Background

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Background

Background

Note 1—Background

The Hertz Corporation together with its subsidiaries are referred to herein as "we," "our" and "us." The Hertz Corporation is referred to herein as "Hertz," 100% of Hertz outstanding capital stock is owned by Hertz Investors, Inc. (previously CCMG Corporation), and 100% of Hertz Investors, Inc.'s capital stock is owned by Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (previously known as CCMG Holdings, Inc.), our ultimate parent company, is referred to herein as "Hertz Holdings."

We are a successor to corporations that have been engaged in the car and truck rental and leasing business since 1918 and the equipment rental business since 1965. Hertz was incorporated in Delaware in 1967. Ford Motor Company, or "Ford," acquired an ownership interest in Hertz in 1987. Prior to this, Hertz was a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings, Inc. (formerly Allegis Corporation), which acquired our outstanding capital stock from RCA Corporation in 1985.

On December 21, 2005, investment funds associated with or designated by:

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  Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Inc., or "CD&R,"

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  The Carlyle Group, or "Carlyle," and

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  BAML Capital Partners, or "BAMLCP" (formerly known as Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity),

or collectively the "Sponsors," acquired all of our common stock from Ford Holdings LLC. We refer to the acquisition of all of our common stock by the Sponsors as the "Acquisition."

In January 2009, Bank of America Corporation, or "Bank of America," acquired Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., the parent company of BAMLCP. Accordingly, Bank of America is now an indirect beneficial owner of Hertz Holdings' common stock held by BAMLCP and certain of its affiliates.

In March 2011, the Sponsors sold 50,000,000 shares of their Hertz Holdings common stock to Goldman, Sachs & Co. as the sole underwriter in the registered public offering of those shares.

As a result of Hertz Holdings' initial public offering in November 2006 and subsequent offerings in June 2007, May 2009, June 2009 and March 2011, the Sponsors reduced their holdings to approximately 38% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Hertz Holdings.

On September 1, 2011, Hertz completed the acquisition of Donlen Corporation, or "Donlen," a leading provider of fleet leasing and management services.

On December 31, 2011, Hertz purchased the noncontrolling interest of Navigation Solutions, L.L.C., thereby increasing its ownership interest from 65% to 100%.