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Basis of Presentation and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Basis Of Presentation And Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation

Avis Budget Group, Inc. provides car and truck rentals and ancillary services to businesses and consumers worldwide. The accompanying unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements include the accounts and transactions of Avis Budget Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Avis Budget”), as well as entities in which Avis Budget directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest (collectively, the “Company”), and have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for interim financial reporting.

The Company operates the following business segments:

North America—provides car rentals in the United States and vehicle rentals in Canada, as well as ancillary products and services, and operates the Company’s Zipcar car sharing business in North America.

International—provides and licenses the Company’s brands to third parties for vehicle rentals and ancillary products and services in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, and operates the Company's car sharing business in certain of these markets.

Truck Rental—provides truck rentals and ancillary products and services to consumers and commercial users in the United States.

In conjunction with a change in the Company’s management structure, the financial results of the Company’s Zipcar operations outside of North America will now be reported in the Company’s International segment rather than in the Company’s North America segment. The Company’s business segment financial information presented in these Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements has been recast to conform with the Company’s current business segment reporting alignment for all periods presented. The Company’s consolidated condensed results were not affected by this change.

In presenting the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and related disclosures. Estimates, by their nature, are based on judgment and available information. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates. In management’s opinion, the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements contain all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of interim results reported. The results of operations reported for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for the entire year or any subsequent interim period. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Vehicle Programs. The Company presents separately the financial data of its vehicle programs. These programs are distinct from the Company’s other activities since the assets under vehicle programs are generally funded through the issuance of debt that is collateralized by such assets. The income generated by these assets is used, in part, to repay the principal and interest associated with the debt. Cash inflows and outflows relating to the acquisition of such assets and the principal debt repayment or financing of such assets are classified as activities of the Company’s vehicle programs. The Company believes it is appropriate to segregate the financial data of its vehicle programs because, ultimately, the source of repayment of such debt is the realization of such assets.

Currency Transactions. The Company records the gain or loss of foreign-currency transactions on certain intercompany loans and gain or loss on intercompany loan hedges within interest expense related to corporate debt, net. During the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company recorded losses of $2 million and $4 million, respectively, on such items.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

On January 1, 2014, the Company adopted, as required, Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-04, “Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligations Is Fixed at the Reporting Date,” which requires companies to measure obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.