Consolidated Balance Sheet Data

Consolidated Income Statement Data

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RISK FACTORS

Risks related to our business

We require significant capital to fund our business.

        As of December 31, 2017, we had 438 new aircraft on order, which will require substantial aircraft purchase contract payments. In order to meet these commitments and to maintain an adequate level of unrestricted cash, we will need to raise additional funds by accessing committed debt facilities, securing additional financing from banks or through capital markets transactions, or possibly by selling aircraft. Our typical sources of funding may not be sufficient to meet our liquidity needs, in which case we may be required to raise capital from new sources, including by issuing new types of debt, equity or hybrid securities.The issuance of additional equity may be dilutive to existing shareholders or otherwise may be on terms not favorable to us or existing shareholders.

        If we are unable to meet our aircraft purchase commitments as they come due, we will be subject to several risks, including:

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forfeiting deposits and progress payments to manufacturers and having to pay certain significant costs related to these commitments such as actual damages and legal, accounting and financial advisory expenses;



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defaulting on our lease commitments, which could result in monetary damages and strained relationships with lessees;



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failing to realize the benefits of purchasing and leasing such aircraft; and



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risking harm to our business reputation, which would make it more difficult to purchase and lease aircraft in the future on agreeable terms, if at all.

        Any of these events could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

To service our debt and meet our other cash needs, we will require a significant amount of cash, which may not be available.

        Our ability to make payments on, or repay or refinance, our debt, will depend largely upon our future operating performance. Our future performance, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control. In addition, our ability to borrow funds in the future to make payments on our debt will depend on our maintaining specified financial ratios and satisfying financial condition tests and other covenants in the agreements governing our debt. Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations and future borrowings may not be available in amounts sufficient to pay our debt and to satisfy our other liquidity needs.

        If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to seek alternatives, such as to reduce or delay investments and aircraft purchases, or to sell assets, seek additional capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. Our ability to restructure or refinance our debt will depend on the condition of the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. Any refinancing of our debt could be at higher interest rates and might require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict our business operations. The terms of our debt instruments may restrict us from adopting some of these alternatives. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations or to meet our aircraft purchase commitments as they come due.

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Despite our substantial indebtedness, we might incur significantly more debt.

        Despite our current indebtedness levels, we expect to incur additional debt in the future to finance our operations, including purchasing aircraft and meeting our contractual obligations. The agreements relating to our debt, including our indentures, term loan facilities, ECA guaranteed financings, revolving credit facilities, securitizations, and other financings do not prohibit us from incurring additional debt. As of December 31, 2017, we had approximately $6.7 billion of undrawn lines of credit available under our credit and term loan facilities, subject to certain conditions, including compliance with certain financial covenants. If we increase our total indebtedness, our debt service obligations will increase, and we will become more exposed to the risks arising from our substantial level of indebtedness.

Our level of indebtedness, which requires significant debt service payments, could adversely impact our operating flexibility and financial results.

        The principal amount of our outstanding indebtedness, which excludes fair value adjustments of $0.3 billion and debt issuance costs and debt discounts of $0.2 billion, was approximately $28.3 billion as of December 31, 2017 (approximately 67% of our total assets as of December 31, 2017), and our interest payments were $1.2 billion for the year ended December 31, 2017. Due to the capital-intensive nature of our business, we expect that we will incur additional indebtedness in the future and continue to maintain significant levels of indebtedness.

        Our level of indebtedness:

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requires a substantial portion of our cash flows from operations to be dedicated to interest and principal payments and therefore not available to fund our operations, working capital, capital expenditures, expansion, acquisitions or general corporate or other purposes;



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restricts the ability of some of our subsidiaries and joint ventures to make distributions to us;



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may impair our ability to obtain additional financing on favorable terms or at all in the future;



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may limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and industry; and



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may make us more vulnerable to downturns in our business, our industry or the economy in general.

An increase in our cost of borrowing or changes in interest rates may adversely affect our net income.

        We use a mix of fixed rate and floating rate debt to finance our business. Any increase in our cost of borrowing directly impacts our net income. Our cost of borrowing is affected primarily by the market's assessment of our credit risk and fluctuations in interest rates and general market conditions. Interest rates that we obtain on our debt financings can fluctuate based on, among other things, changes in views of our credit risk, fluctuations in U.S. Treasury rates and LIBOR rates, as applicable, changes in credit spreads and swap spreads, and the duration of the debt being issued. Increased interest rates prevailing in the market at the time of our incurrence of new debt will also increase our interest expense. If interest rates increase, we will be obligated to make higher interest payments to the lenders of our floating rate debt to the extent that it is not hedged. Please refer to "Item 11—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk—Interest rate risk" for further details on our interest rate risk. In addition, we are exposed to the credit risk that the counterparties to our derivative contracts will default on their obligations.

        Moreover, if interest rates were to rise sharply, we would not be able to fully offset immediately the negative impact on our net income by increasing lease rates, even if the market were able to bear the increased lease rates. Our leases are generally for multiple years with fixed lease rates over the life of the lease and, therefore, lags will exist because our lease rates with respect to a particular aircraft cannot generally be increased until the expiration of the lease.

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        Decreases in interest rates may also adversely affect our interest revenue on cash deposits as well as lease revenue generated from leases with lease rates tied to floating interest rates. During the year ended December 31, 2017, approximately 4.9% of our basic lease rents from aircraft under operating leases was derived from such leases. Therefore, if interest rates were to decrease, our lease revenue would decrease. In addition, since our fixed rate leases are based, in part, on prevailing interest rates at the time we enter into the lease, if interest rates decrease, new fixed rate leases we enter into may be at lower lease rates than if no interest rate decrease had occurred and our lease revenue will be adversely affected.

Negative changes in our credit ratings may limit our ability to obtain financing or increase our borrowing costs, which could adversely impact our financial results.

        We are currently subject to periodic review by independent credit rating agencies S&P, Moody's and Fitch, each of which currently maintains an investment grade rating with respect to us. Our ability to obtain secured or unsecured debt financing and our cost of secured or unsecured debt financing is dependent, in part, on our credit ratings. Maintaining our credit ratings depends in part on strong financial results and in part on other factors, including the outlook of the rating agencies on our sector and on the market generally. A credit rating downgrade could negatively impact our ability to obtain secured or unsecured financing and increase our borrowing costs.

        We cannot assure you that these credit ratings will remain in effect for any given period of time or that a rating will not be lowered, suspended or withdrawn. Ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, and each agency's rating should be evaluated independently of any other agency's rating. Actual or anticipated changes or downgrades in our credit ratings, including any announcement that our ratings are under review for a downgrade, could increase our corporate borrowing costs and limit our access to the capital markets, which could adversely impact our financial results.

The agreements governing our debt contain various covenants that impose restrictions on us that may affect our ability to operate our business.

        Certain of our indentures, term loan facilities, ECA guaranteed financings, revolving credit facilities, securitizations, other commercial bank financings, and other agreements governing our debt impose operating and financial restrictions on our activities that limit or prohibit our ability to, among other things:

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incur additional indebtedness;



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create liens on assets;



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sell certain assets;



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make certain investments, loans, guarantees or advances;



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declare or pay certain dividends and distributions;



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make certain acquisitions;



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consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets;



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enter into transactions with our affiliates;



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change the business conducted by the borrowers and their respective subsidiaries;



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enter into a securitization transaction unless certain conditions are met; and



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access cash in restricted bank accounts.

