Triton International Limited (TRTN-PB) 10-K2021 FY Annual report

This annual report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. In addition, we, or our executive officers on our behalf, may from time to time make forward-looking statements in reports and other documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, or in connection with oral statements made to the press, potential investors or others. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, future costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. The words "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "predict," "believe," "think," "plan," "will," "should," "intend," "seek," "potential" and similar expressions and variations are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.

All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Triton's control. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements and, therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any such statements. These factors include, without limitation, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions and the following:

The foregoing list of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in this annual report on Form 10-K. Any forward-looking statements made in this annual report on Form 10-K are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by us will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Triton or its businesses or operations. Except to the extent required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Our Internet website address is http://www.trtn.com. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.

We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to all of our employees, officers, and directors, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer. The text of our code of ethics is posted within the Corporate Governance portion of the "Investors" section of our website.

        Also, copies of our annual report and Code of Ethics will be made available, free of charge, upon written request to:

Triton International Limited ("Triton", "we", "our" or the "Company") is the world's largest lessor of intermodal containers. Intermodal containers are large, standardized steel boxes used to transport freight by ship, rail or truck. Because of the handling efficiencies they provide, intermodal containers are the primary means by which many goods and materials are shipped internationally. We also lease chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers.

Our operations include the acquisition, leasing, re-leasing and subsequent sale of multiple types of intermodal containers and chassis. As of December 31, 2021, our total fleet consisted of 4.3 million containers and chassis, representing 7.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units ("TEU") or 8.0 million cost equivalent units ("CEU"). We have an extensive global presence offering leasing services through a worldwide network of local offices and utilize third-party container depots spread across 46 countries to provide customers global access to our container fleet. Our primary customers include the world's largest container shipping lines. Our global field operations include sales, operations, equipment resale, and logistics services. Our registered office is located in Bermuda.

The most important driver of our profitability is the extent to which leasing revenues, which are driven by our owned equipment fleet size, utilization and average rental rates, exceed our ownership and operating costs. Our profitability is also driven by the gains or losses we realize on the sale of used containers and the margins generated from trading new and used containers.

Intermodal containers provide a secure and cost-effective method of transporting raw materials, component parts and finished goods because they can be used in multiple modes of transport. By making it possible to move cargo from a point of origin to a final destination without repeated unpacking and repacking, containers reduce freight and labor costs. In addition, automated handling of containers permits faster loading and unloading of vessels, more efficient utilization of transportation equipment and reduced transit time. The protection provided by sealed containers also reduces cargo damage and the loss and theft of goods during shipment.

Over the last thirty years, containerized trade has grown at a rate greater than that of general worldwide economic growth. According to Clarkson Research Studies, worldwide containerized cargo volume increased at a compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") of 7.7% from 1991 to 2021. We believe that this high historical growth was due to several factors, including the shift in global manufacturing capacity to lower labor cost areas such as China, the continued integration of developing high growth economies into global trade patterns and the continued conversion of cargo from bulk shipping into containers. However, worldwide containerized cargo volume growth has been more in line with global economic growth over the last 10 years, averaging 4.2% per year from 2011 to 2021. In 2021, worldwide cargo volumes are estimated to have increased 6.6% in-line with worldwide economic growth.

Container leasing companies maintain inventories of new and used containers in a wide range of worldwide locations and supply these containers primarily to shipping line customers under a variety of short and long-term lease structures. Based on container fleet information reported by Drewry Maritime Research, we estimate that container lessors owned approximately 24.7 million TEU, or approximately 52% of the total worldwide container fleet of 48.0 million TEU, as of the end of 2021.

Leasing containers helps shipping lines improve their container fleet efficiency and provides shipping lines with an alternative source of equipment financing. Given the uncertainty and variability of export volumes, and the fact that shipping lines have difficulty in accurately forecasting their container requirements on a day-by-day, port-by-port basis, the availability of containers for lease on short notice reduces shipping lines' need to purchase and maintain larger container inventory buffers. In addition, the drop-off flexibility provided by operating leases also allows the shipping lines to adjust their container fleet sizes and the mix of container types in their fleets both seasonally and over time and helps balance their trade flows.

Spot leasing rates are typically a function of, among other things, new equipment prices (which are heavily influenced by steel prices), interest rates and the equipment supply and demand balance at a particular time and location. Average leasing rates on an entire portfolio of leases respond more gradually to changes in new equipment prices or changes in the balance of container supply and demand because lease agreements are generally only re-priced upon the expiration of the lease. In addition, the value that lessors receive upon resale of equipment is closely related to the cost of new equipment.

Intermodal containers are designed to meet a number of criteria outlined by the International Standards Organization (ISO). The standard criteria include the size of the container and the gross weight rating of the container. This standardization ensures that containers can be used by the widest possible number of transporters and it facilitates container and vessel sharing by the shipping lines. The standardization of the container is also an important element of the container leasing business since we can operate one fleet of containers that can be used by all of our major customers.

Most of our revenues are derived from leasing our equipment to our core shipping line customers. The majority of our leases are structured as operating leases, though we also provide customers with finance leases. Regardless of the lease type, we seek to exceed our targeted return on our investments over the life cycle of the equipment by managing utilization, lease rates, and the used equipment sale process.

     

Our lease products provide numerous operational and financial benefits to our shipping line customers. These benefits include:

We categorize our operating leases as either long-term leases or service leases. Some leases have contractual terms that have features reflective of both long-term and service leases. We classify such leases as either long-term or service leases,

We also have expired long-term leases whose fixed terms have ended but for which the related units remain on-hire and for which we continue to receive rental payments pursuant to the terms of the initial contract.

Service leases allow our customers to pick-up and drop-off equipment during the term of the lease, subject to contractual limitations. Service leases provide the customer with a higher level of flexibility than long-term leases and, as a result, typically carry a higher per diem rate. The terms of our service leases can range from 12 months to five years, though because equipment can be returned during the term of a service lease and since service leases are generally renewed or modified and extended upon expiration, lease term does not dictate expected on-hire time for our equipment on service leases. As of December 31, 2021, this equipment has been on-hire for an average of 37 months.

The following table provides a summary of our equipment lease portfolio by lease type, based on CEU and net book value, as of December 31, 2021:

Due to our aggressive fleet investment in 2021 and the high cost of these new containers, we placed the vast majority of this equipment on long-term operating and finance leases with an average initial duration of 13 years. We have presented the above table by net book value, in addition to CEU, to better reflect the impact of these dynamics on our lease portfolio.

As of December 31, 2021, our long-term and finance leases combined had a weighted average remaining contractual term by CEU and net book value of approximately 61 months and 78 months, respectively, assuming no leases are renewed. However, we believe that many of our customers will renew operating leases for equipment that is less than sale age at the expiration of the lease. In addition, our equipment on operating leases typically remains on-hire at the contractual per diem rate for an additional six to twelve months beyond the end of the contractual lease term due to monthly drop-off volume limitations and the logistical requirements in our leases that require our customers to return the containers and chassis to specific drop-off locations.

We believe that managing the period after our equipment's first lease is the most important aspect of our business. Successful management of this period requires disciplined logistics management, extensive re-lease capability, careful cost control and effective sales of used equipment.

In addition, we attempt to minimize the costs of any container imbalances by finding local users in surplus locations and by moving empty containers as inexpensively as possible. While we believe we manage our logistics risks and costs effectively, logistical risk remains an important element of our business due to competitive pressures, changing trade patterns and other market factors and uncertainties.

