Revenue Recognition

Adoption of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”

In May 2014, and in subsequent updates, the FASB issued guidance ("Topic 606") to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue. Topic 606 is an update to Topic 605, which was the revenue recognition standard in effect through December 31, 2017. Topic 606 includes the required steps to achieve the core principle that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. We adopted Topic 606 on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method. The adoption of Topic 606 did not result in any significant changes to our historic revenue accounting under Topic 605. Results for 2018 are presented under Topic 606, while results for 2017 continue to reflect our historic accounting under Topic 605. Because there were no significant changes to our revenue recognition accounting upon adoption of Topic 606, no changes to our historic financial statements were required, and no cumulative change to retained earnings was required.

We applied the Topic 606 practical expedient that allows entities to not restate contracts that begin and are completed within the same annual reporting period. No other practical expedients associated with the adoption of Topic 606 were applied. The only change to our revenue accounting upon adoption of Topic 606 pertains to sales of certain rental equipment. Prior to the adoption of Topic 606, certain sales of rental equipment were deferred until certain contingent future events occurred. Under Topic 606, we are no longer required to defer the revenue. The adoption of Topic 606 results in earlier recognition (primarily in the first quarter) of certain sales of rental equipment, but it does not impact total annual revenue because the contingencies that previously resulted in deferral under Topic 605 are always resolved within the same calendar year. During the three months ended June 30, 2017, we recognized $133 of sales of rental equipment under Topic 605. Under Topic 606, sales of rental equipment during the three months ended June 30, 2017 would have been $12 less because such sales would have been recognized prior to the three months ended June 30, 2017. During the six months ended June 30, 2017, we recognized $239 of sales of rental equipment under Topic 605. Under Topic 606, we would have recognized an additional $12 of sales of rental equipment during the six months ended June 30, 2017.

As discussed below, following the adoption of Topic 606, we recognize revenue in accordance with two different accounting standards: 1) Topic 606 and 2) Topic 840 (which addresses lease accounting. As discussed below, we expect to adopt an update to this standard on January 1, 2019). Under Topic 606, revenue from contracts with customers is measured based on the consideration specified in the contract with the customer, and excludes any sales incentives and amounts collected on behalf of third parties. A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to a customer, and is the unit of account under Topic 606. We recognize revenue when we satisfy a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for such products or services.

As reflected below, most of our revenue is accounted for under Topic 840. Our contracts with customers generally do not include multiple performance obligations. For contracts with multiple Topic 606 performance obligations, we allocate revenue to each performance obligation using our best estimate of the standalone selling price for each performance obligation.

Nature of goods and services

In the following table, revenue is summarized by type and by the applicable accounting standard.



	Three Months Ended June 30,
			2018						2017
	Topic 840		Topic 606		Total		Topic 840		Topic 605		Total
Revenues:
Owned equipment rentals	$	1,406	$	—	$	1,406	$	1,179	$	—	$	1,179
Re-rent revenue	29		—		29		25		—		25
Ancillary and other rental revenues:
Delivery and pick-up	—		112		112		—		96		96
Other	64		20		84		54		13		67
Total ancillary and other rental revenues	64		132		196		54		109		163
Total equipment rentals	1,499		132		1,631		1,258		109		1,367
Sales of rental equipment	—		157		157		—		133		133
Sales of new equipment	—		44		44		—		47		47
Contractor supplies sales	—		24		24		—		21		21
Service and other revenues	—		35		35		—		29		29
Total revenues	$	1,499	$	392	$	1,891	$	1,258	$	339	$	1,597



	Six Months Ended June 30,
			2018						2017
	Topic 840		Topic 606		Total		Topic 840		Topic 605		Total
Revenues:
Owned equipment rentals	$	2,671	$	—	$	2,671	$	2,188	$	—	$	2,188
Re-rent revenue	54		—		54		46		—		46
Ancillary and other rental revenues:
Delivery and pick-up	—		204		204		—		172		172
Other	120		41		161		99		28		127
Total ancillary and other rental revenues	120		245		365		99		200		299
Total equipment rentals	2,845		245		3,090		2,333		200		2,533
Sales of rental equipment	—		338		338		—		239		239
Sales of new equipment	—		86		86		—		86		86
Contractor supplies sales	—		42		42		—		39		39
Service and other revenues	—		69		69		—		56		56
Total revenues	$	2,845	$	780	$	3,625	$	2,333	$	620	$	2,953