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        The agreements governing certain of our indebtedness also contain financial covenants, including requirements that we comply with certain loan-to-value, interest coverage and leverage ratios. These restrictions could impede our ability to operate our business by, among other things, limiting our ability to take advantage of financing, merger and acquisition and other corporate opportunities.

        Various risks, uncertainties and events beyond our control could affect our ability to comply with these covenants and maintain these financial tests and ratios. Failure to comply with any of the covenants in our financing agreements would result in a default under those agreements and could result in a default under other agreements containing cross default provisions. Under these circumstances, we may have insufficient funds or other resources to satisfy all our obligations.

We may be unable to generate sufficient returns on our aircraft investments.

        Our results depend on our ability to consistently acquire strategically attractive aircraft, continually and profitably lease and re-lease them, and finally sell or otherwise dispose of them, in order to generate returns on the investments we have made, provide cash to finance our growth and operations, and service our existing debt. Upon acquiring new aircraft we may not be able to enter into leases that generate sufficient cash flow to justify the cost of purchase. When our leases expire or our aircraft are returned prior to the date contemplated in the lease, we bear the risk of re-leasing, selling or parting-out the aircraft. Because our leases are predominantly operating leases, only a portion of an aircraft's value is recovered by the revenues generated from the lease and we may not be able to realize the aircraft's residual value after lease expiration.

        Our ability to profitably purchase, lease, re-lease, sell or otherwise dispose of our aircraft will depend on conditions in the airline industry and general market and competitive conditions at the time of purchase, lease, and disposition. In addition to factors linked to the aviation industry in general, other factors that may affect our ability to generate adequate returns from our aircraft include the maintenance and operating history of the airframe and engines, the number of operators using the particular type of aircraft, and aircraft age.

Customer demand for certain types of our aircraft may decline.

        Aircraft are long-lived assets and demand for a particular model and type of aircraft can change over time. Demand may decline for a variety of reasons, including obsolescence following the introduction of newer technologies, market saturation due to increased production rates, technical problems associated with a particular model, new manufacturers entering the marketplace or existing manufacturers entering new market segments, additional governmental regulation such as environmental rules or aircraft age limitations, or the overall health of the airline industry.

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        The supply and demand for aircraft is affected by various factors that are outside of our control, including:

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passenger and air cargo demand;



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fuel costs, inflation and general economic conditions;



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geopolitical events, including war, prolonged armed conflict and acts of terrorism;



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epidemics and natural disasters;



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governmental regulation, including regulation of trade, such as the imposition of import and export controls, tariffs and other trade barriers;



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interest rates;



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the availability and cost of financing;



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airline restructurings and bankruptcies;



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manufacturer production levels and technological innovation;



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manufacturers merging, entering or exiting the industry;



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retirement and obsolescence of aircraft models;



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increases in production rates from manufacturers;



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reintroduction into service of aircraft previously in storage; and



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airport and air traffic control infrastructure constraints.

        Over recent years, the airline industry has committed to a significant number of aircraft deliveries through order placements with manufacturers, and in response, aircraft manufacturers have raised their production output. The increase in these production levels could result in an oversupply of relatively new aircraft if growth in airline traffic does not meet airline industry expectations.

        In addition, recent and future political developments, including developments as a result of the policies of the current U.S. presidential administration or policies pursued in Europe, could result in increased regulation of trade, which could adversely impact demand for aircraft.

        As demand for particular aircraft declines as a result of any of these factors, lease rates for that type of aircraft are likely to correspondingly decline, the residual values of that type of aircraft could be negatively impacted, and we may be unable to lease such aircraft on favorable terms, if at all. In addition, the risks associated with a decline in demand for a particular aircraft model or type increase if we acquire a high concentration of such aircraft. For example, as of December 31, 2017, we had 438 new aircraft on order, including 222 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, 104 Boeing 737MAX aircraft, 53 Boeing 787 aircraft, 50 Embraer E-Jets E2 aircraft, and nine Airbus A350 aircraft. If demand declines for a model or type of aircraft of which we own or will acquire a relatively high concentration, it could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

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The value and lease rates of our aircraft could decline.

        Aircraft values and lease rates have occasionally experienced sharp decreases due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, decreases in passenger air travel and air cargo demand, changes in fuel costs, inflation, government regulation and changes in interest rates. In addition to factors linked to the aviation industry generally, many other factors may affect the value and lease rates of our aircraft, including:

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the particular maintenance, operating history and documentary records of the aircraft;



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the geographical area where the aircraft is based and operates;



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the number of operators using a particular type of aircraft;



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the regulatory authority under which the aircraft is operated;



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whether the aircraft is subject to a lease and, if so, whether the lease terms are favorable to the lessor;



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the age of the aircraft;



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any renegotiation of a lease on less favorable terms;



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the negotiability of clear title free from mechanic's liens and encumbrances;



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any regulatory and legal requirements that must be satisfied before the aircraft can be purchased, sold or re-leased;



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decrease in the creditworthiness of lessees;



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compatibility of aircraft configurations or specifications with other aircraft owned by operators of that type;



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comparative value based on newly manufactured competitive aircraft; and



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the availability of spare parts.

        Any decrease in the value or lease rates of our aircraft that results from the above factors or other factors may have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

Strong competition from other aircraft lessors could adversely affect our financial results.

        The aircraft leasing industry is highly competitive. Our competition is primarily comprised of major aircraft leasing companies, but we may also encounter competition from other entities such as:

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airlines;



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aircraft manufacturers;



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financial institutions, including those seeking to dispose of repossessed aircraft at distressed prices;



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aircraft brokers;



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public and private partnerships, investors and funds with excess capital to invest in aircraft and engines; and



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emerging aircraft leasing companies that we do not currently consider our major competitors.

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        Some of these competitors may have greater operating and financial resources than we do. We may not always be able to compete successfully with such competitors and other entities, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Our financial condition is dependent, in part, on the financial strength of our lessees.

        Our financial condition depends on the ability of lessees to perform their payment and other obligations to us under our leases. We generate the primary portion of our revenue from leases to the aviation industry, and as a result we are indirectly affected by all the risks facing airlines today. The ability of our lessees to perform their obligations depends primarily on their financial condition and cash flows, which may be affected by factors outside our control, including:

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passenger air travel and air cargo demand;



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competition;



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economic conditions, inflation and currency fluctuations in the countries and regions in which a lessee operates;



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price and availability of jet fuel;



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availability and cost of financing;



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fare levels;



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geopolitical and other events, including war, acts of terrorism, outbreaks of epidemic diseases and natural disasters;



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increases in operating costs, including labor costs and other general economic conditions affecting our lessees' operations;



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labor difficulties;



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the availability of financial or other governmental support extended to a lessee; and



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governmental regulation and associated fees affecting the air transportation business, including restrictions on carbon emissions and other environmental regulations, and fly-over restrictions imposed by route authorities.

        Generally, airlines with high financial leverage are more likely than airlines with stronger balance sheets to be affected, and affected more quickly, by the factors listed above. Such airlines are also more likely to seek operating leases.

