Form: 10-K

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

February 18, 2022

Documents

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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021
or
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from                      to                     .
Commission File Number: 001-36733
AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS LTD.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Bermuda 2851 98-1073028
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)		 (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)		 (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
50 Applied Bank Blvd
Suite 300
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania 19342
(855) 547-1461
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of the registrant’s principal executive offices)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Common Shares, $1.00 par value AXTA New York Stock Exchange
(title of class) (Trading symbol) (Exchange on which registered)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Yes  ☒    No  ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act Yes  ☐    No  ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒ No  ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files).   Yes  ☒    No  ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Company is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one): Large accelerated filer ☒ Non-accelerated filer ☐ Accelerated filer ☐ Small reporting company ☐ Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
Indicate by a check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒
As of June 30, 2021, the last day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $7,049.9 million (based on the closing sale price of the common stock on that date on the New York Stock Exchange).
As of February 10, 2022, there were 224,532,960 shares of the registrant’s common shares outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Part III incorporates information by reference from the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual General Meeting of Members. Such proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the close of the registrant's fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.


Table of Contents
2
PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. ("Axalta," the "Company," "we," "our" and "us"), a Bermuda exempted holding company incorporated in 2012, is a leading global manufacturer, marketer and distributor of high-performance coatings systems. We have over a 150-year heritage in the coatings industry and are known for manufacturing high-quality products with well-recognized brands supported by market-leading technology and customer service. Over the course of our history, we have remained at the forefront of our industry by continually developing innovative coatings technologies designed to enhance the performance and appearance of our customers' products, while improving their productivity and profitability.
Our diverse global footprint allows us to meet the needs of our customer base through an extensive sales force and technical support organization, as well as independent, locally based distributors. Our scale and strong local presence are critical to our success, allowing us to leverage our technology portfolio and customer relationships globally while meeting customer demands locally. We operate our business in two operating segments, Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings, serving four end-markets globally as highlighted below. See the discussion and reconciliation of segment Adjusted EBIT to income before income taxes in Note 20 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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The table above reflects numbers for the year ended December 31, 2021. Adjusted EBIT Margin is calculated as Adjusted EBIT divided by net sales.
3
Net sales for our four end-markets and four regions for the year ended December 31, 2021 are highlighted below:
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Note: Latin America includes Mexico. EMEA represents Europe, Middle East and Africa.
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Performance Coatings
Through our Performance Coatings segment, we provide high-quality liquid and powder coatings solutions to both large regional and global original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") and to a fragmented and local customer base. We are one of only a few suppliers with the technology to provide precise color matching and highly durable coatings systems. The end-markets within this segment are refinish and industrial.
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Performance Coatings End-Markets
Refinish
Sales in the refinish end-market are driven by the number of vehicle collisions, owners' propensity to repair their vehicles, the number of miles vehicle owners drive and the size of the car parc. Although refinish coatings typically represent only a small portion of the overall vehicle repair cost, they are critical to the vehicle owner's satisfaction given their impact on appearance. As a result, body shop operators are most focused on coatings brands with a strong track record of performance and reliability. Body shops look for suppliers and brands with productivity enhancements, regulatory compliance, consistent quality, the presence of ongoing technical support and exact color match technologies. Color matching is a critical component of coatings supplier selection, since inexact matching adversely impacts vehicle appearance, and if repainting is required due to a poor match, it can reduce the speed and volume of repairs at a given shop.
We develop, market and supply a complete portfolio of innovative coatings systems and color matching technologies to facilitate faster automotive collision repairs relative to competing technologies. Our color matching technology provides Axalta-specific formulations that enable body shops to accurately match thousands of vehicle colors, regardless of vehicle brand, color, age or supplier of the original paint during production. It would be time consuming and costly for a new entrant to create such an extensive color inventory.
4
During 2021, we acquired U-POL Holdings Limited ("U-POL") a leading manufacturer of repair and refinish products used primarily for automotive refinish and aftermarket protective applications. The business produces a wide range of high-quality automotive refinishing products including fillers, aerosols, and adhesives as well as industry leading protective coatings. U-POL sells its products in over 100 countries and is widely known for its leading brands, including Raptor®, Dolphin®, and Gold™, among others. Axalta expects to accelerate the growth of U-POL's products by expanding market access through our existing sales and distribution channels while leveraging U-POL's distribution channels to extend the reach of its Refinish Coatings portfolio to new customers. U-POL's expertise in refinish accessories and protective coatings is highly complementary to Axalta's business and expands our addressable market into the important and growing mainstream and economy-based refinish segment as well as the consumer do-it-yourself aftermarket.
Industrial
The industrial end-market is comprised of liquid and powder coatings used in a broad array of end-business applications. Within the industrial end-market, we focus on the following:
•General Industrial: coatings for a wide and diverse array of applications, including racking and shelving, metal furniture, pipe and tube, metal enclosures and fencing, industrial components, and power storage and electrical boxes.
•Energy Solutions: liquid solutions to insulate copper wire used in motors and transformers and coatings to insulate sheets forming magnetic circuits of motors and transformers, computer elements and other electrical devices to provide increased motor and power efficiency, critical for today's automotive applications and focused on support for wind energy and new electric vehicles. Powder solutions provide motor and battery protection and insulation to enable engineering design.
•Architectural: powder and liquid coatings for applications such as window frames, curtain walls, and claddings, typically used in residential, industrial, commercial, and monumental buildings. Architects and designers can benefit from the advice of color experts and the latest trend collections available in our dedicated color experience rooms and online tools.
•Transportation: liquid and powder coatings for vehicle components, chassis, and wheels to protect against corrosion, provide increased durability and impart appropriate aesthetics. Total solutions to support agriculture, construction and earth moving market for protection and appearance requirements.
•Oil & Gas: liquid and powder products to coat tanks, pipelines, valves and fittings protecting against chemicals, corrosion and extreme temperatures in the oil & gas industry.
•Coil: coatings utilized in various applications such as metal building roof and wall panels, residential and commercial steel roofing, gutters, appliances, lighting, garage and entry doors, HVAC, office furniture and truck trailers.
•Building Products: coatings utilized in OEM and aftermarket industrial construction and building markets, including external building materials, cabinets, flooring and furniture.
Demand in this end-market is driven by a wide variety of macroeconomic factors, such as growth in GDP, new residential and commercial construction, as well as automotive and industrial production. There has also been an increase in demand for products that enhance environmental sustainability, corrosion resistance, productivity, and color aesthetics, which we provide through a combination of e-coat, waterborne, solventborne and powder technologies. Customers select industrial coatings based on protection, durability and appearance, with a drive for improved product and application sustainability.
With the increased global demand for electric vehicles skyrocketing, electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturers are designing and searching for solutions to power their vehicles, with innovation to extend performance and improve safety. Electric motors, batteries and EV powertrain components require protective coatings to maintain optimal temperatures, reduce the risk of fire and corrosion damage as well as to prevent electromagnetic interference. By leveraging Axalta's deep expertise in energy solutions coupled with our deep knowledge of the automotive industry and the eMobility market, Axalta has developed coating solutions tailored to the unique needs of the evolving EV industry.
Performance Coatings Products and Brands
We offer a comprehensive range of specially-formulated waterborne and solventborne products and systems used by the global automotive refinish industry to repair damaged vehicles. Our refinish products and systems comprise a range of coatings layers, including fillers, aerosols and adhesives acquired with the 2021 U-POL acquisition, required to match the vehicle's color and appearance, producing a repair surface indistinguishable from the adjacent surface.
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We provide systems that enable body shops to match more than 200,000 color variations, using a database with more than four million formulations, in the global market. Our color technology is manifested in the pigment and dispersion technology that are utilized in our tints, one of the most technologically advanced parts of the refinish coatings system, which makes up most of our products in a body shop. We have a large color library and several well-known, long-standing premium brands, including Cromax®, Standox®, Spies Hecker®, Syrox™, and Raptor®, as well as other regional and local brands.
Our color matching and retrieval systems allow customers to quickly match any color, preventing body shop technicians from having to repeat the color matching process, saving time and materials. The color matching process begins with a technician scanning a damaged vehicle with one of our advanced color matching tools, such as our Acquire Plus EFX™ hand-held spectrophotometer. The Acquire Plus EFX reads the vehicle color, evaluating both the unique flake and color characteristics of the specific vehicle. These characteristics may vary significantly, even for vehicles of the same make, model and original color, due to a variety of factors, including a vehicle's age, plant at which it was assembled, weather conditions and operating history. The Acquire Plus EFX electronically connects with our ColorNet® database and generates for the body shop technician the precise mix of tints and colors needed to recreate that specific color for the part being repaired. In addition to the Acquire Plus EFX, we offer customers several other color matching tools, including our VINdicator® database, which identifies vehicle color based on its vehicle identification number, and traditional color matching fan decks.
We are also a leading global developer, manufacturer and supplier of functional and decorative liquid and powder coatings for a large number of diversified applications in the industrial end-market. Through an acquisition completed in 2017, we have also become a leading manufacturer and supplier of coatings sold into the building materials, cabinet, wood and luxury vinyl flooring and furniture markets in North America. Our liquid systems are used to provide insulation and thermo-mechanical protection for electrical conductors and devices, protect automotive parts and serve as primers, basecoats, and clearcoats for alloy and steel wheels, and provide weatherability and corrosion protection for metal building and infrastructure projects. Powder coatings, both thermoset and thermoplastic, products are an environmentally responsible, higher transfer efficiency alternative to liquid coatings. These coatings are typically electrostatically sprayed using a specialized spray gun and cured to create a uniform, high-quality finish. In the oil & gas industry, our powder and liquid products are used to protect components from corrosion and severe conditions such as extreme temperatures, pressures, and harsh chemicals.
Our major industrial brands include Imron® Industrial, Tufcote™ Industrial, Corlar™ Industrial, Strenex™ Industrial, PercoTop®, Voltatex®, AquaEC™, Durapon®, Hydropon™, UNRIVALED™, and Ceranamel® for liquid coatings and Alesta®, Teodur®, Nap-Gard®, Abcite® and Plascoat® for powder coatings.
Performance Coatings Sales, Marketing and Distribution
We leverage a large global refinish sales and technical support team to effectively serve our broad refinish customer base of approximately 80,000 body shops. Most of our products are supplied by our network of approximately 4,000 independent local distributors. In select regions, including parts of Europe, we also sell directly to body-shop customers. Distributors maintain an inventory of our products to fill orders from body shops in their market and assume credit risk and responsibility for logistics, delivery and billing. In certain countries, we utilize importers that buy directly from us and actively market our products to body shops. Our relationships with our top ten distributors are longstanding and continue to contribute to our success in the global refinish market.
Our large sales force manages relationships directly with our end-customers to drive demand for our products, which in turn are purchased through customers in our distributor network. Due to the local nature of the refinish industry, our sales force operates on a regional/country basis to provide clients with responsive customer service and local insight. As part of their coverage efforts, salespeople introduce new products to body shops and provide technical support and ongoing training. We have 48 customer training centers established globally, which helps to deepen our customer relationships.
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Our sales force also helps to drive shop productivity improvements and to install or upgrade body shop color matching and mixing equipment to improve shop profitability. Once a coating and color system is installed, a body shop almost exclusively uses its specific supplier's products. The proprietary nature of a coatings supplier's color systems, the substantial inventory needed to support a body shop and the body shop's familiarity with an established brand lead to high levels of customer retention. Our customer retention rate levels have been and continue to be strong.
Our large direct sales team in industrial serves the end customers, driving demand which is then primarily filled directly or through channels of distribution and e-commerce. We leverage this dedicated sales force and technical service team to provide regional support and focus global innovation projects to meet the evolving market needs. We are one of only three truly global powder coatings producers that can satisfy the needs and specifications of a customer in multiple regions of the world, while maximizing productivity from the broad scale and scope of our operations.
Performance Coatings Customers
Within our Performance Coatings segment, we sell coatings to customers in more than 140 countries. Our top ten customers accounted for approximately 18% of our Performance Coatings net sales during the year ended December 31, 2021.
In our industrial and refinish end-markets we serve both large OEMs and a broad, fragmented customer base. Our industrial end-market is comprised of a wide variety of industrial manufacturers, while our refinish end-market is primarily comprised of approximately 80,000 body shops, including:
•Independent Body Shops: Single location body shops that utilize premium, mainstream or economy brands based on the local market.
•Multi-Shop Operators ("MSOs"): Body shops with more than five locations focused on providing premium paint jobs with industry leading efficiency. MSOs use premium/mainstream coatings and state-of-the-art painting technology to increase shop productivity, allowing them to repair more vehicles faster.
•Original Equipment Manufacturer Dealership Body Shops: High-productivity body shops, located in OEM car dealerships, that operate like MSOs and provide premium services to customers using premium/mainstream coatings.
Performance Coatings Competition
Our primary competitors in the refinish end-market include AkzoNobel, BASF and PPG, but we also compete against local and regional players in local markets. Similarly, in the industrial end-market, we compete against multi-national suppliers, such as AkzoNobel, PPG and Sherwin-Williams, as well as a large number of local and regional players in local markets. We are one of the few performance coatings companies that can provide the customer service, total technology solutions, color design capability and the product performance necessary to deliver exceptional value to our customers.
Mobility Coatings
Through our Mobility Coatings segment, we provide coatings technologies while focusing on supporting the accelerating demand for e-mobility and the evolving coatings needs of established and emerging light and commercial vehicle OEMs, fleet owners and shared mobility providers. These global customers are faced with evolving megatrends in sustainability, personalization and autonomous driving that require a high level of technical support coupled with productive, environmentally responsible coatings systems that can be applied with a high degree of precision, consistency and speed.
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Our solutions portfolio brings together the best of Axalta's experience and innovation into three categories: Core Mobility Solutions, Advanced Mobility Solutions and Axalta Advantage.
•Core Mobility Solutions comprises Axalta's best-in-class basecoats and clearcoats for color and beautification along with primers, electrocoats and powder applications for surface protection.
•Advanced Mobility Solutions encompasses products and applications for mass customization, two-tone and digital paint. It includes coatings with enhanced functionality that improve LiDAR and radar performance and exterior protection for electric vehicle platforms and components.
•Axalta Advantage features expert services and consulting to improve productivity in and outside the paint shop, including application design, process improvement, cost and CO2 modeling, and troubleshooting.
Mobility Coatings End-Markets
Light Vehicle
Demand for light vehicle products is driven by the production of light vehicles in a particular region. Light vehicle OEMs select coatings providers on the basis of their global ability to deliver core and advanced technological solutions that improve exterior appearance and durability and provide long-term corrosion protection. These customers also look for suppliers that offer sustainable solutions that aid in the customer portfolio transformation and can enhance process efficiency to improve productivity and provide superior technical service support. Rigorous environmental and durability testing as well as obtaining engineering approvals are also key criteria used by global light vehicle OEMs when selecting coatings providers. Globally integrated suppliers are important because they offer products with consistent standards across regions and are able to deliver high-quality products in sufficient quantity while meeting OEM service requirements. Our global scale, people expertise, innovative technology platforms, and customer focus, position us to be a global partner and solutions provider to the most discerning and demanding light vehicle OEMs. We are one of the few coatings producers that can provide OEMs with global product specifications, standardized color development, compatibility with an ever-increasing number of substrates, automotive plastics supplies, increasingly complex colors and environmentally responsible coatings while continuing to simplify and reduce steps in the coating application process.
Commercial Vehicle
Sales in the commercial vehicle end-market are generated from a variety of applications, including non-automotive transportation (i.e., HDT, bus and rail), motorcycles, marine and aviation, as well as related markets such as trailers, recreational vehicles and personal sport vehicles. This end-market is primarily driven by global commercial vehicle production, which is influenced by overall economic activity, government infrastructure spending, equipment replacement cycles and evolving environmental standards for sustainability.
