LKQ (LKQ) 10-K2019 FY Annual report

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

Documents Incorporated by Reference

PART I

SPECIAL NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements and information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of such Act.

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our outlook, guidance, expectations, beliefs, hopes, intentions and strategies.  Words such as "may," "will," "plan," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "if," "estimate," "intend," "project" and similar words or expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements.  These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors including those identified below.  All forward-looking statements are based on information available to us at the time the statements are made.  We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.  Actual events or results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.  The risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted or implied by our forward-looking statements include the following (not necessarily in order of importance):

LKQ Corporation ("LKQ" or the "Company") is a global distributor of vehicle products, including replacement parts, components, and systems used in the repair and maintenance of vehicles, and specialty products and accessories to improve the performance, functionality and appearance of vehicles.

Buyers of vehicle replacement products have the option to purchase from primarily five sources: new products produced by original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs"); new products produced by companies other than the OEMs, which are referred to as aftermarket products; recycled products obtained from salvage and total loss vehicles; recycled products that have been refurbished; and recycled products that have been remanufactured. We distribute a variety of products to collision and mechanical repair shops, including aftermarket collision and mechanical products; recycled collision and mechanical products; refurbished collision products such as wheels, bumper covers and lights; and remanufactured engines and transmissions. Collectively, we refer to the four sources that are not new OEM products as alternative parts.

We are a leading provider of alternative vehicle collision replacement products and alternative vehicle mechanical replacement products, with our sales, processing, and distribution facilities reaching most major markets in the United States and Canada. We are also a leading provider of alternative vehicle replacement and maintenance products in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Benelux region (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg), Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, and various other European countries. In addition to our wholesale operations, we operate self service retail facilities across the U.S. that sell recycled automotive products from end-of-life vehicles. We are also a leading distributor of specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories reaching most major markets in the U.S. and Canada.

We are organized into four operating segments: Wholesale - North America, Europe, Specialty, and Self Service. We aggregate our Wholesale - North America and Self Service operating segments into one reportable segment, North America, resulting in three reportable segments: North America, Europe and Specialty. See Note 16, "Segment and Geographic Information" to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for financial information by reportable segment and by geographic region.

We were initially formed in 1998 through the combination of a number of wholesale recycled products businesses and subsequently expanded through internal development and acquisitions of aftermarket, recycled, refurbished, and remanufactured product suppliers and manufacturers; self service retail businesses; and specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories suppliers. We have completed approximately 280 business acquisitions. Our most significant acquisitions include:

Further information regarding our recent acquisitions is included in Note 2, "Business Combinations" to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our mission is to be the leading global value-added distributor of vehicle parts and accessories by offering our customers the most comprehensive, available and cost-effective selection of part solutions while building strong partnerships with our employees and the communities in which we operate.

We have four primary strategic pillars to build economic value: growth through diversified product offerings; growth through geographic expansion; adaptation to evolving technology; and rationalization of our asset base to enhance margins and return on capital. We believe our supply network, with a broad inventory of quality alternative collision and mechanical repair products and specialty vehicle aftermarket products, high fulfillment rates, and superior customer service, provides us with a competitive advantage. To execute our strategy, we are focused on a number of key areas, including:

Our North America segment is composed of wholesale operations, which consists of aftermarket and salvage operations, and self service retail operations. During 2019, we acquired two diagnostic and repair services businesses.

Our wholesale operations in North America sell five product types (aftermarket, OEM recycled, OEM remanufactured, OEM refurbished and, to a lesser extent, new OEM parts) to professional collision and mechanical automobile

The aftermarket products we distribute are purchased from independent manufacturers and distributors located primarily in North America and Asia, principally Taiwan. In 2019, approximately 38% of our aftermarket purchases were made from our top 4 vendors, with our largest vendor providing approximately 16% of our annual inventory purchases. We believe we are one of the largest customers of each of these suppliers. Outside of this group, no other supplier provided more than 5% of our supply of aftermarket products in 2019. We purchased approximately 49% of our aftermarket products in 2019 directly from manufacturers in Taiwan and other Asian countries. Approximately 48% of our aftermarket products were purchased from vendors located in the U.S.; however, we believe the majority of these products were manufactured in Taiwan, Mexico or other foreign countries.

Within our wholesale operations, we focus our procurement on products that are in the most demand, based on a number of factors such as historical sales records of vehicles by model and year, customer requests, and projections of future supply and demand trends. Because lead times may be 40 days or more on imported aftermarket products, sales volumes and in-stock inventory are important factors in the procurement process.

We procure recycled products for our wholesale operations by acquiring total loss vehicles, typically sold at regional salvage auctions, and then dismantling and inventorying the parts. The availability and pricing of the salvage vehicles we procure for our wholesale recycled products operations may be impacted by a variety of factors, including the production level of new vehicles and the percentage of damaged vehicles declared total losses. Our bidding specialists are equipped with a proprietary software application that allows them to compare the vehicles at salvage auctions against our current inventory levels, historical demand, and recent average selling prices to arrive at an estimated maximum bid.

In our aftermarket operations, we use a third party enterprise management system and other third party software packages to leverage the centralized data and information that a single system provides, such as a data warehouse to conduct enhanced analytics and reporting, an integrated budgeting system, an electronic data interchange tool, and E-commerce tools to enhance our online business-to-business initiatives - OrderKeystone.com and Keyless.

Our wholesale recycled product locations in North America operate an internally-developed, proprietary enterprise management system called LKQX. We believe that the use of a single system across all of our wholesale recycled product operations helps facilitate the sales process; allows for continued implementation of standard operating procedures; and improves training efficiency, employee transferability, access to our national inventory database, management reporting and data storage. The system also supports an electronic exchange process for identifying and locating parts at other select recyclers and facilitates brokered sales to fill customer orders for items not in stock.

Our salvage operations generate scrap metal and other materials that we sell to metals recyclers. Vehicles that have been dismantled for recycled products and "crush only" end-of-life vehicles acquired from other companies are typically crushed using equipment on site. In other cases, we will hire mobile crushing equipment to crush the vehicles before they are transported to shredders and scrap metal processors. Damaged and unusable wheel cores are melted in our aluminum furnace and sold to consumers of aluminum ingot and sow for the production of various automotive products, including wheels. We also extract and sell the precious metals contained in certain of our recycled parts such as catalytic converters.

We sell our products to wholesale customers that include collision and mechanical repair shops and new and used car dealerships, as well as to retail customers. The majority of these customers tend to be individually-owned small businesses, although the number of independent and dealer-operated collision repair facilities has declined over the last decade, as regional or national multiple-location operators have increased their geographic presence through consolidation.

Automobile insurance companies affect the demand for our collision products; while insurance companies do not pay for our products directly, they ultimately pay for the repair costs of insured vehicles in excess of any deductible amount. As a result, insurance companies often influence the types of products used in a repair. The use of our alternative products instead of new OEM products provides a direct benefit to insurance companies by lowering the cost of repairs, by often decreasing the

Our sales personnel are encouraged to promote LKQ to customers as a “one-stop shop” by offering comparable options from our other product lines if the desired part is not in stock. To support these efforts, we have provided our sales staff with access to both recycled and aftermarket sales systems to encourage cross selling.

To better serve our customers, we take a consolidated approach to the electronic sale of wholesale products in our North America segment. A full suite of e-commerce services is available to approved partners that helps us improve order accuracy, reduce return rate and better fit our customer workflow. Using these services in coordination with our partners, products can be searched, priced and ordered without leaving the customers' own operating systems.

We have a distribution network of warehouses and cross dock facilities, which allows us to develop and maintain our service levels with local repair shops while providing fulfillment rates that are made possible by our nationwide presence. Our delivery fleet utilizes a third party software provider to optimize delivery routes, and to track the progress of delivery vehicles throughout their runs. This third party software connects into each of our wholesale systems to allow a single interface for our management team to have a single delivery to our customer, regardless of the product line or operating system. Our local presence allows us to provide daily deliveries as required by our customers, using drivers who routinely deliver to the same customers. Our sales force and local delivery drivers develop and maintain critical personal relationships with the local repair shops that benefit from access to our wide selection of products, which we are able to offer as a result of our regional inventory network. We operate a delivery fleet of medium-sized trucks and smaller trucks and vans, which deliver multiple product types on the same delivery routes to help minimize distribution costs and improve customer service.

Our self service retail operations, most of which operate under the name “LKQ Pick Your Part,” allow consumers to come directly to the yard to pick parts off of salvage vehicles. In addition to revenue from the sale of parts, core, and scrap, we charge a nominal admission fee to access the property.