        Any downturns in the aviation industry could greatly exacerbate the weakened financial condition and liquidity problems of some of our lessees and further increase the risk that they will delay, reduce or fail to make rental payments when due. At any point in time, our lessees may be significantly in arrears. Some lessees encountering financial difficulties may seek a reduction in their lease rates or other concessions, such as a decrease in their contribution toward maintenance obligations. Moreover, we may not correctly assess the credit risk of each lessee or charge lease rates that incorrectly reflect related risks. Many of our lessees are not rated investment grade by the principal U.S. rating agencies and may be more likely to suffer liquidity problems than those that are so rated.

        If lessees of a significant number of our aircraft fail to perform their obligations to us, our financial results and cash flows will be materially and adversely affected.

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A return to historically high fuel prices or continued volatility in fuel prices could affect the profitability of the aviation industry and our lessees' ability to meet their lease payment obligations to us.

        Historically, fuel prices have fluctuated widely depending primarily on international market conditions, geopolitical and environmental events and currency exchange rates. Factors such as natural disasters can also significantly affect fuel availability and prices. The cost of fuel represents a major expense to airlines that is not within their control, and significant increases in fuel costs or hedges that inaccurately assess the direction of fuel costs can materially and adversely affect their operating results. Due to the competitive nature of the aviation industry, operators may be unable to pass on increases in fuel prices to their customers by increasing fares in a manner that fully offsets the increased fuel costs they may incur. In addition, they may not be able to manage this risk by appropriately hedging their exposure to fuel price fluctuations. The profitability and liquidity of those airlines that do hedge their fuel costs can also be adversely affected by swift movements in fuel prices, if such airlines are required as a result to post cash collateral under hedge agreements. Therefore, if for any reason fuel prices return to historically high levels or show significant volatility, our lessees are likely to incur higher costs or generate lower revenues, which may affect their ability to meet their obligations to us.

Interruptions in the capital markets could impair our lessees' ability to finance their operations, which could prevent the lessees from complying with payment obligations to us.

        The global financial markets can be highly volatile and the availability of credit from financial markets and financial institutions can vary substantially depending on developments in the global financial markets. Many of our lessees have expanded their airline operations through borrowings and are leveraged. These lessees will depend on banks and the capital markets to provide working capital and to refinance existing indebtedness. To the extent such funding is unavailable, or available only at high interest costs or on unfavorable terms, and to the extent financial markets do not provide equity financing as an alternative, our lessees' operations and operating results may be materially and adversely affected and they may not comply with their respective payment obligations to us.

A sovereign debt crisis could result in higher borrowing costs and more limited availability of credit, as well as impact the overall airline industry and the financial health of our lessees.

        In recent years, the European Union (the "EU") has faced both financial and political turmoil which, if it continues or worsens, could have a material adverse effect on our business. For example, following the global financial crisis of 2008, several countries in Europe faced a sovereign debt crisis (commonly referred to as the "European Debt Crisis") that negatively affected economic activity in that region and adversely affected the strength of the euro versus the U.S. dollar and other currencies. Although some of these countries are no longer facing a serious debt crisis, the lingering effects of the European Debt Crisis are unclear and may have a material adverse effect on our business, particularly if any European countries face sovereign debt default. Furthermore, concerns exist regarding the sovereign debt of certain Latin American countries, including Venezuela. If Venezuela or any other country faces a sovereign debt crisis, it could adversely affect the global banking system, due to its exposure to the sovereign debt and the imposition of stricter capital requirements. A sovereign debt crisis may also lower consumer confidence, which could adversely affect global economic conditions, and adverse changes in the global banking system or global economy may have a material adverse effect on our business.

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Adverse conditions and disruptions in European economies could have a material adverse effect on our business.

        Our business can be affected by a number of factors that are beyond our control, such as general geopolitical, economic and business conditions. Political uncertainty has created financial and economic uncertainty, including as a result of the United Kingdom's June 2016 referendum to withdraw from the EU (commonly referred to as "Brexit"). The economic consequences of Brexit, including the possible repeal of open-skies agreements, could have a material adverse effect on our business. Further, many of the structural issues facing the EU following the European Debt Crisis and Brexit remain, and problems could resurface that could affect financial market conditions, and, possibly, our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, particularly if they lead to the exit of one or more countries from the European Monetary Union (the "EMU") or the exit of additional countries from the EU. If one or more countries exits the EMU, there would be significant uncertainty with respect to outstanding obligations of counterparties and debtors in any exiting country, whether sovereign or otherwise, and it would likely lead to complex and lengthy disputes and litigation. Additionally, it is possible that political events in Europe could lead to the complete dissolution of the EMU or EU. The partial or full breakup of the EMU or EU would be unprecedented and its impact highly uncertain, including with respect to our business.

If the effects of terrorist attacks, war or armed hostilities adversely affect the financial condition of the airline industry, our lessees might not be able to meet their lease payment obligations to us.

        Terrorist attacks, war or armed hostilities, or the fear of such events, have historically had a negative impact on the aviation industry and could result in:

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higher costs to the airlines due to the increased security measures;



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decreased passenger demand and revenue due to the inconvenience of additional security measures or concerns about the safety of flying;



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the imposition of "no-fly zone" or other restrictions on commercial airline traffic in certain regions;



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uncertainty of the price and availability of jet fuel and the cost and practicability of obtaining fuel hedges;



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higher financing costs and difficulty in raising the desired amount of proceeds on favorable terms, if at all;



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significantly higher costs of aviation insurance coverage for future claims caused by acts of war, terrorism, sabotage, hijacking and other similar perils, or the unavailability of certain types of insurance;



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inability of airlines to reduce their operating costs and conserve financial resources, taking into account the increased costs incurred as a consequence of such events;



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special charges recognized by some operators, such as those related to the impairment of aircraft and engines and other long-lived assets stemming from the grounding of aircraft as a result of terrorist attacks, economic conditions and airline reorganizations; and



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an airline becoming insolvent and/or ceasing operations.

        For example, as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and subsequent terrorist attacks abroad, notably in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe, increased security restrictions were implemented on air travel, costs for aircraft insurance and security measures increased, passenger and cargo demand for air travel decreased, and operators faced difficulties in acquiring war risk and other insurance at reasonable costs. Sanctions against Russia, uncertainty regarding tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the situation in Iraq and Syria, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, tension over the nuclear program of North Korea, political instability in the Middle East and North Africa, the territorial disputes between Japan and China and the recent tensions in the South China Sea could lead to further instability in these regions.

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        Terrorist attacks, war or armed hostilities, or the fear of such events, in these or any other regions, could adversely affect the aviation industry and the financial condition and liquidity of our lessees, as well as aircraft values and rental rates. In addition, such events might cause certain aviation insurance to become available only at significantly increased premiums or with reduced amounts of coverage that are insufficient to comply with the current requirements of aircraft lenders and lessors or with applicable government regulations, or not to be available at all. Although some governments provide for limited coverage under government programs for specified types of aviation insurance, these programs may not be available at the relevant time or governments may not pay under these programs in a timely fashion.

        Such events are likely to cause our lessees to incur higher costs and to generate lower revenues, which could result in a material adverse effect on their financial condition and liquidity, including their ability to make rental and other lease payments to us or to obtain the types and amounts of insurance we require. This in turn could lead to aircraft groundings or additional lease restructurings and repossessions, increase our cost of re-leasing or selling aircraft, impair our ability to re-lease or otherwise dispose of aircraft on favorable terms or at all, or reduce the proceeds we receive for our aircraft in a disposition.

