NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(In millions, except per share data)

 

Business and Basis of Presentation

AutoNation, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the largest automotive retailer in the United States. As of March 31, 2018 , we owned and operated 336 new vehicle franchises from 244 stores located in the United States, predominantly in major metropolitan markets in the Sunbelt region. Our stores sell 33 different new vehicle brands. The core brands of new vehicles that we sell, representing approximately 93% of the new vehicles that we sold during the three months ended March 31, 2018 , are manufactured by Toyota (including Lexus), Honda, Ford, General Motors, FCA US, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, BMW, and Volkswagen (including Audi and Porsche) . As of March 31, 2018 , we also owned and operated 76 AutoNation-branded collision centers, and together with our vehicle dealerships, our AutoNation USA stores, and our automotive auctions, we owned and operated over 325 locations coast to coast.

We offer a diversified range of automotive products and services, including new vehicles, used vehicles, “parts and service,” which includes automotive repair and maintenance services as well as wholesale parts and collision businesses, and automotive “finance and insurance” products, which include vehicle service and other protection products, as well as the arranging of financing for vehicle purchases through third-party finance sources. For convenience, the terms “AutoNation,” “Company,” and “we” are used to refer collectively to AutoNation, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise required by the context. Our dealership operations are conducted by our subsidiaries.

The accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of AutoNation, Inc. and its subsidiaries; intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. Additionally, operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that can be expected for a full year. The Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements herein should be read in conjunction with our audited Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included within our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. These Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect, in the opinion of management, all material adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to fairly state, in all material respects, our financial position and results of operations for the periods presented.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. In preparing these financial statements, management has made its best estimates and judgments of certain amounts included in the financial statements. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable. However, application of these accounting policies involves the exercise of judgment and use of assumptions as to future uncertainties and, as a result, actual results could differ materially from these estimates. We periodically evaluate estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of the financial statements and make changes on a prospective basis when adjustments are necessary. The critical accounting estimates made in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include certain assumptions related to goodwill, other intangible assets, and accruals for chargebacks against revenue recognized from the sale of finance and insurance products. Other significant accounting estimates include certain assumptions related to long-lived assets, assets held for sale, accruals related to self-insurance programs, certain legal proceedings, and estimated tax liabilities.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued a new accounting standard (ASC Topic 606) that amends the accounting guidance on revenue recognition. The new accounting standard is intended to provide a more robust framework for addressing revenue issues, improve comparability of revenue recognition practices, and improve disclosure requirements. Under the new standard, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services and is recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The principles in the standard should be applied using a five-step model that includes 1) identifying the contract(s)

with a customer, 2) identifying the performance obligations in the contract, 3) determining the transaction price, 4) allocating the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and 5) recognizing revenue when (or as) the performance obligations are satisfied. The standard also requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In addition, the standard amends the existing requirements for the recognition of a gain or loss on the transfer of nonfinancial assets that are not in a contract with a customer (for example, sales of real estate) to be consistent with the standard’s guidance on recognition and measurement (including the constraint on revenue). The FASB also subsequently issued several amendments to the standard, including clarification on principal versus agent guidance, identifying performance obligations, and immaterial goods and services in a contract.

The new accounting standard update must be applied using either of the following transition methods: (i) a full retrospective approach reflecting the application of the standard in each prior reporting period with the option to elect certain practical expedients, or (ii) a modified retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially adopting the standard recognized at the date of adoption (which requires additional footnote disclosures).

The new accounting standard is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted the accounting standard effective January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach applied only to contracts not completed as of the date of adoption, with no restatement of comparative periods. Therefore, the comparative information has not been adjusted and continues to be reported under ASC Topic 605. We recognized a net after-tax cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings of $10.1 million as of the date of adoption. The details and quantitative impacts of the significant changes are described below.