We acquire inventory for our self service retail product operations from a variety of sources, including but not limited to towing companies, vehicle auctions, the general public, municipality sales, insurance carriers, and charitable organizations. We procure salvage vehicles for our self service retail product operations that are generally older and priced lower than the salvage vehicles we purchase for our wholesale recycled product operations. Vehicles are delivered to our locations by the seller, or we arrange for transportation. Once on our property, minimal labor is required to process the vehicle other than removing the battery, fluids, refrigerants, catalytic converters and hazardous materials. The extracted fluids are stored in bulk and subsequently sold to recyclers. Vehicles are then placed in the yard for customers to remove parts. In our self service business, availability of a specific part will depend on which vehicles are currently at the site and to what extent parts may have been previously sold. We usually keep a vehicle at our facility for 30 to 120 days, depending on the capacity of the yard and size of the market, before it is crushed and sold to scrap metal processors.

Our self service operations generate scrap metal, alloys and other materials that we sell to recyclers. Vehicles that we no longer make available to the public and "crush only" vehicles acquired from other companies, including OEMs, are typically crushed using equipment on site. Damaged and unusable wheel cores are melted in our aluminum furnace and sold to consumers of aluminum ingot and sow for the production of various automotive products, including wheels. We also extract and sell the precious metals contained in certain of our recycled parts such as catalytic converters.

The customers of our self service yards are frequently do-it-yourself mechanics, small independent repair shops servicing older vehicles, auto rebuilders, and resellers. The scrap from the vehicle hulks, when not processed by us, is sold to metals recyclers, with whom we may also compete when procuring salvage vehicles for our operations.

There are competitors operating self service businesses in all of the markets in which we operate. In some markets, there are numerous competitors, often operating in close proximity to our operations. We try to differentiate our business by the quality of the inventory and the size and cleanliness of the property. We also differentiate our business from our competitors through our app, which allows customers to receive daily push notifications when cars they are interested in are placed into their favorite yards. In addition to allowing customers to see our available inventory, the app also allows customers to input search parameters such as the specific part they are searching for, and the year, make, and model of the vehicle, to identify the population of cars that might be available to pull compatible parts from. We do not consider retail chains that focus on the do-it-yourself market to be our direct competitors, as there is limited overlap in the products that we sell.

Our Europe segment was built on four key acquisitions: ECP (2011), Sator (2013), Rhiag (2016) and Stahlgruber (2018). Additionally, in 2014 we expanded our European segment to include wholesale recycling operations through our acquisition of a business with salvage and vehicle repair facilities in Sweden and Norway, and in 2016, we acquired an equity investment in Mekonomen AB ("Mekonomen"), the leading independent car parts distributor in the Nordic region of Europe. Mekonomen is independent of our existing European operations, but we have identified areas where the companies can work together in a mutually beneficial manner, primarily related to procurement. Our European strategy is to target platform acquisitions to cover broad markets initially, then integrate these businesses with our other operations and subsequently expand our footprint in these regions through new branch openings and smaller tuck-in acquisitions. Our acquisitions provide a platform to capitalize on the large and fragmented aftermarket mechanical replacement parts market in Europe, and allow for cost savings from the leveraging of our combined purchasing power given the significant overlap in suppliers and product mix. We have acquired many smaller businesses within the regions we operate, and we are integrating our European operations as we optimize purchasing, warehousing, systems, logistics and back-office functions, and align our private label brands across the segment.

In September 2019, we announced a multi-year program called "1 LKQ Europe," to further centralize and standardize certain key functions to improve the efficiencies within the Europe segment. Under the 1 LKQ Europe program, we will reorganize our non-customer-facing teams and support systems through various projects including the implementation of a common ERP platform, rationalization of our product portfolio, and the creation of a Europe headquarters office in Zug, Switzerland.

Our inventory is primarily composed of mechanical aftermarket parts for the repair of vehicles 3 to 15 years old. Our top selling products include brake pads, discs and sensors, clutches, electrical products such as spark plugs and batteries, steering and suspension products, filters, and oil and automotive fluids. In addition to mechanical aftermarket parts, we also sell collision parts in our Europe segment, although these sales represent approximately 1% of total Europe segment revenue.

In 2019, our top two suppliers represented 12% of our aftermarket inventory purchases, with our top supplier representing approximately 7% of our purchases. No other suppliers comprised more than 5% of our purchases during 2019. In 2019, we purchased 94% of our products from companies in Europe. The remaining 6% of our 2019 purchases were sourced from vendors located primarily in China or Taiwan, some of which also supply collision parts for our Wholesale - North America operations. In 2019, 72% and 18% of our total inventory purchases were made in euros and pounds sterling, respectively.

In our Nordic operations, we purchase severely damaged or totaled vehicles from insurance companies, which are transferred to our dismantling facilities or sold to other third party dismantlers.

Our aftermarket operations in Europe use various information technology (“IT”) systems. Our systems are complex and are designed to perform a variety of tasks (depending on the market), including: manage customer orders and inventory movement, optimize our warehouse and logistics, and financial reporting. Certain of our IT systems can interface with our repair shop customers' respective IT systems, which enables customers to identify and order the part required for the repair. As part of our 1 LKQ Europe strategy to create an integrated European company, we initiated a multi-year program to develop and

We primarily operate a two-step (i.e. direct sales to repair shop customers) distribution model in Europe, although certain of our operations, such as Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary, operate partially a three-step (i.e. sales to distributors who in turn sell to repair shop customers) distribution model. In our two-step operations, we sell the majority of our products to commercial customers primarily consisting of professional repairers, including both independent mechanical repair shops and collision repair shops. In our three-step operations, we sell products to wholesale distributors or jobbers. In addition to our sales to repair shops and wholesale distributors, we generate a portion of our revenue through sales to retail customers from e-commerce platforms and from counter sales at the branch locations.

Our European operations employ a distribution model in which inventory is stored at national or international distribution centers or regional hubs, with fast moving product stored at branch locations. The large distribution centers regularly re-stock the smaller branches and hubs and hold slower moving items helping us to improve fulfillment rates. Product is moved through the distribution network on our trucks, vans or via common carrier.

We view all suppliers of replacement repair products as our competitors, including other alternative parts suppliers and OEMs and their dealer networks. We face significant competition in many markets where even smaller competitors can compete on price and service and the OEMs compete via ties to, and brand loyalty of, the consumer while also remaining competitive on price, service and availability. We believe we have been able to distinguish ourselves from other alternative parts suppliers primarily through our distribution network, efficient stock management systems and proprietary technology, which allows us to deliver our products quickly, as well as through our product lines and inventory availability, pricing, and service.

Our Specialty operating segment was formed in 2014 with our acquisition of Keystone Specialty, a leading distributor and marketer of specialty vehicle aftermarket products and accessories in North America. Our Specialty operations reach most major markets in the U.S. and Canada and serve the following six product segments: RV; truck and off-road; towing; speed and performance; wheels, tires and performance handling; and miscellaneous accessories. In 2017, we acquired Warn Industries, Inc. ("Warn"), a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of high performance vehicle equipment and accessories. The acquisition of Warn expanded our presence in the specialty market and created viable points of entry into related markets.

The specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories we distribute and raw materials for products we manufacture are purchased from suppliers located primarily in the U.S., Canada, and China. Our top selling products are RV appliances & air conditioners, towing hitches, truck bed covers, vehicle protection products, cargo management products, and wheels, tires & suspension products. Specialty aftermarket suppliers are typically small to medium-sized, independent businesses that focus on a narrow product or market niche. Due to the highly fragmented supplier base for specialty vehicle aftermarket products, we have limited supplier concentration. In 2019, approximately 15% of our specialty vehicle aftermarket purchases were made from our top two suppliers, with our largest supplier providing approximately 10% of our annual inventory purchases. No other suppliers comprised more than 5% of our purchases during 2019. With our 2017 acquisition of Warn, we have internal manufacturing capabilities to source aftermarket winches, hoists, and bumpers.

Most of our Specialty operations utilize an internally developed inventory management and order entry system that interfaces with third party software systems for accounting, transaction processing, data analytics, and reporting.

Overall, the specialty vehicle aftermarket parts and accessories market serves a fragmented customer base composed of RV and specialty automotive dealers, installers, jobbers, builders, parts chains, and mail-order businesses. Our customers are principally small, independent businesses. These customers depend on us to provide a broad range of products, rapid delivery, marketing support and technical assistance. In addition to traditional customers, in recent years we have increased sales to several large parts and accessory online retailers. Our Specialty segment also operates retail stores in northeast Pennsylvania.

We promote our products to customers through marketing programs, which include: (i) catalogs, advertising, sponsorships and promotional activities, (ii) product level marketing and merchandising support, and (iii) online and digital

Online sales of our Specialty products take place primarily through our ekeystone.com and viantp.com sites and mobile app. These sites provide customers (i) the ability to match products with the make and model of vehicle thus allowing the customer to order the correct part, (ii) product information (e.g. pictures, attributes) available for review and (iii) the convenience of searching inventory availability and ordering the product on the site. Additionally, the site can provide sales opportunities by suggesting other parts to purchase based on an inquiry submitted by the customer.