Commercial vehicle OEMs select coatings providers on the basis of their ability to consistently deliver advanced technological solutions that improve exterior appearance, protection and durability and provide extensive color libraries and matching capabilities at the lowest total cost-in-use, while meeting stringent environmental requirements. Particularly for HDT applications, truck owners demand a significant variety of custom colors and advanced product technologies to enable custom designs. Our strong market position and growth are driven by our ability to provide customers with our market-leading brand, Imron®, as well as leveraging our global product lines, regional knowledge and service.
Mobility Coatings Products and Brands
We develop and supply a complete coatings product line for light vehicle OEMs. Our products are designed to enhance the styling and appearance of a vehicle's exterior while providing protection from the elements, extending the life of the vehicle. Widely recognized in the industry for our advanced and patented technologies, our products not only increase productivity and profitability for OEMs but also produce attractive and durable finishes. Our light vehicle coatings portfolio is one of the broadest in the industry.
The coatings operation is a critical component of the vehicle assembly process, requiring a high degree of precision, speed and productivity. The paint shop process typically includes a dip process, three application zones and three high-temperature ovens that cure each coating layer at temperatures ranging from 320°F to 400°F (i.e., "high bake"). Our key products consist of the four main coatings layers: electrocoat (AquaEC™), primer (HyperDur™), basecoat (ChromaDyne™) and clearcoat (Lumeera™).
The coatings process accounts for a majority of the total energy consumed during the vehicle manufacturing process. As a result, we have developed Harmonized Coating TechnologiesTM, including 3-Wet, Eco-Concept and 2-Wet Monocoat, that help our OEM customers lower costs by reducing energy consumption while increasing productivity.
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In today's existing transportation ecosystem, coatings provide essential beauty and color to vehicle bodies while adding corrosion and impact protection. As the industry evolves, each dimension of mobility – electric vehicles, shared transportation and autonomous driving – requires coatings with advanced functionality that, in addition to aesthetics and protection, contributes to the efficiency of electrification, vehicle design, navigation and passenger safety, among other areas. The evolution of mobility creates tremendous opportunities for OEMs but requires them to undertake significant shifts in how they design and produce vehicles. OEMs are also increasingly looking to reduce the weight of vehicles in response to increasing vehicle emissions and fuel consumption regulations. As a result, OEMs are constructing vehicle platforms using a variety of new materials in addition to steel and plastic, including aluminum, carbon fiber and other substrates, LiDAR and Radar sensory, each of which requires specialized coatings formulations to create a uniform color and finish. We continue to innovate with our OEM customers in driving this trend, as evidenced by use of our coatings on their flagship vehicle platforms.
We also develop and supply a wide array of coatings systems for a broad range of commercial vehicle applications including HDT, bus and rail. These products simultaneously enhance aesthetic appearance and provide protection from the elements. We meet the demands of commercial vehicle customers with our extensive offering of over 75,000 different colors. In the HDT market, because the metal and composite components are painted simultaneously in an automatic process, most truck OEMs use low bake coatings to ensure that the plastic composite parts on a truck's exterior do not deform during the bake process. Truck owners demand a wide variety of custom colors that are formulated using a combination of on-site mixing machines at the OEM or direct shipments of premixed high-volume colors from us. Our commercial vehicle brands include Imron®, Imron Elite®, Centari®, Rival®, Corlar® epoxy undercoats and AquaEC™.
Mobility Coatings Sales, Marketing and Distribution
We have full-time technical representatives stationed at certain OEM facilities around the world. These on-site representatives provide customer support, monitor the painting process and track paint demand at each assembly plant. Monitoring OEM line performance in real-time allows our technical support teams to help improve paint department operating efficiency and provide performance feedback to our formulating chemists and paint manufacturing teams. Our customer technical support representatives also help OEMs manage their physical inventory by forecasting facility coatings demand based on the customer's build schedule.
We sell and ship products directly to light vehicle OEMs in each of our four regions coordinated via a global point of contact for each customer and assist OEMs with on-site customer support. Located in 11 countries, our manufacturing facilities provide a local presence that enables us to cultivate strong relationships, gain intimate customer knowledge, provide superior technical support to our key customers and maintain "just-in-time" product delivery capabilities critical to OEMs. Our local presence also allows us to quickly react to changing local dynamics, offer high-quality products and provide excellent customer service.
In the commercial vehicle end-market, we employ a dedicated sales and technical service team to support our diverse customer base, including a direct sales force supporting the HDT market. We ship our coatings directly to commercial vehicle OEMs and provide on-site technical service representatives that play an important role by helping to optimize the painting process and by providing responsive customer support.
Mobility Coatings Customers
We provide our products and services to light and commercial vehicle customers at over 200 assembly plants worldwide, including all of the top ten global automotive manufacturers. We have a stable customer base with several relationships dating back approximately 90 years and believe we are well positioned with the fastest growing OEMs in both the developed and emerging markets. Our top ten customers accounted for approximately 67% of our Mobility Coatings net sales during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Mobility Coatings Competition
We primarily compete against large multi-national suppliers such as PPG and BASF in the light and commercial vehicle end-markets. Additionally, we compete against certain regional players in Asia Pacific and EMEA. With our state-of-the-art coatings solutions and local presence in key OEM markets, we are one of the few competitors in the industry that offers global OEM manufacturers the combination of high-quality products, personalized, top-rate technical service and short lead-times for product delivery.
KEY RAW MATERIALS
We use thousands of different raw materials, which fall into seven broad categories: liquid resins, powder resins, pigments, solvents, monomers, isocyanates and additives. On average, our total raw material spend represents between 40% and 50% of our cost of sales, even during 2021 despite significant raw material inflation experienced throughout the year. We purchase raw materials from a diverse group of suppliers, with our top ten suppliers representing approximately 33% of our 2021 spending on raw materials.
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Approximately 65% of the raw materials we procure are derived from crude oil and natural gas. While prices for these raw materials fluctuate with energy prices, such fluctuations are somewhat mitigated by the fact that the majority of our raw materials are fourth to sixth generation derivatives of crude oil and natural gas. The dynamics of supply and demand play a much more critical role in our cost of raw materials than just the price of crude oil. Non-petrochemical based inputs such as minerals that are used to manufacture coating pigments are not significantly affected by volatility in crude oil prices but tend to be impacted by the supply-demand dynamics of their industry.
Historically, to manage raw material volatility, we have used a combination of price increases to customers and, in certain limited circumstances, contractual raw material recovery mechanisms. Since 2001, our variable cost of sales has remained stable between 35% and 45% of net sales, even during 2021 despite significant raw material inflation experienced throughout the year.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Our focus on technology has allowed us to proactively provide customers with next-generation offerings that enhance product performance, improve productivity and satisfy increasingly strict environmental regulations. Since our entry into the coatings industry over 150 years ago, we believe we have consistently been at the forefront of coatings technology innovation. These innovations have played a fundamental role in our ability to maintain and grow our global market share as well as deliver substantial financial returns.
We believe that we are a technology leader well positioned to benefit from continued industry shifts in customer needs. Our markets are among the most demanding in the coatings industry with high levels of product performance that continuously evolves, with increasing expectations for productivity on customer lines and with environmentally responsible products. Our technology development is led by a highly experienced and educated workforce that is focused on new product development, color development, technical customer support and improving our manufacturing processes. As such, our technology development covers two critical interrelated aspects for us, research and development as well as technical support and manufacturing. In total, as of December 31, 2021, we have approximately 1,300 people dedicated to technology development. We operate four major technology centers throughout the world where we develop and align our technology investments with regional business needs complemented by approximately 28 regional laboratories which provide local connection to our global customer base. This includes our Global Innovation Center located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which opened in 2018 for global research, product development and technology initiatives.
PATENTS, LICENSES AND TRADEMARKS
As of December 31, 2021, we had a global portfolio of approximately 740 issued patents and more than 480 trademarks. We actively apply for and obtain U.S. and foreign patents and trademarks on new products and process innovations and as of December 31, 2021, approximately 230 patent applications were pending throughout the world.
Our primary purpose in obtaining patents is to protect the results of our research for use in operations and licensing. We are also party to a substantial number of patent licenses and other technology agreements. We have a significant number of trademarks and trademark registrations in the United States and in other countries, as described below.
We own or otherwise have rights to the trademarks, service marks, copyrights and trade names used in conjunction with the marketing and sale of our products and services. These trademarks include Abcite®, Alesta®, AquaEC®, AudurraTM, Centari®, Ceranamel®, ChallengerTM, ChemophanTM, ColorNet®, Corlar®, Cromax®, Cromax Mosaic®, Durapon 70®, DuxoneTM, Harmonized Coating Technologies®, Hydropon®, Imron®, Imron EliteTM, Imron ExcelProTM, LutophenTM, Nap-Gard®, Nason®, Raptor®, Rival®, Spies Hecker®, Standox®, StollaquidTM, SyntopalTM, SyroxTM, U-POLTM, Vermeera® and Voltatex®, which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are the property of us and our subsidiaries.
Although we consider that our patents, licenses and trademarks in the aggregate constitute a valuable asset, we do not regard our business as being materially dependent on any single or group of related patents, licenses or trademarks.
JOINT VENTURES
At December 31, 2021 we were party to eight joint ventures, of which three were focused in the industrial end-market, three were focused in the light vehicle end-market and two were focused in the refinish end-market. At December 31, 2021 we were the majority shareholder, and/or exercise control, in six joint ventures, which we consolidated. Our fully consolidated joint venture-related net sales were $80.7 million, $76.3 million, and $254.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. See Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business—Risks Related to Other Aspects of our Business—Our joint ventures may not operate according to our business strategy if our joint venture partners fail to fulfill their obligations".
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ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE
During January 2022, we announced a new environmental, social and governance ("ESG") framework, which is structured under three key pillars and the related goals:
•Planet Solutions: Focused on ensuring a more sustainable future for the planet, this first pillar includes a series of goals aimed at improving the Company's environmental performance and reducing the impact of its global operations, including our goals to achieve an absolute reduction of 50 percent of Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, as well as a goal to become carbon neutral in our operations by 2040 – one decade ahead of the deadline set by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. In addition to these reduction targets, Axalta is taking steps towards our goal of a 10 percent reduction of VOC emissions, process waste, and water use from operations by 2030.
•Business Solutions: This second pillar concentrates on how Axalta's products, services, and technology can help customers design and manufacture their finished products to help accelerate their own sustainability initiatives and achievements. Axalta is committing to deliver sustainability benefits from 80 percent of its new technology and innovation developments by 2030 and increasing, by at least 20 percent, the total percentage of net sales derived from products, services, and tools that offer sustainability benefits.
•People Solutions: Building on Axalta's corporate culture, which is rooted in inclusivity, integrity, safety, and engagement, this third pillar will ensure that the Company continues operating and fostering an environment where all of our people can thrive. The Company is committing to creating a more diverse and inclusive environment that results in increasing the representation of women in management positions globally to at least 30 percent by 2030. Axalta will continue to support its local communities via its Bright Futures Program, which includes STEM and vocational scholarships.
HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES
Our success is realized through the engagement and commitment of our people. As of December 31, 2021, we had approximately 13,000 team members, including 12,000 employees and 1,000 contractors, with 25% of our team members based in the U.S. and 75% based in international locations. Our workforce is distributed globally, with approximately 44% in the Americas, 39% in EMEA and 17% in Asia Pacific.
Axalta's ability to attract, develop and retain highly skilled talent requires us to focus on the growth and well-being of each team member. As a global coatings manufacturer, we have a wide range of employees, including but not limited to management professionals, scientists, technicians, engineers, sales, technical, manufacturing operations, supply chain, administrative and customer service personnel. We drive to create a performance-driven culture where employees feel included and find a sense of belonging. It is also important that we provide an environment that fosters inclusivity and embraces diversity where everyone feels they have a voice and their contributions are valued. In support of this, our first all employee engagement survey took place in 2021. Capturing the voice of our employees through this survey provided actionable insights into the specific tools, processes, and other factors that enable our employees to perform at their best.
We strive to provide a wide variety of opportunities for growth for our employees, including online trainings, on-the-job experience, education tuition assistance and financial counseling. We also aim to provide competitive compensation and benefits across all of our global locations.
In addition, the health and well-being of our employees is foundational to Axalta's success. In 2020, we launched "Flex Your Work", a program that is intended to support the work-life balance of our office-based employees by allowing them to work from home up to two days a week. We are also committed to providing a workplace that enables team members to operate safely, including safety protocols to ensure the health and safety of our employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety is ingrained in the way we do business and our safety program is structured on the foundation that every employee is engaged and committed to improving safe operating practices and eliminating injuries. When health and safety incidents do occur, we strive to determine the causes and eliminate the potential for future similar incidents. In 2021, Axalta's injury and illness performance resulted in a 0.24 OSHA Recordable Incident Rate ("TRIR"), compared to the 1.6 OSHA Recordable Incident Rate for the Paint and Coating Manufacturing Industry (according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 data). An internal review revealed that, for 2017-2020, we had miscalculated our TRIR. Our TRIR for each of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, as recalculated, was 0.40, 0.46, 0.30 and 0.16, respectively.
The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors has oversight of the Company's human capital management efforts. The Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Committee of our Board of Directors has oversight of the Company's policies to protect the health and safety of our employees and contractors, and this committee regularly reviews data on our safety metrics and performance.
We encourage you to visit the sustainability section, and other sections, of our website for more detailed information regarding our human capital resources, programs, and initiatives. Nothing on our website shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
Our business is subject to significant regulations in all of the markets that we operate and we are committed to operating our business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Environmental
We are subject to applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and workers' safety, including those required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Our Environment, Health, Safety ("EHS") and Sustainability policies and standards are a key element of the foundation upon which we develop, market, manufacture, and distribute products and services to our global customers. In 2017, we established a Board-level committee responsible for the oversight of our EHS and Sustainability policies, performance, strategy and compliance matters. We operate our manufacturing facilities using a common set of internal standards. These standards support a consistent approach to EHS and Sustainability performance improvement. We strive to assure that all our manufacturing and distribution facilities are operated in compliance in all known material respects to applicable environmental requirements. Investigation, remediation, operation and maintenance costs associated with environmental compliance and management of sites are a normal recurring part of our operations. We do not expect outstanding remediation obligations to have a material impact on our financial position; however, the ultimate cost of remediation is subject to a number of variables and is difficult to accurately predict. We may also incur significant additional costs as a result of contamination that is discovered and/or government required remediation obligations that are imposed at these or other properties in the future.
Non-U.S. Sales
Our non-U.S. sales are subject to both U.S. and non-U.S. governmental regulations and procurement policies and practices, including regulations relating to import-export control, tariffs, investment, exchange controls, anti-corruption and repatriation of earnings. Non-U.S. sales are also subject to varying currency, political and economic risks.
Privacy Regulations
We are also subject to and comply with increasingly complex privacy and data protection laws and regulations in the United States and other jurisdictions. This includes the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), which enforces rules relating to the protection of processing and movement of personal data. The interpretation and enforcement of such regulations are continuously evolving and there may be uncertainty with respect to how to comply with them. Noncompliance with GDPR and other data protection laws could result in damage to our reputation and payment of significant monetary penalties.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
Our website address is www.axalta.com. We post, and shareholders may access without charge, our recent filings and any amendments thereto of our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and proxy statements as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). We also post all financial press releases, including earnings releases, to our website. All other reports filed or furnished to the SEC on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, including current reports on Form 8-K, are available via direct link on our website. Reference to our and the SEC's websites herein do not incorporate by reference any information contained on those websites and such information should not be considered part of this Form 10-K.