Our leases are generally structured so that the lessee is responsible for the customer damage portion of the repair costs, and customers are billed for damages at the time the equipment is returned. We sometimes offer our customers a repair service program whereby we, for an additional payment by the lessee (in the form of a higher per-diem rate or a flat fee at off-hire), assume financial responsibility for all or a portion of the cost of repairs upon return of the equipment.

The sale prices we receive for our used containers are influenced by many factors, including the level of demand for used containers compared to the number of used containers available for disposal in a particular location, the cost of new containers, and the level of damage on the containers. While our total revenue is primarily made up of leasing revenues, gains or losses on the sale of used containers can have a significant positive or negative impact on our profitability.

We have an extensive global presence, offering leasing services through 20 offices and 3 independent agencies located in 16 countries. Our extensive third-party depot network allows us to offer leasing and/or sales services in approximately 300 locations globally.

Our customers are mainly international shipping lines, though we also lease containers to freight forwarding companies and manufacturers. We believe that we have strong, long-standing relationships with our largest customers, most of whom we have done business with for more than 30 years. Our twenty largest customers account for 86% of our lease billings. The shipping industry has been consolidating for a number of years, and further consolidation could increase the portion of our revenues that come from our largest customers. Our five largest customers accounted for 60% of our lease billings, and our three largest customers accounted for 21%, 16% and 10% of our lease billings, respectively, in 2021. A default by one of our major customers could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and future prospects.

Our global marketing team and our customer service representatives are responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with senior operations staff at our shipping line customers, supporting lease negotiations and maintaining day-to-day coordination with junior level staff at our customers. This close customer communication is critical to our ability to provide customers with a high level of service, helps us to negotiate lease contracts that satisfy both our financial return requirements and our customers' operating needs, ensures that we are aware of our customers' potential equipment shortages, and provides customers knowledge of our available equipment inventories.

We monitor our customers' performance and our lease exposures on an ongoing basis. Our credit management processes are aided by the long payment experience we have with most of our customers and our broad network of relationships in the shipping industry that provides current information about our customers' market reputations. Credit criteria may include, but are not limited to, customer payment history, customer financial position and performance (e.g., net worth, leverage and profitability), trade routes, country of domicile and the type of, and location of, equipment that is to be supplied.

We compete with at least five other major intermodal equipment leasing companies in addition to many smaller lessors, manufacturers of intermodal equipment, and companies offering finance leases as distinct from operating leases. It is common for our customers to utilize several leasing companies to meet their equipment needs.

Our competitors compete with us in many ways, including lease pricing, lease flexibility, supply reliability and customer service. In times of weak demand or excess supply, leasing companies often respond by lowering leasing rates and increasing the logistical flexibility offered in their lease agreements. In addition, new entrants into the leasing business are often aggressive on pricing and lease flexibility. Furthermore, customers also have the option to purchase intermodal equipment and utilize owned equipment instead of leasing, relying on their own fleets to satisfy their intermodal equipment needs and even leasing their excess container stock to other shipping companies.

While we are forced to compete aggressively on price, we attempt to emphasize our supply reliability and high level of customer service to our customers. We invest heavily to ensure adequate equipment availability in high demand locations, dedicate large portions of our organization to building customer relationships and maintaining close day-to-day coordination with customers' operating staffs, and have developed self-service systems that allow our customers to transact with us through the Internet.

 We have long-standing relationships with all of our major suppliers. We purchase most of our equipment from third-party manufacturers based in China. There are four large manufacturers of dry containers and four large manufacturers of refrigerated containers, though for both dry containers and refrigerated containers, we estimate that the four largest manufacturers account for more than 90% of global production volume. Our procurement and engineering staff reviews the designs for our containers and periodically audits the production facilities of our suppliers. In addition, we use our procurement and engineering group and third-party inspectors to visit factories when our containers are being produced to provide an extra layer of quality control. Nevertheless, defects in our containers sometimes occur. We work with the manufacturers to correct these defects, and our manufacturers have generally honored their warranty obligations in such cases.

The efficient operation of our business is highly dependent on our information technology systems to track transactions, bill customers and provide the information needed to report our financial results. Our systems allow customers to facilitate sales orders and drop-off requests on the Internet, view current inventories and check contractual terms in effect with respect to any given container lease agreement. Our systems also maintain a database, which accounts for the containers in our fleet and our leasing agreements, processes leasing and sale transactions, and bills our customers for their use of and damage to our containers. We also use the information provided by these systems in our day-to-day business to make business decisions and improve our operations and customer service.

We operate our business in one industry, intermodal transportation equipment, and have two business segments, which also represent our reporting segments:

We seek to attract, retain, and develop the best talent available in order to drive our continued success and achieve our business goals. Our workforce as of December 31, 2021 was comprised of approximately 237 employees located in 20 offices and 13 countries. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements. Our workforce was relatively flat in 2021 compared to 2020. Voluntary workforce turnover for the year was 5%.

Our approach to human capital management is underpinned by our corporate culture, which seeks to foster an inclusive and respectful work environment where employees are empowered at all levels to implement new ideas to better serve our global customer base and continuously improve our processes and operations. This culture is supported by a flat organizational structure that enables speed of decision making and execution; compensation programs that emphasize Company-wide common shared objectives; a diverse, international team that mirrors our local communities and customer base; robust training and development opportunities; and resources for employees to seek guidance and raise concerns when needed. We believe the combination of competitive compensation and benefits, career growth and development opportunities and our strong corporate culture promote increased employee tenure and reduced voluntary turnover. As of December 31, 2021, our average employee tenure was 14 years for all employees and 21 years for leadership (defined as vice president level and above). In 2021, 40% of open positions were filled with internal candidates.

As of December 31, 2021, our global workforce was approximately 60% male and 40% female. Approximately 40% of our workforce is located outside the United States, and in the U.S., approximately 30% of our workforce was comprised of racial and ethnic minorities. Triton is committed to diversity and inclusion across our Company, and we have a number of programs and initiatives in place aimed at further promoting diversity and inclusion in our organization.

In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on our human capital management. A majority of our workforce continued to work remotely for most of the year, and we instituted reduced office capacity and staggered shifts, upgraded cleaning practices, social distancing requirements and other safety measures and procedures for those employees who worked at our office locations during this time.

For additional information, please see the section titled “Human Capital Management, Talent Development and Succession Planning” in our Proxy Statement.

The U.S. dollar is the operating currency for the large majority of our leases and obligations, and most of our revenues and expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars. However, we pay our subsidiaries' non-U.S. staff in local currencies, and our direct operating expenses and disposal transactions for our older containers are often structured in foreign currencies. We record realized and unrealized foreign currency exchange gains and losses primarily due to fluctuations in exchange rates related to our Euro and Pound Sterling transactions and related assets and liabilities.

Brian M. Sondey is our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Upon the closing of the merger of Triton Container International Limited ("TCIL") and TAL International Group, Inc. ("TAL") in July 2016, Mr. Sondey, who had served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of TAL since 2004, became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Triton. Mr. Sondey joined TAL’s former parent, Transamerica Corporation, in April 1996 as Director of Corporate Development. He then joined TAL International Container Corporation in November 1998 as Senior Vice President of Business Development. In September 1999, Mr. Sondey became President of TAL International Container Corporation. Prior to his work with Transamerica Corporation and TAL International Container Corporation, Mr. Sondey worked as a Management Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and as a Mergers & Acquisitions Associate at J.P. Morgan. Mr. Sondey holds an MBA from The Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA degree in Economics from Amherst College.