Our Specialty segment operations employ a hub-and-spoke distribution model which enables us to transport products from our primary distribution centers to our non-inventory stocking cross docks, a majority of which are co-located with our North America wholesale operations and provide distribution points to key regional markets and synergies with our existing infrastructure. We believe this provides added value to our customers through a broader product offering and more efficient distribution process. We use our delivery routes to provide delivery and returns of our products directly to and from our customers in all 48 continental U.S. states and 9 Canadian provinces, and we ship globally to customers in other countries. Our delivery fleet utilizes a third party software provider to optimize delivery routes, and to track the progress of delivery vehicles throughout their runs.

Industry participants have a variety of supply choices. Vendors can deliver products to market via warehouse distributors and mail order catalog businesses, or directly to retailers and/or consumers. We view all suppliers of specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories as our competitors. We believe we have been able to distinguish ourselves from other specialty vehicle aftermarket parts and equipment suppliers primarily through our broad product selection, which encompasses both popular and hard-to-find products, our national distribution network, and efficient inventory management systems, as well as through our service. We compete on the basis of product breadth and depth, rapid and dependable delivery, marketing initiatives, support services, and price.

We own and have the right to use various intellectual property, including intellectual property acquired as a result of past acquisitions. In addition to trade names, trademarks and patents, we also have technology-based intellectual property that has been both internally developed and obtained through license agreements and acquisitions. We do not believe that our business is materially dependent on any single item of intellectual property, or any single group of related intellectual property, owned or licensed, nor would the expiration of any particular item or related group of intellectual property, or the termination of any particular intellectual property license agreement materially affect our business.

As of December 31, 2019, we employed approximately 51,000 persons, of which approximately 21,000 were employed in North America and approximately 30,000 were employed outside of North America. Of our employees in North America, approximately 800 were represented by unions. Outside of North America, we have government-mandated collective bargaining agreements and union contracts in certain countries, particularly in Europe where many of our employees are represented by unions and/or works councils. We consider our employee relations to be good.

As of December 31, 2019, our operations included approximately 1,700 facilities, most of which are leased. Of our total facilities, approximately 550 facilities were located in the U.S. and approximately 1,150 facilities were located in over 25 other countries. Many of our locations stock multiple product types or serve more than one function.

Our global headquarters are located at 500 West Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661.

Our North American headquarters, in Nashville, Tennessee, performs certain centralized functions for our North American operations, including accounting, procurement, and information systems support.

Our European operations are distributed throughout Europe with main offices in Tamworth, England; in Schiedam and Amsterdam, the Netherlands; in Milan, Italy; in Prague, Czech Republic; and in Poing, Germany. In addition to these offices, we have two national distribution centers in Tamworth totaling 1,000,000 and 500,000 square feet, respectively, which house inventory to supply the hubs and branches of our U.K. and Republic of Ireland operations, and one international distribution center in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany which supplies Stahlgruber’s operations in Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Under the 1 LKQ Europe program, we are establishing a Europe headquarters office in Zug, Switzerland.

Our Specialty operations maintain primary procurement, accounting and finance functions in Exeter, Pennsylvania.

Certain back-office support functions for our segments are performed in Bangalore, India. Additionally, we operate an aftermarket parts warehouse in Taiwan to aggregate inventory for shipment to our locations in North America.

Our operating results are subject to quarterly variations based on a variety of factors, influenced primarily by seasonal changes in weather patterns. During the winter months, we tend to have higher demand for our vehicle replacement products because there are more weather related repairs. Our specialty vehicle operations typically generate greater revenue and earnings in the second quarter, when vehicle owners tend to install this equipment, and lower revenue and earnings in the fourth quarter, when the number of RV trips tends to decline as a result of the winter weather. Our aftermarket glass operations typically generate greater revenue and earnings in the second and third quarters, when the demand for automotive replacement glass increases after the winter weather.

Our recycling efforts are a key pillar of our mission statement of being a responsible steward of the environment and a true partner with the communities in which we operate. This stewardship has been embedded in our culture since the company’s founding in 1998. Our recycling efforts preserve natural resources, reduce the demand for scarce landfill space, and help decrease air and water pollution.

The table below highlights our North American recycling operation’s efforts in 2019 to minimize the environmental impact of total loss and end-of-life vehicles with effective and proper vehicle disposition, and lists the approximate number or amount of parts or other materials removed from such vehicles and sold or used by us in our operations (in thousands).

We continuously strive to improve the effect of our operations, and the awareness of all of our employees, with respect to social issues. We seek diversity of our employees and do not discriminate in our employment with respect to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, age, disability, protected medical condition, marital status, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by civil rights laws. We do not tolerate harassment or retaliation against persons that report improper behavior.

We have shared with our employees some of the benefits we received as part of the Tax Reform Act of 2017, including through a reduction of medical care premiums, an increase in paid time off, an increase in the Company’s matching amount under our retirement plan, a tuition reimbursement program, and a scholarship program for the children of our employees. In addition, we have established a fund to help employees that experience catastrophic losses.

We also strive to improve the communities in which we operate. The employees at our facilities are encouraged to volunteer in local community activities, and we have established a charitable foundation to distribute funds to local causes.

We have made substantial progress in the area of corporate governance.  For example, we have three female members on our Board of Directors, and we have added five new members to the Board since August 2018.  After the departure from the Board by two of our current directors at our Annual Meeting of Stockholders in May 2020, over 80% of our directors will be independent.  We believe that the skill sets of our newly constituted Board effectively address the areas of focus that are important for our short and long-term strategic objectives.

ITEM 1A.     RISK FACTORS

Changes in economic, political and social conditions in the U.S., Europe and other countries in which we are located or do business could have a material effect on our company. Negative effects to our supply chain, costs of doing business, sales and distribution activity may occur due to factors such as war or threats of war, natural disasters, nuclear facility accidents, public health emergencies, utility interruptions and terrorism.

Our business is also affected by a number of other factors. For example, the number and types of new vehicles produced and sold by manufacturers affects our business. A decrease in the number of vehicles on the road may result in a decrease in repairs.

Our sales are also impacted by changes to the economic health of vehicle owners. The economic health of vehicle owners is affected by many factors, including, among others, general business conditions, interest rates, inflation, consumer debt levels, the availability of consumer credit, taxation, fuel prices, unemployment trends and other matters that influence consumer confidence and spending.  Many of these factors are outside of our control. If any of these conditions worsen, our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.

In addition, economic conditions, including decreased access to credit, may result in financial difficulties leading to restructurings, bankruptcies, liquidations and other unfavorable events for our customers, suppliers, logistics and other service providers and financial institutions that are counterparties to our credit facilities and hedge transactions. These unfavorable events affecting our business partners could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

We have a substantial business presence in Europe, including a significant presence in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland (“ROI”). In June 2016, voters in the U.K. decided by referendum to withdraw from the European Union (also known as Brexit). The precise timing and impacts of this action on our businesses in the U.K. and other parts of Europe are unknown at this time. Since the vote, we have seen fluctuations in exchange rates leading to cost pressures and unfavorable translation effects on our sterling denominated earnings. The U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union became effective on January 31, 2020. The U.K. and the European Union now have an 11-month transition period to negotiate a trade deal and come to terms on other issues such as security and law enforcement. Depending upon the outcome of these negotiations, our European businesses could be adversely affected as a result of further fluctuations in exchange rates, disruptions to access to markets by U.K. and ROI companies, interruptions of the movement of goods and services between countries, a decrease of economic activity in Europe, and political or social unrest.

The vehicle replacement products industry and vehicle accessory parts industry are highly competitive and are served by numerous suppliers of OEM, recycled, aftermarket, refurbished and remanufactured products. Within each of these categories of suppliers, there are local owner-operated companies, larger regional suppliers, national and international providers, and internet-based suppliers and distributors. Providers of vehicle replacement and accessory products that have traditionally sold only certain categories of such products may decide to expand their product offerings into other categories of vehicle products, which may further increase competition. Some of our current and potential competitors may have more operational expertise; greater financial, technical, manufacturing, distribution, and other resources; longer operating histories; lower cost structures; and better relationships in the insurance and vehicle repair industries or with consumers, than we do. Business transacted on online marketplaces has been increasing, which presents additional competitive pressures on us; in addition, facilitators of these online marketplaces control access to this channel and may prohibit us from participating for various reasons.

In the U.S. and Europe, local companies have formed cooperative efforts in an attempt to more efficiently compete against us in all aspects of our business. As a result of these factors, our competitors may be able to provide products that we are unable to supply, provide their products at lower costs, or supply products to customers that we are unable to serve.

We believe that a majority of collision parts by dollar amount are supplied by OEMs, with the balance being supplied by distributors of alternative aftermarket, recycled, refurbished and remanufactured collision parts like us. The OEMs are therefore able to exert pricing pressure in the marketplace. We compete with the OEMs primarily on price and to a lesser extent on service and quality. From time to time, the OEMs have implemented programs seeking to increase their market share in the collision repair parts industry. For example, they have reduced prices on specific products to match the lower prices of

Our success depends, in part, on the acceptance and promotion of alternative parts usage by automotive insurance companies and vehicle repair facilities. There can be no assurance that current levels of alternative parts usage will be maintained or will increase in the future.