Finance and Insurance

We participate in future profit pursuant to retrospective commission arrangements with the issuers of certain finance and insurance products, payment of which is contingent upon the annual performance of the portfolio of contracts. We previously recognized this revenue by the amount that would be due at each reporting date based on the performance of the portfolio at such date and recorded amounts due to us as receivables. Under ASC Topic 606, revenue associated with this portion of the transaction price is accelerated as it is considered variable consideration for which we must estimate the amount to which we will be entitled, and amounts are reflected as a contract asset until the right to such consideration becomes unconditional, at which time amounts due are reclassified to receivables. Additionally, we previously deferred revenue by the net amount of consideration that we retained for the sale of a contract under our Vehicle Care Program (“VCP”), a vehicle maintenance program that provides a specific number of maintenance services to be redeemed at an AutoNation location over a five-year term. Under ASC Topic 606, we have determined that we act as the principal in this arrangement since we have the primary responsibility to provide the specified services to the customer under the VCP contract. Therefore, we defer the gross revenue on sales of VCP contracts and record such amounts as a contract liability, and reflect the amount due from the third-party administrator for customer claims in Other Current Assets and Other Assets.

Parts and Service

We previously recognized revenue for an automotive repair and maintenance service when the service was completed and recorded amounts due to us as receivables. Under ASC Topic 606, performance obligations associated with automotive repair and maintenance services are satisfied over time, which results in the acceleration of revenue recognition, and amounts due to us are reflected as a contract asset until the right to such consideration becomes unconditional, at which time amounts due to us are reclassified to receivables. Additionally, the timing of revenue recognition associated with customer loyalty points offered for parts and services for select franchises in certain of our stores is now deferred. We previously accrued the incremental cost of loyalty points awarded. Under the new standard, a customer loyalty program that provides a customer with a material right is accounted for as a separate performance obligation with revenue recognized when the loyalty points are redeemed.

AUTONATION, INC.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Continued)

Impacts on Consolidated Financial Statements

The following tables summarize the impacts to each financial statement line item affected by the adoption of ASC Topic 606 as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments

In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that provides classification guidance on eight specific cash flow issues, for which guidance previously did not exist or was unclear. The amendments in this accounting standard update are effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted this accounting standard update effective January 1, 2018. The activity on our consolidated statement of cash flows was previously classified in accordance with the provisions of the new standard. Therefore, the provisions of the accounting standard update did not impact our consolidated statements of cash flows.

Restricted Cash

In November 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires the statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash and cash equivalents, as well as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, restricted cash should be included in the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts presented on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in this accounting standard update are effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. We adopted this accounting standard update effective January 1, 2018, and made the relevant changes, which were not material, to each period presented in our consolidated statements of cash flows.

Accounting for Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that amends the accounting guidance on leases. The new standard establishes a right-of-use (ROU) model that requires a lessee to record an ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The amendments in this accounting standard update are effective for us on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We will adopt this accounting standard update effective January 1, 2019. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available.

We expect that this standard will have a material effect on our financial statements due to the recognition of new ROU assets and lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet for real estate and equipment operating leases. We expect that our leasing activity will continue between now and the adoption date. We expect to elect all of the standard’s available practical expedients on adoption. Consequently, on adoption, we expect to recognize additional operating liabilities ranging from $375 million to $475 million , with corresponding ROU assets of approximately the same amount based on the present value of the remaining minimum rental payments under current leasing standards for existing operating leases. We have a significant number of real estate leases, including for land and buildings. The majority of our leases for land are classified as operating leases under current lease accounting guidance. For new leases entered into after adoption, the new lease standard may affect the pattern of expense recognition related to the land component of a new real estate lease, since those land leases may be classified as financing leases under the new standard.

2.    REVENUE RECOGNITION

Disaggregation of Revenue

The significant majority of our revenue is from contracts with customers. Taxes assessed by governmental authorities that are directly imposed on revenue transactions are excluded from revenue. In the following table, revenue is disaggregated by major lines of goods and services and timing of transfer of goods and services. We have determined that these categories depict how the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. The table below also includes a reconciliation of the disaggregated revenue with our reportable segments.

