Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Unless the context otherwise requires, the use of the terms “PAG,” “we,” “us,” and “our” in these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements refers to Penske Automotive Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Business Overview and Concentrations We are a diversified international transportation services company that operates automotive and commercial truck dealerships principally in the United States, Canada and Western Europe, and distributes commercial vehicles, diesel engines, gas engines, power systems and related parts and services principally in Australia and New Zealand. In 2019, our business generated $23.2 billion in total revenue, which is comprised of approximately $20.6 billion from retail automotive dealerships, $2.1 billion from retail commercial truck dealerships and $0.5 billion from commercial vehicle distribution and other operations. Retail Automotive Dealership. We are engaged in the sale of new and used motor vehicles and related products and services, including vehicle service, collision repair, and placement of finance and lease contracts, third-party insurance products and other aftermarket products. We operate dealerships under franchise agreements with a number of automotive manufacturers and distributors. In accordance with individual franchise agreements, each dealership is subject to certain rights and restrictions typical of such industry. The ability of the manufacturers to influence the operations of the dealerships, or the loss of a significant number of franchise agreements, could have a material impact on our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. For the year ended December 31, 2019, Audi/Volkswagen/Porsche/Bentley franchises accounted for 23% of our total retail automotive dealership revenues, BMW/MINI franchises accounted for 23%, and Toyota/Lexus franchises accounted for 13%. No other manufacturers’ franchises accounted for more than 10% of our total retail automotive dealership revenues. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, we had receivables from manufacturers of $244.6 million and $211.3 million, respectively. In addition, a large portion of our contracts in transit, which are included in accounts receivable, are due from manufacturers’ captive finance companies. During 2019, we disposed of twenty-five retail automotive franchises and were awarded one retail automotive franchise. Of the franchises disposed of, ten represented franchises in the U.S., seven represented franchises in Germany, and eight represented franchises in the U.K. We maintained a 20% ownership interest in three of the franchises disposed of in the U.S. representing the Bentley, Ferrari, and Maserati brands and account for the joint venture using the equity method of accounting. We also acquired an additional 12.4% interest in the Jacobs Group, one of our German automotive dealership joint ventures, and now own a 91.8% interest in the Jacobs Group. We also operate sixteen used vehicle supercenters in the U.S. and the U.K. which retail and wholesale used vehicles under a one price, “no-haggle” methodology. Our CarSense operations in the U.S. consist of six retail locations operating in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania market areas. Our CarShop operations in the U.K. consist of ten retail locations and a vehicle preparation center. During 2019, we opened one used vehicle supercenter in the U.S. and one used vehicle supercenter in the U.K. Retail Commercial Truck Dealership. trucks available for sale as well as service and parts departments, providing a full range of maintenance and repair services. Penske Australia. Penske Transportation Solutions. Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements include all majority-owned subsidiaries. Investments in affiliated companies, representing an ownership interest in the voting stock of the affiliate of between 20% and 50% or an investment in a limited partnership or a limited liability corporation for which our investment is more than minor, are stated at the cost of acquisition plus our equity in undistributed net earnings since acquisition. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The consolidated financial statements, including the comparative periods presented, have been adjusted for entities that have been treated as discontinued operations prior to adoption of ASU No. 2014-08 in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Estimates The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The accounts requiring the use of significant estimates include accounts receivable, inventories, income taxes, intangible assets, and certain reserves. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include all highly-liquid investments that have an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase. Contracts in Transit Contracts in transit represent receivables from unaffiliated finance companies relating to the sale of customers’ installment sales and lease contracts arising in connection with the sale of a vehicle by us. Contracts in transit, included in accounts receivable, net in our consolidated balance sheets, amounted to $291.1 million and $314.2 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Inventory Valuation Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost for new and used vehicle inventories includes acquisition, reconditioning, dealer installed accessories, and transportation expenses and is determined using the specific identification method. Inventories of dealership parts and accessories are accounted for using the “first-in, first-out” (“FIFO”) method of inventory accounting and the cost is based on factory list prices. