Accounts Receivable Securitization

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Accounts Receivable Securitization [Abstract]

Accounts Receivable Securitization

(5)   Accounts Receivable Securitization

We securitize some of our accounts receivable on a limited recourse basis in North America and Europe. As servicer under these accounts receivable securitization programs, we are responsible for performing all accounts receivable administration functions for these securitized financial assets including collections and processing of customer invoice adjustments. In North America, we have an accounts receivable securitization program with three commercial banks comprised of a first priority facility and a second priority facility. We securitize original equipment and aftermarket receivables on a daily basis under the bank program. In March 2011, the North American program was amended and extended to March 23, 2012. The first priority facility continues to provide financing of up to $110 million and the second priority facility, which is subordinated to the first priority facility, continues to provide up to an additional $40 million of financing. Both facilities monetize accounts receivable generated in the U.S. and Canada that meet certain eligibility requirements, and the second priority facility also monetizes certain accounts receivable generated in the U.S. or Canada that would otherwise be ineligible under the first priority securitization facility. The amendments to the North American program expand the trade receivables that are eligible for purchase under the program and decrease the margin we pay to our banks. We had no outstanding third party investments in our securitized accounts receivable under the North American program at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

Each facility contains customary covenants for financings of this type, including restrictions related to liens, payments, mergers or consolidation and amendments to the agreements underlying the receivables pool. Further, each facility may be terminated upon the occurrence of customary events (with customary grace periods, if applicable), including breaches of covenants, failure to maintain certain financial ratios, inaccuracies of representations and warranties, bankruptcy and insolvency events, certain changes in the rate of default or delinquency of the receivables, a change of control and the entry or other enforcement of material judgments. In addition, each facility contains cross-default provisions, where the facility could be terminated in the event of non-payment of other material indebtedness when due and any other event which permits the acceleration of the maturity of material indebtedness.

We also securitize receivables in our European operations with regional banks in Europe. The arrangements to securitize receivables in Europe are provided under seven separate facilities provided by various financial institutions in each of the foreign jurisdictions. The commitments for these arrangements are generally for one year, but some may be cancelled with notice 90 days prior to renewal. In some instances, the arrangement provides for cancellation by the applicable financial institution at any time upon 15 days, or less, notification. The amount of outstanding third party investments in our securitized accounts receivable in Europe was $140 million and $91 million at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

If we were not able to securitize receivables under either the North American or European securitization programs, our borrowings under our revolving credit agreements might increase. These accounts receivable securitization programs provide us with access to cash at costs that are generally favorable to alternative sources of financing, and allow us to reduce borrowings under our revolving credit agreements.

In our North American accounts receivable securitization programs, we transfer a partial interest in a pool of receivables and the interest that we retain is subordinate to the transferred interest. Accordingly, we account for our North American securitization program as a secured borrowing. In our European programs, we transfer accounts receivables in their entirety to the acquiring entities and satisfy all of the conditions established under ASC Topic 860, “Transfers and Servicing,” to report the transfer of financial assets in their entirety as a sale. The fair value of assets received as proceeds in exchange for the transfer of accounts receivable under our European securitization programs approximates the fair value of such receivables. We recognized interest expense of less than $1 million in the three month period ending September 30, 2011 and $1 million in the three month period ended September 30, 2010, and $2 million and $3 million for each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 respectively, relating to our North American securitization program. In addition, we recognized a loss of $1 million in each of the three month periods ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $4 million and $3 million for the nine month periods ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, on the sale of trade accounts receivable in our European accounts receivable securitization programs, representing the discount from book values at which these receivables were sold to our banks. The discount rate varies based on funding costs incurred by our banks, which averaged approximately three percent and four percent during the first nine months of 2011 and 2010, respectively.