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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
As a global manufacturer, marketer and distributor of high-performance coatings systems, we operate in a business environment that includes risks. These risks are not unlike the risks we have faced in the recent past nor are they unlike risks faced by our competitors. If any of the events contemplated by the following discussion of risks should occur, our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could suffer materially and adversely. While the factors listed here are considered to be the more significant factors, they should not be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors, including those in other documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may materially and adversely affect our businesses, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Risks Related to our Business
Risks Related to Execution of our Strategic and Operating Plans
Our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and stock price has been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Axalta continues to monitor closely the impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of our business and geographies, including effects on customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and distribution channels, as well as macroeconomic consequences. COVID-19 has had and may continue to have an adverse impact on demand for our products and, thus, our income from operations. Although we have continued to operate our facilities to date, consistent with applicable governmental orders, the effects of COVID-19 may have a material adverse effect on our operations, supply chain, customers, labor availability and logistics networks, including business shutdowns, employee vaccination requirements or similar mandates and other disruptions. The extent to which COVID-19 may adversely impact our business depends on future developments, which are highly uncertain and unpredictable, the severity and duration of the virus, including novel variants, and the effectiveness of actions taken globally to contain or mitigate its effects, including any ongoing actions in response to changing health conditions over time. Any resulting financial impact cannot be estimated reasonably at this time, but may materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may experience materially adverse impacts to our business due to any resulting economic recession or depression, as well as other resulting macroeconomic conditions. Additionally, concerns over the economic impact of COVID-19 have caused extreme volatility in financial and other capital markets which has and may continue to adversely impact our stock price and our ability to access to debt financing and capital markets.
Our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected by difficult economic conditions, and/or significant volatility in the capital, credit and commodities markets.
Several of the end-markets we serve are cyclical, and macroeconomic and other factors beyond our control could reduce demand from these end-markets for our products, including as a result of depressed demand for our customers' products or services, and materially adversely affecting our business, financial condition and results of operations and cash flows. For example, weak economic and other macroeconomic conditions, such as the semiconductor chip shortage during 2021, has in the past and could in the future depress new car sales and/or production, reducing demand for our light vehicle OEM coatings and limit the growth of the car parc. This could, in turn, cause a related decline in demand for our automotive refinish coatings because, as the age of a vehicle increases, the propensity of car owners to pay for cosmetic repairs generally decreases. Also, during difficult economic times, car owners may refrain from seeking repairs for their damaged vehicles. Similarly, periods of reduced global economic activity could hinder global industrial output, which could decrease demand for our industrial and commercial vehicle coating products.
Our global business is adversely affected by decreases in the general level of economic activity, such as decreases in business and consumer spending, construction activity and industrial manufacturing. Disruptions in the U.S., Europe or other economies, or weakening of emerging markets, such as China, could adversely affect our sales, profitability and/or liquidity.
Further, a tightening of credit in financial markets could adversely affect the ability of our customers and suppliers to obtain financing for significant purchases and operations, could result in a decrease in or cancellation of orders for our products and services and could impact the ability of our customers to make payments owed to us. Similarly, a tightening of credit in financial markets could adversely affect our supplier base and increase the potential for one or more of our suppliers to experience financial distress or bankruptcy.
Improved safety features on vehicles, commercialization of autonomous vehicles, insurance company influence, the introduction of new business models or new methods of travel, and weather conditions may reduce the demand for some of our products and could have a negative effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Vehicle manufacturers continue to develop new safety features such as collision avoidance technology and self-driving vehicles that may reduce the rate and amount of vehicle collisions, potentially negatively impacting demand for our refinish
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coatings. Insurance companies may influence vehicle owners to use body shops that do not use our products, which could also negatively impact demand for our refinish coatings. In addition, through the introduction of new technologies, new business models or new methods of travel, such as ridesharing, the number of automotive OEM new-builds may decline, potentially reducing demand for our automotive OEM coatings. Furthermore, from time to time, weather conditions have an adverse effect on our sales of coatings and related products. For example, unusually mild weather during winter months may lead to fewer vehicle collisions, reducing market demand for our refinish coatings. Any resulting reduction in demand for our refinish coatings could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The loss of or reduced purchases by any of our largest customers, or the consolidation of MSOs, distributors and/or body shops, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We have some customers that purchase a large amount of products from us and we are also reliant on distributors to assist us in selling our products. Our largest single customer accounted for approximately 5% of our 2021 net sales and our largest distributor accounted for approximately 3% of our 2021 net sales. Consolidation of any of our customers, including MSOs, distributors and body shops, could decrease our customer base and impact our results of operations if the resulting business seeks different sales terms or chooses to use one of our competitors for the consolidated business. The loss of any of our large customers or significant changes in their level of purchases, as a result of changes in business conditions, working capital levels, product requirements, consolidation or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We rely on our distributor network and third-party delivery services for the distribution and export of certain of our products. A significant disruption in these services or significant increases in prices for those services may disrupt our ability to export material or increase our costs.
We ship a significant portion of our products to our customers through our distributor network as well as independent third-party delivery companies. If any of our key distributors or third-party delivery providers experiences a significant disruption, our products may not be delivered in a timely fashion. In addition, if our key distributors or third-party delivery providers increase prices and we are not able to pass along these increases to customers, find comparable alternatives or adjust our delivery network, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected.
Price increases, business and supply chain interruptions, declines in the supply of raw materials or disruptions to our major tolling arrangements could have a significant impact on our ability to grow or sustain earnings.
Our manufacturing processes consume significant amounts of raw materials, the costs of which are subject to change based on fluctuations in worldwide supply and demand as well as other factors beyond our control, including inflationary pressures like those seen during 2021. We use a significant amount of raw materials derived from crude oil and natural gas. As a result, volatile oil and gas prices, as well as other unrelated factors, can cause significant variations in our raw materials costs, affecting our operating results. In rising raw material price environments, we may be unable to pass along these increased costs to our customers. In declining raw material price environments, customers may seek price concessions from us greater than any raw material cost savings we realize. If we are not able to fully offset the effects of higher raw materials costs, or if customers demand greater raw material price concessions than we obtain in low raw material cost environments, our financial results could deteriorate. Additionally, we obtain certain of our raw materials from selected key suppliers. If any sole source supplier of raw materials ceases supplying raw materials to us, or if any of our key suppliers is unable to meet its obligations in a timely fashion or at an acceptable price, or at all, we may be forced to incur higher costs to obtain the necessary raw materials elsewhere or, in limited instances, we may not be able to obtain the necessary raw materials. Additionally, in certain instances, we rely on third parties to toll manufacture certain of our intermediates and products. If any of our key tolling partners cease to provide toll manufacturing services to us, either permanently or temporarily, we would be required to procure alternative manufacturing arrangements, which we may not be able to arrange on a timely basis or at all.

In addition to the risks associated with raw materials prices, supplier capacity constraints, supplier production disruptions, including supply disruptions from our sole source or other key suppliers, supply chain and logistics congestion and disruptions, increasing costs for energy, the unavailability of certain raw materials or disruptions to our key tolling arrangements could result in harm to our manufacturing capabilities or supply imbalances that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Failure to develop and market new products and manage product life cycles could impact our competitive position and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our operating results are largely dependent on our development and management of our portfolio of current, new and developing products and services as well as our ability to bring those products and services to market. Difficulties or delays in product development, such as the inability to identify viable new products, successfully complete research and development, obtain relevant regulatory approvals, effectively manage our manufacturing process or costs, obtain intellectual property protection, or gain market acceptance of new products and services could have a material adverse effect on our
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business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Because of the lengthy and costly development process, technological challenges and intense competition, we cannot assure you that any of the products we are currently developing, or that we may develop in the future, will achieve commercial success. For example, in addition to developing technologically advanced products, commercial success of those products will depend on customer acceptance and implementation of those products as well as the products and services offered and developed by our current and future competitors. A failure to develop commercially successful products or to develop additional uses for existing products could materially adversely affect our business, financial results, results of operations or cash flows. Further, sales of our new products could replace sales of some of our current products, offsetting the benefit of even a successful product introduction.
Risks Related to our Global Operations
As a global business, we are subject to risks associated with our non-U.S. operations that are not present in the United States.
We conduct our business on a global basis, with approximately 64% of our 2021 net sales occurring outside the United States. We anticipate that international sales will continue to represent a substantial portion of our net sales and that our strategy for continued growth and profitability will entail further international expansion, particularly in emerging markets. Changes in local and regional economic conditions could affect product demand in our non-U.S. operations. Specifically, our financial results could be affected by changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies, laws and regulations, or other activities of U.S. and non-U.S. governments, agencies and similar organizations. These conditions include, but are not limited to, changes in a country's or region's social, economic or political conditions, trade regulations affecting production, pricing and marketing of products, local labor conditions and regulations, reduced protection of intellectual property rights, changes in the regulatory or legal environment, restrictions on currency exchange activities, burdensome taxes and tariffs and other trade barriers, as well as the imposition of economic or other trade sanctions, each of which could impact our ability to do business in certain jurisdictions or with certain persons. For example, the U.S. government has taken actions or made proposals that are intended to address trade imbalances or trade practices, specifically with China, among other countries, which include encouraging increased production in the United States. These actions and proposals have resulted or could result in increased customs duties and the renegotiation of some U.S. trade agreements, as well as other retaliatory actions.
Risks Related to Legal and Regulatory Compliance and Litigation
Our failure to comply with the anti-corruption laws of the United States and various international jurisdictions could negatively impact our reputation and results of operations.
Doing business on a global basis requires us to comply with the laws and regulations of the U.S. government and those of various international and sub-national jurisdictions, and our failure to successfully comply with these rules and regulations may expose us to liabilities which may be significant. These laws and regulations apply to companies, individual directors, officers, employees and agents, and may restrict our operations, trade practices, investment decisions and partnering activities. In particular, our international operations are subject to U.S. and foreign anti-corruption laws and regulations, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the "FCPA"), the United Kingdom Bribery Act 2010 (the "Bribery Act") as well as anti-corruption laws of the various jurisdictions in which we operate. The FCPA, the Bribery Act and other laws prohibit us and our officers, directors, employees and agents acting on our behalf from corruptly offering, promising, authorizing or providing anything of value to foreign officials for the purposes of influencing official decisions or obtaining or retaining business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment. As part of our business, we may, from time to time, deal with state-owned business enterprises, the employees and representatives of which may be considered foreign officials for purposes of the FCPA or the Bribery Act. We are subject to the jurisdiction of various governments and regulatory agencies outside of the U.S., which may bring our personnel into contact with foreign officials responsible for issuing or renewing permits, licenses or approvals or for enforcing or overseeing other governmental regulations. In addition, some of the international locations in which we operate lack a developed legal system and have elevated levels of corruption. Our global operations expose us to the risk of violating, or being accused of violating, the foregoing or other anti-corruption laws. Such violations could be punishable by criminal fines, imprisonment, civil penalties, disgorgement of profits, injunctions and exclusion from government contracts, as well as other remedial measures. Investigations of alleged violations can be very expensive, disruptive and damaging to our reputation. Although we have implemented anti-corruption policies and procedures and provide training on these matters, there can be no guarantee that these policies, procedures and training will effectively prevent violations by our employees or representatives in the future. Additionally, we face a risk that our distributors and other business partners may violate the FCPA, the Bribery Act or similar laws or regulations. Such violations could expose us to FCPA and Bribery Act liability and/or our reputation may potentially be harmed by their violations and resulting sanctions and fines.
Evolving environmental, safety or other regulations and laws could have a material adverse effect on our business and consolidated financial condition.
Our manufacturing activities and products, both in and outside of the U.S., are subject to regulation by various federal, state, provincial and local laws, regulations and government agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well
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as other authorities both inside and outside of the U.S. In addition, legal and regulatory systems in emerging and developing markets may be less developed, and less certain. Laws and regulations, and the interpretation and enforcement thereof, may change as a result of a variety of factors, including political, economic, regulatory or social events. The specific impact of changing laws and regulations, or the interpretation or enforcement of current or future laws and regulations, on our business may vary depending on a number of factors. As a result of changing laws and regulations, or the interpretation or enforcement of current or future laws and regulations, we may be required to make expenditures to modify operations, relocate operations, perform site cleanups or other environmental remediation, or curtail or cease operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
As a result of our current and past operations and/or products, including operations and/or products related to our businesses prior to the Acquisition, we could incur significant environmental liabilities and costs.
We are subject to various laws and regulations around the world governing the protection of the environment and health and safety, including the discharge of pollutants to air and water and the management and disposal of hazardous substances. These laws and regulations not only govern our current operations and products, but also impose potential liability on us for our or our predecessors' past operations. We could incur fines, penalties and other sanctions as a result of violations of such laws and regulations. In addition, as a result of our operations and/or products, including our past operations and/or products related to our businesses prior to the acquisition of DuPont Performance Coatings ("DPC"), a business formerly owned by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont"), including certain assets of DPC and all of the capital stock and other equity interests of certain entities engaged in the DPC business (the "Acquisition"), we could incur substantial costs, including costs relating to remediation and restoration activities and third-party claims for property damage or personal injury. The ultimate costs under environmental laws and the timing of these costs are difficult to accurately predict. Our accruals for costs and liabilities at sites where contamination is being investigated or remediated may not be adequate because the estimates on which the accruals are based depend on a number of factors, including the nature of the matter, the complexity of the site, site geology, the nature and extent of contamination, the type of remedy, the outcome of discussions with regulatory agencies and, at multi-party sites, other Potentially Responsible Parties ("PRPs") and the number and financial viability of other PRPs. Additional contamination may also be identified, and/or additional cleanup obligations may be incurred, at these or other sites in the future. For example, periodic monitoring or investigation activities are ongoing at a number of our sites where contaminants have been detected or are suspected, and we may incur additional costs if more active or extensive remediation is required. In addition, in connection with the Acquisition, DuPont has, subject to certain exceptions and exclusions, agreed to indemnify us for certain liabilities relating to environmental remediation obligations and certain claims relating to the exposure to hazardous substances and products manufactured prior to our separation from DuPont. We could incur material additional costs if DuPont fails to meet its obligations, if the indemnification proves insufficient or if we otherwise are unable to recover costs associated with such liabilities. The costs of our current operations, complying with complex environmental laws and regulations, as well as internal voluntary programs, are significant and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future as environmental regulations become more stringent. We cannot predict the impact that changing climate conditions or more frequent and severe weather events, if any, will have on our business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. Moreover, we cannot predict how legal, regulatory and social responses to concerns about global climate change will impact our business.
We handle and transport certain materials that are inherently hazardous due to their toxic nature.
In our business, we handle and transport hazardous materials. If mishandled or released into the environment, these materials could cause substantial property damage or personal injuries resulting in significant legal claims against us. In addition, evolving regulations concerning the handling and transportation of certain materials could result in increased future capital or operating costs.
Our results of operations could be adversely affected by litigation and claims.
We face risks arising from various litigation matters and other claims that have been asserted against us or that may be asserted against us in the future, including, but not limited to, claims for product liability, patent and trademark infringement, antitrust, warranty, contract and third-party property damage or personal injury, including claims arising from the matters described in Note 6 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in the Annual Report on Form 10-K. For instance, we have noted a nationwide trend in purported class actions against chemical manufacturers generally seeking relief such as medical monitoring, property damages, off-site remediation and punitive damages arising from alleged environmental torts without claiming present personal injuries. We have also noted a trend in public and private nuisance suits being filed on behalf of states, counties, cities and utilities alleging harm to the general public. In addition, various factors or developments can lead to changes in current estimates of liabilities such as a final adverse judgment, significant settlement or changes in applicable law. A future adverse ruling or unfavorable development could result in future charges that could have a material adverse effect on us. An adverse outcome in any one or more of these matters could be material to our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In particular, product liability claims, regardless of their merits, could be costly, divert management's attention and adversely affect our reputation and demand for our products.
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Risks Related to Human Resources
If we are required to make unexpected payments to any pension plans applicable to our employees, our financial condition may be adversely affected.
We have defined benefit pension plans in which many of our current and former employees outside the U.S. participate or have participated. Many of these plans are underfunded or unfunded and the liabilities in relation to these plans will need to be satisfied as they mature from our operating reserves. In jurisdictions where the defined benefit pension plans are intended to be funded with assets in a trust or other funding vehicle, the liabilities exceed the corresponding assets in many of the plans. Various factors, such as changes in actuarial estimates and assumptions (including as to life expectancy, discount rates and rate of return on assets) as well as changes in asset allocations and actual return on assets, can increase the expenses and liabilities of the defined benefit pension plans. The assets and liabilities of the plans must be valued from time to time under applicable funding rules and as a result we may be required to increase the cash payments we make in relation to these defined benefit pension plans.