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated over estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Useful lives for purposes of computing depreciation for assets, other than leasehold improvements, range between 3 Expenditures relating to recurring repair and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Expenditures that increase the useful life or substantially increase the serviceability of an existing asset are capitalized. When equipment is sold or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the balance sheet, with any resulting gain or loss being reflected in income. Income Taxes Tax regulations may require items to be included in our tax return at different times than when those items are reflected in our financial statements. Some of the differences are permanent, such as expenses that are not deductible on our tax return, and some are temporary differences, such as the timing of depreciation expense. Temporary differences create deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets generally represent items that will be used as a tax deduction or credit in our tax return in future years which we have already recorded in our financial statements. Deferred tax liabilities generally represent deductions taken on our tax return that have not yet been recognized as an expense in our financial statements. We establish valuation allowances for our deferred tax assets if the amount of expected future taxable income is not more likely than not to allow for the use of the deduction or credit. Refer to the disclosures provided in Part II, Item 8, Note 16 of the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional detail on our accounting for income taxes. Intangible Assets Our principal intangible assets relate to our franchise agreements with vehicle manufacturers and distributors, which represent the estimated value of franchises acquired in business combinations, our distribution agreements with commercial vehicle manufacturers, which represent the estimated value of distribution rights acquired in business combinations, and goodwill, which represents the excess of cost over the fair value of tangible and identified intangible assets acquired in business combinations. We believe the franchise values of our automotive dealerships and the distribution agreements of our commercial vehicle distribution operations have an indefinite useful life based on the following: ● Automotive retailing and commercial vehicle distribution are mature industries and are based on franchise and distribution agreements with the vehicle manufacturers and distributors; ● There are no known changes or events that would alter the automotive retailing franchise or commercial vehicle distribution environments; ● Certain franchise agreement terms are indefinite; ● Franchise and distribution agreements that have limited terms have historically been renewed by us without substantial cost; and ● Our history shows that manufacturers and distributors have not terminated our franchise or distribution agreements. Impairment Testing Other indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed for impairment annually on October 1 and upon the occurrence of an indicator of impairment through a comparison of its carrying amount and estimated fair value. An indicator of impairment exists if the carrying value exceeds its estimated fair value and an impairment loss may be recognized up to that excess. The fair value is determined using a discounted cash flow approach, which includes assumptions about revenue and profitability growth, profit margins, and the cost of capital. We also evaluate in connection with the annual impairment testing whether events and circumstances continue to support our assessment that the other indefinite-lived intangible assets continue to have an indefinite life. Goodwill impairment is assessed at the reporting unit level annually on October 1 and upon the occurrence of an indicator of impairment. Our operations are organized by management into operating segments by line of business and geography. We have determined that we have four reportable segments as defined in generally accepted accounting principles for segment reporting: (i) Retail Automotive, consisting of our retail automotive dealership operations; (ii) Retail Commercial Truck, consisting of our retail commercial truck dealership operations in the U.S. and Canada; (iii) Other, consisting of our commercial vehicle and power systems distribution operations and other non-automotive consolidated operations; and (iv) Non-Automotive Investments, consisting of our equity method investments in non-automotive operations. We have determined that the dealerships in each of our operating segments within the Retail Automotive reportable segment are components that are aggregated into six reporting units for the purpose of goodwill impairment testing, as they (A) have similar economic characteristics (all are automotive dealerships having similar margins), (B) offer similar products and services (all sell new and/or used vehicles, service, parts and third-party finance and insurance products), (C) have similar target markets and customers (generally individuals), and (D) have similar distribution and marketing practices (all distribute products and services through dealership facilities that market to customers in similar fashions). The reporting units are Eastern, Central, and Western United States, Stand-Alone Used United States, International, and Stand-Alone Used International. Our Retail Commercial Truck reportable segment has been determined to represent one operating segment and reporting unit. The goodwill included in our Other reportable segment relates primarily to our commercial vehicle distribution operating segment. There is no goodwill recorded in our Non-Automotive Investments reportable segment. For our Retail Automotive, Retail Commercial Truck, and Other reporting units, we prepared a qualitative assessment of the carrying value of goodwill using the criteria in ASC 350-20-35-3 to determine whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value. If it were determined through the qualitative assessment that a reporting unit’s fair value is more likely than not greater than its