We rely on business relationships with insurance companies. These insurance companies encourage vehicle repair facilities to use products we provide. The business relationships include in some cases participation in aftermarket quality and service assurance programs that may result in a higher usage of our aftermarket products than would be the case without the programs. Our arrangements with these companies may be terminated by them at any time, including in connection with their own business concerns relating to the offering, availability, standards or operations of the aftermarket quality and service assurance programs. We rely on these relationships for sales to some collision repair shops, and a termination of these relationships may result in a loss of sales, which could adversely affect our results of operations.

In an Illinois lawsuit involving State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company ("Avery v. State Farm"), a jury decided in October 1999 that State Farm breached certain insurance contracts with its policyholders by using non-OEM replacement products to repair damaged vehicles when use of such products did not restore the vehicle to its "pre-loss condition." The jury found that State Farm misled its customers by not disclosing the use of non-OEM replacement products and the alleged inferiority of those products. Damages in excess of $1 billion were assessed against State Farm. In August 2005, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the awards made by the lower courts and found, among other things, that the plaintiffs had failed to establish any breach of contract by State Farm. The plaintiffs filed a subsequent claim alleging that State Farm improperly influenced one of the justices on the Illinois Supreme Court. Prior to trial on the subsequent claim, the parties settled the case; as part of the settlement, State Farm paid the plaintiffs $250 million. As a result of this case, some insurance companies reduced or eliminated their use of aftermarket products. Our financial results could be adversely affected if insurance companies modified or terminated the arrangements pursuant to which repair shops buy aftermarket or recycled products from us due to a fear of similar claims.

In addition, to the extent that the collision repair industry continues to consolidate, the buying power of collision repair shop customers may further increase, putting additional pressure on our financial returns.

We may not be able to successfully complete potential strategic acquisitions if we cannot reach agreement on acceptable terms, if we do not obtain required antitrust or other regulatory approvals, or for other reasons. Moreover, we may not be able to identify acquisition candidates at reasonable prices and/or be able to successfully integrate acquisitions.

If we buy a company or a division of a company, we may experience difficulty integrating that company's or division's personnel and operations, which could negatively affect our operating results. In addition:

For example, we have undertaken the 1 LKQ Europe program to create structural centralization and standardization of key functions to facilitate the operation of the Europe segment as a single business; this program will present a number of execution challenges.

In addition to acquisitions, we have divested, and will continue to divest, certain businesses that do not meet our performance standards. As a result of a divestment, we may not recover the carrying value of our investment in the divested business; in addition, such divestment transactions require significant management time and attention.

OEMs and others have attempted to use claims of intellectual property infringement against manufacturers and distributors of aftermarket products to restrict or eliminate the sale of aftermarket products that are the subject of the claims. OEMs have brought such claims in federal court and with the U.S. International Trade Commission. In some cases, we have entered into patent license agreements with OEMs that allow us to sell aftermarket parts that replicate the patented parts in exchange for a royalty and otherwise in accordance with the terms of the agreements.

To the extent OEMs and other manufacturers obtain design patents or trademarks and are successful in asserting claims of infringement of these patents or trademarks against us, we could be restricted or prohibited from selling certain aftermarket products, which could have an adverse effect on our business. In the event that our license agreements, or other similar license arrangements with OEMs or others, are terminated or we are unable to agree upon renewal terms, we may be subject to costs and uncertainties of litigation as well as restrictions on our ability to sell aftermarket parts that replicate parts covered by those design patents or trademarks. We have filed, and may file in the future, challenges to OEM patents, including patents owned by OEMs with which we have patent license agreements. We also may file challenges to OEM trademarks. To the extent OEMs are successful in defending their patents or trademarks, we could be restricted or prohibited from selling the corresponding aftermarket products, which could have an adverse effect on our business. Also, we will likely incur expenses investigating, pursuing and defending intellectual property claims.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has taken the position that certain of our aftermarket parts infringe certain OEM trademarks and seized our aftermarket parts as we attempted to import them into the U.S. We incur costs and expenses attempting to convince Customs and Border Protection to release the seized goods and in litigation where we are seeking a determination of non-infringement. In the event we are unsuccessful in obtaining their release, such goods may be subject to forfeiture and other penalties.

Aftermarket products certifying organizations may revoke the certification of parts that are the subject of the intellectual property disputes. Lack of certification may negatively impact us because many major insurance companies recommend or require the use of aftermarket products only if they have been certified by an independent certifying organization.

Our business depends on vehicle accidents, mechanical failures and routine maintenance for both the demand for repairs using our products and the supply of recycled, remanufactured and refurbished parts. To the extent that a relatively higher percentage of damaged vehicles are declared total losses, there will be less demand for our products to repair such vehicles. In addition, our business is impacted by factors that influence the number and/or severity of accidents and mechanical failures including, but not limited to, the number of vehicles on the road, the number of miles driven, the ages of drivers, the occurrence and severity of certain weather conditions, the congestion of traffic, drivers distracted by electronic equipment, the use of alcohol or drugs by drivers, the usage rate and effectiveness of accident avoidance systems in new vehicles, the reliability of new OEM parts, and the condition of roadways. For example, an increase in the acceptance of ride-sharing could reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Additionally, an increase in fuel prices may cause the number of vehicles on the road, the number of miles driven, and the need for mechanical repairs and maintenance to decline, as motorists seek alternative transportation options. Mild weather conditions, particularly during winter months, tend to result in a decrease in vehicle accidents. Moreover, legislation banning the use of handheld cellular telephones or other electronic devices while driving could lead to a decline in accidents.

Systems designed to minimize accident frequency and severity are becoming more prevalent and more technologically sophisticated. To the extent OEMs install or are mandated by law to install accident avoidance systems in their vehicles, the number and severity of accidents could decrease, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The average number of new vehicles sold annually has fluctuated from year-to-year.  Periods of decreased sales could result in a reduction in the number of vehicles on the road and consequently fewer vehicles involved in accidents or in need of mechanical repair or maintenance. Substantial further declines in automotive sales in the future could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition. In addition, if vehicle population trends result in a disproportionately high number of older vehicles on the road, insurance companies may find it uneconomical to repair such vehicles or there could be less costly repairs. If vehicle population trends result in a disproportionately high number of newer vehicles on the road, the demand generally for mechanical repairs and maintenance would likely decline due to the newer, longer-lasting parts in the vehicle population and mechanical failures being covered by OEM warranties for the first years of a vehicle's life. Moreover, alternative collision and mechanical parts are less likely to be used on newer vehicles. Our Specialty segment depends on sales of pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossover utility vehicles, high performance vehicles and recreational vehicles; any reduction in the number of such vehicles in operation will adversely affect demand for our Specialty products.

Electric vehicles do not have traditional engines, transmissions, and certain related parts. Engines and transmissions represent some of our largest revenue generating SKUs in North America, and parts for engines and transmissions represent a significant amount of the revenue of our European operations. Thus, an increase in electric vehicles as a percentage of vehicles sold will have a negative impact on our sales of engines, transmissions, and other related parts.

Our recycling operations generate scrap metal and other metals that we sell. After we dismantle a salvage vehicle for wholesale parts and after vehicles have been processed in our self service retail business, the remaining vehicle hulks are sold to scrap processors and other remaining metals are sold to processors and brokers of metals. In addition, we receive "crush only" vehicles from other companies, including OEMs, which we dismantle and which generate scrap metal and other metals. The prices of scrap and other metals have historically fluctuated, sometimes significantly, due to market factors. In addition, buyers may stop purchasing metals entirely due to excess supply. To the extent that the prices of metals decrease materially or buyers stop purchasing metals, our revenue from such sales will suffer and a write-down of our inventory value could be required. For example, in 2018 China imposed a ban on the importation of various types of solid waste allegedly in an effort to reduce environmental pollution. This ban includes certain metals that we sell and continues to have the effect of reducing the prices of such products.

The cost of our wholesale recycled and our self service retail inventory purchases will change as a result of fluctuating scrap metal and other metals prices. In a period of falling metal prices, there can be no assurance that our inventory purchasing cost will decrease the same amount or at the same rate as the scrap metal and other metals prices decline, and there may be a delay between the scrap metal and other metals price reductions and any inventory cost reductions. The prices of steel, aluminum, and plastics are components of the cost to manufacture products for our aftermarket business. If the prices of commodities rise and result in higher costs to us for products we sell, we may not be able to pass these higher costs on to our customers.

Most states have passed laws that prohibit or limit the use of aftermarket products in collision repair work. These laws include requirements relating to consumer disclosure, vehicle owner’s consent regarding the use of aftermarket products in the repair process, and the requirement to have aftermarket products certified by an independent testing organization. Additional legislation of this kind may be introduced in the future. If additional laws prohibiting or restricting the use of aftermarket products are passed, it could have an adverse impact on our aftermarket products business.