Our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be adversely affected to the extent that we are required to make any additional payments to any relevant defined benefit pension plans in excess of the amounts assumed in our current projections and assumptions or report higher pension plan expenses under relevant accounting rules.
We are subject to work stoppages, union negotiations, labor disputes and other matters associated with our labor force, which may adversely impact our operations and cause us to incur incremental costs.
Many of our employees globally are in unions or otherwise covered by labor agreements, including works councils. As of December 31, 2021, substantially all of our U.S. workforce was not unionized and approximately half of our workforce outside the U.S. was unionized or otherwise covered by labor agreements. Consequently, we may be subject to potential union campaigns, work stoppages, union negotiations and other potential labor disputes. Additionally, negotiations with unions or works councils in connection with existing labor agreements may result in significant increases in our cost of labor, limit our ability to restructure or manage our operations, divert management's attention away from operating our business or break down and result in the disruption of our operations. The occurrence of any of the preceding outcomes could impair our ability to manufacture our products and result in increased costs and/or worsened operating results. Further, we may be impacted by work stoppages at our suppliers or customers that are beyond our control.
We may not be able to recruit and retain the experienced and skilled personnel we need to compete.
Our future success depends on our ability to attract, retain, develop and motivate highly skilled personnel. We must have talented personnel to succeed and competition for management and skilled employees in our industry is intense. Our ability to meet our performance and growth goals depends upon the personal efforts and abilities of our management and skilled employees. We cannot assure you that we will retain or successfully recruit senior management, or that their services will remain available to us. We also cannot assure you that we will successfully respond to changing employee preferences spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Failures in these areas could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
Our inability to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights could adversely affect our financial results.
Intellectual property rights both in the U.S. and in foreign countries, including patents, trade secrets, confidential information, trademarks and trade names, are important to our business and will be critical to our ability to grow and succeed in the future. We make strategic decisions on whether to apply for intellectual property protection and what kind of protection to pursue based on a cost benefit analysis. While we endeavor to protect our intellectual property rights in certain jurisdictions in which our products are produced or used and in jurisdictions into which our products are imported, the decision to file for intellectual property protection is made on a case-by-case basis. Because of the differences in foreign trademark, patent and other laws concerning intellectual property rights, our intellectual property rights may not receive the same degree of protection in foreign countries as they would in the U.S. Our failure to obtain or maintain adequate protection of our intellectual property rights for any reason could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We have applied for patent protection relating to certain existing and proposed products, processes and services in certain jurisdictions. While we generally consider applying for patents in those countries where we intend to make, have made, use or sell patented products, we may not accurately assess all of the countries where patent protection will ultimately be desirable. If we fail to timely file a patent application in any such country, we may be precluded from doing so at a later date. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that our pending patent applications will not be challenged by third parties or that such applications will eventually be issued by the applicable patent offices as patents. We also cannot assure you that the patents issued as a result of our foreign patent applications will have the same scope of coverage as our U.S. patents. It is possible
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that only a limited number of the pending patent applications will result in issued patents, which may have a materially adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
The patents we own could be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by others and may not be of sufficient scope or strength to provide us with any meaningful protection or commercial advantage. Furthermore, our existing patents are subject to challenges from third parties that may result in invalidations and will all eventually expire, after which we will not be able to prevent our competitors from using our previously patented technologies, which could materially adversely affect our competitive advantage stemming from the applicable products and technologies. We also cannot assure you that competitors will not infringe our patents, or that we will have adequate resources to enforce our patents.
We also rely on unpatented proprietary technology. It is possible that others will independently develop the same or similar technology or otherwise obtain access to our unpatented technology. To protect our trade secrets and other proprietary information, we require certain employees, consultants, advisors and collaborators to enter into confidentiality agreements as we deem appropriate. We cannot assure you that we will be able to enter into these confidentiality agreements or that these agreements will provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets, know-how or other proprietary information in the event of any unauthorized use, misappropriation or disclosure of such trade secrets, know-how or other proprietary information. If we are unable to maintain the proprietary nature of our technologies, we could be materially adversely affected.
We rely on our trademarks, trade names and brand names to distinguish our products from the products of our competitors and have registered or applied to register many of these trademarks. We cannot assure you that our trademark applications will be approved. Third parties may also oppose our trademark applications, or otherwise challenge our use of the trademarks. In the event that our trademarks are successfully challenged, we could be forced to rebrand our products, which could result in loss of brand recognition, and could require us to devote resources to advertising and marketing new brands. Further, we cannot assure you that competitors will not infringe our trademarks, or that we will have adequate resources to enforce our trademarks. We also license certain of our trademarks for use by third parties. In an effort to preserve our trademark rights, we enter into license agreements with these third parties that govern the use of our trademarks and contain limitations on their use. Although we make efforts to police the use of our trademarks by our licensees, we cannot assure you that these efforts will be sufficient to ensure that our licensees abide by the terms of their licenses. In the event that our licensees fail to do so, our trademark rights could be diluted.
If we are sued for infringing intellectual property rights of third parties, it may be costly and time consuming, and an unfavorable outcome in any litigation could harm our business.
We cannot assure you that our activities will not, unintentionally or otherwise, infringe on the patents, trademarks or other intellectual property rights owned by others. We may spend significant time and effort and incur significant litigation costs if we are required to defend ourselves against claims of intellectual property rights infringement brought against us, regardless of whether the claims have merit. If we are found to have infringed on the patents, trademarks or other intellectual property rights of others, we may be subject to substantial claims for damages, which could materially impact our cash flow, business, financial condition and results of operations. We may also be required to cease development, use or sale of the relevant products or processes, or we may be required to obtain a license on the disputed rights, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all.
Risks Related to Other Aspects of our Business
We may continue to engage in acquisitions and divestitures, and may encounter difficulties integrating acquired businesses with, or disposing of divested businesses from, our current operations and, as a result, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of these acquisitions and divestitures.
We may continue to seek to grow through strategic acquisitions, joint ventures or other arrangements. Our due diligence reviews in these transactions may not identify all of the material issues necessary to accurately estimate the cost or potential loss contingencies with respect to a particular transaction, including potential exposure to regulatory sanctions resulting from a counterparty's previous activities. We may incur unanticipated costs or expenses, including post-closing asset impairment charges, expenses associated with eliminating duplicate facilities, litigation and other liabilities. We may also face regulatory scrutiny as a result of perceived concentration in certain markets, which could cause additional delay or prevent us from completing certain acquisitions that would be beneficial to our business. We may also encounter difficulties in integrating acquisitions with our operations, applying our internal controls processes to these acquisitions or in managing strategic investments. Additionally, we may not achieve the benefits, including synergies and cost savings, we anticipate when we first enter into a transaction in the amount or on the timeframe anticipated. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect our business and results of operations. In addition, accounting requirements relating to business combinations, including the requirement to expense certain acquisition costs as incurred, may cause us to experience greater earnings volatility and generally lower earnings during periods in which we acquire new businesses. Furthermore, we may make strategic divestitures from time to time. These divestitures may result in continued financial involvement in the divested businesses, such as through indemnities, guarantees or other financial arrangements. These arrangements could result in financial obligations imposed upon us and could affect our future financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
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Acquisitions and divestitures may also require us to devote significant internal resources and could divert management's attention away from operating our business.
Our joint ventures may not operate according to our business strategy if our joint venture partners fail to fulfill their obligations.
As part of our business, we have entered into certain, and may in the future enter into additional, joint venture arrangements. The nature of a joint venture requires us to share control over significant decisions with unaffiliated third parties. Since we may not exercise control over our current or future joint ventures, we may not be able to require our joint ventures to take actions that we believe are necessary to implement our business strategy. Additionally, differences in views among joint venture participants may result in delayed decisions or failures to agree on major issues. If these differences cause the joint ventures to deviate from our business strategy, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
DuPont's potential breach of its obligations in connection with the Acquisition, including failure to comply with its indemnification obligations, may materially affect our business and operating results.
Although the Acquisition closed on February 1, 2013, DuPont still has performance obligations to us, including fulfilling certain indemnification requirements. We could incur material additional costs if DuPont fails to meet its obligations or if we otherwise are unable to recover costs associated with such liabilities.
We may be classified as a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders of our common shares.
Based on the market price of our common shares and the composition of our income, assets and operations, we do not expect to be treated as a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC") for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the current taxable year or in the foreseeable future. However, the application of the PFIC rules is subject to uncertainty in several respects, and we cannot assure you the U.S. Internal Revenue Service will not take a contrary position. Furthermore, this is a factual determination that must be made annually after the close of each taxable year. If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. person holds our common shares, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences could apply to such U.S. person.
Risks Related to our Indebtedness
Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, limit our ability to react to changes in the economy and our industry and our flexibility in managing our business, expose us to interest rate risk to the extent of our variable rate debt and prevent us from meeting our obligations with respect to our indebtedness.
As of December 31, 2021, we had approximately $3.8 billion of indebtedness on a consolidated basis. As of December 31, 2021, we were in compliance with all of the covenants under our outstanding debt instruments. We are more leveraged than some of our competitors, which could adversely affect our business plans.
Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to you. For example, it could:
•limit our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, general corporate purposes or other purposes;
•require us to devote a substantial portion of our annual cash flow to the payment of interest on our indebtedness;
•expose us to the risk of increased interest rates as, over the term of our debt, the interest cost on a significant portion of our indebtedness is subject to changes in interest rates;
•limit our ability to repurchase our common shares or pay dividends;
•hinder our ability to adjust rapidly to changing market conditions;
•limit our flexibility in managing our business through our obligation to comply with customary financial and other covenants in the indentures governing our Senior Notes and the credit agreement governing our Senior Secured Credit Facilities, which covenants are described in further detail in Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K;
•limit our ability to secure adequate bank financing in the future with reasonable terms and conditions or at all; and
•increase our vulnerability to and limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, a potential downturn in general economic conditions or in one or more of our businesses.
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To service all of our indebtedness, we will require a significant amount of cash and our ability to generate cash depends on many factors beyond our control.
As described below in "Risks Related to Ownership of our Common Shares," our ability to generate cash is dependent on the earnings and receipt of funds from our subsidiaries and joint ventures, which businesses are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations and future borrowings may not be available under our Senior Secured Credit Facilities in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, or to fund our other liquidity needs, including planned capital expenditures. In such circumstances, we may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before maturity. We may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If we cannot service our indebtedness, we may have to take actions such as selling assets, issuing additional equity or reducing or delaying capital expenditures, strategic acquisitions and investments. Such actions, if necessary, may not be effected on commercially reasonable terms or at all. The instruments governing our indebtedness restrict our ability to sell assets and our use of the proceeds from such sales, and we may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain proceeds in an amount sufficient to meet any debt service obligations then due.
If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow or are otherwise unable to obtain funds necessary to meet required payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, or if we otherwise fail to comply with the various covenants in the instruments governing our indebtedness, we could be in default under the terms of the agreements governing such indebtedness, and we may not be able to obtain waivers of such defaults from our lenders. In the event of such un-waived default, the holders of such indebtedness could elect to declare all the funds borrowed thereunder to be due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest, the lenders under our Revolving Credit Facility could elect to terminate their commitments thereunder, cease making further loans and institute foreclosure proceedings against our assets, and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.
Despite our current level of indebtedness and restrictive covenants, we and our subsidiaries may incur additional indebtedness. This could further exacerbate the risks associated with our substantial financial leverage.
We and our subsidiaries may incur significant additional indebtedness under the agreements governing our indebtedness. Although the indentures governing the Senior Notes and the credit agreement governing our Senior Secured Credit Facilities contain restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of thresholds, qualifications and exceptions, and the additional indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. Additionally, these restrictions also will not prevent us from incurring obligations that, although preferential to our common shares in terms of payment, do not constitute indebtedness.
In addition, if new debt is added to our and/or our subsidiaries' debt levels, the related risks that we now face as a result of our leverage would intensify. See Part II, Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Financial Condition."
We are dependent upon our lenders for financing to execute our business strategy and meet our liquidity needs. If our lenders are unable or unwilling to fund borrowings under their credit commitments or we are unable to borrow, it could negatively impact our business.
We are dependent upon our lenders for financing to execute our business strategy and meet our liquidity needs. If our lenders are unable to fund borrowings under their credit commitments or we are unable to borrow from them for any reason, our business could be negatively impacted. During periods of volatile credit markets, there is risk that any lenders, even those with strong balance sheets and sound lending practices, could fail or refuse to honor their legal commitments and obligations under existing credit commitments, including, but not limited to, extending credit up to the maximum permitted by a credit facility, allowing access to additional credit features and otherwise accessing capital and/or honoring loan commitments. If our lenders are unable or unwilling to fund borrowings under their revolving credit commitments or we are unable to borrow from them, it could be difficult in such environments to obtain sufficient liquidity to meet our operational needs.
Our ability to obtain additional capital on commercially reasonable terms may be limited.
Although we believe our cash and cash equivalents, together with cash we expect to generate from operations and unused capacity available under our Revolving Credit Facility, provide adequate resources to fund ongoing operating requirements, we may need to seek additional financing to compete effectively.
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If we are unable to obtain capital on commercially reasonable terms, it could:
•reduce funds available to us for purposes such as working capital, capital expenditures, research and development, strategic acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
•restrict our ability to introduce new products or exploit business opportunities;
•increase our vulnerability to economic downturns and competitive pressures in the markets in which we operate; and
•place us at a competitive disadvantage.
Difficult and volatile conditions in the capital, credit and commodities markets and in the overall economy could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
Difficult global economic conditions, including significant volatility in the capital, credit and commodities markets, low levels of business and consumer confidence and high levels of unemployment in certain parts of the world, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The difficult conditions in these markets and the overall economy affect our business in a number of ways. For example:
•as a result of the volatility in commodity prices, we may encounter difficulty in achieving sustained market acceptance of past or future price increases;
•under difficult market conditions there can be no assurance that borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility would be available or sufficient, and in such a case, we may not be able to successfully obtain additional financing on reasonable terms, or at all;
•in order to respond to market conditions, we may need to seek waivers from the applicability of various provisions in the credit agreement governing our Senior Secured Credit Facilities or the indentures governing the Senior Notes, and in such case, there can be no assurance that we can obtain such waivers at a reasonable cost, if at all;
•market conditions could cause the counter-parties to the derivative financial instruments we may use to hedge our exposure to interest rate, commodity or currency fluctuations to experience financial difficulties and, as a result, our efforts to hedge these exposures could prove unsuccessful and, furthermore, our ability to engage in additional hedging activities may decrease or become more costly; and
•market conditions could result in our key customers experiencing financial difficulties and/or electing to limit spending, which in turn could result in decreased sales and earnings for us.
In general, downturns in economic conditions can cause fluctuations in demand for our and our customers' products, product prices, volumes and margins. A decline in the demand for our products or a shift to lower-margin products due to deteriorating economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and could also result in impairments of certain of our assets. We do not know if market conditions or the state of the overall economy will continue to improve in the near future. We cannot provide assurance that a continuation of current economic conditions or a further economic downturn in one or more of the geographic regions in which we sell our products would not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to risks associated with the current interest rate environment and, to the extent we use debt to fund our operations, changes in interest rates will affect our cost of debt.