John Burns is our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Upon the closing of the merger of TCIL and TAL in July 2016, Mr. Burns, who had served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TAL since 2009, became the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Triton. Mr. Burns joined TAL’s former parent, Transamerica Corporation in 1996 as Director of Internal Audit and progressed over time to positions of increasing responsibility. Prior to his work with Transamerica Corporation and TAL International Container Corporation, Mr. Burns worked as an Audit Senior Manager at Ernst & Young LLP. Mr. Burns holds a BA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota and is a certified public accountant.

We are subject to numerous risks inherent in conducting business across national boundaries, any one of which could adversely impact our business. Several of these risks are discussed in more detail throughout this Risk Factors section. Additional risks of international operations include, but are not limited to:

Our ability to enforce lessees’ obligations will be subject to applicable law in the jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. As containers are used in international commerce, it is not possible to predict, with any degree of certainty, the jurisdictions in which enforcement proceedings may be commenced. For example, repossession from defaulting lessees may be difficult and more expensive in jurisdictions in which laws do not confer the same security interests and rights to creditors and lessors as those in the United States and in other jurisdictions where recovery of containers from defaulting lessees is more

Substantial supply chain bottlenecks and other logistical constraints such as the ones experienced in 2021 could lead to increased government regulation which may negatively impact container flows and container demand, as well as lead to higher costs of conducting business globally. Any one or more of these or other factors could adversely affect our current or future international operations and business.

Overall demand for containers depends largely on the rate of world trade and economic growth. A significant downturn in global economic growth or recessionary conditions in major geographic regions can negatively affect container demand and lessors' decisions to lease containers. During economic downturns and periods of reduced trade, shipping lines tend to use and lease fewer containers, or lease containers only at reduced rates, and tend to rely more on their own fleets to satisfy a greater percentage of their requirements. As a result, during periods of weak global economic activity or reduced trade, container lessors typically experience decreased leasing demand, decreased equipment utilization, lower average rental rates, decreased leasing revenue, decreased used container resale prices and significantly decreased profitability. These effects can be and have been severe.

The international nature of our business and the container shipping industry exposes us to risks relating to the imposition of import and export duties, quotas and tariffs. These risks have increased recently as the United States and other countries have adopted protectionist trade policies and as companies look to on-shoring or near-shoring their production to address material and parts shortages and/or increased costs due to these actions. Trade growth and demand for leased containers decreased significantly from 2018 to 2019 due to a trade dispute between the U.S. and China that led to both countries imposing tariffs on imported goods from the other. While the United States and China agreed in January 2020 to limit further actions, tariffs and other trade barriers remain historically high and key areas of difference remain unresolved and tensions have remained elevated. Given the importance of the United States and China in the global economy, continued tensions between these countries could significantly reduce the volume of goods traded internationally and reduce the rate of global economic growth. Increased trade barriers and the risk of further disruptions is also motivating some manufacturers and retailers to reduce their reliance on overseas production and could reduce the long-term growth rate for international trade, leading to decreased demand for leased containers, lower new container prices, decreased market leasing rates and lower used container disposal prices. These impacts could have a materially adverse effect on our business, profitability and cash flows.

The container leasing and sales business is highly competitive. We compete with five other major leasing companies, many smaller container lessors, equipment financing companies, and manufacturers of container equipment, who sometimes lease and finance containers directly with our shipping line customers. Some of these competitors may have greater financial resources and access to capital than us and may have lower investment return expectations. Additionally, some of these competitors may, at times, accumulate a high volume of underutilized inventories of containers, which could lead to significant downward pressure on lease rates and margins. As market conditions evolve, we may see new competition entering the market.

Competition among container leasing companies involves many factors, including, among others, lease rates, lease terms (including lease duration, and drop-off and repair provisions), customer service, and the location, availability, quality and individual characteristics of equipment. In addition, new technologies and the expansion of existing technologies, such as digitalization and expanded online services, may increase competitive pressures in our industry. The highly competitive nature of our industry may reduce our lease rates and margins and undermine our ability to maintain our current level of container utilization or achieve our growth plans.

We, like other suppliers of leased containers, are dependent upon decisions by shipping lines to lease rather than buy their container equipment. Shipping lines were exceptionally profitable in 2021, which could lead to increased investment in their

Market leasing rates have historically varied widely and changed suddenly. Market leasing rates are typically a function of, among other things, new equipment prices (which are heavily influenced by steel prices), interest rates, the type and length of the lease, the equipment supply and demand balance at a particular time and location, and other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section.

A decrease in market leasing rates negatively impacts the leasing rates on both new container investments and the existing containers in our fleet. Most of our existing containers are on operating leases, with lease terms shorter than the expected life of the container, thus the lease rate we receive for the container is subject to change at the expiration of the current lease. The profitability impact of decreasing lease rates on existing containers can be particularly severe since it leads to a reduction in revenue with no corresponding reduction in investment or expenses.

Our containers and chassis are leased to numerous customers, who are responsible to pay lease rentals and other charges, including repair fees and costs for damage to or loss of equipment. Some of our customers are privately owned and do not provide detailed financial information regarding their operations. Our customers could incur financial difficulties, or otherwise have difficulty making payments to us when due for any number of factors which we may be unable to anticipate. A delay or diminution in amounts received under the leases, or a default in the performance of our lessees' obligations under the leases could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to make payments on our debt.

In addition, when lessees default, we may fail to recover all of our equipment, and the equipment we do recover may be returned in damaged condition or to locations where we may not be able to efficiently re-lease or sell the equipment. As a result, we may have to repair our equipment and reposition it to other locations and we may lose lease revenues and incur significant operating expenses. We also often incur extra costs when repossessing containers from a defaulting lessee. These costs typically arise when our lessee has also defaulted on payments owed to container terminals or depot facilities where the repossessed containers are located. In such cases, the terminal or depot facility may delay or bar us from taking possession of our containers or sometimes seek to have us repay a portion of the lessee's unpaid bills as a condition to releasing the containers back to us.

While the container shipping industry experienced improved profitability in 2020 and 2021, the industry has generally been characterized by excess vessel capacity and weak financial performance. A number of our customers generated significant financial losses in the years prior to 2021. In addition, the potential impact of a customer default has increased due to the large volume of high-priced containers purchased and leased out in 2021. If a customer defaults in the future and new equipment prices and market lease rates have returned to historical long-term averages, the impact of such a default would likely be greater than our historical experience. In addition, following the bankruptcy of Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd. in 2016, it has become more difficult and expensive to obtain credit insurance in our industry and we have chosen not to purchase credit insurance policies. As a result, a major customer default could have a significant adverse impact on our business, financial condition and cash flows.

Our five largest customers represented approximately 60% of our lease billings in 2021. Our single largest customer, CMA CGM S.A., represented approximately 21% of lease billings in 2021, our second largest customer Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., represented approximately 16% of lease billings in 2021, and our third largest customer, Ocean Network Express, represented approximately 10% of lease billings in 2021. Furthermore, the shipping industry has been consolidating for a number of years, and further consolidation could increase the portion of our revenues that come from our largest customers. Given the high concentration of our customer base, a default by or a significant reduction in future lease

The vast majority of intermodal containers are currently manufactured in China, and we currently purchase substantially all of our dry, refrigerated, special, and tank containers from third-party manufacturers based there. In addition, the container manufacturing industry in China is highly concentrated. In the event that it were to become more difficult or more expensive for us to procure containers in China because of further consolidation among container suppliers, reduced production by our suppliers, increased tariffs imposed by the United States or other governments or for any other reason, we may be unable to fully pass these increased costs through to our customers in the form of higher lease rates and we may not be able to adequately invest in and grow our container fleet.

