term loan facilities generally amortize in monthly installments. Two of the term loans have revolving periods, the first with an initial two year revolving period followed by a three year term period with a maturity date of November 7, 2019 and a second with an initial one year revolving period followed by a five year term period with a maturity date of December 19, 2020.
The borrowing capacity under the term loan facilities is determined by applying an advance rate in the range of 80% to 90% against the net book values of designated eligible containers, which is determined under the terms of each facility.
Asset Backed Warehouse Facility
The asset backed warehouse facility has a maximum borrowing capacity of $650.0 million. Under the facility, funds are available on a revolving basis until October 10, 2017, after which if the facility is not refinanced, the notes will convert to term notes with a maturity date of October 10, 2021. The term notes will amortize on a level basis over the four year term period to 60% of the outstanding balance. We primarily use the proceeds of this facility to finance the acquisition of equipment.
The borrowing capacity under the asset backed warehouse facility is determined by applying the advance rate of 81% against the sum of the net book values of designated eligible containers and accounts receivable for sold containers not outstanding more than 60 days plus 100% of restricted cash. The net book value for purposes of calculating the Company's borrowing capacity is the original equipment cost depreciated over 13, 12, and 20 years to 40%, 25%, and 15% of original equipment cost for dry containers, refrigerated containers, and tank containers, respectively. The Company is required to maintain restricted cash balances on deposit in a designated bank account equal to three months of interest expense.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 3-Debt (Continued)
Revolving Credit Facilities
The Company’s revolving credit facilities have a maximum borrowing capacity of $550.0 million with maturity dates on November 30, 2016 and March 12, 2018. These facilities generally provide for an advance rate against eligible assets defined by the terms of their respective agreements.
Debt maturities excluding capital lease obligations (amounts in thousands):
Capital Lease Obligations
The Company has entered into a series of lease transactions with various financial institutions to finance chassis and containers. Each lease is accounted for as a capital lease, with interest expense recognized on a level yield basis over the period preceding early purchase options, if any, which is generally five to ten years from the transaction date.
At December 31, 2014, future lease payments under these capital leases were as follows (in thousands):
Note 4-Derivative Instruments
Interest Rate Swaps
The Company has entered into interest rate swap agreements to manage interest rate risk exposure. The majority of interest rate swap agreements utilized by TAL effectively modify the Company's exposure to interest rate risk by converting a portion of its floating rate debt to a fixed rate basis, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense. Such agreements involve the receipt of floating rate amounts in exchange for fixed rate interest payments over the lives of the agreements without an exchange of the underlying principal amounts. In limited instances, the Company has also entered into interest rate swap agreements that involve the receipt of fixed rate amounts in exchange for floating rate interest payments. The counterparties to the Company's interest rate swap agreements are highly rated financial institutions. In the unlikely event that the counterparties fail to meet the terms of the interest rate swap agreements, the Company's exposure is limited to the interest rate differential on the notional amount at each monthly settlement period over the life of the agreements. The Company does not anticipate any non-performance by the counterparties. Substantially all of the assets of certain indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company have been pledged as collateral for the underlying indebtedness and the amounts payable under the interest rate swap agreements for each of these entities. In addition, certain assets of TAL International Container Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, are pledged as collateral for various credit facilities and the amounts payable under certain interest rate swap agreements.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 4-Derivative Instruments (Continued)
As of December 31, 2014, the Company had net interest rate swap agreements in place to fix the floating interest rates on a portion of the borrowings under its debt facilities as summarized below:
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(1)
As of December 31, 2014, the net notional amount outstanding on the Company's interest rate swap agreements is comprised of $1,285 million of pay-fixed rate/receive-floating rate agreements and $150.0 million of pay-floating rate/receive-fixed rate agreements. The Company entered into the pay-floating rate/receive-fixed rate agreements at the parent company level to offset the cash flows on certain pay-fixed rate/receive-floating rate agreements of certain wholly owned subsidiaries. The pay-floating rate/receive-fixed rate and pay-fixed rate/receive-floating rate agreements have terms that offset each other.
(2)
The calculations of weighted average fixed (pay) leg interest rate and weighted average remaining term on the Company's interest rate swap agreements reflect the impact of the pay-floating rate/receive-fixed rate agreements and the pay-fixed rate/receive-floating rate agreements which offset.
In 2014, the Company terminated certain interest rate swap agreements and entered into new swap agreements with longer maturities. The Company designated these interest rate swap agreements as cash flow hedges at their inception. There was no material ineffectiveness associated with these cash flow hedges in the period from designation through December 31, 2014. The Company made net payments of $5.0 million to terminate its interest rate swap counterparties related to the termination of those agreements.