A substantial portion of our indebtedness bears interest at variable rates, including LIBOR, which is the subject of recent proposals for reform. After years of preparation and signaling, on March 5, 2021, the ICE Benchmark Administrator ("IBA"), LIBOR's administrator, announced that it would permanently cease to publish some LIBOR settings after December 31, 2021 and cease to publish all other LIBOR settings after June 30, 2023. Uncertainty remains as to whether the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), LIBOR's regulator, will use its legal powers to require IBA to continue to publish certain USD LIBOR settings after June 30, 2023. Financial regulators across the globe have begun to advise against the use by regulated financial institutions of LIBOR in new contracts, subject to certain exceptions. For example, the five federal financial institution regulatory agencies in the United States have issued supervisory guidance that, among other things, strongly discourages regulated institutions from entering into new LIBOR-based contracts after December 31, 2021. While certain replacement rates for LIBOR have gained market traction in certain jurisdictions, for example, the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") in the United States and the Sterling Overnight Interbank Average Rate ("SONIA") in the United Kingdom, uncertainty remains as to future interest rate benchmarks in global markets, and, as such, the potential effect of the LIBOR transition on our cost of debt cannot yet be determined.
Risks Related to Ownership of our Common Shares
Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. is a holding company with no operations of its own. Because our operations are conducted almost entirely through our subsidiaries and joint ventures, we are largely dependent on our receipt of distributions and
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dividends or other payments from our subsidiaries and joint ventures for cash to fund all of our operations and expenses, including to make future dividend payments, if any.
Our operations are conducted almost entirely through our subsidiaries and joint ventures and our ability to generate cash to meet our debt service obligations or to make future dividend payments, if any, is highly dependent on the earnings and the receipt of funds from our subsidiaries in the form of dividends, loans or advances and through repayment of loans or advances from us. Payments to us by our subsidiaries and joint ventures will be contingent upon our subsidiaries' or joint ventures' earnings and other business considerations and may be subject to statutory or contractual restrictions. In addition, there may be significant tax and other legal restrictions on the ability of foreign subsidiaries or joint ventures to remit money to us. Any payment of distributions, loans or advances to and from our subsidiaries and joint ventures could be subject to restrictions on or taxation of, dividends or repatriation of earnings under applicable local law, monetary transfer restrictions, foreign currency exchange regulations in the jurisdictions in which our subsidiaries operate or other restrictions imposed by current or future agreements, including debt instruments, to which our non-U.S. subsidiaries may be a party. In particular, our operations in Brazil, China and India where we maintain local currency cash balances are subject to import authorization or pricing controls.
The price of our common shares may fluctuate significantly, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Volatility in the market price of our common shares may prevent you from being able to sell your common shares at or above the price you paid for your common shares. The market price of our common shares could fluctuate significantly for various reasons, including the realization of any risks described under this "Risk Factors" section.
In addition, over the past several years, the stock markets have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. This volatility has had a significant impact on the market price of securities issued by many companies, including companies in our industry. The changes frequently appear to occur without regard to the operating performance of the affected companies. Hence, the price of our common shares could fluctuate based upon factors that have little or nothing to do with our Company, and these fluctuations could materially reduce our share price and cause you to lose all or part of your investment. Further, in the past, market fluctuations and price declines in a company's stock have led to securities class action litigation. If such a suit were to arise, it could have a substantial cost and divert our resources regardless of the outcome.
We do not expect to pay dividends on our common shares and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our common shares.
At this time, we currently do not declare and pay dividends on our common shares. Therefore, the success of an investment in our common shares will depend upon any future appreciation in their value. There is no guarantee that our common shares will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which our shareholders have purchased their shares. The payment of future dividends, however, will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on, among other things, our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements, level of indebtedness, statutory and contractual restrictions applying to the payment of dividends and other relevant considerations. The credit agreement governing our Senior Secured Credit Facilities and the indentures governing the Senior Notes also limit our ability to pay dividends. In addition, Bermuda law imposes requirements that may restrict our ability to pay dividends to holders of our common shares. As a consequence of these limitations and restrictions, we may not be able to make, or may have to reduce or eliminate, the payment of dividends on our common shares.
Future sales of our common shares in the public market could lower our share price, and any additional capital raised by us through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities may dilute your ownership in us and may adversely affect the market price of our common shares.
We and our shareholders may sell additional common shares in subsequent offerings. We may also issue additional common shares or convertible debt securities. As of February 10, 2022, we had 1,000,000,000 common shares authorized and 224,532,960 common shares outstanding.
We cannot predict the size of future issuances or sales of our common shares or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of our common shares will have on the market price of our common shares. Sales of substantial amounts of our common shares (including sales by members of management and shares that may be issued in connection with an acquisition), or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common shares. See Part III, Item 13, "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence."
We are a Bermuda company and it may be difficult for you to enforce judgments against us or our directors and executive officers.
We are a Bermuda exempted company. As a result, the rights of our shareholders are governed by Bermuda law and our memorandum of association and bye-laws. The rights of shareholders under Bermuda law may differ from the rights of shareholders of companies incorporated in another jurisdiction, and a substantial portion of our assets are located outside the U.S. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process on those persons in the U.S. or to enforce in the U.S. judgments obtained in U.S. courts against us or those persons based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. securities
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laws. It is doubtful whether courts in Bermuda will enforce judgments obtained in other jurisdictions, including the United States, against us or our directors or officers under the securities laws of those jurisdictions or entertain actions in Bermuda against us or our directors or officers under the securities laws of other jurisdictions.
Bermuda law differs from the laws in effect in the U.S. and may afford less protection to our shareholders.
We are organized under the laws of Bermuda. As a result, our corporate affairs are governed by the Companies Act 1981 (the "Companies Act"), which differs in some material respects from laws typically applicable to U.S. corporations and shareholders, including the provisions relating to interested directors, amalgamations, mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, shareholder lawsuits and indemnification of directors. Generally, the duties of directors and officers of a Bermuda company are owed to the company only. Shareholders of Bermuda companies typically do not have rights to take action against directors or officers of the company and may only do so in limited circumstances. Shareholder class actions are not available under Bermuda law. The circumstances in which shareholder derivative actions may be available under Bermuda law are substantially more limiting and less clear than they would be to shareholders of U.S. corporations. The Bermuda courts, however, would ordinarily be expected to permit a shareholder to commence an action in the name of a company to remedy a wrong to the company where the act complained of is alleged to be beyond the corporate power of the company or illegal, or would result in the violation of the company's memorandum of association or bye-laws. Furthermore, consideration would be given by a Bermuda court to acts that are alleged to constitute a fraud against the minority shareholders or, for instance, where an act requires the approval of a greater percentage of the company's shareholders than those who actually approved it.
When the affairs of a company are being conducted in a manner that is oppressive or prejudicial to the interests of some shareholders, one or more shareholders may apply to the Supreme Court of Bermuda, which may make such order as it sees fit, including an order regulating the conduct of the company's affairs in the future or ordering the purchase of the shares of any shareholders by other shareholders or by the company. Additionally, under our bye-laws and as permitted by Bermuda law, each shareholder has waived any claim or right of action against our directors or officers for any action taken by directors or officers in the performance of their duties, except for actions involving fraud or dishonesty. In addition, the rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Bermuda law are not as clearly established as under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in jurisdictions in the U.S., particularly the State of Delaware. Therefore, our shareholders may have more difficulty protecting their interests than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction within the U.S.
We have anti-takeover provisions in our bye-laws that may discourage a change of control.
Our bye-laws contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us without the consent of our Board of Directors, including that directors may only be removed for cause and our Board of Directors can determine the powers, preferences and rights of our preference shares and to issue the preference shares without shareholder approval.
These anti-takeover defenses could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of our Company and may prevent our shareholders from receiving the benefit from any premium to the market price of our common shares offered by a bidder in a takeover context. Even in the absence of a takeover attempt, the existence of these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common shares if the provisions are viewed as discouraging takeover attempts in the future. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests, make it more difficult for you and other shareholders to elect directors of your choosing and cause us to take corporate actions other than those you desire.
General Risk Factors
We may be unable to successfully execute on our growth initiatives, business strategies or operating plans.
We are executing on a number of growth initiatives, strategies and operating plans designed to enhance our business, including productivity enhancements and cost reduction. The anticipated benefits from these efforts are based on several assumptions that may prove to be inaccurate. A variety of risks could cause us not to realize some or all of the expected benefits, including growth and cost savings. These risks include, among others, delays in the anticipated timing of activities related to such growth initiatives, strategies and operating plans; increased difficulty and cost in implementing these efforts; and the incurrence of other unexpected costs associated with operating the business. Further, our continued implementation of these programs may disrupt our operations and performance. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will realize these benefits. If, for any reason, the benefits we realize are less than our estimates or the implementation of these growth initiatives, strategies and operating plans adversely affect our operations or cost more or take longer to effectuate than we expect, or if our assumptions prove inaccurate, our results of operations may be materially adversely affected. From time to time, we may commence operations at new manufacturing facilities and cease operations at existing manufacturing facilities, including through relocating, eliminating or utilizing alternative sources for such operations. We may not be able to successfully commence such new operations or cease such existing operations and our failure to successfully do so could have a material adverse impact on our business results.
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Increased competition may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
As described in greater detail in the "Performance Coatings Competition" section on page 7 and the "Mobility Coatings Competition" section on page 9, we face substantial competition from many international, national, regional and local competitors of various sizes in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of our coatings and related products. Our inability to compete successfully could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We take on credit risk exposure from our customers in the ordinary course of our business.
We routinely offer customers pre-bates, loans and other financial incentives to purchase our products. These arrangements generally obligate the customer to purchase products from us and/or repay us such incentives. In the event that a customer is unwilling or unable to fulfill its obligations under these arrangements, we may incur a financial loss. In addition, in the ordinary course of our business, we guarantee certain of our customers' obligations to third parties. Any default by our customers on their obligations could force us to make payments to the applicable creditor. It is possible that customer defaults on obligations owed to us and on third-party obligations that we have guaranteed could be significant, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Our level of credit risk exposure from our customers has remained stable in recent years.
Currency risk may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We derive a significant portion of our net sales from outside the United States and conduct our business and incur costs in the local currency of most countries in which we operate. Because our financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars, we must translate our financial results as well as assets and liabilities into U.S. dollars for financial statement reporting purposes at exchange rates in effect during or at the end of each reporting period, as applicable. Therefore, increases or decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar against other currencies in countries where we operate will affect our results of operations and the value of balance sheet items denominated in foreign currencies. In particular, we are exposed to the Euro, the Brazilian Real, the Chinese Renminbi, the British Pound, the Australian Dollar and the Russian Ruble. Furthermore, many of our local businesses import or buy raw materials in a currency other than their functional currency, which can impact the operating results for these operations if we are unable to mitigate the impact of the currency exchange fluctuations. We cannot accurately predict the effects of exchange rate fluctuations upon our future operating results because of the number of currencies involved, the variability of currency exposures and the potential volatility of currency exchange rates. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates may have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Terrorist acts, conflicts, wars, natural disasters, pandemics and other health crises, among other events beyond our control, may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
As a multinational company with a large international footprint, we are subject to increased risk of damage or disruption to us, our employees, facilities, partners, suppliers, distributors, resellers or customers due to terrorist acts, conflicts, wars, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, power outages, pandemics or other public health crises and environmental incidents, wherever located around the world. The potential for future terrorist acts, conflicts, wars, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, power outages, pandemics or other public health crises and environmental incidents, the national and international responses to such events or perceived threats or potential conflicts relating to or arising out of such events may create economic and political uncertainties and challenges for us, our customers, suppliers and logistic partners that could have a materially adverse effect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. A loss of the use of all or a portion of one of our key manufacturing facilities due to accident, labor issues, weather conditions, acts of war, political unrest, geopolitical risk, terrorist activity, pandemic or other public health crises, natural disaster or otherwise, whether short- or long-term, and any interruption in production capability could require us to make substantial capital expenditures to remedy the situation, which could negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Interruption, interference with, or failure of our information technology and communications systems could hurt our ability to effectively provide our products and services, which could harm our reputation, financial condition, operating results and cash flows.
The availability of our products and services and fulfillment of our customer obligations depend on the continuing operation of our information technology and communications systems. Our systems are vulnerable to damage, interference, or interruption from modifications or upgrades, terrorist attacks, natural disasters or pandemics (including COVID-19), power loss, telecommunications failures, user errors, computer viruses, ransomware attacks, computer denial of service attacks, phishing schemes, or other attempts to harm or access our systems. Some of our systems are not fully redundant, and disaster recovery planning cannot account for all eventualities. Any such event relating to our systems (or the systems of third parties that we rely on), could result in theft, misuse, modification or destruction of information, including trade secrets and confidential business information, and cause business disruptions, including those that may disrupt production at our
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manufacturing facilities, reputational damage and third-party claims, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Since the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to systems, or to otherwise sabotage them, change frequently and are often not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. As these threats continue to evolve, particularly around cybersecurity, we may be required to expend significant resources to enhance our control environment, processes, practices, and other countermeasures. While we have designed and implemented controls to restrict access to our data and information technology infrastructure, it is still vulnerable to unauthorized access through cyber attacks, theft and other security breaches. These types of attacks have occurred against our systems from time to time, with no material adverse impacts to date. We expect these attacks to continue and our protective measures may not be adequate to ensure that our operations will not be disrupted, should another such event occur in the future. Although we continually seek to improve our countermeasures to prevent such events, we may be unable to anticipate every scenario and it is possible that certain cyber threats or vulnerabilities will be undetected or unmitigated in time to prevent an attack on us and our customers.
In addition, we rely extensively on information systems and technology to manage our business and summarize operating results. We are in the process of a multi-year implementation of a new enterprise resource planning ("ERP") system, which will replace much of our existing core financial systems. The ERP system is designed to accurately maintain our financial records, enhance the flow of financial information, improve data management, and provide timely information to our management team. We may not be able to successfully implement the ERP system without experiencing delays, increased costs, and other difficulties. Failure to successfully design and implement the new ERP system as planned could harm our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Additionally, if we do not effectively implement the ERP system as planned or the ERP system does not operate as intended, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting could be negatively affected.
The insurance we maintain may not fully cover all potential exposures.
Our product liability, property, business interruption and casualty insurance coverages may not cover all risks associated with the operation of our business and may not be sufficient to offset the costs of any losses, lost sales or increased costs experienced during business interruptions. For some risks, we may elect not to obtain insurance. As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain insurance policies can increase substantially and, in some instances, certain insurance policies may become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. As a result, we may not be able to renew our insurance policies or procure other desirable insurance on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. Losses and liabilities from uninsured or underinsured events and delay in the payment of insurance proceeds could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We are subject to complex and evolving data privacy laws.
Our business is subject to complex and evolving U.S. and foreign laws and regulations regarding privacy, data protection and other matters. We could be liable for loss or misuse of our customers' personal information and/or our employee's personally-identifiable information if we fail to prevent or mitigate such misuse or loss. Although we have developed systems and processes that are designed to protect customer and employee information and prevent misuse of such information and other security breaches, failure to prevent or mitigate such misuse or breaches may affect our reputation and operating results negatively and may require significant management time and attention.
We may be subject to changes in our tax rates and the adoption of tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities that may adversely affect our results of operations.
We are subject to taxes in the U.S. and non-U.S. jurisdictions where our subsidiaries are organized. Due to economic and political conditions, tax rates, tax laws and other non-tax legislation, such as economic substance regulations, in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change. Our effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in available tax credits or tax deductions and changes in tax and other non-tax laws or their interpretation, such as interpretations as to the legality of tax advantages granted under the European Union ("EU") state aid rules and the impacts of the EU's Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive. In 2021, more than 140 countries tentatively signed on to a framework that imposes a minimum tax rate of 15% among other provisions. As this framework is subject to further negotiation and implementation by each member country, the timing and ultimate impact of any such changes on our tax obligations are uncertain. Additionally, we and our subsidiaries are engaged in a number of intercompany transactions across multiple tax jurisdictions. Although we believe we have clearly reflected the economics of these transactions and the proper local transfer pricing documentation is in place, tax authorities may propose and sustain adjustments that could result in changes that may impact our mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates.
Our tax returns and other tax matters are subject to examination by local tax authorities and governmental bodies. We regularly assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our
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provision for taxes. There can be no assurance as to the outcome of these examinations. If our effective tax rates were to increase, or if the ultimate determination of the taxes owed by us is for an amount in excess of amounts previously accrued, our operating results, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected.