Contract Assets and Liabilities

When the timing of our provision of goods or services is different from the timing of the payments made by our customers, we recognize either a contract asset (performance precedes contractual due date) or a contract liability (customer payment precedes performance). Contract assets primarily relate to our right to consideration for work in process not yet billed at the reporting date associated with automotive repair and maintenance services, as well as our estimate of variable consideration that has been included in the transaction price for certain finance and insurance products (retrospective commissions). These contract assets are reclassified to receivables when the right to consideration becomes unconditional. Contract liabilities primarily relate to upfront payments received from customers for the sale of certain finance and insurance products for which our performance obligations are satisfied, and revenue is recognized, as each underlying service of the multi-year contract is completed during the contract term.

Our receivables from contracts with customers are included in Receivables, net, our current contract asset is included with Other Current Assets, our long-term contract asset is included with Other Assets, our current contract liability is included with Other Current Liabilities, and our long-term contract liability is included with Other Long-Term Liabilities in our consolidated balance sheet.

AUTONATION, INC.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Continued)

The opening and closing balances of our receivables from contracts with customers and our current and long-term contract assets and contract liabilities are as follows:

The differences between the opening and closing balances of our contract assets and contract liabilities primarily result from the timing differences between our performance and the customer’s payment, as well as changes in the estimated transaction price related to variable consideration that was constrained for performance obligations satisfied in previous periods. Other significant changes include contract assets of $8.3 million reclassified to receivables.

Performance Obligations and Significant Judgments and Estimates Related to Revenue Recognition

New and Used Vehicle

We sell new vehicles at our franchised dealerships and used vehicles at our franchised dealerships and AutoNation USA stores. The transaction price for a vehicle sale is determined with the customer at the time of sale. Customers often trade in their own vehicle to apply toward the purchase of a retail new or used vehicle. The “trade-in” vehicle is a type of noncash consideration measured at fair value, based on external and internal market data for the specific vehicle, and applied as payment to the contract price for the purchased vehicle.

When we sell a new or used vehicle, we typically transfer control at a point in time upon delivery of the vehicle to the customer, which is generally at time of sale, as the customer is able to direct the use of, and obtain substantially all of the benefits from, the vehicle at such time. We do not directly finance our customers’ vehicle purchases or leases. In many cases, we arrange third-party financing for the retail sale or lease of vehicles to our customers in exchange for a fee paid to us by the third-party financial institution. We receive payment directly from the customer at the time of sale or from the third-party financial institution (referred to as contracts-in-transit or vehicle receivables, which are part of our receivables from contracts with customers) within a short period of time following the sale. We establish provisions, which are not significant, for estimated returns and warranties on the basis of both historical information and current trends.

We also offer auction services at our AutoNation-branded automotive auctions, revenue from which is included within Used Vehicle wholesale revenue. The transaction price for auction services is based on an established pricing schedule and determined with the customer at the time of sale, and payment is due upon completion of service. We satisfy our performance obligations related to auction services at the point in time that control transfers to the customer, which is when the service is completed.

Parts and Service

We sell parts and automotive services related to customer-paid repairs and maintenance, repairs and maintenance under manufacturer warranties and extended service contracts, and collision-related repairs. We also sell parts through our wholesale and retail counter channels.

Each automotive repair and maintenance service is a single performance obligation that includes both the parts and labor associated with the service. Payment for automotive service work is typically due upon completion of the service, which is generally completed within a short period of time from contract inception. The transaction price for automotive repair and maintenance services is based on the parts used, the number of labor hours applied, and standardized hourly labor rates. We satisfy our performance obligations, transfer control, and recognize revenue over time for automotive repair and maintenance services because we are creating an asset with no alternative use and we have an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date. We use an input method to recognize revenue and measure progress based on labor hours expended relative to the total labor hours expected to be expended to satisfy the performance obligation. We have determined labor hours expended to be the relevant measure of work performed to complete the automotive repair or maintenance service for the customer. As a practical expedient, since automotive repair and maintenance service contracts have an original duration of one year or less, we do not consider the time value of money, and we do not disclose estimated revenue expected to be recognized in the future for performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) at the end of the reporting period or when we expect to recognize such revenue.