The effects of epidemic diseases and natural disasters, such as extreme weather conditions, floods, earthquakes and volcano eruptions, may adversely affect our lessees' ability to meet their lease payment obligations to us.

        The outbreak of epidemic diseases, such as previously experienced with Ebola, measles, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), H1N1 (swine flu) and Zika virus, could materially and adversely affect passenger demand for air travel. Similarly, the lack of air travel demand or the inability of airlines to operate to or from certain regions due to severe weather conditions and natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes and volcano eruptions, could impact the financial health of certain airlines, including our lessees. These consequences could result in our lessees' inability to satisfy their lease payment obligations to us, which in turn would materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Airline reorganizations could impair our lessees' ability to comply with their lease payment obligations to us.

        In recent years, several airlines have filed for protection under their local bankruptcy and insolvency laws and, over the past several years, certain airlines have gone into liquidation. Historically, airlines involved in reorganizations have undertaken substantial fare discounting to maintain cash flows and to encourage continued customer loyalty. The bankruptcies have led to the grounding of significant numbers of aircraft, rejection of leases and negotiated reductions in aircraft lease rentals, with the effect of depressing aircraft market values. Additional reorganizations or liquidations by airlines under applicable bankruptcy or reorganization laws or further rejection or abandonment of aircraft by airlines in bankruptcy proceedings may depress aircraft values and aircraft lease rates. Additional grounded aircraft and lower market values would adversely affect our ability to sell certain of our aircraft or re-lease other aircraft at favorable rates if at all.

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Our lessees may fail to properly maintain our aircraft.

        We may be exposed to increased maintenance costs for our leased aircraft if lessees fail to properly maintain the aircraft or pay supplemental maintenance rents. Under our leases, our lessees are primarily responsible for maintaining our aircraft and complying with all governmental requirements applicable to the lessee and the aircraft, including operational, maintenance, government agency oversight, registration requirements and airworthiness directives. We also require many of our lessees to pay us supplemental maintenance rents. If a lessee fails to perform required maintenance on our aircraft during the term of the lease, the aircraft's market value may decline, which would result in lower revenues from its subsequent lease or sale, or the aircraft might be grounded. Maintenance failures by a lessee would also likely require us to incur maintenance and modification costs, which could be substantial, upon the termination of the applicable lease to restore the aircraft to an acceptable condition prior to sale or re-leasing. Supplemental maintenance rents paid by our lessees may not be sufficient to fund such maintenance costs. If our lessees fail to meet their obligations to pay supplemental maintenance rents or fail to perform required scheduled maintenance, or if we are required to incur unexpected maintenance costs, our financial results may be materially and adversely affected.

Our lessees may fail to adequately insure our aircraft.

        While an aircraft is on lease, we do not directly control its operation. Nevertheless, because we hold title to the aircraft, we could be held liable for losses resulting from its operation under one or more legal theories in certain jurisdictions around the world, or at a minimum, we might be required to expend resources in our defense. We require our lessees to obtain specified levels of insurance and indemnify us for, and insure against, such operational liabilities. However, some lessees may fail to maintain adequate insurance coverage during a lease term, which, although constituting a breach of the lease, would require us to take some corrective action, such as terminating the lease or securing insurance for the aircraft.

        In addition, there are certain risks of losses our lessees face that insurers may be unwilling to cover or for which the cost of coverage would be prohibitively expensive. For example, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, aviation insurers significantly reduced the amount of coverage available to airlines for liability to persons other than airline employees or passengers for claims resulting from acts of terrorism, war or similar events and significantly increased the premiums for third party war risk and terrorism liability insurance and coverage in general. Therefore, our lessees' insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover all claims that could be asserted against us arising from the operation of our aircraft.

        Inadequate insurance coverage or default by lessees in fulfilling their indemnification or insurance obligations to us will reduce the insurance proceeds that would be received by us in the event we are sued and are required to make payments to claimants. Moreover, our lessees' insurance coverage is dependent on the financial condition of insurance companies, which might not be able to pay claims. A reduction in insurance proceeds otherwise payable to us as a result of any of these factors could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

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If our lessees fail to cooperate in returning our aircraft following lease terminations, we may encounter obstacles and are likely to incur significant costs and expenses conducting repossessions.

        Our legal rights and the relative difficulty of repossession vary significantly depending on the jurisdiction in which an aircraft is located and the applicable law. We may need to obtain a court order or consents for de-registration or re-export, a process that can differ substantially in different countries. Where a lessee or other operator flies only domestic routes in the jurisdiction in which the aircraft is registered, repossessing and exporting the aircraft may be challenging, especially if the jurisdiction permits the lessee or the other operator to resist de-registration. When a defaulting lessee is in bankruptcy, protective administration, insolvency or similar proceedings, additional limitations may apply. For example, certain jurisdictions give rights to the trustee in bankruptcy or a similar officer to assume or reject the lease or to assign it to a third party, or entitle the lessee or another third party to retain possession of the aircraft without paying lease rentals or performing all or some of the obligations under the relevant lease. Certain of our lessees are partially or wholly owned by government-related entities, which can complicate our efforts to repossess our aircraft in that government's jurisdiction. If we encounter any of these difficulties, we may be delayed in, or prevented from, enforcing certain of our rights under a lease and in re-leasing the affected aircraft.

        When conducting a repossession, we are likely to incur significant costs and expenses that are unlikely to be recouped. These include legal and other expenses of court or other governmental proceedings, including the cost of posting security bonds or letters of credit necessary to effect repossession of the aircraft, particularly if the lessee is contesting the proceedings or is in bankruptcy. We must absorb the cost of lost revenue for the time the aircraft is off-lease. We may incur substantial maintenance, refurbishment or repair costs that a defaulting lessee has failed to pay and are necessary to put the aircraft in suitable condition for re-lease or sale. We may incur significant costs in retrieving or recreating aircraft records required for registration of the aircraft, and in obtaining the certificate of airworthiness for an aircraft. It may be necessary to pay to discharge liens or pay taxes and other governmental charges on the aircraft to obtain clear possession and to remarket the aircraft effectively, including, in some cases, liens that the lessee may have incurred in connection with the operation of its other aircraft. We may also incur other costs in connection with the physical possession of the aircraft.

        Based on historical rates of airline defaults and bankruptcies, at least some of our lessees are likely to default on their lease obligations or file for bankruptcy in the ordinary course of our business. If we incur significant costs in repossessing our aircraft, our financial results may be materially and adversely affected.

If our lessees fail to discharge aircraft liens for which they are responsible, we may be obligated to pay to discharge the liens.