Increasing scrutiny and evolving expectations from customers, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders with respect to our environmental, social and governance practices may impose additional costs on us or expose us to new or additional risks.
Companies are facing increasing scrutiny from customers, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders related to their environmental, social and governance ("ESG") practices and disclosure. Investor advocacy groups, investment funds, and influential investors are also increasingly focused on these practices, especially as they relate to the environment, health and safety, diversity, labor conditions, and human rights. Increased ESG-related compliance costs could result in increases to our overall operational costs. Failure to adapt to or comply with regulatory requirements or investor, employee, customer, or other stakeholder expectations and standards, including any perceived failure, could negatively impact our reputation, ability to do business with certain partners, and our stock price. New government regulations could also result in new or more stringent forms of ESG oversight, including increased greenhouse gas limitations, and the expansion of mandatory and voluntary reporting, diligence, and disclosure.
In January 2022, we announced a number of 2030 ESG targets, including our aim for a 50% absolute reduction of our Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and our goal to have carbon neutral operations by 2040. Achievement of these targets depends on our execution of various operational strategies relating to each discrete target. Execution of these strategies and achievements of our 2030 targets are subject to risk and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control. There are no assurances that we will be able to successfully execute our strategies and achieve our 2030 targets, and the failure to achieve any target could damage our reputation, customer and investor relationships, or our access to, and the terms of, financing. Further, given investors' increased focus related to ESG matters, such a failure could cause stockholders to reduce their ownership holdings, all of which, in turn could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and reduce our stock price.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Our corporate headquarters is located in Glen Mills, PA. Our extensive geographic footprint is comprised of 47 manufacturing facilities (including five manufacturing sites operated by our joint ventures), four major technology centers and 48 customer training centers supporting our global operations. The table below presents summary information regarding our facilities as of December 31, 2021.
Type of Facility/Country Location Segment
Manufacturing Facilities
North America
Canada
Ajax (1)
Mobility
Cornwall Performance
United States of America Fridley, MN Performance
Front Royal, VA Performance; Mobility
Ft. Madison, IA Performance; Mobility
High Point, NC Performance
Hilliard, OH Performance; Mobility
Houston, TX Performance
Jacksonville, TX Performance
Madison, AL Performance
Mt. Clemens, MI Performance; Mobility
Orrville, OH Performance
Riverside, CA Performance
Sacramento, CA Performance
Latin America
Brazil Guarulhos Performance; Mobility
Guatemala Amatitlan Performance
Mexico Apodaca Performance
Ocoyoacac Performance
Tlalnepantla Performance; Mobility
EMEA
Austria Guntramsdorf Performance; Mobility
France Montbrison Performance
Germany Landshut Performance
Wuppertal Performance; Mobility
Netherlands Zuidland Performance
Sweden Västervik Performance
Switzerland Bulle Performance
Turkey Gebze Performance; Mobility
Çerkezköy Performance
United Kingdom Tewkesbury Performance
Darlington Performance
Farnham Performance
Huthwaite Performance
Wellingborough Performance
United Arab Emirates Ras Al Khaimah Performance
Asia Pacific
China
Changchun (1)
Performance; Mobility
Jiading Performance; Mobility
Qingpu Performance
Ma'anshan Performance
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Type of Facility/Country Location Segment
India Savli Performance; Mobility
Malaysia Shah Alam Performance
Shah Alam Performance
Thailand Bangplee Performance; Mobility
Joint Venture Manufacturing
Facilities
Colombia Cartagena de Indias Performance
Indonesia Cikarang Performance
Taiwan Taipei Mobility
Joint Venture Partner Manufacturing Facilities
South Africa Port Elizabeth Mobility
Russia Moscow Mobility
Technology Centers
China Shanghai Performance; Mobility
Germany Wuppertal Performance; Mobility
United States of America Mt. Clemens, MI Performance; Mobility
Philadelphia, PA Performance; Mobility
Customer Training Centers Location by Region Number of Facilities
North America 12
Latin America 2
EMEA 14
Asia Pacific 20
(1)    Manufacturing and distribution operations at these facilities are in process of being relocated to other Axalta facilities.
We own 31 of our manufacturing facilities, 2 of our technology centers, and 10 of our customer training centers, while the rest of the facilities and centers are leased. We believe that our properties as currently constituted are suitable, adequate and provide sufficient productive capacity for our current operations.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are from time to time party to legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. We are not involved in any litigation other than that which has arisen in the ordinary course of business. We do not expect that any currently pending lawsuits will have a material adverse effect on us as discussed in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The Securities and Exchange Commission regulations require disclosure of certain environmental matters when a governmental authority is a party to the proceedings and such proceedings involve potential monetary sanctions that the Company reasonably believes will exceed a specified threshold. Pursuant to recent Securities and Exchange Commission amendments to this requirement, the Company will be using a threshold of $1 million for such proceedings. At this time, the Company is not aware of any matters that exceed this threshold and that meet the other conditions for disclosure except for the following matter summarized below.
In January 2022, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the California South Coast Air Quality Management District (the "District") in order to settle claims by the District alleging that certain of the Company's products failed to comply with applicable volatile organic compound limits imposed under California law. Pursuant to the terms of the settlement agreement, the Company agreed to pay the District $1,377,328 in full settlement of the claims and without admitting any liability or wrongdoing.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
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The executive officers of the Company are appointed by the Board of Directors. The information required by this item is set forth below.
The following table provides information regarding our executive officers:
Name Age* Position
Robert W. Bryant 53 Chief Executive Officer and President
Sean M. Lannon 43 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Brian A. Berube 59 Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Troy D. Weaver 50 Senior Vice President, Global Refinish
Hadi H. Awada 43 Senior Vice President, Global Mobility Coatings
Shelley J. Bausch 56 Senior Vice President, Global Industrial Coatings
Jeremy Rohen 46 Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development
Jacqueline Scanlan 49 Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
*As of February 18, 2022
Robert W. Bryant
Mr. Bryant has served as our Chief Executive Officer and President since October 7, 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Bryant served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from February 2013 until October 2018. Previously, Mr. Bryant served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Roll Global LLC. Before joining Roll Global in 2007, he was the Executive Vice President of Strategy, New Business Development, and Information Technology at Grupo Industrial Saltillo, S.A.B. de C.V. Prior to joining Grupo Industrial Saltillo in 2004, Mr. Bryant was President of Bryant & Company, which he founded in 2001. Prior positions included serving as Managing Principal with Texas Pacific Group's Newbridge Latin America, L.P., a Senior Associate with Booz Allen & Hamilton Inc. and an Assistant Investment Officer with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Mr. Bryant began his career at Credit Suisse First Boston in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. Mr. Bryant graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Economics from the University of Florida and received his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
Sean M. Lannon
Mr. Lannon has served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since October 12, 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Lannon served as Vice President, Corporate Finance and Global Controller of Axalta since 2016, and was Vice President and Global Controller from 2013 until that promotion. Previously, Mr. Lannon served as the Vice President, Global Controller of Trinseo. Prior to joining Trinseo in 2011, he was the Senior Manager, Financial Reporting at Endo Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Lannon began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he spent more than nine years within the organization's Assurance Practice. Mr. Lannon graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Accounting from Philadelphia University.
Brian A. Berube
Mr. Berube has served as our Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since June 2019. Previously, Mr. Berube was Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Cabot Corporation, a position he held from March 2003 until June 2019. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Berube held various roles at Cabot, which he joined in 1994. Prior to joining Cabot, Mr. Berube was a corporate attorney at Choate, Hall & Stewart, a Boston law firm, and a law clerk with the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross and a J.D. from Boston College Law School.
Troy D. Weaver
Mr. Weaver has served as our Senior Vice President, Global Refinish since October 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Weaver served as our Vice President, Global Refinish from August 2019 until October 2020 and, as our Vice President, North America Refinish from January 2017 until August 2019 where he was responsible for Axalta's high performing Refinish business in the USA and Canada. Mr. Weaver also led Axalta's initiative to secure and grow market share with multiple location collision shop operators, mega-dealers, and nationally recognized collision shop networks. Mr. Weaver began his career at DuPont Performance Coatings in 1992 where he held various Sales and Marketing leadership roles. He is also a two-time recipient of DuPont's Prestigious Marketing Excellence Award, first in 2007 and again in 2010. Mr. Weaver is active in the industry and has served as Chairman of the Board of CIECA (Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association).
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Hadi H. Awada
Mr. Awada has served as our Senior Vice President, Global Mobility Coatings since October 2020. Previously, Mr. Awada was President, Faurecia Clean Mobility – North America, where he also served as a member of Faurecia's North American Board of Management and President, Faurecia Clean Mobility – Asia Pacific, serving on multiple boards with joint venture partners. In those roles, Mr. Awada ran a multibillion-dollar business and led efforts to develop and deploy an operational turnaround and transform the product line to focus on new technologies for customers seeking sustainability and innovation. Previously at Faurecia, he worked in Europe where he led sales and programs for many international customers. He also spent four years in Asia as the Vice President for light vehicle customer business units, product line, marketing and communications. Mr. Awada was employed by Faurecia from 2004 to 2010 and again from 2013 to 2020. Mr. Awada started his career after earning his B.A. from the University of Toledo, serving the Ford Motor Company in various roles within the Ford customer service division.
Shelley J. Bausch
Ms. Bausch has served as our Senior Vice President, Global Industrial Coatings since January 2021. Previously, Ms. Bausch led the Asia Pacific region and the Fluid Technologies business unit for the Carlisle Companies Inc., a manufacturer of engineered products used in roofing, architectural metal, aerospace, medical technologies, industrial, transportation, refinish, and agriculture, mining and construction equipment markets. Before Carlisle, she led the Industrial Coatings business for PPG from 2014 to 2017 and, before that, spent 25 years at Dow Corning Corporation in a variety of senior management and commercial roles. Ms. Bausch serves on the board of directors of the Kraton Corporation. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration, summa cum laude, from Alma College and a M.B.A. from the University of Michigan – Flint.
Jeremy Rohen
Mr. Rohen has served as our Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development since January 2021. Previously, Mr. Rohen led corporate development, M&A and investor relations at W.R. Grace & Co., a global specialty chemical company, where he spent over ten years. Before W.R. Grace, he managed acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, joint ventures and growth strategy projects at Seale & Associates, an investment bank, where he spent ten years. He started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers after earning both a bachelor's degree in Finance and a master's degree in Taxation from The George Washington University School of Business.
Jacqueline Scanlan
Ms. Scanlan has served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer since June 2021. From 2017 to 2021, Ms. Scanlan served as Senior Vice President, Human Resources at Haemonetics Corporation, a global medical technology company. Before Haemonetics, from 2014 to 2016, she served as Corporate Vice President, Human Resources, North America at Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company. Prior to Novo Nordisk, she held leadership positions at Campbell Soup Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb, DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company and Accenture. She received a B.A. in Political Science from St. Joseph's University and a M.S. in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.
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PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Share Information
Our common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AXTA."
As of February 10, 2022, there were five registered holders of record of Axalta's common shares as shown on the records of the Company's transfer agent. A substantially greater number of holders of Axalta common shares are "street name" or beneficial holders, whose shares of record are held by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.
Since our incorporation in August 2012, we have not paid dividends on our common shares, and we do not currently intend to pay dividends in the foreseeable future.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
The following table summarizes the Company's share repurchase activity through its share repurchase program for the three months ended December 31, 2021:

(in millions, except per share data)
Month
Total Number of Shares Purchased(1)
Average Price Paid per Share(1)
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Programs(1)
Approximate Dollar Value of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under Our Share Repurchase Program(1)
October 2021 — $ —  — $ 647.4 
November 2021 0.5 31.28 0.5 632.4
December 2021 0.5 30.61 0.5 617.4
Total 1.0 $ 30.94  1.0 $ 617.4 
(1)    All shares were repurchased through the share repurchase program announced in March 2017 (the "Program"). In April 2021, our Board of Directors authorized an increase in the Program by $625.0 million, bringing the total size of the Program to $1.3 billion, of which we have already purchased $682.6 million. Under the Program, we repurchased $30.0 million of our common shares during the three months ended December 31, 2021. At December 31, 2021, the Company had remaining authorization to repurchase $617.4 million of shares. There is no expiration date on the Program.
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Stock Performance
The line graph illustrated below compares the cumulative total shareholder value return of our common shares with the cumulative total returns of an overall stock market index, the Standard & Poor's Composite 500 Index ("S&P 500"), and our peer group index, Standard & Poor's 500 Chemicals Index ("S&P 500 Chemicals"). This graph assumes an investment of $100 in our common shares and each index (with all dividends reinvested) on December 31, 2016.
axta-20211231_g9.jpg
In the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, the comparison of cumulative total shareholder value return compared the return on Axalta's common shares to the S&P 500 and the S&P 500 Chemicals. For 2021, we have replaced the S&P 500 Chemicals with the Standard & Poor's 400 Materials Index ("S&P 400 Materials") as one of our comparative indices. The S&P 400 Materials is used as a benchmark for certain of our compensation plans, and we believe that the companies in this index are more comparable to the Company and, therefore, the index serves as a better comparison to the return on Axalta's common shares. A comparison of the S&P 500 Chemicals appears in this Annual Report on Form 10-K but will not appear in subsequent Annual Reports.
ITEM 6. RESERVED
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
This discussion and analysis deals with comparisons of material changes in the consolidated financial statements for 2021 and 2020. For the comparison of 2020 and 2019, see Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Part II, Item 7 of our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 18, 2021.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Many statements made in the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements include information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of our business plan, strategies and capital structure. These statements often include words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "intend," "estimates," "targets," "projected," "projections," "can," "committing," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will," "forecasts" and the negative of these words or other comparable or similar terminology. We base these forward-looking statements or projections on our current expectations, plans and assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances and at such time. As you read and consider this Annual Report on Form 10-K, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. The forward-looking statements and projections are subject to and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described in "Forward-Looking Statements," as well as "Risk Factors" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other document we have filed with, or furnished to, the SEC, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or projections. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements and projections are based on reasonable assumptions at the time they are made, you should be aware that many factors, including, but not limited to, those described in "Risk Factors," could affect our actual financial results or results of operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and projections.
These cautionary statements should not be construed by you to be exhaustive and are made only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
OVERVIEW
We are a leading global manufacturer, marketer and distributor of high-performance coatings systems and products. We have over a 150-year heritage in the coatings industry and are known for manufacturing high-quality products with well-recognized brands supported by market-leading technology and customer service. Our diverse global footprint of 47 manufacturing facilities, four technology centers, 48 customer training centers and approximately 13,000 people allows us to meet the needs of customers in over 140 countries. We serve our customer base through an extensive sales force and technical support organization, as well as through approximately 4,000 independent, locally based distributors.
We operate our business in two operating segments, Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings. Previously named Transportation Coatings, our Mobility Coatings segment was renamed in 2021 with no changes to the underlying business or segment structure. Our segments are based on the type and concentration of customers served, service requirements, methods of distribution and major product lines.
Through our Performance Coatings segment, we provide high-quality liquid and powder coatings solutions to a fragmented and local customer base. We are one of only a few suppliers with the technology to provide precise color matching and highly durable coatings systems. The end-markets within this segment are refinish and industrial.
Through our Mobility Coatings segment, we provide advanced coating technologies to OEMs of light and commercial vehicles. These increasingly global customers require a high level of technical support coupled with cost-effective, environmentally responsible, coatings systems that can be applied with a high degree of precision, consistency and speed. The end-markets within this segment are light vehicle and commercial vehicle.