The transaction price for wholesale and retail counter parts sales is determined at the time of sale based on the quantity and price of each product purchased. Payment is typically due at time of sale, or within a short period of time following the sale. We establish provisions, which are not significant, for estimated parts returns based on historical information and current trends. Delivery methods of wholesale and retail counter parts vary; however, we generally consider control of wholesale and retail counter parts to transfer when the products are shipped, which typically occurs the same day as or within a few days of the sale. We also offer customer loyalty points for parts and service for select franchises in a relative few of our stores and we satisfy our performance obligation and recognize revenue when the loyalty points are redeemed. Amounts deferred related to the customer loyalty programs are insignificant.

Finance and Insurance

We sell and receive a commission on the following types of finance and insurance products: extended service contracts, maintenance programs, guaranteed auto protection (known as “GAP,” this protection covers the shortfall between a customer’s loan balance and insurance payoff in the event of a casualty), “tire and wheel” protection, and theft protection products, among others. We offer products that are sold and administered by independent third parties, including the vehicle manufacturers’ captive finance subsidiaries.

Pursuant to our arrangements with these third-party providers, we primarily sell the products on a straight commission basis; however, in other cases, we sell the product, recognize an upfront commission, and participate in future profit pursuant to retrospective commission arrangements with the issuers of those contracts through the life of the related contracts. For retrospective commission arrangements, we are paid annually based on the annual performance of the issuers’ product portfolio. For the majority of finance and insurance product sales, our performance obligation is to arrange for the provision of goods or services by another party. Our performance obligation is satisfied when this arrangement is made, which is when the finance and insurance product is delivered to the end-customer, generally at the time of the vehicle sale. As agent, we recognize revenue in the amount of any fee or commission to which we expect to be entitled, which is the net amount of consideration that we retain after paying the third-party provider the consideration received in exchange for the goods or services to be fulfilled by that party.

The retrospective commission we earn on each product sold is a form of variable consideration that is constrained due to it being highly susceptible to factors outside our influence and control. Our agreements with the third-party administrators generally provide for an annual retrospective commission payout based on the product portfolio performance for that year. We estimate variable consideration related to retrospective commissions and perform a constraint analysis using the expected value method based on the historical performance of the product portfolios and current trends to estimate the amount of retrospective commissions to which we expect we will be entitled. At each reporting period, we reassess our expectations about the amount of retrospective commission variable consideration to which we expect to be entitled and recognize revenue when we no longer believe a significant revenue reversal is probable. Additionally, we may be charged back for commissions related to finance and insurance products in the event of early termination, default, or prepayment of the contracts by end-customers (“chargebacks”). An estimated refund liability for chargebacks against the revenue recognized from sales of finance and insurance products is recorded in the period in which the related revenue is recognized and is based primarily on our historical chargeback experience. We update our measurement of the chargeback liability at each reporting date for changes in expectations about the amount of chargebacks.

We also sell a vehicle maintenance program (the Vehicle Care Program or “VCP”) where we act as the principal in the sale since we have the primary responsibility to provide the specified services to the customer under the VCP contract. When a VCP product is sold in conjunction with the sale of a vehicle to the same customer, the stand-alone selling prices of each product are based on observable selling prices. Under a VCP contract, a customer purchases a specific number of maintenance services to be redeemed at an AutoNation location over a five-year term from the date of purchase. We satisfy our performance obligations and recognize revenue as maintenance services are rendered, since the customer benefits when we have completed the maintenance service. Although payment is due from the customer at the time of sale and services are rendered at points in time during a five -year contract term, these contracts do not contain a significant financing component. The following table includes estimated revenue expected to be recognized in the future related to VCP performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) at the end of the reporting period.