carrying value, additional analysis would be unnecessary. During 2019, we concluded that for the retail automotive, retail commercial truck, and other reporting units that their fair values were more likely than not greater than their carrying values. If additional impairment testing was necessary, we would have estimated the fair value of our reporting units using an “income” valuation approach. The “income” valuation approach estimates our enterprise value using a net present value model, which discounts projected free cash flows of our business using the weighted average cost of capital as the discount rate. We would also validate the fair value for each reporting unit using the income approach by calculating a cash earnings multiple and determining whether the multiple was reasonable compared to recent market transactions completed by the Company or in the industry. As part of that assessment, we would also reconcile the estimated aggregate fair values of our reporting units to our market capitalization. We believe this reconciliation process is consistent with a market participant perspective. This consideration would also include a control premium that represents the estimated amount an investor would pay for our equity securities to obtain a controlling interest, and other significant assumptions including revenue and profitability growth, franchise profit margins, residual values and the cost of capital. Investments We account for each of our investments under the equity method, pursuant to which we record our proportionate share of the investee’s income each period. The net book value of our investments was $1,399.0 million and $1,305.2 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, including $1,323.2 million and $1,237.4 million relating to PTS as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We currently hold a 28.9% ownership interest in PTS. Investments for which there is not a liquid, actively traded market are reviewed periodically by management for indicators of impairment. If an indicator of impairment is identified, management estimates the fair value of the investment using a discounted cash flow approach, which includes assumptions relating to revenue and profitability growth, profit margins, residual values, and our cost of capital. Declines in investment values that are deemed to be other than temporary may result in an impairment charge reducing the investments’ carrying value to fair value. Foreign Currency Translation For all of our non-U.S. operations, the functional currency is the local currency. The revenue and expense accounts of our non-U.S. operations are translated into U.S. dollars using the average exchange rates that prevailed during the period. Assets and liabilities of non-U.S. operations are translated into U.S. dollars using period end exchange rates. Cumulative translation adjustments relating to foreign functional currency assets and liabilities are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a separate component of equity. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Accounting standards define fair value as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Accounting standards establish a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value and also establishes the following three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value: Level 1 Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities Level 2 Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted market prices in markets that are not active; or model-derived valuations or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities Level 3 Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, debt, floor plan notes payable, and forward exchange contracts used to hedge future cash flows. Other than our fixed rate debt, the carrying amount of all significant financial instruments approximates fair value due either to length of maturity, the existence of variable interest rates that approximate prevailing market rates, or as a result of mark to market accounting. Our fixed rate debt consists of amounts outstanding under our senior subordinated notes and mortgage facilities. We estimate the fair value of our senior unsecured notes using quoted prices for the identical liability (Level 2), and we estimate the fair value of our mortgage facilities using a present value technique based on our current market interest rates for similar types of financial instruments (Level 2). A summary of our fixed rate debt is as follows: December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Carrying Value Fair Value Carrying Value Fair Value 3.75% senior subordinated notes due 2020 $ 299.2 $ 302.6 $ 297.9 $ 291.9 5.75% senior subordinated notes due 2022 547.6 556.7 546.8 537.6 5.375% senior subordinated notes due 2024 298.0 306.7 297.6 278.7 5.50% senior subordinated notes due 2026 495.7 521.7 495.1 465.2 Mortgage facilities 423.2 430.9 289.6 290.2 Revenue Recognition Dealership Vehicle, Parts and Service Sales We record revenue for vehicle sales at a point in time when vehicles are delivered, which is when the transfer of title, risks and rewards of ownership and control are considered passed to the customer. We record revenue for vehicle service and collision work over time as work is completed, and when parts are delivered to our customers. Sales promotions that we offer to customers are accounted for as a reduction of revenues at the time of sale. Rebates and other incentives offered directly to us by manufacturers are recognized as a reduction of cost of sales. Reimbursements of qualified advertising expenses are treated as a reduction of selling, general and administrative expenses. The amounts received under certain manufacturer rebate and incentive programs are based on the attainment of program objectives, and such earnings are recognized either upon the sale of the vehicle for which the award was received, or upon attainment of the particular program goals if not associated with