The following table represents pre-tax amounts in accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income related to interest rate swap agreements (in millions) expected to be recognized in income over the next 12 months:
Amounts recorded in accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to these terminated interest rate swap agreements may be recognized in earnings immediately in conjunction with a termination of the related debt balances.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 4-Derivative Instruments (Continued)
Fair Value of Derivative Instruments
Under the criteria established by ASC 820, the Company has elected to use the income approach to value its interest rate swap and foreign currency rate swap agreements, using observable Level 2 market expectations at the measurement date and standard valuation techniques to convert future amounts to a single present amount (discounted) assuming that participants are motivated, but not compelled to transact. The Level 2 inputs for the interest rate swap and forward valuations are limited to quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets (specifically futures contracts and spot currency rates) and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (specifically forward currency points, LIBOR cash and swap rates, basis swap adjustments and credit risk at commonly quoted intervals).
Location of Derivative Instruments in Financial Statements
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 5-Net Investment in Finance Leases
The following table represents the components of the net investment in finance leases (in thousands):
(1)
At the inception of the lease, the Company records the total minimum lease payments, executory costs, if any, and unguaranteed residual value as gross finance lease receivables. The gross finance lease receivable is reduced as customer payments are received. The unguaranteed residual value is generally equal to the purchase option at the end of the lease. Approximately $5.6 million and $5.0 million of unguaranteed residual value at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, were included in gross finance lease receivables. There were no executory costs included in gross finance lease receivables as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.
(2)
The difference between the gross finance lease receivable and the fair value of the equipment at the lease inception is recorded as unearned income. Unearned income together with initial direct costs, are amortized to income over the lease term so as to produce a constant periodic rate of return. There were no unamortized initial direct costs as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.
(3)
As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, approximately 48% and 44%, respectively, of the Company's net investment in finance leases were with Hapag Lloyd AG, and approximately 19% and 21%, respectively, of the Company’s net investment in finance leases were with Mediterranean Shipping Company.
Contractual maturities of the Company’s gross finance lease receivables subsequent to December 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands):
The Company evaluates potential losses in its finance lease portfolio by regularly reviewing the specific receivables in the portfolio and analyzing historical loss experience. The Company's historical loss experience on its gross finance lease receivables, after considering equipment recoveries, was less than 1%. Net investment in finance lease receivables is generally charged off after an analysis is completed which indicates that collection of the full balance is remote.
In order to estimate its allowance for losses contained in the gross finance lease receivables, the Company categorizes the credit worthiness of the receivables in the portfolio based on internal customer credit ratings, which are reviewed and updated, as appropriate, on an ongoing basis. The internal customer credit ratings are developed based on a review of the financial performance and condition, operating environment, geographical location and trade routes of our customers.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 5-Net Investment in Finance Leases (Continued)
The categories of gross finance lease receivables based on the Company's internal customer credit ratings can be described as follows:
Tier 1-These customers are typically large international shipping lines who have been in business for many years and have world class operating capabilities and significant financial resources. In most cases, the Company has had a long commercial relationship with these customers and currently maintains regular communication with them at several levels of management, which provides TAL with insight into the customer's current operating and financial performance. In the Company's view, these customers have the greatest ability to withstand cyclical downturns and would likely have greater access to needed capital than lower rated customers. The Company views the risk of default for Tier 1 customers to range from minimal to modest.
Tier 2-These customers are typically either smaller shipping lines with less operating scale or shipping lines with a high degree of financial leverage, and accordingly the Company views these customers as subject to higher volatility in financial performance over the business cycle. The Company generally expects these customers to have less access to capital markets or other sources of financing during cyclical downturns. The Company views the risk of default for Tier 2 customers as moderate.
Tier 3-Customers in this category exhibit volatility in payments on a regular basis, thus they are considered non-performing. The Company has initiated or implemented plans to recover equipment on lease to these customers and believes that default is likely, or has already occurred.
Based on the above categories, the Company's gross finance lease receivables are as follows (in thousands):
The Company considers an account past due when a payment has not been received in accordance with the terms of the related lease agreement. As of December 31, 2014, approximately $0.3 million of the Company's Tier 2 gross finance lease receivables were past due, substantially all of which were aged approximately 31 days. As of December 31, 2014, none of the Company's gross finance lease receivables were in non-accrual status. The Company categorizes customers as non-accrual based on the credit ratings described above and recognizes income on gross finance lease receivables in non-accrual status as collections are made.