Additionally, we may face significant challenges in the event of disputes with container manufacturers due to the limited number of potential alternative suppliers and higher uncertainty of outcomes for commercial disputes in China. Such disputes could involve manufacturers’ warranties or manufacturers’ ability and willingness to comply with key terms of our purchase agreements such as container quantities, container quality, delivery timing and price.

We obtain warranties from the manufacturers of equipment that we purchase. When defects in the containers occur, we work with the manufacturers to identify and rectify the problems. However, there is no assurance that manufacturers will be willing or able to honor warranty obligations. In addition, manufacturers’ warranties typically do not cover the full expected life of our containers. If the manufacturer is unwilling or unable to honor warranties covering failures occurring within the warranty period or if defects are discovered in containers that are no longer covered by manufacturers' warranties, we could be required to expend significant amounts of money to repair the containers, the useful lives of the containers could be shortened and the value of the containers reduced.

Several key container components and manufacturing processes have undergone changes over the last several years, in many cases due to environmental concerns. These changes include, but are not limited to, the following:

These changes have not yet proven their durability over the typical 12 to 15 year life of a container in a marine environment. In addition, due to increased container demand in 2021, manufacturers significantly accelerated their rate of production in order to keep pace with demand. The impact of these and future changes in manufacturing processes or materials on the quality and durability of our equipment is uncertain and may result in increased costs to maintain or a significant reduction in the useful life of the equipment.

Although our revenues primarily depend upon equipment leasing, our profitability is also affected by the gains or losses we realize on the sale of used containers because, in the ordinary course of our business, we sell certain containers when they are returned by customers upon lease expiration. The volatility of the selling prices and gains or losses from the disposal of such equipment can be significant. Used container selling prices, which can vary substantially, depend upon, among other factors, the cost of new containers, the global supply and demand balance for containers generally, the location of the containers, the supply and demand balance for used containers at a particular location, the physical condition of the container and related refurbishment needs, materials and labor costs and obsolescence of certain equipment or technology. Most of these factors are outside of our control.

Containers are typically sold if it is in our best interest to do so after taking into consideration local and global leasing and sale market conditions and the age, location and physical condition of the container. As these considerations vary, gains or losses on sale of equipment will also fluctuate and may be significant if we sell large quantities of containers.

Used container selling prices and the gains or losses that we have recognized from selling used containers have varied widely. In 2015 and 2016, used container prices dropped to levels below our estimated residual values, resulting in significant losses on sale of leasing equipment. Used container sale prices rebounded significantly in 2017 and 2018, declined in 2019, and again rebounded significantly beginning in the second half of 2020 and continuing throughout 2021. If disposal prices were to fall back below our residual values for an extended period, it would have a significantly negative impact on our profitability and cash flows.

The profitability of our equipment trading activities has varied widely. Our ability to sustain a high level of equipment trading profitability will require securing large volumes of additional trading equipment and continuing to achieve high selling margins. Several factors could limit our trading volumes. Shipping lines that have sold containers to us could develop other means for disposing of their equipment or develop their own sales networks. In addition, we may limit our purchases if we have concerns that used container selling prices might decrease. Our equipment trading results would also be negatively impacted by a reduction in our selling margins by increased competition for purchasing trading containers or by decreased sales prices. If sales prices rapidly deteriorate and we hold a large inventory of equipment that was purchased when prices for equipment were higher, we may incur significant losses.

We have senior executives and other management level employees with extensive industry experience. We rely on this knowledge and experience in our strategic planning and in our day-to-day business operations. Our success depends in large part upon our ability to retain our senior management, the loss of one or more of whom could have a material adverse effect on our business. Our success also depends on our ability to retain our experienced sales team and technical personnel, as well as to recruit new skilled sales, marketing and technical and other support personnel. Competition for experienced managers in our industry can be intense. If we fail to retain and recruit the necessary personnel, our business and our ability to retain customers and provide acceptable levels of customer service could suffer.

An asset impairment charge may result from the occurrence of an adverse change in market conditions, unexpected adverse events or management decisions that impact our estimates of expected cash flows generated from our long-lived assets. We review our long-lived assets, including our container and chassis equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets, for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. We may be required to recognize asset impairment charges in the future as a result of reductions in demand for specific container and chassis types, a weak economic environment, challenging market conditions, events related to particular customers or asset types, or as a result of asset or portfolio sale decisions by management. The likelihood that we could incur asset impairment charges increases during periods of low new container prices, low market lease rates and low used container selling prices.

In addition, while used container selling prices are currently above our estimated residual values, they are extremely volatile and if disposal prices fall below our residual values for an extended period, we would likely need to revise our estimates for residual values. Decreasing estimates for residual values would result in an immediate impairment charge on containers older than the estimated useful life in our depreciation calculations, and would result in increased depreciation expense for all of our other containers in subsequent periods. Asset impairment charges could significantly impact our profitability and could potentially cause us to breach the financial covenants contained in some or all of our debt agreements. The impact of asset impairment charges and a potential covenant default could be severe.

When lessees return equipment to locations where supply exceeds demand, containers are routinely repositioned to higher demand areas. Positioning expenses vary depending on geographic location, distance, freight rates and other factors. Positioning expenses can be significant if a large portion of our containers are returned to locations with weak demand. We seek to limit the number of containers that can be returned to areas where demand is not expected to be strong. However, future market conditions may not enable us to continue such practices. In addition, we may not be successful in accurately

We are dependent on third-party depot operators to repair and store our equipment in port areas throughout the world. In many of these locations, the land occupied by these depots is increasingly being considered as prime real estate. Accordingly, some depots are seeking to increase the rates we pay to store our containers, and some local communities are increasing restrictions on depot operations which increase their costs of operation and, in some cases, force depots to relocate to sites further from the port areas. Additionally, depots in prime locations may become filled to capacity based on market conditions and may refuse additional containers due to space constraints. As a result of these factors, the cost of maintaining and storing our off-hire containers could increase significantly.

We use substantial amounts of debt to fund our operations, particularly our purchase of equipment. As of December 31, 2021, we had outstanding indebtedness of approximately $8,562.5 million under our debt facilities. Total interest and debt expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $222.0 million.

Our substantial amount of debt could have important consequences for investors, including:

During difficult market environments, lenders to the container leasing industry may become more cautious, decreasing our sources of available debt financing and increasing our borrowing costs. In addition, we are the largest container leasing exposure for many of our lenders, and the amount of incremental loans available from our existing lenders may become constrained due to single-name credit limitations. If we cannot refinance our indebtedness, we may have to take actions such as selling assets, seeking equity capital or reducing or delaying future capital expenditures or other business investments, which could have a material adverse impact on our growth rate, profitability, share price and cash flows. Such actions, if necessary, may not be effected on commercially reasonable terms.

Our credit facilities and other indebtedness impose, and the terms of any future indebtedness may impose, significant operating, financial and other restrictions on us and our subsidiaries. These restrictions may limit or prohibit, among other things, our ability to:

These restrictions could adversely affect our ability to finance our future operations or capital needs and pursue available business opportunities. In addition, certain agreements governing our indebtedness contain financial maintenance covenants that require us to satisfy certain ratios such as maximum leverage and minimum interest coverage. A breach of any of the above restrictions or financial covenants could result in an event of default in respect of the related indebtedness. If a default occurs, the relevant lenders could elect to declare the indebtedness to be immediately due and payable and proceed against any collateral securing that indebtedness.

Maintaining our credit ratings depends on our financial results and on other factors, including the outlook of the rating agencies on our sector and on the debt capital markets generally. A credit rating downgrade or being placed on negative watch may make it more difficult or costly for us to raise debt financing, resulting in a negative impact on our liquidity and financial results.