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BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS
General Business Highlights
Our net sales increased 18.2% for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the year ended December 31, 2020. The increased sales were driven by higher volumes of 10.5% as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19, higher average selling price and product mix of 4.0%, contributions from acquisitions of 1.9% and a 1.8% benefit from foreign currency translation partially offset by significant impacts of the semiconductor chip and other supply chain shortages that affected our customers. The following trends have impacted our segment and end-market net sales performance:
•Performance Coatings: Net sales increased 23.0% compared to 2020. The increased sales were primarily driven by higher volumes of 13.1% as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19, higher average selling prices and product mix of 5.0%, and contributions from acquisitions of 2.8%. Net sales also benefited 2.1% from foreign currency translation driven primarily by fluctuations of the Euro, Chinese Renminbi, and British Pound compared to the U.S. Dollar.
•Mobility Coatings: Net sales increased 8.1% compared to 2020. The increased sales were primarily driven by higher volumes of 5.0% as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 as well as higher average selling prices and product mix of 1.8%, partially offset by significant impacts of semiconductor chip and other supply chain shortages. Net sales also benefited 1.3% from foreign currency translation driven primarily by fluctuations of the Chinese Renminbi and Euro partially offset by fluctuations in the Brazilian Real and Turkish Lira compared to the U.S. Dollar.
Our business serves four end-markets globally with net sales for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 as follows:
 (In millions) Year Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
  2021 2020 % change
Performance Coatings
Refinish $ 1,776.4  $ 1,449.0  22.6  %
Industrial 1,319.9  1,067.4  23.7  %
Total Net sales Performance Coatings 3,096.3  2,516.4  23.0  %
Mobility Coatings
Light Vehicle 1,013.1  960.5  5.5  %
Commercial Vehicle 306.8  260.7  17.7  %
Total Net sales Mobility Coatings 1,319.9  1,221.2  8.1  %
Total Net sales $ 4,416.2  $ 3,737.6  18.2  %
Semiconductor chip shortages, supply chain constraints and raw material inflation
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we were impacted globally by semiconductor chip shortages, primarily affecting our Light Vehicle end-market, supply chain shortages as a result of severe weather in the U.S., inflation of raw material costs and logistics constraints. We anticipate the semiconductor chip and supply chain constraints, including the tightness of raw materials and freight and logistic challenges, will continue to impact our results through 2022 and raw material inflation to continue to impact our results into 2022 with potential abatement as the year progresses. We will continue to monitor these conditions and take appropriate actions that we believe will help mitigate costs and other operational impacts.
Coronavirus ("COVID-19") Pandemic
During the year ended December 31, 2021, our business continued to recover from the significant adverse impact on the demand for our products and, thus, our income from operations, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020. While we have seen a return to more stable quarter-over-quarter demand for our products and services, we remain cognizant of future COVID-19 developments, such as impacts from new variants, including employee absenteeism, shutdowns or other restrictions, that could impact our future results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. The risks and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed in further detail within Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Acquisitions Highlights
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we successfully completed two strategic acquisitions within our Performance Coatings segment, including the acquisition of U-POL, which are discussed in further detail within Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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Capital and Liquidity Highlights
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we repurchased 8.2 million shares for total consideration of $243.7 million as we continue to execute against our previously approved share repurchase program. In April 2021, our Board of Directors authorized an increase in our common share repurchase program of $625.0 million, bringing the size of the program, initially announced in March 2017, to a total of $1.3 billion, of which we have repurchased $682.6 million through December 31, 2021.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, in connection with the Tenth Amendment to the Credit Agreement (the "Tenth Amendment") discussed within Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we increased the borrowing capacity under our revolving credit facility from $400.0 million to $550.0 million and extended the maturity of the revolving credit facility from 2024 to 2026, provided that such date will be accelerated in certain circumstances as set forth in the Tenth Amendment.
See Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
Environmental, Social and Governance Framework
In January 2022, we announced a new ESG framework that details longer-term ESG goals and strategies. See Part I, Item 1, "Business—Environmental, Social and Governance" included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
Factors Affecting Our Operating Results
The following discussion sets forth certain components of our statements of operations as well as factors that impact those items.
Net sales
We generate revenue from the sale of our products and services across all major geographic areas. Our net sales include total sales less estimates for returns and price allowances. Price allowances include discounts for prompt payment as well as volume-based incentives. Our overall net sales are generally impacted by the following factors:
•fluctuations in overall economic activity within the geographic markets in which we operate;
•underlying growth in one or more of our end-markets, either worldwide or in particular geographies in which we operate;
•the type of products used within existing customer applications, or the development of new applications requiring products similar to ours;
•changes in product sales prices (including volume discounts and cash discounts for prompt payment);
•changes in the level of competition faced by our products, including price competition, quality competition and the launch of new products by competitors;
•our ability to successfully develop and launch new products and applications;
•changes in buying habits of our customers (including our distributors); and
•fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
While the factors described above impact net sales in each of our operating segments, the impact of these factors on our operating segments can differ, as described below. For more information about risks relating to our business, see Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business."
Cost of goods sold ("cost of sales")
Our cost of sales consists principally of the following:
•Production materials costs. These include costs of the materials needed to manufacture products for distribution. These costs generally increase on an aggregate basis as production volumes increase, but product prices are also influenced by changes in market dynamics. A significant amount of the materials used in production are purchased on a global lowest-cost basis.
•Employee costs. These include the compensation and benefit costs, including share-based compensation expense, for employees involved in our manufacturing operations and on-site technical support services. These costs generally increase on an aggregate basis as production volumes increase and may decline as a percent of net sales as a result of economies of scale associated with higher production volumes.
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•Depreciation expense. Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated or amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Property, plant and equipment acquired through the Acquisition were recorded at their estimated fair value on the acquisition date resulting in a new cost basis for accounting purposes.
•Other. Our remaining cost of sales consists of freight costs, warehousing expenses, purchasing costs, costs associated with closing or idling of production facilities, functional costs supporting manufacturing, cost of poor quality, including product claims and other general manufacturing expenses, such as expenses for utilities and energy consumption.
The main factors that influence our cost of sales as a percentage of net sales include:
•changes in the price of raw materials;
•changes in the costs of labor, logistics and energy;
•production volumes;
•the implementation of cost control measures aimed at improving productivity, including reduction of fixed production costs, refinements in inventory management and the coordination of purchasing within each subsidiary and at the business level;
•fluctuations in foreign exchange rates; and
•changes in sales volumes, average selling prices and product mix.
Selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A")
Our selling, general and administrative expense consists of all expenditures incurred in connection with the sales and marketing of our products, as well as technical support for our customers and administrative overhead costs, including:
•compensation and benefit costs for management, sales personnel and administrative staff, including share-based compensation expense. Expenses relating to our sales personnel increase or decrease principally with changes in sales volume due to the need to increase or decrease sales personnel to meet changes in demand. Expenses relating to administrative personnel generally do not increase or decrease directly with changes in sales volume; and
•depreciation, advertising and other selling expenses, such as expenses incurred in connection with travel and communications.
Changes in selling, general and administrative expense as a percentage of net sales have historically been impacted by a number of factors, including:
•changes in the costs of labor;
•changes in sales volume, as higher volumes enable us to spread the fixed portion of our administrative expense over higher sales;
•changes in our customer base, as new customers may require different levels of sales and marketing attention;
•new product launches in existing and new markets, as these launches typically involve a more intense sales activity before they are integrated into customer applications;
•customer credit issues requiring increases to the allowance for doubtful accounts; and
•fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
Other operating charges
Our other operating charges include termination benefits and other employee related costs, strategic review and retention costs, acquisition and divestiture-related costs, impairment charges, an operational matter, which is discussed further in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and gains of sales of facilities details of which are included in our reconciliations of segment operating performance to income before income taxes.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses represent costs incurred to develop new products, services, processes and technologies or to generate improvements to existing products or processes.
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Interest expense, net
Interest expense, net consists primarily of interest expense on institutional borrowings and other financing obligations and changes in fair value of interest rate derivative instruments, net of capitalized interest expense. Interest expense, net also includes the amortization of debt issuance costs and debt discounts associated with our Senior Secured Credit Facilities, Senior Notes and other indebtedness.
Other (income) expense, net
Other (income) expense, net represents costs incurred, on various non-operational items including costs incurred in conjunction with our debt refinancing and extinguishment transactions, interest income, as well as foreign exchange gains and losses and non-operational impairment losses unrelated to our core business.
Provision for income taxes
We and our subsidiaries are subject to income tax in the various jurisdictions in which we operate. While the extent of our future tax liability is uncertain, changes to the debt and equity capitalization of our subsidiaries, and the realignment of the functions performed, and risks assumed by the various subsidiaries are among the factors that will determine the future book and taxable income of the respective subsidiary and the Company as a whole.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the information contained in the accompanying financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our historical results of operations summarized and analyzed below may not necessarily reflect what will occur in the future.
Net sales
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Net sales $ 4,416.2  $ 3,737.6  $ 678.6  18.2  %
Volume effect 10.5  %
Impact of portfolio changes 1.9  %
Price/Mix effect 4.0  %
Exchange rate effect 1.8  %
Net sales increased primarily due to the following:
n Higher sales volumes across both segments as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 on 2020 results, partially muted by customer production limitations resulting from significant impacts of semiconductor and other supply-chain constraints
n Higher average selling price driven in both segments as a result of pricing actions taken to offset input price inflation
n Increased sales through the acquisitions discussed within Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
n Favorable impacts of currency translation, due primarily to the fluctuations of the Euro, Chinese Renminbi and British Pound compared to the U.S. dollar
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Cost of sales
  Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
  2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Cost of sales $ 2,987.3  $ 2,457.9  $ 529.4  21.5  %
% of net sales 67.6  % 65.8  %
Cost of sales increased primarily due to the following:
n Higher sales volumes across both segments as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 on 2020 results
n Higher variable input costs due to raw material inflation and supply chain impacts
n Increased compensation-related expenses because of the lapse of temporary COVID-19 related cost reduction actions in the prior year
n Increased costs associated with the acquisitions discussed within Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
n Unfavorable impacts of currency translation, due primarily to the fluctuations of the Euro and Chinese Renminbi compared to the U.S. dollar
Cost of sales as a percentage of net sales increased primarily due to the following:
n Higher variable input costs due to raw material inflation and supply chain impacts
n Increased compensation-related expenses because of the lapse of temporary COVID-19 related cost reduction actions in the prior year
Partially offset by:
n Higher sales volume covering fixed costs
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 738.7  $ 695.0  $ 43.7  6.3  %
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased primarily due to the following:
n Unfavorable impacts of currency translation, due primarily to the fluctuations of the Euro and Chinese Renminbi compared to the U.S. dollar
n Increased expenses as a result of acquisitions discussed within Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
n Higher operating costs including compensation-related costs, due to the lapse of temporary COVID-19 related cost reductions in the prior year, partially offset by the reduction in costs resulting from operational efficiencies associated with our structural cost savings initiatives
n Increase in commissions and sales incentive compensation driven by increased sales
Partially offset by:
n Lower bad debt expenses in 2021 compared to 2020 of $10.0 million associated with trade receivables
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Other operating charges
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Other operating charges $ 44.0  $ 110.8  $ (66.8) (60.3) %
Other operating charges changed primarily due to the following:
n Decrease of $38.0 million in termination benefits and other employee related costs associated with our cost saving initiatives from $74.9 million in the prior year to $36.9 million in the current year
n Decrease of $21.0 million associated with retention awards and the review of strategic alternatives that was concluded in March 2020, from $30.7 million in the prior year to $9.7 million in the current year
n Gains of $18.7 million in the current year related to the sales of manufacturing facilities
n Decrease of $5.1 million in impairment charges primarily related to impairments and associated write-downs in the prior year resulting from our decision to exit the Performance Coatings segment business in Argentina, which did not re-occur in the current year
n Impacts of currency translation were immaterial when compared with 2020
Partially offset by:
n Increase of $11.8 million in expenses for acquisition-related costs during the current year primarily associated with costs associated with the U-POL acquisition

Research and development expenses
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Research and development expenses $ 62.4  $ 55.2  $ 7.2  13.0  %
Research and development expenses increased primarily due to the following:
n Increase in compensation-related expenses and other spending due to the absence of temporary cost savings initiatives that were in place during 2020
n Impacts of currency translation were immaterial when compared with 2020
Amortization of acquired intangibles
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Amortization of acquired intangibles
 $ 121.4  $ 113.2  $ 8.2  7.2  %
Amortization of acquired intangibles increased primarily due to the following:
n Amortization related to intangible assets acquired in our acquisitions discussed within Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
n Unfavorable impacts of foreign currency translation, primarily related to fluctuations of the Euro compared to the U.S. dollar
Interest expense, net
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Interest expense, net $ 134.2  $ 149.9  $ (15.7) (10.5) %
Interest expense, net decreased primarily due to the following:
n Decrease in variable interest rates due to LIBOR decreases on our variable rate debt over the comparable period and benefits on our fixed rate debt issued with our debt refinancing activity in November 2020
n Impacts of currency translation were immaterial when compared with 2020
Partially offset by:
n Unfavorable impacts of increased average principal over the comparable period resulting from our 2020 debt refinancing activities
n Unfavorable impacts of our derivative instruments used to hedge the variable interest rate exposure on certain debt arrangements
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Other (income) expense, net
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Other (income) expense, net $ (12.3) $ 33.4  $ (45.7) (136.8) %
Other (income) expense, net changed primarily due to the following:
n Reduction in debt extinguishment and refinancing related costs of $34.2 million
n Income of $8.3 million recorded in 2021 related to a tax law change with respect to certain Brazilian indirect taxes
n Favorable impact of foreign exchange losses of $4.9 million when compared with the prior-year period driven by the Euro and Swiss Franc
Partially offset by:
n A net benefit of $0.8 million during the prior period as a result of changes in pension curtailment, settlements, and special termination benefits activity within accumulated other comprehensive loss

Provision for income taxes
Years Ended December 31,
2021 2020
Income before income taxes
 $ 340.5  $ 122.2 
Provision for income taxes
 76.1  0.2 
Statutory U.S. Federal income tax rate
 21.0  % 21.0  %
Effective tax rate
 22.4  % 0.2  %
Effective tax rate vs. statutory U.S. Federal income tax rate 1.4  % (20.8) %
(Favorable) Unfavorable Impact
Items impacting the effective tax rate vs. statutory U.S. federal income tax rate
 2021 2020
Earnings generated in jurisdictions where the statutory rate is lower than the U.S. Federal rate (1)
$ (16.9) $ (13.9)
Changes in valuation allowance
 18.1  10.0 
Foreign exchange gain, net 2.2  8.2 
Stock-based compensation excess tax shortfalls (benefits) 0.4  (0.3)
Non-deductible expenses and interest
 5.7  4.6 
Change in unrecognized tax benefits (2)
(4.9) 54.9 
Intra-entity asset transfer (3)
—  (50.8)
Foreign taxes 8.7  7.0 
Other - net (4)
(7.0) (42.7)
(1)    Primarily related to earnings in Bermuda, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.
(2)    In 2020, we recorded charges of $14.3 million in connection with the income tax audit in Germany and $27.3 million in the Netherlands related to realized exchange gain. The Netherlands item is fully offset by a tax benefit of $27.3 million recorded in 2020 to adjust to the prior year tax filing position.
(3)    In 2020, the Company recorded a tax benefit related to the step-up of tax-deductible basis upon transfer of certain intellectual property rights to our Swiss subsidiary.
(4)    In 2021, the Company recorded a tax benefit of $2.9 million in the Netherlands, which is fully offset by a tax expense of $2.9 million for an increase to the valuation allowance. In 2020, the Company recorded a tax benefit of $41.8 million in the Netherlands, of which $27.3 million is related to realized exchange gain and $14.5 million related to rate change on deferred taxes, which are both fully offset by a tax expense of $27.3 million for the increase to unrecognized tax benefits and $14.5 million for an increase to the valuation allowance, respectively.