The following table represents the activity of the Company's allowance on gross finance lease receivables for the periods presented (in thousands):
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(a) Primarily relates to the effect of foreign currency translation.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 6-Capital Stock and Stock Options
Dividends
We paid the following quarterly dividends during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 on our issued and outstanding common stock:
Treasury Stock
On March 13, 2006, the Board of Directors authorized a stock buyback program for the repurchase of Company’s common stock. The stock repurchase program, as now amended, authorizes the Company to repurchase up to 4.0 million shares of its common stock. During 2014, TAL repurchased 818,085 shares at an average price of $42.01 for a total amount of $34.4 million. There were no material purchases of treasury stock during the years ended 2013 and 2012. As of December 31, 2014, a total of 170,072 shares may yet be repurchased under the stock repurchase program.
Stock Based Compensation Plans
In October 2005, the Company adopted the TAL International Group, Inc. 2005 Management Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2005 Plan”), which provides for the issuance of awards in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock. A total of 2,500,000 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance under the 2005 Plan.
The Company records compensation cost relating to stock based payment transactions in accordance with ASC 718. The cost is measured at the grant date, based on the calculated fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense over the employee's requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity award) on a straight-line basis.
The Company recognized $6.0 million, $5.2 million, and $3.7 million of compensation costs that were reported in administrative expenses for the years ended 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which relate to the Company’s stock based compensation plans as a result of restricted shares granted during the years 2010 through 2014.
Total unrecognized compensation cost of approximately $5.8 million as of December 31, 2014 related to restricted shares granted during 2014, 2013 and 2012 will be recognized over the remaining weighted average vesting period of approximately 1.7 years.
No further grants will be made under the 2005 Management Omnibus Incentive Plan but the terms of the 2005 Management Omnibus Incentive Plan will continue to apply to awards previously granted under the plan.
On March 14, 2014, the Company's Board of Directors adopted and on April 22, 2014, the Company's shareholders approved the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. No grants have been made and no shares have been issued under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan as of December 31, 2014.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 6-Capital Stock and Stock Options (Continued)
Stock option activity under the Plans for the year ended December 31, 2014 was as follows:
Restricted stock activity for the year ended December 31, 2014 was as follows:
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(1)The fair value of restricted stock awards that vested during 2014 was $7.2 million.
(2) Plan participants tendered 6,695 shares of common stock, all of which were subsequently retired by the Company, to satisfy payment, in certain instances, of withholding taxes, for a portion of the restricted stock vested during the year ended December 31, 2014.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 6-Capital Stock and Stock Options (Continued)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income consisted of the following as of the dates indicated (in thousands and net of tax effects):
The following table presents reclassifications out of Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income for the period indicated (in thousands):
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 7-Segment and Geographic Information
Industry Segment Information
The Company’s operations include the acquisition, leasing, re-leasing and subsequent sale of multiple types of intermodal containers and chassis. Intermodal containers are large, standardized steel boxes used to transport freight by ship, rail or truck. Chassis are used for the transportation of containers domestically. The Company leases five types of equipment: (1) dry freight containers, which are used for general cargo such as manufactured component parts, consumer staples, electronics and apparel, (2) refrigerated containers, which are used for perishable items such as fresh and frozen foods, (3) special containers, which are used for heavy and oversized cargo such as marble slabs, building products and machinery, (4) tank containers which are used to transport bulk liquid products such as chemicals, and (5) chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers domestically.
The Company conducts its business activities in one industry, intermodal transportation equipment, and has two reporting segments:
•
Equipment leasing-the Company owns, leases and ultimately disposes of containers and chassis from its lease fleet, as well as manages leasing activities for containers owned by third parties.
•
Equipment trading-the Company purchases containers from shipping line customers, and other sellers of containers, and resells these containers to container retailers and users of containers for storage or one-way shipment. Included in the Equipment trading segment revenues are leasing revenues from equipment purchased for resale that is currently on lease until the containers are dropped off.
The following tables show segment information for the periods indicated and the consolidated totals reported (dollars in thousands):
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 7-Segment and Geographic Information (Continued)
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(1)
Segment income before income taxes excludes net losses on interest rate swaps of $0.8 million, net gains on interest rate swaps of $8.9 million, and net losses on interest swaps of $2.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and the write-off of deferred financing costs of $5.2 million and $4.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. There was no write-off of deferred financing costs in 2012.