Our lease rental stream is generally fixed over the life of our leases whereas our interest costs can vary over time. The interest rates on our debt financings have several components, including credit spreads and underlying benchmark rates. We employ various hedging strategies to mitigate this interest rate risk. Our hedging strategies rely considerably on assumptions and projections regarding our assets and lease portfolio as well as general market factors. If any of these assumptions or projections prove to be incorrect or our hedges do not adequately mitigate the impact of changes in interest rates, we may experience volatility in our earnings that could adversely affect our profitability and financial condition. In addition, we may

In the United States, the Secured Overnight Finance Rate ("SOFR") has emerged as the preferred alternative rate for LIBOR following its discontinuation. SOFR is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement market. At this time, it is not possible to predict how markets will respond to SOFR or other alternative reference rates. In addition, it is uncertain what methods of calculating a replacement rate will be adopted generally or whether different industry bodies, such as the loan market and the derivatives market, will adopt the same methodologies.

As of December 31, 2021, we had $3,116.0 million of total debt outstanding under facilities with interest rates based on floating-rate indices. In addition, we had $1,929.7 million notional value of interest rate swaps in place that are indexed to LIBOR. Our credit facilities include fallback language that generally would result in SOFR automatically replacing LIBOR at the time of its discontinuance. We cannot predict what the impact of such replacement rate would be to our interest expense. The Company's swap agreements are governed by the International Swap Dealers Association ("ISDA"), which has developed fallback language for swap agreements and has established guidelines to allow counterparties to modify historical trades to include the new fallback language. Potential changes to the underlying floating-rate indices and reference rates may have an adverse impact on our agreements indexed to LIBOR and could have a negative impact on our profitability and cash flows. Furthermore, we cannot predict or quantify the time, effort and cost required to transition to the use of new benchmark rates, including with respect to negotiating and implementing any necessary changes to existing contractual arrangements, and implementing changes to our systems and processes. We continue to evaluate the operational and other effects of such changes.

The efficient operation of our business is highly dependent on our information technology systems, including our transaction tracking and billing systems and our customer interface systems. These systems allow customers to facilitate sales orders and drop-off requests, view current inventory and check contractual terms in effect with respect to any given container lease agreement. These systems also process and track transactions, such as container pick-ups, drop-offs and repairs, and bill customers for the use of and damage to our equipment. If our information technology systems are damaged or an interruption is caused by a computer systems failure, viruses, security breach, hacker attack, ransom attack, fire, natural disasters or power loss, we may not be able to accurately bill our customers for the containers they have on lease and the disruption to our normal business operations and impact on our costs, competitiveness and financial results could be significant.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data on our systems and networks, including our proprietary business information and that of our customers and suppliers, and personally identifiable information of our customers and employees. The secure storage, processing, maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations. Despite the security measures we employ, our information technology systems and networks may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise such systems and networks and the information stored therein could be accessed, publicly disclosed and/or lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, disruption to our operations, damage to our reputation and/or loss of competitive position.

Trade and transportation activity is regulated in most major economies. International containers and container leasing companies have historically not been heavily impacted by regulations since containers have typically been viewed as international assets. However, many governments, including the United States, are considering increased regulation of containerized trade in response to supply chain disruptions and increased transportation costs in 2021. We could incur increased costs and face operational complexity under new regulations. For example, draft legislation in the United States would subject shipping lines to liability for failure to provide containers to exporters in consideration of reasonably foreseeable export demand, which might eventually lead to increased oversight of container suppliers, including container leasing companies.

We also may become subject to regulations seeking to protect the integrity of international commerce and prevent the use of containers for international terrorism or other illicit activities. For example, the Container Safety Initiative, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and Operation Safe Commerce are among the programs administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that are designed to enhance security for containerized cargo entering and leaving the United States. Moreover, the International Convention for Safe Containers (“CSC”) applies to containers and seeks to maintain a high level of safety of human life in the transport and handling of containers by providing uniform international safety regulations. As these regulations develop and change, we may incur increased costs for the acquisition of new, compliant containers and/or the adaptation of existing containers to meet any new requirements imposed by such regulations. Additionally, certain companies are currently developing or may in the future develop products designed to enhance the security of containers transported in international commerce. We may incur increased costs associated with the adoption of these products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

There is no internationally recognized system for recording or filing to evidence our title to containers nor is there an internationally recognized system for filing security interests in containers. Although this has not occurred to date, the lack of an international title recordation system for containers could result in disputes with lessees, end-users, or third parties who may improperly claim ownership of the containers.

Due to the international scope of our operations, we are subject to a numerous laws and regulations, including economic sanctions, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, import and export and similar laws. Recent years have seen a substantial increase in the enforcement of many of these laws in the United States and other countries. Any failure or perceived failure to comply with existing or new laws and regulations may subject us to significant fines, penalties, criminal and civil lawsuits, forfeiture of significant assets, and other enforcement actions in one or more jurisdictions, result in significant additional compliance requirements and costs, increase regulatory scrutiny of our business, result in the loss of customers, restrict our operations and limit our ability to grow our business, adversely affect our results of operations, and harm our reputation.

We are subject to U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing the discharge of pollutants to air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes and the cleanup of contaminated sites. We could incur substantial costs, including cleanup costs, fines and third-party claims for property damage and personal injury, as a result of violations of or liabilities under environmental laws and regulations in connection with our or our lessees’ current or historical operations. Under some environmental laws in the United States and certain other countries, the owner of a leased container may be liable for environmental damage, cleanup or other costs in the event of a spill or discharge of material from a container without regard to the owner's fault. Our insurance coverage and any indemnities provided by our lessees may be insufficient to compensate us for losses arising from environmental damage.

Changes in laws and regulations, or actions by authorities under existing laws or regulations, to address greenhouse gas emissions and climate change could negatively impact our and our customers’ business. For example, restrictions on emissions

Also, historically, the foam insulation in the walls of refrigerated intermodal containers required the use of a blowing agent that contained CFCs. The manufacturers producing our refrigerated containers have eliminated the use of this blowing agent in the manufacturing process, but a large number of our refrigerated containers manufactured prior to 2014 contain these CFCs. The EU prohibits the import and the placing on the market in the EU of intermodal containers with insulation made with such process. However, we believe international conventions governing free movement of intermodal containers allow the use of such intermodal refrigerated containers in the EU if they have been admitted into EU countries on temporary customs admission. We have procedures in place that we believe comply with the relevant EU and country regulations. If such intermodal refrigerated containers exceed their temporary customs admission period and/or their customs admission status changes and such intermodal refrigerated containers are deemed placed on the market in the EU, or if our procedures are deemed not to comply with EU or a country’s regulation, we could be subject to fines and penalties. Also, if future international regulations change, we could be forced to incur large retrofitting expenses and those containers that are not retrofitted may become more difficult to lease and command lower rental rates and disposal prices. Potential consequences of changes in laws and regulations addressing climate change and other environmental impacts could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and cash flows.

We are a Bermuda company, however, a significant portion of our operations is subject to taxation in the U.S. Our U.S. subsidiaries record tax provisions in their financial statements based on current tax rates. If there was an increase in the tax rate due to changes in enacted tax laws, our tax provision and effective tax rate would increase and our results of operations would be negatively impacted.

Furthermore, certain of these subsidiaries currently do not pay any meaningful U.S. income taxes primarily due to the benefit they currently receive from accelerated tax depreciation of their container investments. However, the long duration of recent leases has limited the accelerated tax depreciation benefits of container investments, and as a result, we have limited the container investments made by the U.S. subsidiaries.