individual vehicles. Taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are recorded on a net basis (excluded from revenue). Dealership Finance and Insurance Sales Subsequent to the sale of a vehicle to a customer, we sell installment sale contracts to various financial institutions on a non recourse basis (with specified exceptions) to mitigate the risk of default. We receive a commission from the lender equal to either the difference between the interest rate charged to the customer and the interest rate set by the financing institution or a flat fee. We also receive commissions for facilitating the sale of various products to customers, including guaranteed vehicle protection insurance, vehicle theft protection and extended service contracts. These commissions are recorded as revenue at a point in time when the customer enters into the contract. Payment is typically due and collected within 30 days subsequent to the execution of the contract with the customer. In the case of finance contracts, a customer may prepay or fail to pay their contract, thereby terminating the contract. Customers may also terminate extended service contracts and other insurance products, which are fully paid at purchase, and become eligible for refunds of unused premiums. In these circumstances, a portion of the commissions we received may be charged back based on the terms of the contracts. The revenue we record relating to these transactions is net of an estimate of the amount of chargebacks we will be required to pay. Our estimate is based upon our historical experience with similar contracts, including the impact of refinance and default rates on retail finance contracts and cancellation rates on extended service contracts and other insurance products. Aggregate reserves relating to chargeback activity were $26.6 million and $26.0 million as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. Commercial Vehicle Distribution We record revenue from the distribution of vehicles, engines, and other products at a point in time when delivered, which is when the transfer of title, risks and rewards of ownership and control are considered passed to the customer. We record revenue for service or repair work over time as work is completed, and when parts are delivered to our customers. For our long-term power generation contracts, we record revenue over time as services are provided in accordance with contract milestones. See Note 2 “Revenues” for additional disclosures on revenue recognition. Defined Contribution Plans We sponsor a number of defined contribution plans covering a significant majority of our employees. Our contributions to such plans are discretionary and are based on the level of compensation and contributions by plan participants. We incurred expenses of $29.4 million, $24.8 million, and $16.8 million relating to such plans during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. Advertising Advertising costs are expensed as incurred or when such advertising takes place. We incurred net advertising costs of $112.6 million, $115.3 million, and $115.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. Qualified advertising expenditures reimbursed by manufacturers, which are treated as a reduction of advertising expense, were $19.2 million, $19.3 million, and $18.6 million during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. Self-Insurance We retain risk relating to certain of our general liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, vehicle physical damage insurance, property insurance, employment practices liability insurance, directors and officers insurance, and employee medical benefits in the U.S. As a result, we are likely to be responsible for a significant portion of the claims and losses incurred under these programs. The amount of risk we retain varies by program, and for certain exposures, we have pre-determined maximum loss limits for certain individual claims and/or insurance periods. Losses, if any, above the pre-determined loss limits are paid by third-party insurance carriers. Certain insurers have limited available property coverage in response to the natural catastrophes experienced in recent years. Our estimate of future losses is prepared by management using our historical loss experience and industry-based development factors. Aggregate reserves relating to retained risk were $28.6 million and $31.3 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Earnings Per Share Basic earnings per share is computed using net income attributable to Penske Automotive Group common stockholders and the number of weighted average shares of voting common stock outstanding, including outstanding unvested restricted stock awards which contain rights to non-forfeitable dividends. Diluted earnings per share is computed using net income attributable to Penske Automotive Group common stockholders and the number of weighted average shares of voting common stock outstanding, adjusted for any dilutive effects. A reconciliation of the number of shares used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 follows: Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding 82,495,045 85,165,367 85,877,227 Effect of non-participatory equity compensation — — — Weighted average number of common shares outstanding, including effect of dilutive securities 82,495,045 85,165,367 85,877,227 Hedging Generally accepted accounting principles relating to derivative instruments and hedging activities require all derivatives, whether designated in hedging relationships or not, to be recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. These accounting principles also define requirements for designation and documentation of hedging relationships, as well as ongoing effectiveness assessments, which must be met in order to qualify for hedge accounting. For a derivative that does not qualify as a hedge, changes in fair value are recorded in earnings immediately. If the derivative is designated as a fair-value hedge, the changes in the fair value of the derivative and the hedged item are recorded in earnings. If the derivative is designated as a cash-flow hedge, effective changes in the fair value of the derivative are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a separate component of equity, and recorded in the income statement only when the hedged item affects earnings. Changes in the fair value of the derivative attributable to hedge ineffectiveness are recorded in earnings immediately. Stock-Based Compensation Generally accepted accounting principles relating to share-based payments require us to record compensation expense for all awards based on their grant-date fair value. Our share-based payments have generally been in the form of “non-vested shares,” the fair value of which are measured as if they were vested and issued on the grant date. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Accounting for Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” Under this new guidance, a company will now recognize most leases on its balance sheet as lease liabilities with corresponding right-of-use assets. For public companies, this ASU is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those annual periods. The FASB has since issued further ASUs related to the standard providing additional practical expedients and an optional transition method allowing entities to not recast comparative periods. We adopted this ASU, including several practical expedients, on January 1, 2019 using the optional transition method. The package of practical expedients elected allows us to not reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases (2) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) initial direct costs for any expired or existing leases. We also elected the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for all leases and have accounted for the combined lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. Under the optional transition method, we applied ASC 840 in the comparative periods presented and provide the disclosures required by ASC 840 for all periods that continue to be presented in accordance with ASC 840, in addition to the disclosures required per ASC 842. The expense recognition for operating leases under ASC 842 is substantially consistent with ASC 840 and the adoption did not have an impact on our consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, or cash flows. As part of the adoption of ASC 842, we performed an assessment of the impact the new lease recognition standard will have on our consolidated financial statements. We lease a significant amount of our dealership and other properties, which are classified as operating leases. We also have equipment leases that primarily relate to office and computer equipment, service and shop equipment, company vehicles, and other miscellaneous items. We do not have any material leases, individually or in the aggregate, classified as a finance leasing arrangement under the new lease recognition standard. Upon adoption of ASC 842, we recognized our lease liabilities and right-of-use assets on our consolidated balance sheet at the present value of these future payments. We also made an accounting policy to exclude leases with an initial term of 12 months or less from the balance sheet as permitted under ASC 842. We also evaluated, documented, and implemented required changes in internal controls as part of our adoption of the new lease recognition standard. These changes include implementing updated accounting policies affected by ASC 842 and implementing a new information technology application to calculate our right-of-use assets and lease liabilities and required disclosures. See Note 3 “Leases” for additional disclosures in accordance with the new lease standard. As a result of the adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019, we recorded lease liabilities and right-of-use assets on our consolidated balance sheet. The adoption also resulted in a net, after-tax cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings of approximately $5.0 million. The details of this adjustment are summarized below. Balance at Adjustments Due Balance at December 31, 2018 to ASC 842 January 1, 2019 Assets Operating lease right-of-use assets $ — $ 2,425.6 $ 2,425.6 Liabilities and Equity Accrued expenses and other current liabilities $ 566.6 $ 70.2 $ 636.8 Long-term operating lease liabilities — 2,387.5 2,387.5 Deferred tax liabilities 577.8 0.9 578.7 Other long-term liabilities 519.0 (38.0) 481.0 Retained earnings 2,365.8 5.0 2,370.8 Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” This ASU replaces the current incurred loss impairment methodology of recognizing credit losses when a loss is probable, with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to assess credit loss estimates. This ASU is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We intend to adopt this ASU on January 1, 2020. We do not expect the adoption of this accounting standard update to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, “Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) — Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.” This ASU allows for a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the enactment of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“the Act”). The update also requires entities to disclose whether or not they elected to reclassify the tax effects related to the Act as well as their accounting policy for releasing income tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive income. This ASU is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. We did not adopt the optional guidance of this accounting standard update, as the potential impact on our consolidated financial statements is not material. Fair Value Measurement Disclosure In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” This ASU eliminates, modifies, and adds certain disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. For public |