Transfers of Financial Assets

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Transfers And Servicing [Abstract]

Transfers of Financial Assets

8. Transfers of Financial Assets

We have receivables purchase arrangements with unrelated third parties to liquidate portions of our trade accounts receivable balance.  The receivables relate to products sold to customers and are short-term in nature.  The factorings were treated as sales of our accounts receivable.  Proceeds from the transfers reflect either the face value of the accounts receivable or the face value less factoring fees.  

In the U.S. and Japan, our programs are executed on a revolving basis with a maximum funding limit as of December 31, 2019 of $450 million combined.  We act as the collection agent on behalf of the third party, but have no significant retained interests or servicing liabilities related to the accounts receivable sold.  In order to mitigate credit risk, we purchased credit insurance for the factored accounts receivable.  As a result, our risk of loss is limited to the factored accounts receivable not covered by the insurance.  Additionally, we have provided guarantees for the factored accounts receivable.  The maximum exposures to loss associated with these arrangements were $21.8 million and $33.0 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

In Europe, we sell to a third party and have no continuing involvement or significant risk with the factored accounts receivable.

Funds received from the transfers are recorded as an increase to cash and a reduction of accounts receivable outstanding in the consolidated balance sheets. We report the cash flows attributable to the sale of the receivables to third parties in cash flows from operating activities in our consolidated statements of cash flows. Net expenses resulting from the sales of receivables are recognized in SG&A expense. Net expenses included any resulting gains or losses from the sales of receivables, credit insurance and factoring fees.

For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we sold receivables having an aggregate face value of $3,116.2 million, $2,706.4 million and $1,456.9 million to third parties in exchange for cash proceeds of $3,113.9 million, $2,704.9 million and $1,455.6 million, respectively.  Expenses recognized on these sales during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 were not significant.  For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 under the U.S. and Japan programs, we collected $2,857.4 million, $2,273.5 million and $1,031.2 million, respectively, from our customers and remitted that amount to the third party, and we effectively repurchased $184.6 million, $208.9 million and $96.3 million, respectively, of previously sold accounts receivable from the third party due to the programs’ revolving nature.  At December 31, 2019 and 2018, we had collected $54.6 million and $66.8 million, respectively, that were unremitted to the third party, which are reflected in our consolidated balance sheets under other current liabilities.  The initial collection of cash from customers and its remittance to the third party is reflected in net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities in our consolidated statements of cash flows.

At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the outstanding principal amount of receivables that has been derecognized under the U.S. and Japan revolving arrangements combined amounted to $270.2 million and $365.9 million, respectively.