        In the normal course of their business, our lessees are likely to incur aircraft and engine liens that secure the payment of airport fees and taxes, custom duties, Eurocontrol and other air navigation charges, landing charges, crew wages, and other liens that may attach to our aircraft. Aircraft may also be subject to mechanic's liens as a result of routine maintenance performed by third parties on behalf of our customers. Some of these liens can secure substantial sums, and if they attach to entire fleets of aircraft, as permitted in certain jurisdictions for certain kinds of liens, they may exceed the value of the aircraft itself. Although the financial obligations relating to these liens are the contractual responsibility of our lessees, if they fail to fulfill their obligations, the liens may ultimately become our financial responsibility. Until they are discharged, these liens could impair our ability to repossess, re-lease or sell our aircraft or engines. In some jurisdictions, aircraft and engine liens may give the holder thereof the right to detain or, in limited cases, sell or cause the forfeiture of the aircraft. If we are obliged to pay a large amount to discharge a lien, or if we are unable take possession of our aircraft subject to a lien in a timely and cost-effective manner, it could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

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In certain countries, an engine affixed to an aircraft may become an accession to the aircraft and we may not be able to exercise our ownership rights over the engine.

        In some jurisdictions, an engine affixed to an aircraft may become an accession to the aircraft, whereby the ownership rights of the owner of the aircraft supersede the ownership rights of the owner of the engine. If an aircraft is security for the owner's obligations to a third party, the security interest in the aircraft may supersede our rights as owner of the engine. This legal principle could limit our ability to repossess an engine in the event of a lease default while the aircraft with our engine installed remains in such jurisdiction. We would suffer a substantial loss if we were not able to repossess engines leased to lessees in these jurisdictions, which would materially and adversely affect our financial results.

If our lessees encounter financial difficulties and we restructure or terminate our leases, we are likely to obtain less favorable lease terms.

        If a lessee delays, reduces, or fails to make rental payments when due, or has advised us that it will do so in the future, we may elect or be required to restructure or terminate the lease. A restructured lease will likely contain terms that are less favorable to us. If we are unable to agree on a restructuring and we terminate the lease, we may not receive all or any payments still outstanding, and we may be unable to re-lease the aircraft promptly and at favorable rates, if at all. We have conducted restructurings and terminations in the ordinary course of our business, and we expect more will occur in the future. If we are obligated to perform a significant number of restructurings and terminations, the associated reduction in lease revenue could materially and adversely affect our financial results and cash flows.

The advent of superior aircraft and engine technology or the introduction of a new line of aircraft could cause our existing aircraft portfolio to become outdated and therefore less desirable.

        As manufacturers introduce technological innovations and new types of aircraft and engines, some of the aircraft and engines in our aircraft portfolio may become less desirable to potential lessees. New aircraft manufacturers, such as Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation in Japan, JSC United Aircraft Corporation in Russia and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. in China could produce aircraft that compete with current offerings from Airbus, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale (ATR), Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer. Additionally, new manufacturers may develop a narrowbody aircraft that competes with established aircraft types from Airbus and Boeing, putting downward price pressure on and decreasing the marketability of aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. New aircraft types that are introduced into the market could be more attractive for the target lessees of our aircraft. The development of more fuel-efficient engines could make aircraft in our portfolio with engines that are not as fuel-efficient less attractive to potential lessees. In addition, the imposition of increasingly stringent noise or emissions regulations may make some of our aircraft and engines less desirable in the marketplace. A decrease in demand for our aircraft as a result of any of these factors could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Airbus and Boeing have launched new aircraft types, which could decrease the value and lease rates of aircraft in our fleet.

        Airbus and Boeing have launched several new aircraft types in recent years, including the Boeing 787 Family, the Boeing 737MAX Family, the Boeing 777X, the Airbus A320neo Family, the Airbus A330neo Family, and the Airbus A350 Family. The availability of these new aircraft types, and potential variants of these new aircraft types, may have an adverse effect on residual value and future lease rates of older aircraft types and variants. The development of these new types and variants of such new types could decrease the desirability of the older types and variants and thereby increase the supply of the older types and variants in the marketplace. This increase in supply could, in turn, reduce both future residual values and lease rates for such older aircraft types and variants.

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From time to time, Airbus and Boeing have announced scheduled production increases, which could result in overcapacity and decrease the value and lease rates of aircraft in our fleet.

        The market may not be able to absorb the scheduled production increases announced by Airbus and Boeing. If the additional capacity scheduled to be produced by the manufacturers exceeds demand, the resulting overcapacity could have a negative effect on aircraft values and lease rates. If overall lending to purchasers of aircraft does not increase in line with the increased aircraft production, the cost of lending or the ability to obtain debt to finance aircraft purchases could be negatively affected. Any such decrease in aircraft values and lease rates, or increase in the cost or availability of funding, could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

There are a limited number of aircraft and engine manufacturers and we depend on their ability to meet their obligations.

        The supply of commercial jet aircraft is dominated by a small number of airframe and engine manufacturers. As a result, we are dependent on their ability to remain financially stable, manufacture products and related components that meet the airlines' demands and fulfill their contractual obligations to us. In the past we have experienced delays by the manufacturers in meeting their obligations to us and other third parties. If in the future the manufacturers fail to fulfill their contractual obligations to us, bring aircraft to market that do not meet customers' expectations, or do not respond appropriately to changes in the market environment, we may experience, among other things:

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missed or late delivery of aircraft and engines ordered by us and an inability to meet our contractual obligations to our customers, resulting in lost or delayed revenues, lower growth rates and strained customer relationships;



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an inability to acquire aircraft and engines and related components on terms that will allow us to lease those aircraft and engines to customers at a profit, resulting in lower growth rates or a contraction in our aircraft portfolio;



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a market environment with too many aircraft and engines available, creating downward pressure on demand for the aircraft and engines in our fleet and reduced market lease rates and sale prices;



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poor customer support or reputational damage from the manufacturers of aircraft, engines and components resulting in reduced demand for a particular manufacturer's product, creating downward pressure on demand for those aircraft and engines in our fleet and reduced market lease rates and sale prices for those aircraft and engines;



•

reduction in our competitiveness due to deep discounting by the manufacturers, which may lead to reduced market lease rates and sale prices and may affect our ability to remarket or sell some of the aircraft and engines in our portfolio; and



•

technical or other difficulties with aircraft after delivery that subject such aircraft to operating restrictions or groundings, resulting in a decline in value and lease rates of such aircraft and impairing our ability to lease or dispose of such aircraft on favorable terms.

        Moreover, our purchase agreements with manufacturers and the leases we have signed with our customers for future lease commitments are all subject to cancellation rights related to delays in delivery dates. Any manufacturer delays for aircraft that we have committed to lease could strain our relations with our customers, and cancellation of such leases by the lessees could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

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Existing and future litigation against us could materially and adversely affect our business, financial position, liquidity or results of operations.

        We are, and from time to time in the future may be, a defendant in lawsuits relating to our business. We cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any litigation due to its inherent uncertainties. An unfavorable outcome could materially and adversely affect our business, financial position, liquidity or results of operations. In addition, regardless of the outcome of any litigation, we may be required to devote substantial resources and executive time to the defense of such actions. For a description of certain pending litigation involving our business, please refer to Note 29— Commitments and contingencies to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this annual report.

Our international operations expose us to geopolitical, economic and legal risks associated with a global business.

        We conduct our business in many countries. There are risks inherent in conducting our business internationally, including:

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general political and economic instability in international markets;



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limitations or the repatriation of our assets;



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expropriation of our international assets; and



•

different liability standards and legal systems that may be less developed and less predictable than those in advanced economies.

        Furthermore, the new U.S. presidential administration has proposed or is considering various actions that could affect U.S. trade policy or practices, which could, among other things, adversely affect travel to or from the United States. These factors may have a material and adverse effect on our financial results.