Revenues by reportable segment and geographical market are presented in notes 4 and 10 of the condensed consolidated financial statements, respectively, using the revenue captions reflected in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. The majority of our revenue is recognized in our general rentals segment and in the U.S. (for the six months ended June 30, 2018, 83 percent and 92 percent of total revenues, respectively), and, accordingly, we do not believe that presenting the revenue types above by reportable segment or geographical market would provide information that is material to investors. We believe that the disaggregation of our revenue from contracts to customers as reflected above, coupled with the further discussion below and the reportable segment and geographical market disclosures in notes 4 and 10, depicts how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of our revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors.

Lease revenues (Topic 840)

The accounting for the types of revenue that are accounted for under Topic 840 is discussed below. As discussed in note 1 to the condensed consolidated financial statements, we expect to adopt Topic 842, which is an update to Topic 840, on January 1, 2019. We have tentatively concluded that no significant changes are expected to our revenue accounting upon adoption of Topic 842.

Owned equipment rentals: Owned equipment rentals represent revenues from renting equipment that we own. We account for such rentals as operating leases.

We recognize revenues from renting equipment on a straight-line basis. Our rental contract periods are hourly, daily, weekly or monthly. By way of example, if a customer were to rent a piece of equipment and the daily, weekly and monthly rental rates for that particular piece were (in actual dollars) $100, $300 and $900, respectively, we would recognize revenue of $32.14 per day. The daily rate for recognition purposes is calculated by dividing the monthly rate of $900 by the monthly term of 28 days. This daily rate assumes that the equipment will be on rent for the full 28 days, as we are unsure of when the customer will return the equipment and therefore unsure of which rental contract period will apply.

As part of this straight-line methodology, when the equipment is returned, we recognize as incremental revenue the excess, if any, between the amount the customer is contractually required to pay, which is based on the rental contract period applicable to the actual number of days the equipment was out on rent, over the cumulative amount of revenue recognized to date. In any given accounting period, we will have customers return equipment and be contractually required to pay us more than the cumulative amount of revenue recognized to date under the straight-line methodology. For instance, continuing the above example, if the customer rented the above piece of equipment on December 29 and returned it at the close of business on January 1, we would recognize incremental revenue on January 1 of $171.44 (in actual dollars, representing the difference between the amount the customer is contractually required to pay, or $300 at the weekly rate, and the cumulative amount recognized to date on a straight-line basis, or $128.56, which represents four days at $32.14 per day).

We record amounts billed to customers in excess of recognizable revenue as deferred revenue on our balance sheet. We had deferred revenue (associated with both Topic 840 and Topic 606/605) of $52 and $46 as of June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

Re-rent revenue: Re-rent revenue reflects revenues from equipment that we rent from vendors and then rent to our customers. We account for such rentals as subleases. The accounting for re-rent revenue is the same as the accounting for owned equipment rentals described above.

“Other” equipment rental revenue is primarily comprised of 1) Rental Protection Plan (or "RPP") revenue associated with the damage waiver customers can purchase when they rent our equipment to protect against potential loss or damage, 2) environmental charges associated with the rental of equipment, and 3) charges for rented equipment that is damaged by our customers.

Revenues from contracts with customers (Topic 606)

The accounting for the types of revenue that are accounted for under Topic 606 is discussed below. Substantially all of our revenues under Topic 606 are recognized at a point-in-time rather than over time.

Delivery and pick-up: Delivery and pick-up revenue associated with renting equipment is recognized when the service is performed.

“Other” equipment rental revenue is primarily comprised of revenues associated with the consumption of fuel by our customers which are recognized when the equipment is returned by the customer (and consumption, if any, can be measured).