Certain organizations test the quality and safety of vehicle replacement products. If these organizations decide not to test a particular vehicle product, or in the event that such organizations decide that a particular vehicle product does not meet applicable quality or safety standards, we may decide to discontinue sales of such product or insurance companies may decide to discontinue authorization of repairs using such product. Such events could adversely affect our business.

Some jurisdictions have enacted laws prohibiting or severely restricting the sale of certain recycled products that we provide, such as airbags. In addition, laws relating to the regulation of parts affecting vehicle emissions, such as California’s Proposition 65, may impact the ability of our Specialty segment to sell certain accessory products. These and other jurisdictions could enact similar laws or could prohibit or severely restrict the sale of additional recycled products. The passage of legislation with prohibitions or restrictions that are more severe than current laws could have a material adverse impact on our business. Additionally, Congress could enact federal legislation restricting the use of aftermarket or recycled automotive products used in the course of vehicle repairs.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued guides that regulate the use of certain terms such as “rebuilt” or “remanufactured” in connection with the sale of automotive parts. Restrictions on the products we are able to sell and on the marketing of such products could decrease our revenue and have an adverse effect on our business and operations.

In 1992, Congress enacted the Anti-Car Theft Act to deter trafficking in stolen vehicles. The purpose of the law is to implement an electronic system to track and monitor vehicle identification numbers and major automotive parts. In January 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice implemented the portion of the system to track and monitor vehicle identification numbers. The portion of the system that would track and monitor major automotive parts would require various entities, including automotive parts recyclers like us, to inspect salvage vehicles for the purpose of collecting the part number for any "covered major part." The Department of Justice has not promulgated rules on this portion of the system, and therefore there has been no progress on the implementation of the system to track and monitor major automotive parts. However, if this system is fully implemented, the requirement to collect the information would place substantial burdens on vehicle recyclers, including us, that otherwise would not normally exist. It would place similar burdens on repair shops, which may discourage the use by such shops of recycled products. There is no pending initiative to implement the parts registration from a law enforcement point of view. However, there is a risk that a heightened legislative concern over safety of parts might precipitate an effort to push for the implementation of such rules.

Our North American business is dependent on a relatively small number of suppliers of aftermarket products, a large portion of which are sourced from Taiwan. Our European business also acquires product from Asian sources. We incur substantial freight costs to import parts from our suppliers, many of which are located in Asia. If the cost of freight rose, we might not be able to pass the cost increases on to our customers. Furthermore, although alternative suppliers exist for substantially all aftermarket products distributed by us, the loss of any one supplier could have a material adverse effect on us until alternative suppliers are located and have commenced manufacturing and providing the relevant products. In addition, we are subject to disruptions from work stoppages and other labor disputes at port facilities through which we import our inventory. We also face the risk that our suppliers could attempt to circumvent us and sell their product directly to our customers; consolidation of our suppliers could enhance their ability to distribute products through additional sales channels and thus decrease their reliance on wholesale distributors like us.

Moreover, our operations are subject to the customary risks of doing business abroad, including, among other things, natural disasters, transportation costs and delays, political instability, currency fluctuations and the imposition of tariffs, import and export controls and other non-tariff barriers (including changes in the allocation of quotas), as well as the uncertainty regarding future relations between China, Japan and Taiwan. For example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection have used claims of intellectual property infringement to seize certain of our aftermarket parts as we attempted to import them into the U.S.

Because a substantial volume of our sales involves products manufactured from sheet metal, we can be adversely impacted if sheet metal becomes unavailable or is only available at higher prices, which we may not be able to pass on to our customers. Additionally, as OEMs convert to raw materials other than steel, it may be more difficult or expensive to source aftermarket parts made with such materials and it may be more difficult for repair shops to work with such materials in the repair process.

Most of our salvage and a portion of our self service inventory is obtained from vehicles offered at salvage auctions operated by several companies that own auction facilities in numerous locations across the U.S. We do not typically have contracts with the auction companies. According to industry analysts, a small number of companies control a large percentage of the salvage auction market in the U.S. If an auction company prohibited us from participating in its auctions, began competing with us, or significantly raised its fees, our business could be adversely affected through higher costs or the resulting potential inability to service our customers. Moreover, we face competition in the purchase of vehicles from direct competitors, rebuilders, exporters and other bidders. To the extent that the number of bidders increases, it may have the effect of increasing our cost of goods sold for wholesale recycled products. Some states regulate bidders to help ensure that salvage vehicles are purchased for legal purposes by qualified buyers. Auction companies have been actively seeking to reduce, circumvent or eliminate these regulations, which would further increase the number of bidders.

In addition, there is a limited supply of salvage vehicles in the U.S., and thus the costs to us of these vehicles could increase over time. In some states, when a vehicle is deemed a total loss, a salvage title is issued. Whether states issue salvage titles is important to the supply of inventory for the vehicle recycling industry because an increase in vehicles that qualify as salvage vehicles provides greater availability and typically lowers the price of such vehicles. Currently, these titling issues are a matter of state law. In 1992, the U.S. Congress commissioned an advisory committee to study problems relating to vehicle titling, registration, and salvage. Since then, legislation has been introduced seeking to establish national uniform requirements in this area, including a uniform definition of a salvage vehicle. The vehicle recycling industry will generally favor a uniform

We also acquire inventory directly from insurance companies, OEMs, and others. To the extent that these suppliers decide to discontinue these arrangements, our business could be adversely affected through higher costs or the resulting potential inability to service our customers.

In Europe, we acquire products from a wide variety of suppliers. As vehicle technology changes, some parts will become more complex and the design or technology of those parts may be covered by patents or other rights that make it difficult for aftermarket suppliers to produce for sale to companies such as ours. The complexity of the parts may include software or other technical aspects that make it difficult to identify what is wrong with the vehicle. More complex parts may be difficult to repair and may require expensive or difficult to obtain software updates, limiting our ability to compete with the OEMs.

Our future success depends in large part upon the leadership and performance of our executive management team and key employees at the operating level. If we lose the services of one or more of our executive officers or key employees, or if one or more of them decides to join a competitor or otherwise compete directly or indirectly with us, we may not be able to successfully manage our business or achieve our business objectives. If we lose the services of any of our key employees at the operating or regional level, we may not be able to replace them with similarly qualified personnel, which could harm our business. In addition, to the extent wage inflation occurs in jurisdictions in which we operate, we may not be able to retain key employees or we may experience increased costs.

We have operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan, and we may expand our operations in the countries in which we do business and into other countries. Our foreign operations expose us to additional risks associated with international business, which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition, including import and export requirements and compliance with anti-corruption laws, such as the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. We also incur costs in currencies other than our functional currencies in some of the countries in which we operate. We are thus subject to foreign exchange exposure to the extent that we operate in different currencies, as well as exposure to foreign tax and other foreign and domestic laws. In addition, certain countries in which we operate have a higher level of political instability and criminal activity than the U.S. that could affect our operations and the ability to maintain our supply of products.

Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair market value of net assets acquired in business combinations. In the future, our goodwill and intangible assets may increase as a result of acquisitions. Goodwill is reviewed at least annually for impairment. Impairment may result from, among other things, deterioration in the performance of acquired businesses, deterioration of expected future cash flows or performance, increases in our cost of capital, adverse market conditions, and adverse changes in applicable laws or regulations, including modifications that restrict the activities of the acquired business. As of December 31, 2019, our total goodwill subject to future impairment testing was $4.4 billion. For further discussion of our annual impairment test, see "Goodwill Impairment" in the Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates section of Item 7 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Except for indefinite-lived intangibles, we amortize other intangible assets over the assigned useful lives, each of which is based upon the expected period to be benefited. We review indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually or sooner if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. We review finite-lived intangible assets for possible impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not

Certain of our employees are represented by labor unions and other employee representative bodies and work under collective bargaining or similar agreements, which are subject to periodic renegotiation. From time to time, there have been efforts to organize additional portions of our workforce and those efforts can be expected to continue. In addition, legislators and government agencies could adopt new regulations, or interpret existing regulations in a manner, that could make it significantly easier for unionization efforts to be successful. Also, we may in the future be subject to strikes or work stoppages, union and works council campaigns, and other labor disruptions and disputes. Additional unionization efforts, new collective bargaining or similar agreements, and work stoppages could materially increase our costs and reduce revenue and could limit our flexibility in terms of work schedules, reductions in force and other operational matters.

We also are subject to laws and regulations that govern such matters as minimum wage, overtime and other working conditions. Some of these laws are technical in nature and could be subject to interpretation by government agencies and courts different than our interpretations. Efforts to comply with existing laws, changes to such laws and newly-enacted laws may increase our labor costs and limit our flexibility. If we were found not to be in compliance with such laws, we could be subject to fines, penalties and liabilities to our employees or government agencies. In addition, efforts to better protect local markets from foreign workers and decisions of countries to withdraw from treaties and joint economic areas may lead to increased restrictions on the free movement of people and labor and may limit our ability to place key personnel where they could best serve our needs.