(2)
Represents cash disbursements for purchases of leasing equipment and investments in finance lease as reflected in the consolidated statements of cash flows for the periods indicated, but excludes cash flows associated with the purchase of equipment held for resale.
There are no intercompany revenues or expenses between segments. Additionally, certain administrative expenses have been allocated between segments based on an estimate of services provided to each segment. A portion of the Company's equipment purchased for resale was purchased through certain sale-leaseback transactions with our shipping line customers. Due to the expected longer term nature of these transactions, these purchases are reflected as leasing equipment as opposed to equipment held for sale and the cash flows associated with these transactions are and will be reflected as purchases of leasing equipment and proceeds from the sale of equipment in investing activities in the Company's consolidated statements of cash flows.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 7-Segment and Geographic Information (Continued)
Geographic Segment Information
The Company earns its revenues from international containers which are deployed by its customers in a wide variety of global trade routes. Substantially all of the Company's leasing related revenue is denominated in U.S. dollars.
The following table represents the geographic allocation of equipment leasing revenues for the periods indicated based on customers' primary domicile (in thousands):
As all of the Company's containers are used internationally, where no one container is domiciled in one particular place for a prolonged period of time, substantially all of the Company's long-lived assets are considered to be international.
The following table represents the geographic allocation of equipment trading revenues for the periods indicated based on the location of sale (in thousands):
Note 8-Net Gain on Sale of Leasing Equipment
The net gain on sale of leasing equipment consists of the following (in thousands):
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 9-Income Taxes
The following table sets forth the income tax expense for the periods indicated (in thousands):
A reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to the effective income tax rate is provided below:
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(1) Several states have enacted changes to their apportionment factors. These changes resulted in a decrease in the Company’s overall effective tax rate for 2014. The Company adjusts its deferred tax assets and liabilities through income tax expense on the date which rate changes are enacted. Accordingly, the Company recorded a reduction of $1.2 million in 2014 in income tax expense to reflect the impact of these changes in state apportionment factors.
(2) Effective April 2014, 2013, and 2012 income tax rate reductions were enacted in the U.K. reducing the corporate tax rate from 23% to 21%, from 24% to 23%, and from 26% to 24%, respectively. Accordingly, the Company recorded reductions of an immaterial amount, $0.1 million, and $0.3 million in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, in its income tax expense to reflect the impact of these rate changes on the Company’s net deferred income tax liability related to its U.K. operations.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 9-Income Taxes (Continued)
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are comprised of the following (in thousands):
The Company has U.S. Federal net operating loss carryforwards of nearly $400 million at December 31, 2014. These losses will expire in 2026 through 2035. The Company has unrecognized excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation costs of $5.7 million that it expects to credit to stockholders’ equity in future periods. The Company expects to fully utilize these losses to offset future taxable income that will be generated by the reversal of temporary differences, mainly accelerated depreciation, prior to their expiration. The Company continues to monitor changes in its stock ownership which can potentially trigger annual limitations to the amount of net operating losses that may be utilized in future years under Internal Revenue Code Section 382. The Company does not believe any of its net operating loss carryforwards are currently subject to Section 382 limitations.
The Company does not provide for U.S. federal income taxes on undistributed earnings from its U.K. subsidiary because it is the Company’s policy to permanently reinvest its foreign earnings outside of the U.S. These foreign earnings could become subject to additional tax if they are loaned to the Company, remitted as dividends, or if the Company sells the stock of its U.K. subsidiary. It is not practicable to estimate the amount or timing of the additional tax, if any, that eventually might be paid on these foreign earnings. As of December 31, 2014 the Company’s cumulative undistributed earnings were $6.2 million.
In accordance with the requirement to determine if the Company has any unrecognized tax benefits, the Company has continued to evaluate all tax positions and has determined that the cumulative effect of any uncertain tax positions and resulting unrecognized tax benefits did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations and financial position. As of January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014, the Company did not have any material unrecognized tax benefits. There were no increases or decreases in unrecognized tax benefits during the year resulting from prior period tax positions, current period tax positions, settlements with tax authorities or the lapse of any statute of limitations, and no material changes in unrecognized tax benefits are expected over the next twelve months. Accordingly, there is no impact to the Company’s effective tax rate. Estimated interest and penalties related to potential underpayment on any unrecognized tax benefits would be classified as a component of tax expense in the consolidated statements of income. The Company has not recorded any interest or penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits. The 2012, 2013, and 2014 tax years remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 10-Savings Plan
The Company’s employees participate in a defined contribution plan generally covering all of its U.S. salaried employees. Under the provisions of the Plan, an employee is fully vested with respect to Company contributions after four years of service. The Company matches employee contributions up to 3% of qualified compensation and may, at its discretion, make voluntary contributions. Contributions for each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012 were approximately $0.3 million.