We also recognize revenue, net of estimated chargebacks, for commissions earned by us for the transfer of financial assets when we arrange installment loans and leases with third-party lenders in connection with customer vehicle purchases.

Other Revenue

The majority of our other revenue is generated from the sale of vehicles to fleet/rental car companies that are specifically ordered for such companies (“fleet” sales). Revenue recognition for fleet sales is very similar to the recognition of revenue for new vehicles, described above.

Contract Costs

For sales commissions incurred related to sales of vehicles and sales of finance and insurance products for which we act as agent, we have elected as a practical expedient to not capitalize the incremental costs to obtain those contracts since they are point-of-sale transactions and the amortization period would be immediate.

We have determined that the sales commissions and third-party administrator fees incurred related to sales of VCP products qualify for capitalization since these payments are directly related to sales achieved during a time period and would not have been incurred if the contract had not been obtained. Since the capitalized costs are related to services that are transferred during a five -year contract term, we amortize the assets over the contract term of five years consistent with the pattern of transfer of the service to which the assets relate. As of March 31, 2018 , we had $9.1 million of capitalized costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a VCP contract with a customer, and we recognized $0.7 million of amortization associated with these capitalized costs during the three months ended March 31, 2018 .

Trade receivables represent amounts due for parts and services that have been delivered or sold, excluding amounts due from manufacturers, as well as receivables from finance organizations for commissions on the sale of finance and insurance products. Manufacturer receivables represent amounts due from manufacturers for holdbacks, rebates, incentives, floorplan assistance, and warranty claims. Contracts-in-transit and vehicle receivables primarily represent receivables from financial institutions for the portion of the vehicle sales price financed by our customers.

We evaluate our receivables for collectability based on the age of receivables and past collection experience.

The components of vehicle floorplan payable are as follows:

Vehicle floorplan payable-trade reflects amounts borrowed to finance the purchase of specific new and, to a lesser extent, used vehicle inventories with the corresponding manufacturers’ captive finance subsidiaries (“trade lenders”). Vehicle floorplan payable-non-trade represents amounts borrowed to finance the purchase of specific new and, to a lesser extent, used vehicle inventories with non-trade lenders, as well as amounts borrowed under our secured used vehicle floorplan facilities. Changes in vehicle floorplan payable-trade are reported as operating cash flows and changes in vehicle floorplan payable-non-trade are reported as financing cash flows in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Our inventory costs are generally reduced by manufacturer holdbacks, incentives, floorplan assistance, and non-reimbursement-based manufacturer advertising rebates, while the related vehicle floorplan payables are reflective of the gross cost of the vehicle. The vehicle floorplan payables, as shown in the above table, will generally also be higher than the inventory cost due to the timing of the sale of a vehicle and payment of the related liability.

Vehicle floorplan facilities are due on demand, but in the case of new vehicle inventories, are generally paid within several business days after the related vehicles are sold. Our manufacturer agreements generally allow the manufacturer to draft against new vehicle floorplan facilities so the lender funds the manufacturer directly for the purchase of new vehicle inventory. Vehicle floorplan facilities are primarily collateralized by vehicle inventories and related receivables.

Our new vehicle floorplan facilities utilize LIBOR-based interest rates, which averaged 3.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2018 , and 2.3% for the three months ended March 31, 2017 . At March 31, 2018 , the aggregate capacity under our new vehicle floorplan facilities to finance our new vehicle inventory was approximately $4.8 billion , of which $3.4 billion had been borrowed.