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SEGMENT RESULTS
The Company's products and operations are managed and reported in two operating segments: Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings. See Note 20 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
Performance Coatings Segment
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Net sales $ 3,096.3  $ 2,516.4  $ 579.9  23.0  %
Volume effect 13.1  %
Impact of portfolio changes 2.8  %
Price/Mix effect 5.0  %
Exchange rate effect 2.1  %
Adjusted EBIT $ 479.4  $ 344.3  $ 135.1  39.2  %
Adjusted EBIT Margin 15.5  % 13.7  %
Net sales increased primarily due to the following:
n Higher sales volumes across both end-markets and all regions as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19
n Higher average selling prices and product mix across both end-markets, driven by price actions within both end-markets and improved product mix in Refinish North America
n Favorable impact from portfolio changes as a result of acquisitions closed during 2021
n Favorable impacts of currency translation, due primarily to the fluctuations of the Euro, Chinese Renminbi and British Pound compared to the U.S. dollar
Adjusted EBIT increased primarily due to the following:
n Higher sales volumes across both end-markets as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19
n Higher average selling prices and product mix across both end-markets and most regions
n Favorable impacts of currency translation, due primarily to the fluctuations of the Canadian Dollar, Chinese Renminbi and British Pound compared to the U.S. dollar
Partially offset by:
n Higher variable input costs across both end-markets and all regions primarily due to inflation of raw materials and logistics costs
n Higher operating costs due to the lapse of temporary cost savings in the prior year, partially offset by the reduction in costs resulting from operational efficiencies associated with our structural cost savings initiatives
Adjusted EBIT margins increased primarily due to the following:
n Higher sales volumes across both end-markets as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19
n Higher average selling prices and product mix across both end-markets and most regions
n Favorable impacts of currency translation, due primarily to the fluctuations of the Canadian Dollar, Chinese Renminbi and British Pound compared to the U.S. dollar
Partially offset by:
n Higher variable input costs across both end-markets and all regions primarily due to inflation of raw materials and logistics costs
n Higher operating costs due to the lapse of temporary cost savings in the prior year, partially offset by the reduction in costs resulting from operational efficiencies associated with our structural cost savings initiatives
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Mobility Coatings Segment
Years Ended December 31, 2021 vs 2020
2021 2020 $ Change % Change
Net sales $ 1,319.9  $ 1,221.2  $ 98.7  8.1  %
Volume effect 5.0  %
Price/Mix effect 1.8  %
Exchange rate effect 1.3  %
Adjusted EBIT $ 38.7  $ 82.9  $ (44.2) (53.3) %
Adjusted EBIT Margin 2.9  % 6.8  %
Net sales increased primarily due to the following:
n Higher sales volumes across both end-markets as a result of demand recovery from the impacts of COVID-19, partially offset by customer production limitations due to significant impacts of semiconductor chip and other supply chain constraints
n Higher average selling prices and product mix driven by Light Vehicle price actions within most regions
n Favorable impacts of currency translation, due primarily to the fluctuations of the Chinese Renminbi and Euro compared to the U.S. dollar, partially offset by fluctuations of the Brazilian Real and Turkish Lira compared to the U.S. dollar
Adjusted EBIT decreased primarily due to the following:
n Higher variable input costs across all regions and both end-markets due to raw material inflation
Partially offset by:
n Higher average selling price and product mix driven by price actions to offset inflation
n Lower operating expenses
n Higher sales volumes across both end-markets
Adjusted EBIT margins decreased due to the following:
n Higher variable input costs across all regions due to raw material inflation
Partially offset by:
n Higher average selling price and product mix driven by price actions to offset inflation
n Lower operating expenses
n Higher sales volumes across both end-markets
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Our primary sources of liquidity are cash on hand, cash flow from operations and available borrowing capacity under our Senior Secured Credit Facilities.
At December 31, 2021, availability under the Revolving Credit Facility was $527.9 million, net of $22.1 million of letters of credit outstanding. All such availability may be utilized without violating any covenants under the credit agreement governing such facility or the indentures governing the Senior Notes. At December 31, 2021, we had $24.0 million of outstanding borrowings under other lines of credit. Our remaining available borrowing capacity under other lines of credit in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions totaled $22.2 million.
We, or our affiliates, at any time and from time to time, may purchase shares of our common stock or the Senior Notes, and may prepay our Term Loans or other indebtedness. Any such purchases of our common stock or Senior Notes may be made through the open market or privately negotiated transactions with third parties or pursuant to one or more redemption, tender or exchange offers or otherwise, upon such terms and at such prices, as well as with such consideration, as we, or any of our affiliates, may determine.
We have various supplier finance programs in place around the world. We partner with large banking institutions and utilize these programs to enhance our liquidity profile. Depending on the program, the liabilities under the program are classified either as accounts payable or current portion of borrowings on our consolidated balance sheets. Our facility in China is more fully described in Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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Cash Flows
Years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
Years Ended December 31,
(In millions) 2021 2020
Net cash provided by (used for):
Operating activities:
Net income $ 264.4  $ 122.0 
Depreciation and amortization 316.5  320.3 
Amortization of deferred financing costs and original issue discount 8.9  9.0 
Debt extinguishment and refinancing related costs 0.2  34.4 
Deferred income taxes 15.0  (55.4)
Realized and unrealized foreign exchange losses, net 10.1  3.9 
Stock-based compensation 14.9  15.1 
Gain on sales of facilities (19.7) — 
Interest income on swaps designated as net investment hedges (18.0) (14.5)
Other non-cash, net 11.7  16.2 
Net income adjusted for non-cash items 604.0  451.0 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities (45.4) 58.3 
Operating activities 558.6  509.3 
Investing activities (716.0) (61.5)
Financing activities (334.5) (130.9)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash (20.9) 26.6 
Net (decrease) increase in cash $ (512.8) $ 343.5 
Year Ended December 31, 2021
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $558.6 million. Net income before deducting non-cash items (depreciation, amortization and other non-cash items) generated cash of $604.0 million. This was offset by net uses of working capital of $45.4 million, for which the most significant drivers were increases in inventory, accounts and notes receivable and prepaid expenses and other assets of $111.6 million, $80.5 million and $45.3 million, respectively. These outflows were primarily driven by inflation of raw material costs, increased accounts receivable associated with net sales growth, insurance receivables related to an operational matter within the Mobility Coatings segment, which is discussed further in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and timing of business incentive payments. The outflows were partially offset by increases in accounts payable of $140.1 million due to inflation of raw material costs and management of accounts payable and other accruals of $66.2 million primarily related to an operational matter within the Mobility Coatings segment which is discussed further in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Net Cash Used for Investing Activities
Net cash used for investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $716.0 million. The primary uses were $649.0 million for business acquisitions, which are discussed further in Note 3 of the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and purchases of property, plant and equipment of $121.6 million. The outflows were partially offset by proceeds received from sales of assets of $37.8 million, driven primarily by the sales of facilities discussed further in Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and $18.0 million of interest proceeds on swaps designated as net investment hedges, which are discussed further in Note 19 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Net Cash Used for Financing Activities
Net cash used for financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $334.5 million. The primary uses were for the purchase of common stock totaling $243.8 million and payments of $100.9 million on borrowings.
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Other Impacts on Cash
Currency exchange impact on cash for the year ended December 31, 2021 were unfavorable by $20.9 million, which was driven primarily by fluctuations in the Euro compared to the U.S. Dollar partially offset by fluctuations in the Chinese Renminbi compared to the U.S. Dollar.
Year Ended December 31, 2020
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $509.3 million. Net income before deducting non-cash items (depreciation, amortization and other non-cash items) generated cash of $451.0 million. This was aided by inflows from working capital of $58.3 million, for which the most significant drivers were inflows from accounts payable, inventory and other liabilities $103.0 million, $39.6 million and $31.7 million, respectively. These inflows were driven by management of accounts payable and other liabilities and sell through of inventory. The inflows were partially offset by outflows for other accrued liabilities of $70.1 million, primarily associated with accruals for employee termination expenses, accounts receivable of $26.0 million due to timing of collections and prepaid expenses and other assets of $19.9 million, primarily due to business incentive payments.
Net Cash Used for Investing Activities
Net cash used for investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $61.5 million, driven primarily by purchases of property, plant and equipment of $82.1 million, partially offset by interest proceeds on swaps designated as net investment hedges of $14.5 million.
Net Cash Used for Financing Activities
Net cash used for financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $130.9 million. This was driven by cash proceeds of $500.0 million and $700.0 million for the issuance of our 2027 Dollar Senior Notes and 2029 Dollar Senior Notes, respectively, partially offset by the voluntary prepayment of $300.0 million on the outstanding principal on the 2024 Dollar Term Loan, and redemptions of $500.0 million and $396.3 million of the 2024 Dollar Senior Notes and 2024 Euro Senior Notes, respectively. Also contributing to the net outflows were routine repayments on short-term and long-term borrowings of $65.8 million, payments for redemption fees and refinancing-related costs of $39.9 million and repurchases of our common shares of $26.0 million.
Other Impacts on Cash
Currency exchange impacts on cash for the year ended December 31, 2020 were favorable by $26.6 million, which was driven primarily by the strengthening of the Euro, Chinese Renminbi and British Pound compared to the U.S. Dollar.
Financial Condition
We had cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2021 and 2020 of $840.6 million and $1,360.9 million, respectively. Of these balances, $471.9 million and $761.7 million were maintained in non-U.S. jurisdictions as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. We believe at this time our organizational structure allows us the necessary flexibility to move funds throughout our subsidiaries to meet our operational working capital needs.
Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations and future borrowings may not be available under our Senior Secured Credit Facilities in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness, or to fund our other liquidity needs, including planned capital expenditures. In such circumstances, we may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before maturity. We may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If we cannot service our indebtedness, we may have to take actions such as selling assets, selling additional equity or reducing or delaying capital expenditures, strategic acquisitions, investments and alliances. Our primary sources of liquidity are cash on hand, cash flow from operations and available borrowing capacity under our Senior Secured Credit Facilities. Based on our forecasts, we believe that cash flow from operations, available cash on hand and available borrowing capacity under our Senior Secured Credit Facilities and existing lines of credit will be adequate to service debt, fund our cost saving initiatives, meet liquidity needs and fund necessary capital expenditures for the next twelve months.
Our ability to make scheduled payments of principal or interest on, or to refinance, our indebtedness or to fund working capital requirements, capital expenditures and other current obligations will depend on our ability to generate cash from operations. Such cash generation is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control, including the effects of COVID-19.
If required, our ability to raise additional financing and our borrowing costs may be impacted by short and long-term debt ratings assigned by independent rating agencies, which are based, in significant part, on our performance as measured by certain credit metrics such as interest coverage and leverage ratios. Our highly leveraged nature may limit our ability to procure additional financing in the future.
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The following table details our borrowings outstanding at the periods indicated:
December 31,
(In millions) 2021 2020
2024 Dollar Term Loans $ 2,038.9  $ 2,063.2 
2025 Euro Senior Notes 508.8  552.1 
2027 Dollar Senior Notes 500.0  500.0 
2029 Dollar Senior Notes 700.0  700.0 
Short-term and other borrowings 113.8  118.0 
Unamortized original issue discount (4.6) (6.3)
Unamortized deferred financing costs (27.3) (34.3)
Total borrowings, net 3,829.6  3,892.7 
Less:
Short-term borrowings 55.4  29.9 
Current portion of long-term borrowings 24.3  24.3 
Long-term debt $ 3,749.9  $ 3,838.5 
Our indebtedness, including the Senior Secured Credit Facilities, Senior Notes and short-term borrowings, is more fully described in Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
We believe that we continue to maintain sufficient liquidity to meet our requirements, including our leverage and associated interest payments as well as our working capital needs. During the year ended December 31, 2021,we entered into the Tenth Amendment to the Credit Agreement in order to, among other things, increase the commitments available pursuant to the Revolving Credit Facility from $400.0 million to $550.0 million and extend the maturity from 2024 to 2026, provided that such date will be accelerated in certain circumstances as set forth in the Tenth Amendment. As a result, availability under the Revolving Credit Facility was $527.9 million and $366.0 million at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, all of which may be borrowed by us without violating any covenants under the Credit Agreement governing such facility or the indentures governing the Senior Notes.
The following table details our borrowings outstanding, average effective interest rates and the associated interest expense. Interest expense is inclusive of the amortization of debt issuance costs, debt discounts and the impact of derivative instruments for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively:
Years Ended December 31,
2021 2020
(In millions) Principal Average Effective
Interest Rate		 Interest
Expense		 Principal Average Effective
Interest Rate		 Interest
Expense
Term Loans $ 2,038.9  2.2% $ 62.2  $ 2,063.2  3.0% $ 68.0 
Revolving Credit Facility —  N/A 1.5  —  N/A 1.4 
Senior Notes 1,708.8  4.1% 65.9  1,752.1  4.5% 75.2 
Short-term and other borrowings 113.8  Various 4.6  118.0  Various 5.3 
Total $ 3,861.5  $ 134.2  $ 3,933.3  $ 149.9 

After giving effect to our cross-currency and interest rate hedges, our borrowings denominated in U.S. Dollar as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $2,481.4 million and $2,509.9 million, respectively, with weighted average interest rates of 3.4% and 3.6%. After giving effect to our cross-currency and interest rate hedges, borrowings denominated in Euro as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $1,380.1 million and $1,423.4 million, respectively, with weighted average interest rates of 2.5% and 2.5%.
Contractual Obligations
See Note 7 and Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for disclosure of our material contractual obligations.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
See Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for disclosure of our guarantees of certain customers' obligations to third parties.
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Recent Accounting Guidance
See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a summary of recent accounting guidance.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition are based upon our consolidated financial statements. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP unless otherwise noted. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experiences and assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances and re-evaluate them on an ongoing basis. Actual results could differ from our estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Our significant accounting policies, which may be affected by our estimates and assumptions, are more fully described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
An accounting policy is deemed to be critical if it requires an accounting estimate to be made based on assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain at the time the estimate is made, and if different estimates that reasonably could have been used, or changes in the accounting estimates that are reasonably likely to occur periodically, could materially impact the financial statements. Management believes the following critical accounting policies reflect its most significant estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of the financial statements.
Accounting for Business Combinations
Determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management's judgment and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash inflows and outflows, discount rates, royalty rates, customer attrition rates, technology migration rates, asset lives and market multiples, among other items.
The fair values of intangible assets are estimated using an income approach, either the excess earnings method (customer relationships) or the relief from royalty method (technology and trademarks). Under the excess earnings method, an intangible asset's fair value is equal to the present value of the incremental after-tax cash flows attributable solely to the intangible asset over its remaining useful life. With respect to customer relationships, fair values are calculated using the excess earnings method and customer attrition is a key input used to determine the applicable after-tax cash flows. Under the relief from royalty method, fair value is measured by estimating future revenue associated with the intangible asset over its useful life and applying a royalty rate to the revenue estimate. These intangible assets enable us to secure markets for our products, develop new products to meet the evolving business needs and competitively produce our existing products.
The fair values of real properties acquired are based on the consideration of their highest and best use in the market. The fair values of property, plant and equipment, other than real properties, are based on the consideration that unless otherwise identified, they will continue to be used "as is" and as part of the ongoing business. In contemplation of the in-use premise and the nature of the assets, the fair value is developed primarily using a cost approach.
The fair value of noncontrolling interests, when applicable, are estimated by applying an income approach and is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and thus represents a fair value measurement categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Key assumptions in the valuation of noncontrolling interest included a discount rate, a terminal value based on a range of long-term sustainable growth rates and adjustments because of the lack of control that market participants would consider when measuring the fair value of the noncontrolling interests.
The fair value of contingent consideration liabilities is estimated by applying an income approach using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value measurements are based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and thus represents a fair value measurement categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Key assumptions in the valuation of contingent consideration liabilities include discount rates, expected terms, volatility rates and operating results as applicable based on the targets identified in the respective acquisition agreements.
At December 31, 2021, we have not finalized the purchase accounting related to $680.2 million of net assets acquired during the year in connection with the acquisitions described in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The estimates used to determine the allocation of the purchase price may be modified up to one year from the date of the acquisition as more information is obtained about the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Based on historical acquisitions, we do not expect any mater