Sales of rental equipment, new equipment and contractor supplies are recognized at the time of delivery to, or pick-up by, the customer and when collectibility is reasonably assured.

Service and other revenues primarily represent revenues earned from providing repair and maintenance services on our customers’ fleet (including parts sales). Service revenue is recognized as the services are performed.

Receivables and contract assets and liabilities

As reflected above, most of our equipment rental revenue is accounted for under Topic 840 (such revenue represented 78 percent of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2018). The customers that are responsible for the remaining revenue that is accounted for under Topic 606 are generally the same customers that rent our equipment. We manage credit risk associated with our accounts receivables at the customer level. Because the same customers generate the revenues that are accounted for under both Topic 606 and Topic 840, the discussions below on credit risk and our allowances for doubtful accounts address our total revenues from Topic 606 (Topic 605 for 2017) and Topic 840.

Concentration of credit risk with respect to our receivables is limited because a large number of geographically diverse customers makes up our customer base. Our largest customer accounted for less than one percent of total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2018, and for each of the last three full years. Our customer with the largest receivable balance represented approximately one percent of total receivables at June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017. We manage credit risk through credit approvals, credit limits and other monitoring procedures.

We maintain allowances for doubtful accounts. These allowances reflect our estimate of the amount of our receivables that we will be unable to collect based on historical write-off experience. Our estimate could require change based on changing circumstances, including changes in the economy or in the particular circumstances of individual customers. Accordingly, we may be required to increase or decrease our allowances. Trade receivables that have contractual maturities of one year or less are written-off when they are determined to be uncollectible based on the criteria necessary to qualify as a deduction for federal tax purposes. Write-offs of such receivables require management approval based on specified dollar thresholds. During the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, we recognized expenses of $12 and $15, respectively, primarily within selling, general and administrative expenses in our condensed consolidated statements of income, associated with our allowances for doubtful accounts.

We do not have material contract assets, or impairment losses associated therewith, or material contract liabilities, associated with contracts with customers. Our contracts with customers do not generally result in material amounts billed to customers in excess of recognizable revenue. We did not recognize material revenue during the three or six months ended June 30, 2018 or 2017 that was included in the contract liability balance as of the beginning of such periods.

Performance obligations

Most of our Topic 606 revenue is recognized at a point-in-time, rather than over time. Accordingly, in any particular period, we do not generally recognize a significant amount of revenue from performance obligations satisfied (or partially satisfied) in previous periods, and the amount of such revenue recognized during the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 was not material. We also do not expect to recognize material revenue in the future related to performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) as of June 30, 2018.

Payment terms

Our Topic 606 revenues do not include material amounts of variable consideration. Our payment terms vary by the type and location of our customer and the products or services offered. The time between invoicing and when payment is due is not significant. Our contracts do not generally include a significant financing component. For certain products or services and customer types, we require payment before the products or services are delivered to the customer. Our contracts with customers do not generally result in significant obligations associated with returns, refunds or warranties. See above for a discussion of how we manage credit risk.

Sales tax amounts collected from customers are recorded on a net basis.

Contract costs

We do not recognize any assets associated with the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer (for example, a sales commission) that we expect to recover. Most of our revenue is recognized at a point-in-time or over a period of one year or less, and we use the practical expedient that allows us to recognize the incremental costs of obtaining a contract as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the asset that we otherwise would have recognized is one year or less.

Contract estimates and judgments

Our revenues accounted for under Topic 606 generally do not require significant estimates or judgments, primarily for the following reasons:


•	The transaction price is generally fixed and stated on our contracts;


•	As noted above, our contracts generally do not include multiple performance obligations, and accordingly do not generally require estimates of the standalone selling price for each performance obligation;


•	Our revenues do not include material amounts of variable consideration; and


•	Most of our revenue is recognized as of a point-in-time and the timing of the satisfaction of the applicable performance obligations is readily determinable. As noted above, our Topic 606 revenue is generally recognized at the time of delivery to, or pick-up by, the customer.

We monitor and review our estimated standalone selling prices on a regular basis.