In the ordinary course of business, we rely upon information technology networks and systems, some of which are leased from third parties, to process, transmit and store electronic information and to manage and support a variety of business processes and activities. The secure operation of these information technology networks and the processing and maintenance of this information is critical to our business operations and strategy. Despite security measures and business continuity plans, our information technology networks and infrastructure may be vulnerable to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to attacks by cyber criminals, breaches due to employee error or malfeasance, disruptions during the process of upgrading or replacing computer software or hardware, terminations of business relationships by third party service providers, power outages, computer viruses, telecommunication or utility failures, terrorist acts, natural disasters or other catastrophic events. The occurrence of any of these events could compromise our networks, and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, disruption to our operations and damage to our reputation, any of which could adversely affect our business. In addition, as security threats continue to evolve, we will likely need to invest additional resources to protect the security of our systems.

In the event that we decide to switch providers or to implement upgrades or replacements to our own systems, we may be unsuccessful in the development of our own systems or we may underestimate the costs and expenses of switching providers or developing and implementing our own systems. Also, our revenue may be hampered during the period of implementing an alternative system, which period could extend longer than we anticipated. We are in the midst of a systems conversion project for our European businesses, which will be subject to all of these risks.

We collect personally identifiable information ("PII") and other data as part of our business processes and operations. The legislative and regulatory framework relating to privacy and data protection is rapidly evolving worldwide and is likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. This data is subject to a variety of U.S. and international laws and regulations. Many foreign countries and governmental bodies, including the European Union, Canada and other jurisdictions where we conduct business, have laws and regulations concerning the collection and use of PII and other data obtained from their residents or by businesses operating within their jurisdictions that are more restrictive than those in the U.S. Additionally, the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") that will impose more stringent data protection requirements for processors and controllers of personal data, including expanded disclosures about how PII is to be used, limitations on retention of PII, mandatory data breach notification requirements, and higher standards for data controllers to demonstrate that they have obtained valid consent for certain data processing activities. The GDPR became effective in May 2018, and there can be no assurance that we have timely implemented all processes required for full compliance with the regulation. The GDPR provides severe penalties for noncompliance. In addition, stricter laws in this area are being enacted in certain states in the U.S. and in other countries, and more jurisdictions are likely to follow this trend.

Any inability, or perceived inability, to adequately address privacy and data protection issues, even if unfounded, or comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, industry standards, contractual obligations or other legal obligations (including at newly-acquired companies) could result in additional cost and liability to us, result in governmental investigations and enforcement actions, give rise to civil litigation, result in damage to our reputation (including the loss of trust by our customers and employees), inhibit sales, and otherwise adversely affect our business. We also may be subject to these adverse effects if other parties with whom we do business, including lenders, suppliers, consultants and advisors, violate applicable laws or contractual obligations or suffer a security breach.

Weather, terrorist activities, war or other disasters, or the threat of any of them, may result in the closure of our distribution centers or other facilities or may adversely affect our ability to deliver inventory through our system on a timely basis.  This may affect our ability to serve our customers, resulting in lost sales or a potential loss of customer loyalty.  Some of our merchandise is imported from other countries and these goods could become difficult or impossible to bring into the U.S. or into the other countries in which we operate, and we may not be able to obtain such merchandise from other sources at similar prices.  Such a disruption in revenue could potentially have a negative impact on our results of operations and financial condition. 

We are subject to various environmental protection and health and safety laws and regulations governing, among other things: the emission and discharge of hazardous materials into the ground, air, or water; exposure to hazardous materials; and the generation, handling, storage, use, treatment, identification, transportation, and disposal of industrial by-products, waste water, storm water, and mercury and other hazardous materials. We are also required to obtain environmental permits from governmental authorities for certain of our operations. If we violate or fail to obtain or comply with these laws, regulations, or permits, we could be fined or otherwise sanctioned by regulators or lose our operating permits. We could also become liable if employees or other parties are improperly exposed to hazardous materials. We have an environmental management process designed to facilitate and support our compliance with these requirements; we cannot assure you, however, that we will at all times be in complete compliance with such requirements. 

We have made and will continue to make capital and other expenditures relating to environmental matters. Although we presently do not expect to incur any capital or other expenditures relating to environmental controls or other environmental matters in amounts that would be material to us, we may be required to make such expenditures in the future.

Under certain environmental laws, we could be held responsible for all of the costs relating to any contamination at, or migration to or from, our or our predecessors' past or present facilities and at independent waste disposal sites. These laws often impose liability even if the owner or operator did not know of, or was not responsible for, the release of such hazardous substances. Many of our facilities are located on or near properties with a history of industrial use that may have involved hazardous materials. As a result, some of our properties may be contaminated. Some environmental laws hold current or previous owners or operators of real property liable for the costs of cleaning up contamination. These environmental laws also impose liability on any person who disposes of, treats, or arranges for the disposal or treatment of hazardous substances, regardless of whether the affected site is owned or operated by such person, and at times can impose liability on companies deemed under law to be a successor to such person. Third parties may also make claims against owners or operators of properties, or successors to such owners or operators, for personal injuries and property damage associated with releases of hazardous or toxic substances.

Contamination resulting from vehicle recycling processes can include soil and ground water contamination from the release, storage, transportation, or disposal of gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, chlorofluorocarbons ("CFCs") from air conditioners, other hazardous materials, or metals such as aluminum, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury. Contamination from the refurbishment of chrome plated bumpers can occur from the release of the plating material. Contamination can migrate on-site or off-site, which can increase the risk, and the amount, of any potential liability.

When we identify a potential material environmental issue during our acquisition due diligence process, we analyze the risks, and, when appropriate, perform further environmental assessment to verify and quantify the extent of the potential contamination. Furthermore, where appropriate, we have established financial reserves for certain environmental matters. In the event we discover new information or if laws change, we may incur significant liabilities, which may exceed our reserves.

Environmental laws are complex, change frequently, and have tended to become more stringent over time. Our costs of complying with current and future environmental and health and safety laws, and our liabilities arising from past or future releases of, or exposure to, hazardous substances, may adversely affect our business, results of operations, or financial condition.

If customers of repair shops that purchase our products are injured or suffer property damage, we could be subject to product liability claims by such customers. The successful assertion of this type of claim could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.  In addition, we may become involved in the recall of a product that is determined to be defective. More generally, a recall involving alternative parts, even if we did not sell the recalled products, could adversely affect the perceived quality of alternative parts, leading to decreased usage of alternative parts. The expenses of a recall and the damage to our reputation, or the reputation of alternative parts generally, could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

We have agreed to defend and indemnify in certain circumstances insurance companies and customers against claims and damages relating to product liability and product recalls. The existence of claims or damages for which we must defend and indemnify these parties could also negatively impact our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Our operating subsidiaries in our salvage, self-service, and refurbishing operations must obtain licenses and permits from state and local governments to conduct their operations. When we develop or acquire a new facility, we must seek the approval of state and local units of government. Governmental agencies may resist the establishment of a vehicle recycling or refurbishing facility in their communities. There can be no assurance that future approvals or transfers will be granted. In addition, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain and renew the licenses and permits our operating subsidiaries currently hold.

In August 2012, as mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the SEC adopted final rules regarding disclosure of the use of certain minerals, known as conflict minerals, originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries. These requirements impose significant burdens on U.S. public companies. Compliance with the rules requires substantial due diligence in an effort to determine whether products contain the conflict minerals.  The results of such due diligence efforts must be disclosed on an annual basis in a filing with the SEC.

Our supply chain is complex and we may incur significant costs to determine the source of any such minerals used in our products. We may also incur costs with respect to potential changes to products, processes or sources of supply as a consequence of our diligence activities. Further, the implementation of these rules and their effect on customer, supplier and/or consumer behavior could adversely affect the sourcing, supply and pricing of materials used in our products. As there may be only a limited number of suppliers offering products free of conflict minerals in some circumstances, we cannot be sure that we will be able to obtain necessary products from such suppliers in sufficient quantities or at competitive prices. We may face reputational challenges if we determine that certain of our products contain minerals not determined to be conflict-free or if we are unable to sufficiently verify the origins for all conflict minerals used in our products through the procedures we implement. Accordingly, these rules could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition.

We use a fleet of trucks and other vehicles to deliver the majority of the products we sell. We are subject to the risks associated with providing delivery services, including inclement weather, disruptions in the transportation infrastructure, governmental regulation, availability and price of fuel, liabilities arising from accidents to the extent we are not covered by insurance, and insurance premium increases. In addition, our failure to deliver products in a timely and accurate manner could harm our reputation and brand, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The current U.S. administration has imposed tariffs on certain materials imported into the U.S. from China and announced additional tariffs on other goods from China and other countries. Moreover, counter-measures have been taken by other countries in retaliation for the U.S.-imposed tariffs. The tariffs cover products and materials that we import, and the counter-measures may affect products we export. The effects currently are not material; however, depending on the breadth of products and materials ultimately affected by, and the duration of, the tariffs and countermeasures, our financial results may be materially harmed. In addition, countries may impose other restrictions on the importation of products. For example, in 2018 China imposed a ban on the importation of various types of solid waste allegedly in an effort to reduce environmental pollution. This ban includes certain scrap metals that we sell and continues to have the effect of reducing the prices of such products.