Our used vehicle floorplan facilities utilize LIBOR-based interest rates, which averaged 3.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2018 , and 2.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2017 . At  March 31, 2018 , the aggregate capacity under our used vehicle floorplan facilities with various lenders to finance a portion of our used vehicle inventory was $500.0 million , of which $333.6 million had been borrowed. The remaining borrowing capacity of $166.4 million was limited to $26.7 million based on the eligible used vehicle inventory that could have been pledged as collateral.

AUTONATION, INC.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Continued)

Goodwill and intangible assets, net, consist of the following:

We are scheduled to complete our annual impairment tests of our goodwill and franchise rights as of April 30, 2018, during the second quarter of 2018.

Senior Unsecured Notes and Credit Agreement

The interest rates payable on the 3.35% Senior Notes, 3.5% Senior Notes, 4.5% Senior Notes, and 3.8% Senior Notes are subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain credit rating events as provided in the indentures for these senior unsecured notes. In April 2018, we repaid the outstanding $400.0 million of 6.75% Senior Notes.

Under our credit agreement, we have a $1.8 billion revolving credit facility that matures on October 19, 2022 . The credit agreement also contains an accordion feature that allows us, subject to credit availability and certain other conditions, to increase the amount of the revolving credit facility, together with any added term loans, by up to $500.0 million in the aggregate. As of March 31, 2018 , we had no borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility. We have a $200.0 million letter of credit sublimit as part of our revolving credit facility. The amount available to be borrowed under the revolving credit facility is reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the cumulative amount of any outstanding letters of credit, which was $47.9 million at March 31, 2018 , leaving a borrowing capacity under the revolving credit facility of $1.8 billion at March 31, 2018 . As of March 31, 2018 , this borrowing capacity was limited under the applicable maximum consolidated leverage ratio contained in our credit agreement to $1.4 billion .

Our revolving credit facility under the amended credit agreement provides for a commitment fee on undrawn amounts ranging from 0.150% to 0.25% and interest on borrowings at LIBOR or the base rate, in each case plus an applicable margin. The applicable margin ranges from 1.25% to 1.625% for LIBOR borrowings and 0.25% to 0.625% for base rate borrowings. The interest rate charged for our revolving credit facility is affected by our leverage ratio. For instance, an increase in our leverage ratio from greater than or equal to 2.0 x but less than 3.25 x to greater than or equal to 3.25 x would result in a 12.5 basis point increase in the applicable margin.

Our senior unsecured notes and borrowings under our credit agreement are guaranteed by substantially all of our subsidiaries. Within the meaning of Regulation S-X, Rule 3-10, AutoNation, Inc. (the parent company) has no independent assets or operations, the guarantees of its subsidiaries are full and unconditional and joint and several, and any subsidiaries other than the guarantor subsidiaries are minor.

Other Long-Term Debt

At March 31, 2018 , we had capital lease and other debt obligations of $138.1 million , which are due at various dates through 2037 .

Commercial Paper

We have a commercial paper program pursuant to which we may issue short-term, unsecured commercial paper notes on a private placement basis up to a maximum aggregate amount outstanding at any time of $1.0 billion . The interest rate for the commercial paper notes varies based on duration and market conditions. The maturities of the commercial paper notes may vary, but may not exceed 397 days from the date of issuance. The commercial paper notes are guaranteed by substantially all of our subsidiaries. Proceeds from the issuance of commercial paper notes are used to repay borrowings under the revolving credit facility, to finance acquisitions and for working capital, capital expenditures, share repurchases, and/or other general corporate purposes. We plan to use the revolving credit facility under our credit agreement as a liquidity backstop for borrowings under the commercial paper program. A downgrade in our credit ratings could negatively impact our ability to issue, or the interest rates for, commercial paper notes.

At March 31, 2018 , we had $270.0 million of commercial paper notes outstanding with a weighted-average annual interest rate of 2.26% and a weighted-average remaining term of 14 days . At December 31, 2017 , we had $330.0 million of commercial paper notes outstanding with a weighted-average annual interest rate of 1.97% and a weighted-average remaining term of 24 days .