We may enter into strategic ventures that pose risks, including a lack of complete control over the enterprise, and potential unforeseen risks, any of which could adversely impact our financial results.

        We may occasionally enter into strategic ventures or investments with third parties in order to take advantage of favorable financing opportunities, to share capital or operating risk, or to earn aircraft management fees. These strategic ventures and investments may subject us to various risks, including those arising from our possessing limited decision-making rights in the enterprise or over the related aircraft. If we were unable to resolve a dispute with a strategic partner who controls ultimate decision-making in such a venture or retains material managerial veto rights, we might reach an impasse which may lead to the liquidation of our investment at a time and in a manner that would result in our losing some or all of our original investment and/or the incurrence of other losses, which could adversely impact our financial results.

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We are indirectly subject to many of the economic and political risks associated with emerging markets.

        We derive substantial lease revenue (approximately 57% in 2017, 59% in 2016 and 60% in 2015) from airlines in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries have less developed economies and are more vulnerable to economic and political problems and may experience significant fluctuations in gross domestic product, interest rates and currency exchange rates, as well as civil disturbances, government instability, nationalization and expropriation of private assets and the imposition of taxes or other charges by government authorities. The occurrence of any of these events in markets served by our lessees and the resulting economic instability that may arise as a result of these events could adversely affect the value of our ownership interest in aircraft subject to lease in such countries, or the ability of our lessees that operate in these markets to meet their lease obligations. As a result, lessees that operate in emerging market countries may be more likely to default than lessees that operate in developed countries. In addition, legal systems in emerging market countries may be less developed, which could make it more difficult for us to enforce our legal rights in such countries. For these and other reasons, our financial results may be materially and adversely affected by economic and political developments in emerging market countries.

Because our lessees are concentrated in certain geographical regions, we have concentrated exposure to the political and economic risks associated with those regions.

        Through our lessees and the countries in which they operate, we are exposed to the specific economic and political conditions and associated risks of those jurisdictions. For example, we have large concentrations of lessees in Russia, and therefore have increased exposure to the economic and political conditions in that country. These risks can include economic recessions, burdensome local regulations or, in extreme cases, increased risks of requisition of our aircraft. An adverse political or economic event in any region or country in which our lessees are concentrated or where we have a large number of aircraft could affect the ability of our lessees in that region or country to meet their obligations to us, or expose us to various legal or political risks associated with the affected jurisdictions, all of which could have a material and adverse effect on our financial results.

We are subject to various risks and requirements associated with transacting business in many countries.

        Our international operations expose us to trade and economic sanctions, export controls and other restrictions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom, or other governments or organizations. For example, the U.S. Departments of Justice, Commerce, State and Treasury and other U.S. federal agencies and authorities have a broad range of civil and criminal penalties they may seek to impose against corporations and individuals for violations of economic sanctions laws, export control laws, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and other U.S. federal statutes and regulations, including those established by the Office of Foreign Asset Control. Under these laws and regulations, the U.S. government may require export licenses, may seek to impose modifications to business practices, including cessation of business activities in sanctioned countries, and modifications to compliance programs, which may increase compliance costs, and may subject us to fines, penalties and other sanctions. A violation of any of these laws or regulations could materially and adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition.

        We have implemented and maintain in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by us, our subsidiaries and our directors, officers, employees, consultants and agents with respect to various export control, anti-corruption, anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering laws and regulations. However, such personnel could engage in unauthorized conduct for which we may be held responsible. Violations of such laws and regulations may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions, and we may be subject to other liabilities, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

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Our ability to operate in some countries is restricted by foreign regulations and controls on investments.

        Many countries restrict, or in the future might restrict, foreign investments in a manner adverse to us. These restrictions and controls have limited, and may in the future restrict or preclude, our investment in joint ventures or the acquisition of businesses in certain jurisdictions or may increase the cost to us of entering into such transactions. Various governments, particularly in the Asia/Pacific region, require governmental approval before foreign persons may make investments in domestic businesses and also limit the extent of any such investments. Furthermore, various governments may reserve the right to approve the repatriation of capital by, or the payment of dividends to, foreign investors. Restrictive policies regarding foreign investments may increase our costs of pursuing growth opportunities in foreign jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Our aircraft are subject to various environmental regulations.

        Governmental regulations regarding aircraft and engine noise and emissions levels apply based on where the relevant airframe is registered and where the aircraft is operated. For example, jurisdictions throughout the world have adopted noise regulations that require all aircraft to comply with noise level standards. In addition, the United States and the International Civil Aviation Organization ("ICAO") have adopted a more stringent set of standards for noise levels that apply to engines manufactured or certified beginning in 2006. Currently, United States regulations do not require any phase-out of aircraft that qualify with the older standards, but the EU has established a framework for the imposition of operating limitations on aircraft that do not comply with the newer standards. These regulations could limit the economic life of certain of our aircraft and engines, reduce their value, limit our ability to lease or sell the non-compliant aircraft and engines or, if engine modifications are permitted, require us to make significant additional investments in the aircraft and engines to make them compliant.

        In addition to more stringent noise restrictions, the United States, EU and other jurisdictions have imposed more stringent limits on the emission of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from engines. Although current emissions control laws generally apply to newer engines, new laws could be passed in the future that also impose limits on older engines, and therefore our older engines could be subject to existing or new emissions limitations or indirect taxation. For example, the EU issued a directive in January 2009 to include aviation within the scope of its greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme, thereby requiring that all flights arriving, departing or flying within any EU country, beginning on January 1, 2012, comply with the scheme and surrender allowances for emissions, regardless of the age of the engine used in the aircraft. In addition, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ruled that jet engine exhaust endangers public health by contributing to climate change, increasing the likelihood that regulations will be proposed in this regard. Limitations on emissions such as the one in the EU could favor younger, more fuel efficient aircraft since they generally produce lower levels of emissions per passenger, which could adversely affect our ability to re-lease or otherwise dispose of less efficient aircraft on a timely basis, at favorable terms, or at all. This is an area of law that is rapidly changing and as of yet remains specific to certain jurisdictions. While we do not know at this time whether new emission control laws will be passed, and if passed what impact such laws might have on our business, any future emissions limitations could adversely affect us.

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Our operations are subject to various environmental regulations.

        Our operations are subject to various federal, state and local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations in the United States, including those relating to the discharge of materials into the air, water and ground, the generation, storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials, and the health and safety of our employees. A violation of these laws and regulations or permit conditions can result in substantial fines, permit revocation or other damages. Many of these laws impose liability for clean-up of contamination that may exist at our facilities (even if we did not know of or did not cause the contamination) or related personal injuries or natural resource damages or costs relating to contamination at third party waste disposal sites where we have sent or may send waste. We may not be in complete compliance with these laws, regulations or permits at all times. We may have liability under environmental laws or be subject to legal actions brought by governmental authorities or other parties for actual or alleged violations of, or liability under, environmental, health and safety laws, regulations or permits.

If a decline in demand for certain aircraft causes a decline in its projected lease rates, or if we dispose of an aircraft for a price that is less than its depreciated book value on our balance sheet, then we will recognize impairments or make fair value adjustments.