Note 11-Rental Income under Operating Leases
The following are the minimum future rentals at December 31, 2014 due to TAL under non-cancelable operating leases of the Company’s equipment (in thousands):
Note 12-Commitments and Contingencies
Lease Commitments
The Company has cancelable and non-cancelable operating lease agreements principally for facilities and for equipment used in the Company’s operations. Total rent expense was $2.1 million, $2.1 million, and $2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively.
Future minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable operating leases at December 31, 2014 were as follows (in thousands):
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 12-Commitments and Contingencies (Continued)
Residual Value Guarantees
During 2008, the Company entered into commitments for equipment residual value guarantees in connection with certain finance leases that were sold or brokered to financial institutions. The guarantees represent the Company's commitment that these assets will be worth a specified amount at the end of certain lease terms (if the lessee does not default on the lease) which expire in 2016. At December 31, 2014, the maximum potential amount of the guarantees under which the Company could be required to perform was approximately $27.1 million. The carrying values of the guarantees of $1.1 million have been deferred and are included in accounts payable and accrued expenses. Under the criteria established by ASC 820, the Company performed fair value measurements of the guarantees at origination using Level 2 inputs, which were based on significant other observable inputs other than quoted prices, either on a direct or indirect basis. The Company accounts for the residual value guarantees under Accounting Standards Codification 460, Guarantees. The Company expects that the market value of the equipment covered by the guarantees will equal or exceed the value of the guarantees and therefore, no contingent loss has been provided as of December 31, 2014.
Purchase Commitments
At December 31, 2014, the Company had commitments to purchase equipment in the amount of $169.1 million payable in 2015.
Contingencies
The Company is party to various pending or threatened legal or regulatory proceedings arising in the ordinary course of its business. Based upon information presently available, management of the Company does not expect any liabilities arising from these matters to have a material effect on the consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company.
Indemnities
The revolving credit facility, ABS facilities, asset backed warehouse facility and term loan facilities contain standard provisions present in loans of these types which obligate the Company to reimburse the lenders thereunder for any increased costs associated with continuing to hold the loans thereunder on its books which arise as a result of broadly defined regulatory changes, including changes in reserve requirements and bank capital requirements. These indemnities would have the practical effect of increasing the interest rate on the Company’s debt if they were to be triggered. In all cases, the Company has the right to repay the applicable loan and avoid the increased costs. The term of these indemnities matches the length of the related term of the applicable loan.
TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
Note 13-Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
The following table sets forth certain key interim financial information for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:
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(1)
Net income for 2013 reflects net gains on interest rate swaps of $3.2 million ($2.0 million on an after-tax basis), $5.3 million ($3.4 million on an after-tax basis), and $0.8 million ($0.5 million on an after-tax basis) in the first, second, and fourth quarters, respectively. Net losses on interest rate swaps of $0.3 million ($0.2 million on an after-tax basis) are reflected in the third quarter.
Note 14 - Foreign Currency Activities
The Company recorded net foreign currency exchange losses of $0.9 million, $0.4 million and $0.3 million in the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively. The net foreign currency exchange losses resulted primarily from fluctuations in exchange rates related to the Company’s Euro and Pound Sterling transactions and related assets and liabilities.
Note 15-Subsequent Events
Quarterly Dividend
On February 11, 2015, the Company's Board of Directors approved and declared a $0.72 per share quarterly cash dividend on its issued and outstanding common stock, payable on March 24, 2015 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 3, 2015.
From January 1, 2015 through February 10, 2015, TAL repurchased an additional 81,915 shares at an average price of $41.40 under TAL's 2006 stock repurchase program. On February 11, 2015, TAL's Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program of up to 3.0 million of its outstanding shares. These shares augment the remaining 88,157 shares authorized for purchase under TAL's existing stock repurchase program. Repurchases will be made from time to time at TAL's discretion, based on ongoing assessments of the capital needs of the business, the market price of TAL's common stock and general market and other conditions. No time limit was set for the completion of the repurchase program.
SCHEDULE II
TAL International Group, Inc.
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012
(In thousands)
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(a)
Primarily relates to the effect of foreign currency translation.
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