We expect this reduced investment in containers by the U.S. subsidiaries to result in an increase in cash tax payments in the future. A change in rules governing the tax depreciation for these U.S. subsidiaries' containers could further reduce or eliminate this tax benefit and further increase the U.S. subsidiaries' cash tax payments.

Beginning in 2022, a company's U.S. net interest expense deduction will be limited to 30% of its current year taxable income before net interest expense. Additionally, proposed legislation would, if enacted, potentially further limit a company’s U.S. net interest expense deduction. In future years, the benefit our U.S. subsidiaries receive from accelerated tax depreciation of their container investments is expected to result in annual interest expense limitations, which may significantly increase these U.S. subsidiaries' cash tax payments and our overall effective tax rate.

Based upon the nature of our business activities, we may be classified as a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC") for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such characterization could result in adverse U.S. tax consequences for direct or indirect U.S. investors in our common and preferred shares. For example, if we are a PFIC, our U.S. investors could become subject to increased tax liabilities under U.S. tax laws and regulations and could become subject to burdensome reporting requirements. The determination of whether or not we are a PFIC is made on an annual basis and depends on the composition of our income and assets from time to time. Specifically, for any taxable year, we will be classified as a PFIC for U.S. tax purposes if either:

The trading price of our common and preferred shares has been and may remain highly volatile. Factors affecting the trading price of our common and preferred shares may include:

In addition, if the market for intermodal equipment leasing company stocks or the stock market in general experiences a loss of investor confidence, the trading price of our common and preferred shares could decline for reasons unrelated to our business or financial results. The trading price of our common and preferred shares might also decline in reaction to events that affect other companies in our industry even if these events do not directly affect us.

The trading market for our common shares relies in part on research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us, our business or our industry. We have no influence or control over the decisions or opinions of these analysts. In addition, regulatory changes such as Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR) have led to a reduction in the number of sell side research analysts covering companies of our size and our industry. If more of these analysts cease coverage of us, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our share price to decline. Furthermore, if one or more analysts covering our Company downgrades our shares, the price of our shares could decline.

The issuance of additional common and preferred shares or other equity securities or securities convertible into equity by us for financing or in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise may dilute the economic and voting rights of our existing shareholders or reduce the market price of our common and preferred shares or both. Sales or other issuances of substantial amounts of our common or preferred shares, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the price of our common and preferred shares and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional shares.

We are incorporated under the laws of Bermuda and a significant portion of our assets are located outside the United States. It may not be possible to enforce court judgments obtained in the United States against us in Bermuda or in countries, other than the United States, where we will have assets, based on the civil liability provisions of the federal or state securities laws of the United States. In addition, there is some doubt as to whether the courts of Bermuda and other countries would recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our officers or directors based on the civil liability provisions of the federal or state securities laws of the United States or would hear actions against us or those persons based on those laws. We have been advised by our legal advisors in Bermuda that the United States and Bermuda do not currently have a treaty providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. Therefore, a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the United States based on civil liability, whether or not based solely on United States federal or state securities laws, would not automatically be enforceable in Bermuda. Similarly, those judgments may not be enforceable in countries, other than the United States, where we have assets.

Additionally, our shareholders might have more difficulty protecting their interests than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction of the United States. As a Bermuda company, we are governed by the Bermuda Companies Act. The Bermuda Companies Act differs in some material respects from laws generally applicable to United States corporations and shareholders, including the provisions relating to interested directors, mergers, amalgamations and acquisitions, takeovers, shareholder lawsuits and indemnification of directors.

Certain provisions of our bye-laws and Bermuda law could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control, even if doing so would benefit our shareholders. These provisions may include customary anti-takeover provisions. Anti-takeover provisions could substantially impede the ability of our public shareholders to benefit from a change in control or change of our management and Board of Directors and, as a result, may materially adversely affect the market price of our

From time to time we are a party to various legal proceedings, including claims, suits and government proceedings and investigations arising in connection with the normal course of our business. While we cannot predict the outcome of these matters, in the opinion of our management, any liability arising from these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our business. Nevertheless, unexpected adverse future events, such as an unforeseen development in our existing proceedings, a significant increase in the number of new cases or changes in our current insurance arrangements could result in liabilities that have a material adverse impact on our business.

Our common shares are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "TRTN".

On February 4, 2022, there were 111 holders of record of our common shares and 62,532 beneficial holders, based on information obtained from our transfer agent.

The following table provides certain information with respect to our purchases of the Company's common shares during the fourth quarter for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The graph below compares our cumulative shareholder returns with the S&P 500 Stock Index and the Russell 2000 Stock Index for the period from December 31, 2016 through December 31, 2021. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our common shares, the S&P 500 Stock Index and the Russell 2000 Stock Index was $100 on December 31, 2016 and that all dividends were reinvested.

Triton International Limited ("Triton", "we", "our" or the "Company") is the world's largest lessor of intermodal containers. Intermodal containers are large, standardized steel boxes used to transport freight by ship, rail or truck. Because of the handling efficiencies they provide, intermodal containers are the primary means by which many goods and materials are shipped internationally. We also lease chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers.

We operate our business in one industry, intermodal transportation equipment, and have two business segments, which also represent our reporting segments:

Our consolidated operations include the acquisition, leasing, re-leasing and subsequent sale of multiple types of intermodal containers and chassis. As of December 31, 2021, our total fleet consisted of 4.3 million containers and chassis, representing 7.3 million TEU or 8.0 million CEU. Our primary customers include the world's largest container shipping lines. For the year ended December 31, 2021, our twenty largest customers accounted for 86% of our lease billings, our five largest customers accounted for 60% of our lease billings, and our three largest customers accounted for 21%, 16%, and 10% of our lease billings.

The most important driver of profitability in our business is the extent to which leasing revenues, which are driven by our owned equipment fleet size, utilization and average lease rates, exceed our ownership and operating costs. Our profitability is also driven by the gains or losses we realize on the sale of used containers and the margins generated from trading new and used containers.

We lease five types of equipment: (1) dry containers, which are used for general cargo such as manufactured component parts, consumer staples, electronics and apparel, (2) refrigerated containers, which are used for perishable items such as fresh and frozen foods, (3) special containers, which are used for heavy and over-sized cargo such as marble slabs, building products and machinery, (4) tank containers, which are used to transport bulk liquid products such as chemicals, and (5) chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers on the road. Our in-house equipment sales group manages the sale process for our used containers and chassis from our equipment leasing fleet and sells used and new containers and chassis acquired from third parties.

The following tables summarize our equipment fleet as of December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, indicated in units, TEU and CEU. CEU and TEU are standard industry measures of fleet size and are used to measure the quantity of containers that make up our revenue earning assets:

We also have expired long-term leases whose fixed terms have ended but for which the related units remain on-hire and for which we continue to receive rental payments pursuant to the terms of the initial contract. Some leases have contractual terms that have features reflective of both long-term and service leases and we classify such leases as either long-term or service leases, depending upon which features we believe are predominant.

The following table summarizes our lease portfolio by lease type, based on CEU on-hire as of December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019:

Due to our aggressive fleet investment in 2021 and the high cost of these new containers, we placed the vast majority of this equipment on long-term operating and finance leases with an average initial duration of 13 years. To better reflect the impact of these dynamics on our lease portfolio, we have included the following equipment lease portfolio table based on net book value of units on-hire, as of December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019:

Trade volumes rebounded rapidly in the third quarter of 2020 as lockdowns eased and consumers shifted spending from services and experiences to goods, and trade volumes remained strong throughout 2021. Demand for containers was further boosted by extensive logistical disruptions such as reduced port productivity and a shortage of trucking capacity that slowed turn times for containers. In 2021, the strong and sustained demand for containers led to a shortage of containers, high prices for new and used containers, and high market leasing rates. In addition, we were able to drive our utilization close to maximum levels and invested aggressively in new containers to support our customers. Our profitability increased rapidly from the second half of 2020 through the end of 2021.