        We test long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of the assets may not be recoverable from their undiscounted cash flows. If the gross cash flow test fails, the difference between the fair value and the carrying amount of the aircraft is recognized as an impairment loss. Factors that may contribute to impairment charges include, but are not limited to, unfavorable airline industry trends affecting the residual values of certain aircraft types, high fuel prices and development of more fuel efficient aircraft shortening the useful lives of certain aircraft, management's expectations that certain aircraft are more likely than not to be parted-out or otherwise disposed of sooner than their expected life, and new technological developments. Cash flows supporting carrying values of older aircraft are more dependent upon current lease contracts. In addition, we believe that residual values of older aircraft are more exposed to non-recoverable declines in value in the current economic environment.

        If economic conditions deteriorate, we may be required to recognize impairment losses. In that event, our estimates and assumptions regarding forecasted cash flows from our long-lived assets would need to be reassessed, including the duration of the economic downturn and the timing and strength of the pending recovery, both of which are important variables for purposes of our long-lived asset impairment tests. Any of our assumptions may prove to be inaccurate, which could adversely impact forecasted cash flows of certain long-lived assets, especially for older aircraft. If so, it is possible that an impairment may be triggered for other long-lived assets in the future and that any such impairment amounts may be material. As of December 31, 2017, 173 of our owned aircraft under operating leases were 15 years of age or older. These aircraft represented approximately 6% of the net book value of our total flight equipment and lease-related assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2017.

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A cyberattack could lead to a material disruption of our IT systems or the IT systems of our third party providers and the loss of business information, which may hinder our ability to conduct our business effectively and may result in lost revenues and additional costs.

        Parts of our business depend on the secure operation of our information technology, or IT, systems and the IT systems of our third party providers to manage, process, store and transmit information associated with aircraft leasing. Like other global companies, we have, from time to time, experienced threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, internet network scans, systems failures and disruptions. A cyberattack that bypasses our IT security systems or the IT security systems of our third party providers, causing an IT security breach, could lead to a material disruption of our IT systems or the IT systems of our third party providers, as applicable, and adversely impact our daily operations and cause the loss of sensitive information, including our own proprietary information and that of our customers, suppliers and employees. Such losses could harm our reputation and result in competitive disadvantages, litigation, regulatory enforcement actions, lost revenues, additional costs and liability. While we devote substantial resources to maintaining adequate levels of cybersecurity, our resources and technical sophistication may not be adequate to prevent all types of cyberattacks.

We could suffer material damage to, or interruptions in, our IT systems or the IT systems of our third party providers as a result of external factors, staffing shortages or difficulties in updating our existing software or developing or implementing new software.

        We depend largely upon our IT systems and the IT systems of our third party providers in the conduct of all aspects of our operations. Such systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, fire and natural disasters. Damage or interruption to these IT systems may require a significant investment to fix or replace them, and we may suffer interruptions in our operations in the interim. In addition, we are currently pursuing a number of IT-related projects that will require ongoing IT-related development and conversion of existing systems. Costs and potential problems and interruptions associated with the implementation of new or upgraded systems and technology or with maintenance or adequate support of existing systems could also disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our operations. Any material interruptions or failures in our IT systems may have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.

Risks related to our organization and structure

We are a public limited liability company incorporated in the Netherlands ("naamloze vennootschap" or "N.V.") and it may be difficult to obtain or enforce judgments against us or our executive officers, some of our directors and some of our named experts in the United States.

        We were incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands and, as such, the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and the civil liability of our directors will be governed by the laws of the Netherlands and our articles of association. The rights of shareholders under the laws of the Netherlands may differ from the rights of shareholders of companies incorporated in other jurisdictions. Many of our directors and executive officers and most of our assets and the assets of many of our directors are located outside the United States. In addition, our articles of association do not provide for U.S. courts as a venue for, or for the application of U.S. law to, lawsuits against us, our directors and executive officers. As a result, you may not be able to serve process on us or on such persons in the United States or obtain or enforce judgments from U.S. courts against us or them based on the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States. There is doubt as to whether the Dutch courts would enforce certain civil liabilities under U.S. securities laws in original actions and enforce claims for punitive damages.

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        Under our articles of association, we indemnify and hold our directors, officers and employees harmless against all claims and suits brought against them, subject to limited exceptions. Under our articles of association, to the extent allowed by law, the rights and obligations among or between us, any of our current or former directors, officers and employees and any current or former shareholder shall be governed exclusively by the laws of the Netherlands and subject to the jurisdiction of the Dutch courts, unless such rights or obligations do not relate to or arise out of their capacities listed above. Although there is doubt as to whether U.S. courts would enforce such provision in an action brought in the United States under U.S. securities laws, such provision could make judgments obtained outside of the Netherlands more difficult to enforce against our assets in the Netherlands or jurisdictions that would apply Dutch law.

If our subsidiaries do not make distributions to us we will not be able to pay dividends.

        Substantially all of our assets are held by, and substantially all of our revenues are generated by our subsidiaries. While we do not currently, and do not currently intend to, pay dividends, we will be limited in our ability to pay dividends unless we receive dividends or other cash flow from our subsidiaries. A substantial portion of our owned aircraft are held through SPEs or finance structures that borrow funds to finance or refinance the aircraft. The terms of these financings place restrictions on distributions of funds to us. If these limitations prevent distributions to us or our subsidiaries do not generate positive cash flows, we will be limited in our ability to pay dividends and may be unable to transfer funds between subsidiaries if required to support our subsidiaries.

As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to file less information with the SEC than a company incorporated in the United States. Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information concerning us than there is for companies incorporated in the United States.

        As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from certain rules under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which impose disclosure requirements, as well as procedural requirements, for proxy solicitations under Section 14 of the Exchange Act. We are not required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, nor are we generally required to comply with the SEC's Regulation FD, which restricts the selective disclosure of material non-public information. In addition, our officers and directors are exempt from the periodic reporting and short-swing profit recovery requirements in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. As a result, there may be less publicly available information concerning us than there is for a company that files as a domestic issuer.

The effect of purchases and sales of our ordinary shares by the hedge counterparties (or their affiliates or agents) to modify or terminate their hedge positions may have a negative effect on the market price of our ordinary shares.

        We have been advised that Waha, which previously was a significant direct AerCap shareholder, has entered into funded collar transactions relating to its AerCap ordinary shares, pursuant to which, we have been advised, collar counterparties (or their affiliates or agents) have borrowed from Waha and re-sold, and may continue to purchase and sell, our ordinary shares. The purchases and sales of our ordinary shares by the collar counterparties (or their affiliates or agents) to modify the collar counterparties' hedge positions from time to time during the term of the funded collar transactions may variously have a positive, negative or neutral impact on the market price of our ordinary shares and may affect the volatility of the market price of our ordinary shares, depending on market conditions at such times. In addition, purchases of our ordinary shares by the collar counterparties (or their affiliates or agents) in connection with the termination by Waha of any portion of the loan of our ordinary shares to the collar counterparties under the funded collar transactions, or cash settlement of any funded collar transaction, may have the effect of increasing, or limiting a decrease in, the market price of our ordinary shares during the relevant unwind period.