We have in the past received, and we may in the future be subject to, proposals by activist investors urging us to take certain corporate actions. Activist investor activities could cause our business to be adversely affected because responding to proxy contests and other demands by activist investors can be costly and time-consuming, disrupt our operations, and divert the attention of management and our employees. For example, we have retained, and may in the future be required to retain, the services of various professionals to advise us on activist investor matters, including legal, financial and communications advisors, the costs of which may negatively impact our future financial results. Campaigns by activist investors to effect changes at publicly-traded companies are sometimes led by investors seeking to increase short term investor value through actions such as financial restructuring, increased debt, special dividends, stock repurchases, or sales of assets or the entire company. Perceived uncertainties as to our future direction, strategy or leadership that arise as a consequence of activist investor initiatives may result in the loss of potential business opportunities, harm our ability to attract new investors, employees and business partners, and cause our stock price to experience periods of volatility or stagnation.

The anti-takeover provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, our loan documents and Delaware law could, together or separately, impose various impediments to the ability of a third party to acquire control of us, even if a change in control would be beneficial to our existing stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws have provisions that could discourage potential takeover attempts and make attempts by stockholders to change management more difficult. Our credit agreement provides that a change of control is an event of default. Our incorporation under Delaware law and these provisions could also impede an acquisition, takeover, or other business combination involving us or discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer for our common stock, which, under certain circumstances, could reduce the price of our common stock.

We and our stockholders may sell shares of common stock or other equity, debt or instruments that constitute an element of our debt and equity (collectively, "securities") in the future. We may also issue shares of common stock under our equity incentive plan or in connection with future acquisitions. We cannot predict the size of future issuances of securities or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of shares of our common stock or other securities will have on the price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of common stock (including shares issued in connection with an acquisition), the issuance of additional debt securities, or the perception that such sales or issuances could occur, may cause the price of our common stock to fall.

Our significant amount of debt and our debt service obligations could limit our ability to satisfy our obligations, limit our ability to operate our business and impair our competitive position.

 For example, our debt and our debt service obligations could:

Although we are subject to our credit agreement for so long as it remains in effect, the indentures governing the senior notes do not restrict the future incurrence of unsecured indebtedness, guarantees or other obligations. The indentures contain certain limitations on our ability to incur liens on assets and engage in sale and leaseback transactions. However, these limitations are subject to important exceptions. In addition, the indentures do not contain many other restrictions, including certain restrictions contained in our credit agreement, including, without limitation, making investments, prepaying subordinated indebtedness or engaging in transactions with our affiliates.

Our credit agreement will permit, subject to specified conditions and limitations, the incurrence of a significant amount of additional indebtedness. As of December 31, 2019, we would have been able to incur an additional $1.8 billion of indebtedness under our credit agreement ($1.9 billion of availability reduced by $69 million of amounts outstanding under letters of credit). If we or our subsidiaries incur additional debt, the risks associated with our substantial leverage and the need to service such debt would increase.

Our credit agreement imposes significant operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions limit our ability, among other things, to:

As a result of these covenants and restrictions, we will be limited in how we conduct our business and we may be unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities. The terms of any future indebtedness we may incur could include more restrictive covenants. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain compliance with these covenants in the future and, if we fail to do so, that we will be able to obtain waivers from the lenders and/or amend the covenants. The failure to comply with any of these covenants would cause a default under the credit agreement. A default, if not waived, could result in acceleration of our debt, in which case the debt would become immediately due and payable. If this occurs, we may not be able to repay our debt or borrow sufficient funds to refinance it. Even if new financing were available, it may be on terms that are less attractive to us than our existing credit facilities or it may be on terms that are not acceptable to us.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our debt obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. We cannot assure you that we will maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, or to sell assets, seek additional capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. If our operating results and available cash are insufficient to meet our debt service obligations, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might

We may need to raise additional funds in the future to, among other things, refinance existing debt, fund our existing operations, improve or expand our operations, respond to competitive pressures, or make acquisitions. From time to time, we may raise additional funds through public or private financing, strategic alliances, or other arrangements. Funds may not be available or available on terms acceptable to us as a result of different factors, including but not limited to turmoil in the credit markets that results in the tightening of credit conditions and current or future regulations applicable to the financial institutions from whom we seek financing. If adequate funds are not available on acceptable terms, we may be unable to meet our business or strategic objectives or compete effectively. If we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, stockholders may experience dilution of their ownership interests, and the newly issued securities may have rights superior to those of our common stock. If we raise additional funds by issuing debt, we may be subject to higher borrowing costs and further limitations on our operations. If we refinance or restructure our debt, we may incur charges to write off the unamortized portion of deferred debt issuance costs from a previous financing, or we may incur charges related to hedge ineffectiveness from our interest rate swap obligations. There are restrictions in the indenture that governs the Euro Notes (2024), Euro Notes (2026) and Euro Notes (2028) on our ability to refinance such notes prior to January 1, 2024, April 1, 2021, and April 1, 2023, respectively. If we fail to raise capital when needed, our business may be negatively affected.

Certain borrowings under our credit agreement and the borrowing under our accounts receivable securitization facility are at variable rates of interest and expose us to interest rate risk. If interest rates increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness would increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, would correspondingly decrease. Moreover, changes in market interest rates could affect the trading value of the senior notes. Certain of our variable rate debt, including our revolving credit facility, currently uses the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") as a benchmark for establishing the interest rate. LIBOR is the subject of recent proposals for reform. These reforms and other pressures may cause LIBOR to disappear entirely or to perform differently than in the past. The consequences of these developments with respect to LIBOR cannot be entirely predicted but could result in an increase in the cost of our variable rate debt. Assuming all revolving loans were fully drawn and no interest rate swaps were in place, each one percentage point change in interest rates would result in a $36 million change in annual cash interest expense under our credit agreement and our accounts receivable securitization facility.

We are a holding company and repayment of our senior notes will be dependent upon cash flow generated by our subsidiaries and their ability to make such cash available to us, by dividend, debt repayment or otherwise. Unless they are borrowers or guarantors of the indebtedness, our subsidiaries do not have any obligation to pay amounts due on the indebtedness or to make funds available for that purpose. Our subsidiaries may not be able to, or be permitted to, make distributions to enable us to make payments in respect of our indebtedness, including the senior notes. Each of our subsidiaries is a distinct legal entity and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from our subsidiaries and, under certain circumstances, distributions from our subsidiaries may be subject to taxes that reduce the amount of such distributions available to us. While the indentures governing the senior notes limit the ability of our subsidiaries to restrict the payment of dividends or to restrict other intercompany payments to us, these limitations are subject to certain qualifications and exceptions. In the event that we do not receive distributions from our subsidiaries, we may be unable to make required principal and interest payments on our indebtedness, including the senior notes.

Credit ratings have an important effect on our cost of capital. Credit rating agencies rate our debt securities on factors that include, among other items, our results of operations, business decisions that we make, their view of the general outlook for our industry, and their view of the general outlook for the economy. Actions taken by the rating agencies can include maintaining, upgrading, or downgrading the current rating or placing us on a watch list for possible future downgrading. We believe our current credit ratings enhance our ability to borrow funds at favorable rates.  A downgrade in our current credit rating from a rating agency could adversely affect our cost of capital by causing us to pay a higher interest rate on borrowed

Our direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries that are obligors under the credit agreement guarantee the obligations under our senior notes. In addition, certain subsidiaries of the issuer of the Euro Notes (2024) guarantee the obligations under the Euro Notes (2024). The issuance of our senior notes and the issuance of the guarantees by the guarantors may be subject to review under state and federal laws if a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization case or a lawsuit, including in circumstances in which bankruptcy is not involved, were commenced at some future date by, or on behalf of, our unpaid creditors or the unpaid creditors of a guarantor. Under the federal bankruptcy laws of the United States and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, a court may avoid or otherwise decline to enforce the senior notes, or a guarantor’s guarantee, or may subordinate the senior notes, or such guarantee, to our or the applicable guarantor’s existing and future indebtedness. While the relevant laws may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, a court might do so if it found that when indebtedness under the senior notes was issued, or when the applicable guarantor entered into its guarantee, or, in some jurisdictions, when payments became due under the senior notes, or such guarantee, the issuer or the applicable guarantor received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration and:

A court would likely find that we or a guarantor did not receive reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the senior notes or such guarantee if we or such guarantor did not substantially benefit directly or indirectly from the issuance of the senior notes. Thus, if the guarantees were legally challenged, any guarantee could be subject to the claim that, since the guarantee was incurred for our benefit, and only indirectly for the benefit of the guarantor, the obligations of the applicable guarantor were incurred for less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration. If a court were to void the issuance of the senior notes or any guarantee, a holder of the senior notes would no longer have any claim against us or the applicable guarantor. In the event of a finding that a fraudulent transfer or conveyance occurred, a holder of the senior notes may not receive any repayment on the senior notes. Further, the avoidance of the senior notes could result in an event of default with respect to our and our subsidiaries’ other debt, which could result in acceleration of that debt. The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent transfer laws vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent transfer has occurred. Generally, however, an issuer or a guarantor, as applicable, would be considered insolvent if:

To the extent a court avoids the senior notes or any of the guarantees as fraudulent transfers or holds the senior notes or any of the guarantees unenforceable for any other reason, the holders of the senior notes would cease to have any direct claim against us or the applicable guarantor. If a court were to take this action, our or the applicable guarantor’s assets would be applied first to satisfy our or the applicable guarantor’s other liabilities, if any, and might not be applied to the payment of the senior notes. Sufficient funds to repay the senior notes may not be available from other sources, including the remaining guarantors, if any. In addition, the Euro Notes (2024) and the related guarantees may be subject to avoidance under the laws of foreign jurisdictions, including Italy and Czech Republic, to the extent that we, the issuer of the Euro Notes (2024), or any of the guarantors (as applicable) were to be the subject of an insolvency or related proceeding in such jurisdiction(s).