New container production accelerated to record levels in 2021, which has helped ease the shortage of containers. As a result, we may see more balance between container supply and demand over the course of the year. However, the timing for a return to more normal market conditions is uncertain.

Our operating and financial performance throughout 2021 was strong as we benefited from very favorable market conditions driven by strong global trade volumes, logistical disruptions that slowed container turn times, and limited availability of containers.

Average lease rates for our refrigerated container product line decreased by 4.2% in 2021 compared to 2020. In 2021, we completed a large lease extension transaction for refrigerated containers that lowered the lease rates on expired leases in return for a lease extension covering the remaining useful life of the equipment. We have also been experiencing larger differences in lease rates for older refrigerated containers compared to rates on new equipment, and we expect our average lease rates for refrigerated containers will continue to gradually trend down.

The average lease rates for special containers decreased by 0.8% in 2021 compared to 2020 primarily due to a lease extension transaction for a large number of special containers completed in 2021.

Our principal sources of liquidity are cash flows provided by operating activities, proceeds from the sale of our leasing equipment, borrowings under our credit facilities and proceeds from other financing activities. Our principal uses of cash include capital expenditures, debt service, dividends, and share repurchases.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, cash provided by operating activities, together with the proceeds from the sale of our leasing equipment, was $1,622.2 million. In addition, as of December 31, 2021 we had $106.2 million of cash and cash equivalents and $1,788.0 million of borrowing capacity remaining under our existing credit facilities.

As of December 31, 2021, our cash commitments in the next twelve months include $477.6 million of scheduled principal payments on our existing debt facilities, and $586.1 million of committed but unpaid capital expenditures, primarily for the purchase of equipment.

We believe that cash provided by operating activities, existing cash, proceeds from the sale of our leasing equipment, and availability under our credit facilities will be sufficient to meet our obligations over the next twelve months.

During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company paid dividends on preferred shares of $45.3 million and paid dividends on common shares of $157.3 million.

During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company repurchased a total of 1.5 million common shares at an average price per share of $55.95 for a total cost of $85.5 million under its share repurchase program. Since October 2018, the Company has purchased over 15.4 million shares, or 19.1% of our common shares.

In August 2021, the Company completed a public offering of 7,000,000 shares of 5.75% Series E preference shares, which generated $175.0 million of gross proceeds. The costs associated with the offering, inclusive of underwriting discount and other offering expenses, were $6.2 million.

For additional information on the share repurchase program, preferred share offering, and dividends, please refer to Note 10 - "Other Equity Matters" in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In February and March 2021, the Company issued a combined $1.2 billion in asset-backed securitization notes at a weighted average interest rate of 1.8%. Proceeds from these issuances were primarily used to fund additional capital expenditures and prepay existing debt.

We successfully transitioned our capital structure toward unsecured investment grade financing in 2021. As part of this transition, the Company issued a total of $2.3 billion of corporate notes with a range of maturities of 2 - 10 years at a weighted average interest rate of 1.8%. The Company also prepaid $1.5 billion in aggregate principal of its remaining outstanding institutional notes with a weighted average interest rate of 4.5% and paid a related make-whole premium of $127.9 million.

The Company also amended various debt agreements that converted certain facilities from secured to unsecured borrowings. In addition, these amendments increased the Company's borrowing capacity to $2.0 billion on the revolving credit facility and to $1.2 billion on the term loan facility.

Our investment-grade corporate and long-term debt credit ratings help us to lower our cost of funds and broaden our access to attractively priced capital. While a ratings downgrade would not result in a default under any of our debt agreements, it could adversely affect our ability to issue debt and obtain new financings, or renew existing financings, and it would increase the cost of our financings.

The following table summarizes our current credit ratings:

The maximum borrowing levels depicted in the table above may not reflect the actual availability under all of the credit facilities. Certain of these facilities are governed by either borrowing bases or an unencumbered asset test that limits borrowing capacity. As of December 31, 2021, the availability under these credit facilities without adding additional assets was $1,034.2 million.

As of December 31, 2021, we had a combined $7,443.6 million of total debt on facilities with fixed interest rates or floating interest rates that have been synthetically fixed through interest rate swap contracts. This accounts for 86% of total debt.

Pursuant to the terms of certain debt agreements, we are required to maintain certain amounts in restricted cash accounts. As of December 31, 2021, we had restricted cash of $124.4 million.

For additional information on our debt, please see Note 6 - "Debt" in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are subject to certain financial covenants related to leverage and interest coverage as defined in our debt agreements. Failure to comply with these covenants could result in a default under the related credit agreements and the acceleration of our outstanding debt if we were unable to obtain a waiver from the creditors. As of December 31, 2021, we were in compliance with all such covenants

The following table sets forth certain cash flow information for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 (in thousands):

Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $461.4 million to $1,405.2 million in 2021, compared to $943.8 million in 2020. The significant increase was primarily due to an increase in profitability due to strong market conditions. This was further increased due to deferred revenue collections related to leases with uneven payment terms in 2021 and the reduction of cash collateral that was required for certain interest rate swaps in liability positions in the prior year.

Net cash provided by financing activities increased by $2,362.5 million to $1,890.8 million in 2021 compared to net cash used in financing activities of $471.7 million in 2020. The increase was primarily due to a $2,295.7 million increase in net borrowings to finance the substantial purchase of leasing equipment.

The following table summarizes our comparative results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 (in thousands):

For the discussion on the Results of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2020 compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2019, see the Results of Operations section in Part II, Item 7 of our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2021.

Per diem revenues were $1,445.3 million in 2021 compared to $1,217.4 million in 2020, an increase of $227.9 million. The primary reasons for this increase are as follows:

Fee and ancillary lease revenues were $35.2 million in 2021 compared to $59.3 million in 2020, a decrease of $24.1 million, primarily due to lower drop-off activity, partially offset by fee revenues related to the repositioning of containers.

Our leasing segment is discussed in our results of operations comparisons and the trading segment is discussed in the trading margin comparison within the results of operations comparisons.

For additional information on our segments, please see Note 11 - "Segment and Geographic Information" in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are party to various operating and finance leases and are obligated to make payments related to our borrowings. We are also obligated under various commercial commitments, including obligations to our equipment manufacturers. Our equipment manufacturer obligations are in the form of conventional accounts payable and are satisfied by cash flows from operations and financing activities.

The following table summarizes our contractual commitments and obligations as of December 31, 2021 and the effect such obligations are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flows in future periods:

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts and disclosures reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

We purchase new equipment from equipment manufacturers for the purpose of leasing such equipment to customers. We also purchase used equipment with the intention of selling such equipment in one or more years from the date of purchase.

Leasing equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated to an estimated residual value on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives. Capitalized costs for new container rental equipment include the manufactured cost of the container, inspection, delivery, and associated costs incurred in moving the container from the manufacturer to the initial on-hire location of such container. Repair and maintenance costs that do not extend the lives of the container rental equipment are charged to direct operating expenses at the time the costs are incurred.

The estimated useful lives and residual values of our leasing equipment are based on our expectations for future used container sale prices. We evaluate estimates used in our depreciation policies on a regular basis to determine whether changes have taken place that would suggest that a change in our depreciation estimates for useful lives or the assigned residual values of our equipment is warranted. For 2021, the Company completed its annual depreciation policy assessment during the fourth quarter and concluded no change was necessary.