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Risks related to taxation

We may become a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC") for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

        We do not believe we will be classified as a PFIC for 2017. We cannot yet make a determination as to whether we will be classified as a PFIC for 2018 or subsequent years. The determination as to whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC is a complex determination based on all of the relevant facts and circumstances and depends on the classification of various assets and income under PFIC rules. In our case, the determination is further complicated by the application of the PFIC rules to leasing companies and to joint ventures and financing structures common in the aircraft leasing industry. It is unclear how some of these rules apply to us. Further, this determination must be tested annually and our circumstances may change in any given year. We do not intend to make decisions regarding the purchase and sale of aircraft with the specific purpose of reducing the likelihood of our becoming a PFIC. Accordingly, our business plan may result in our engaging in activities that could cause us to become a PFIC. If we are or become a PFIC, U.S. shareholders may be subject to increased U.S. federal income taxes on a sale or other disposition of our ordinary shares and on the receipt of certain distributions and will be subject to increased U.S. federal income tax reporting requirements. See "Item 10. Additional Information—Taxation—U.S. tax considerations" for a more detailed discussion of the consequences to you if we are treated as a PFIC and a discussion of certain elections that may be available to mitigate the effects of that treatment. We urge you to consult your own tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to your particular circumstances.

We may become subject to income or other taxes in jurisdictions which would adversely affect our financial results.

        We and our subsidiaries are subject to the income tax laws of Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States and other jurisdictions in which our subsidiaries are incorporated or based. Our effective tax rate in any period is impacted by the source and the amount of earnings among our different tax jurisdictions. A change in the division of our earnings among our tax jurisdictions could have a material impact on our effective tax rate and our financial results. In addition, we or our subsidiaries may be subject to additional income or other taxes in these and other jurisdictions by reason of the management and control of our subsidiaries, our activities and operations, where our aircraft operate, where the lessees of our aircraft (or others in possession of our aircraft) are located or changes in tax laws, regulations or accounting principles. Although we have adopted guidelines and operating procedures to ensure our subsidiaries are appropriately managed and controlled, we may be subject to such taxes in the future and such taxes may be substantial. The imposition of such taxes could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

We may incur current tax liabilities in our primary operating jurisdictions in the future.

        We expect to make current tax payments in some of the jurisdictions where we do business in the normal course of our operations. Our ability to defer the payment of some level of income taxes to future periods is dependent upon the continued benefit of accelerated tax depreciation on our flight equipment in some jurisdictions, the continued deductibility of external and intercompany financing arrangements and the application of tax losses prior to their expiration in certain tax jurisdictions, among other factors. The level of current tax payments we make in any of our primary operating jurisdictions could adversely affect our cash flows and have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

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We may become subject to additional Irish taxes based on the extent of our operations carried on in Ireland.

        Our Irish tax resident group companies are currently subject to Irish corporate income tax on trading income at a rate of 12.5%, on capital gains at 33% and on other income at 25%. We expect that substantially all of our Irish income will be treated as trading income for tax purposes in future periods. As of December 31, 2017, we had significant Irish tax losses available to carry forward against our trading income. The continued application of the 12.5% tax rate to trading income generated in our Irish tax resident group companies and the ability to carry forward Irish tax losses to offset future taxable trading income depends in part on the extent and nature of activities carried on in Ireland both in the past and in the future. Our Irish tax resident group companies intend to carry on their activities in Ireland so that the 12.5% rate of tax applicable to trading income will apply and that they will be entitled to offset future income with tax losses arising from the same trading activity.

We may fail to qualify for benefits under one or more tax treaties.

        We do not expect that our subsidiaries located outside of the United States will have any material U.S. federal income tax liability by reason of activities we carry out in the United States and the lease of assets to lessees that operate in the United States. This conclusion will depend, in part, on continued qualification for the benefits of income tax treaties between the United States and other countries in which we are subject to tax (particularly Ireland). That in turn may depend on, among others, the nature and level of activities carried on by us and our subsidiaries in each jurisdiction, the identity of the owners of equity interests in subsidiaries that are not wholly owned and the identities of the direct and indirect owners of our indebtedness.

        The nature of our activities may be such that our subsidiaries may not continue to qualify for the benefits under income tax treaties with the United States and that may not otherwise qualify for treaty benefits. Failure to so qualify could result in the imposition of U.S. federal and state taxes, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

Changes in tax laws may result in additional taxes for us or for our shareholders.

        Tax laws and the practice of the local tax authorities in the jurisdictions in which we reside, in which we conduct activities or operations, or where our aircraft or lessees of our aircraft are located may change in the future. Such changes in tax law or practice could result in additional taxes for us or our shareholders. On December 22, 2017, the United States enacted new tax legislation (the "Tax Legislation") that significantly revises the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Tax Legislation included, among other things, a reduction of the U.S. corporate income tax rate, limits on the deductibility of business interest, the ability to deduct certain capital expenditures and a new minimum tax on certain payments to non-U.S. affiliates of U.S. corporations. The impact of the Tax Legislation on the business and operations of our U.S. subsidiaries is currently unclear. We are currently conducting an analysis of the Tax Legislation as enacted and its effect on our business. In addition, the Tax Legislation is unclear in certain respects and will require interpretations and implementing regulations by the IRS, and could also be subject to potential amendments and technical corrections by Congress. Investors should consult with their tax advisors with respect to the effects of the Tax Legislation on their investment in our common shares.

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The introduction of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting ("BEPS") by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's ("OECD") may impact our effective rate of tax in future periods.

        The OECD issued various final reports under its BEPS action plan in October 2015 ("the BEPS Plan"). The OECD's reports cover issues such as the prevention of abuse of tax treaties, deductibility of interest costs, determination of permanent establishments and transfer pricing of services. Certain of the proposed BEPS changes to existing double tax treaties may be implemented by means of a Multi-lateral Instrument ("MLI"). On June 7, 2017, representatives from over 70 countries, including Ireland, participated in the OECD signing ceremony for the MLI. The MLI seeks to implement agreed tax treaty-related measures combating tax avoidance into bilateral existing tax treaties without the need to renegotiate a new treaty. It is possible that the MLI may have effect from as early as January 1, 2019, but the effective date could be later. Further changes to tax law will be required in order to fully implement the BEPS Plan. At this moment, it is difficult to determine what further BEPS actions the governments of the jurisdictions in which we operate will implement. Depending on the nature of the BEPS action plans adopted, it may result in an increase in our effective tax rate in future periods.

The EU Anti-tax Avoidance proposals may impact our effective rate of tax in future periods.

        The EU Commission has published a draft Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive ("EU ATAD") which seeks to oblige all member states to introduce a number of anti-tax avoidance measures. Many of these measures have been derived from the OECD's BEPS initiative and there are a number of similarities between the OECD proposals and EU ATAD. However, even where there are common concepts between the OECD BEPS initiative and EU ATAD, there are a number of differences in detail.

        Most of the measures contained in the EU ATAD are due to be implemented with effect from January 1, 2019, though certain measures may be deferred to 2024 in certain circumstances. The EU ATAD contemplates the introduction of various measures, including a restriction on the deductibility of interest, an exit charge, controlled foreign company rules and a general anti-avoidance rule. Furthermore, each member state will need to introduce EU ATAD in its own domestic law (to the extent the relevant member state's domestic tax law does not currently contain equivalent provisions) which may lead to some variances between EU member states. As such, until the detailed provisions for the implementation of the EU ATAD are known in each relevant country (including Ireland), it is difficult to be conclusive about the directive's potential impact on us.