Upon a change of control, as defined in the indentures governing the senior notes, the holders of the senior notes will have the right to require us to offer to purchase all of the senior notes then outstanding at a price equal to 101% of their

The definition of change of control in the indentures governing the senior notes includes a phrase relating to the sale of “all or substantially all” of our assets. There is no precise established definition of the phrase “substantially all” under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a holder of senior notes to require us to repurchase its senior notes as a result of a sale of less than all our assets to another person may be uncertain.

In addition, in certain circumstances as specified in the indentures governing the senior notes, we will be required to commence an asset sale offer, as defined in the indentures governing the senior notes, pursuant to which we will be obligated to purchase certain senior notes at a price equal to 100% of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest with the proceeds we receive from certain asset sales. Our other debt may contain restrictions that would limit or prohibit us from completing any such asset sale offer. In particular, our credit agreement contains provisions that require us, upon the sale of certain assets, to apply all of the proceeds from such asset sale to the prepayment of amounts due under the credit agreement. The mandatory prepayment obligations under the credit agreement will be effectively senior to our obligations to make an asset sale offer with respect to the senior notes under the terms of the indentures governing the senior notes. Our failure to purchase any such senior notes when required under the indentures would be an event of default under the indentures.

Many of the covenants in the indentures governing the senior notes will be suspended if the senior notes are rated investment grade by Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s provided at such time no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing, including those covenants that restrict, among other things, our ability to pay dividends, incur liens and to enter into certain other transactions. There can be no assurance that the senior notes will ever be rated investment grade. However, suspension of these covenants would allow us to engage in certain transactions that would not be permitted while these covenants were in force (although provisions under our other debt, like the credit agreement, may continue to restrict us from engaging in these transactions), and the effects of any such transactions will be permitted to remain in place even if the senior notes are subsequently downgraded below investment grade.

The liquidity of any trading market in the senior notes, and the market price quoted for the senior notes, may be adversely affected by changes in the overall market for these types of securities, changes in interest rates, changes in our ratings, and changes in our financial performance or prospects or in the prospects for companies in our industries generally.

We have an arrangement whereby we sell an interest in a portion of our accounts receivable to a special purpose vehicle and receive funding through the commercial paper market. This arrangement expires in November 2021. In the event that the market for commercial paper were to close or otherwise become constrained, our cost of credit relative to this program could rise, or credit could be unavailable altogether.

PART II

Comparison of Cumulative Return

Buyers of vehicle replacement products have the option to purchase from primarily five sources: new products produced by OEMs; new products produced by companies other than the OEMs, which are referred to as aftermarket products; recycled products obtained from salvage and total loss vehicles; recycled products that have been refurbished; and recycled products that have been remanufactured. We distribute a variety of products to collision and mechanical repair shops, including aftermarket collision and mechanical products; recycled collision and mechanical products; refurbished collision products such as wheels, bumper covers and lights; and remanufactured engines and transmissions. Collectively, we refer to the four sources that are not new OEM products as alternative parts.

We are a leading provider of alternative vehicle collision replacement products and alternative vehicle mechanical replacement products, with our sales, processing, and distribution facilities reaching most major markets in the United States and Canada. We are also a leading provider of alternative vehicle replacement and maintenance products in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Benelux region (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg), Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, and various other European countries. In addition to our wholesale operations, we operate self service retail facilities across the U.S. that sell recycled automotive products from end-of-life-vehicles. We are also a leading distributor of specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories reaching most major markets in the U.S. and Canada.

We are organized into four operating segments: Wholesale – North America; Europe; Specialty and Self Service. We aggregate our Wholesale – North America and Self Service operating segments into one reportable segment, North America, resulting in three reportable segments: North America, Europe and Specialty.

Our operating results have fluctuated on a quarterly and annual basis in the past and can be expected to continue to fluctuate in the future as a result of a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control. Please refer to the factors referred to in Forward-Looking Statements above. Due to these factors and others, which may be unknown to us at this time, our operating results in future periods can be expected to fluctuate. Accordingly, our historical results of operations may not be indicative of future performance.

Since our inception in 1998, we have pursued a growth strategy through both organic growth and acquisitions. We have pursued acquisitions that we believe will help drive profitability, cash flow and stockholder value. We target companies that are market leaders, will expand our geographic presence and will enhance our ability to provide a wide array of vehicle products to our customers through our distribution network.

During 2019, we completed seven acquisitions for a total consideration of $63 million, including three wholesale businesses and one self service business in North America, and three wholesale businesses in Europe.

On May 30, 2018, we acquired Stahlgruber, a leading European wholesale distributor of aftermarket spare parts for passenger cars, tools, capital equipment and accessories with operations in Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia with further sales to Switzerland. This acquisition expanded LKQ's geographic presence in continental Europe and serves as an additional strategic hub for our European operations. In addition, this acquisition should allow for continued improvement in procurement, logistics and infrastructure optimization.

In October 2016, we acquired substantially all of the business assets of Andrew Page Limited ("Andrew Page"), a distributor of aftermarket automotive parts in the United Kingdom. The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority ("CMA") concluded its review of this acquisition on October 31, 2017 and required us to divest less than 10% of the acquired locations. We divested the required locations during 2018.

On December 1, 2016, we acquired a 26.5% equity interest in Mekonomen AB ("Mekonomen"), the leading independent car parts and service chain in the Nordic region of Europe, offering a wide range of quality products including spare parts and accessories for cars, and workshop services for consumers and businesses. We acquired additional shares in the fourth quarter of 2018, increasing our equity interest to 26.6%. We are accounting for our interest in Mekonomen using the equity method of accounting, as our investment gives us the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the investee.

We have undertaken the 1 LKQ Europe program to create structural centralization and standardization of key functions to facilitate the operation of the Europe segment as a single business. Under this multi-year program, we have recognized to date and expect to continue to recognize the following:

margin percentage. We recorded a $21 million reduction of inventory primarily due to our Europe segment related to U.K. branch consolidation and brand rationalization initiated as part of our restructuring program. See Note 6, "Restructuring and Acquisition Related Expenses" to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information on our restructuring plans. Refer to the discussion of our segment results of operations for factors contributing to the changes in cost of goods sold as a percentage of revenue by segment for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018.

unrealized currency gains and losses for the year ended December 31, 2019 resulted in a $0.03 negative effect on diluted earnings per share relative to the prior year period.

Beginning in 2019, a number of our European suppliers began participating in supply chain financing programs in select countries under which they may sell their accounts receivable to the participating financial institutions, allowing us to extend payment terms. We expect more suppliers will begin participating in supply chain financing programs in 2020. Financial institutions participate in the supply chain financing program on an uncommitted basis and can cease purchasing receivables from our suppliers at any time. These programs are at the sole discretion of both the supplier and the financial institution on terms that are negotiated between them. If the financial institutions did not continue to purchase receivables from our suppliers under these programs, the participating vendors may have a need to renegotiate their payment terms with us, which in turn could cause our borrowings under our revolving credit facility to increase.

The scheduled maturities of long-term obligations outstanding at December 31, 2019 are as follows (in thousands):

As of December 31, 2019, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $523 million, of which $234 million was held by foreign subsidiaries. In general, it is our practice and intention to permanently reinvest the undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries, and that position has not changed following the enactment of the Tax Act and the related imposition of the transition tax. Distributions of dividends from our foreign subsidiaries, if any, would be generally exempt from further U.S. taxation, either as a result of the new 100% participation exemption under the Tax Act, or due to the previous taxation of foreign earnings under the transition tax and the GILTI regime. We believe that we have sufficient cash flow and liquidity to meet our financial obligations in the U.S. without repatriating our foreign earnings. We may, from time to time, choose to selectively repatriate foreign earnings if doing so supports our financing or liquidity objectives.

Equity–Noncontrolling Interest" in Note 4, "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information.