The estimated useful lives and residual values for each major equipment type for the periods indicated below were as follows:

Depreciation on leasing equipment commences on the date of initial on-hire.

For leasing equipment purchased for resale that may be leased for a period of time, we adjust our estimates for remaining useful life and residual values based on our expectations for how long the equipment will remain on-hire to the current lessee and the expected sales market for older containers when these units are redelivered.

The net book value of our leasing equipment by equipment type is as follows (in thousands):

Included in the amounts above are units not on lease at December 31, 2021 and 2020 with a total net book value of $391.3 million and $173.2 million, respectively. A large majority of the units not on lease at December 31, 2021 are for recently purchased equipment. Depreciation on equipment purchased under finance lease obligations is included in depreciation and amortization expense on the consolidated statements of operations.

Leasing equipment is evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying value may not be recoverable. Recoverability of an asset to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying value to its estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying value of an asset exceeds our estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized in the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. Key indicators of impairment on leasing equipment include, among other factors, a sustained decrease in operating profitability, a sustained decrease in utilization, or indications of technological obsolescence.

When testing for impairment, leasing equipment is generally grouped by equipment type, and is tested separately from other groups of assets and liabilities. Some of the significant estimates and assumptions used to determine future undiscounted cash flows and the measurement for impairment are the remaining useful life, expected utilization, expected future lease rates and expected disposal prices of the equipment. We consider the assumptions on expected utilization and the remaining useful life to have the greatest impact on its estimate of future undiscounted cash flows. These estimates are principally based on our historical experience and management's judgment of market conditions.

There were no key indicators of impairment and we did not record any impairment charges related to leasing equipment for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

When leasing equipment is returned from lease, we make a determination of whether to repair and re-lease the equipment or sell the equipment. At the time we determine that equipment will be sold, we reclassify the carrying value of leasing equipment to equipment held for sale. Equipment held for sale is recorded at the lower of its estimated fair value, less costs to sell, or carrying value at the time identified for sale. Depreciation expense on equipment held for sale is halted and disposals generally occur within 90 days. Initial write downs of equipment held for sale to fair value are recorded as an impairment charge and are included in net gain or loss on sale of leasing equipment. Subsequent increases or decreases to the fair value of those assets are recorded as adjustments to the carrying value of the equipment held for sale, however, any such adjustments may not exceed the respective equipment's carrying value at the time it was initially classified as held for sale. Realized gains and losses resulting from the sale of equipment held for sale are recorded as net gain or loss on sale of leasing equipment, and cash flows associated with the disposal of equipment held for sale are classified as cash flows from investing activities.

Equipment recorded within our equipment trading segment is also included in Equipment held for sale. Gains and losses resulting from the sale of this equipment is recorded in Trading margin, and cash flows associated with the sale of this equipment are classified as cash flows from operating activities.

Goodwill is tested for impairment at least annually on October 31 of each fiscal year or more frequently if events occur or circumstances exist that indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit may be below its carrying value. Goodwill has been allocated to our reporting units which are the same as our reporting segments.

In evaluating goodwill for impairment, we have the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. Among other relevant events and circumstances that affect the fair value of reporting units, we consider individual factors such as macroeconomic conditions, changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, as well as our reporting units' historical and expected future financial performance. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, we determine it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than our carrying amount, then the quantitative goodwill impairment test is unnecessary. The quantitative goodwill impairment test compares the fair value of a reporting unit with our carrying amount, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit is less than its fair value, no impairment exists. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss shall be recognized in an amount equal to that excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

We elected to perform the qualitative assessment for our evaluation of goodwill impairment during the year ended December 31, 2021 and concluded there was no impairment. Since inception through December 31, 2021, we have not had any goodwill impairment.

For additional information on our accounting policies, please see Note 2 - "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

See Note 2 - "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a full description of recent accounting pronouncements.

Market risk is the risk of loss to future earnings, values or cash flows that may result from changes in the price of a financial instrument. The fair value of a financial instrument, derivative or non-derivative, might change as a result of changes in interest rates, exchange rates, commodity prices, equity prices and other market changes. We have operations internationally and we are exposed to market risks in the ordinary course of our business. These risks include interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate risks.

We enter into derivative agreements to fix the interest rates on a portion of our floating-rate debt. We assess and manage the external and internal risk associated with these derivative instruments in accordance with our overall operating goals. External risk is defined as those risks outside of our direct control, including counterparty credit risk, liquidity risk, systemic risk and legal risk. Internal risk relates to those operational risks within the management oversight structure and include actions taken in contravention of our policies.

The primary external risk of our derivative agreements is counterparty credit exposure, which is defined as the ability of a counterparty to perform its financial obligations under the agreement. All of our derivative agreements are with highly-rated financial institutions. Credit exposures are measured based on the market value of outstanding derivative instruments. In order to monitor counterparty credit exposure, both current and potential exposures are calculated.

As of December 31, 2021, we had derivative agreements in place to fix interest rates on a portion of our borrowings under debt facilities with floating interest rates as summarized below:

Our derivative agreements are designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes. Any unrealized gains or losses related to the changes in fair value are recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income and reclassified to interest and debt expense as they are realized. As of December 31, 2021, we do not have any material non-designated derivatives. Previously, a portion of our swap portfolio was not designated and unrealized and realized changes in the fair value of these agreements were recognized in the consolidated statements of operations as other (income) expense, net.

Approximately 86% of our debt is either fixed or hedged using derivative instruments which helps mitigate the impact of changes in short-term interest rates. A 100 basis point increase in the interest rates on our unhedged debt (primarily LIBOR) would result in an increase of approximately $11.7 million in interest expense over the next 12 months.

Although we have significant foreign-based operations, the majority of our revenues and our operating expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars. However, we pay our non-U.S. employees in local currencies and certain operating expenses are denominated in foreign currencies. Net foreign currency exchange gains and losses were a loss of $1.0 million and a gain of $0.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and, 2020, respectively.

The Consolidated Financial Statements and financial statement schedules listed under Item 15—Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules are filed as a part of this Item 8.

We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based upon management's evaluation of these disclosure controls and procedures, our Chief Executive Officer and our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer concluded, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

We are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as part of the audit, has issued a report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021. Please refer to "Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in management's evaluation pursuant to Rules 13a-15(d) or 15d-15(d) of the Exchange Act during the three months ended December 31, 2021 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

The information required by this Item regarding our Code of Ethics, Code of Ethics for Senior Company Officers, Audit Committee and Audit Committee Financial Experts, compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, and corporate governance is contained in the sections captioned “Codes of Ethics”, "Board Committees", "Proposal 1: Election of Directors", "Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports" and possibly elsewhere in our proxy statement to be issued in connection with the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on April 26, 2022, which will be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 (the "2022 Proxy Statement") and that information is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the sections captioned "Director Compensation Table", "Compensation Discussion and Analysis", "Executive Compensation Tables", "Compensation Risk Management", "Compensation and Talent Management Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation", "Report of the Compensation and Talent Management Committee" and possibly elsewhere in the 2022 Proxy Statement.

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the sections captioned "Equity Compensation Plan Information", "Information Regarding Beneficial Ownership of Management and Principal Shareholders" and possibly elsewhere in the 2022 Proxy Statement.

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the sections captioned "Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions", "Board Independence" and possibly elsewhere in the 2022 Proxy Statement.

Our independent registered public accounting firm is KPMG LLP, New York, NY, Auditor Firm ID: 185.

The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference from the section captioned "Audit Fees" in the 2022 Proxy Statement.