EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1173514
Filing Year: 2024
Filename: 1173514_10-K_2024_0001173514-24-000014.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1. BUSINESS
General
Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. ("Hyster-Yale" or the "Company") and its subsidiaries, including its operating company Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. ("HYG"), is a globally integrated company offering a full line of high-quality, application-tailored lift trucks and solutions aimed at meeting the specific materials handling needs of its customers. The Company's solutions include attachments and hydrogen fuel cell power products, telematics, automation and fleet management services, as well as a variety of other power options for its lift trucks. The Company is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Through HYG, the Company designs, engineers, manufactures, sells and services a comprehensive line of lift trucks, attachments and aftermarket parts marketed globally, primarily under the Hyster® and Yale® brand names, mainly to independent Hyster® and Yale® retail dealerships. The Company owns a 90% majority interest in Hyster-Yale Maximal Forklift (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. ("Hyster-Yale Maximal"), a Chinese manufacturer of low-intensity and standard lift trucks and specialized material handling equipment. Hyster-Yale Maximal also designs and produces specialized products in the port equipment and rough terrain forklift markets. Lift trucks and component parts are manufactured in the United States, Northern Ireland, China, Mexico, the Netherlands, Brazil, the Philippines, Italy, Japan and Vietnam. Hyster-Yale was incorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1999.
The Company’s segments for the lift truck business include the following: the Americas, EMEA and JAPIC. Americas includes lift truck operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Latin America and the corporate headquarters. EMEA includes operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. JAPIC includes operations in the Asia and Pacific regions, including China, as well as the equity earnings of SN operations.
The Company operates Bolzoni S.p.A. ("Bolzoni"). Bolzoni is a leading worldwide producer and distributor of attachments, forks and lift tables marketed under the Bolzoni®, Auramo® and Meyer® brand names. Bolzoni also produces components for lift truck manufacturers. Bolzoni products are manufactured in the United States, Italy, China, Germany and Finland. Through the design, production and distribution of a wide range of attachments, Bolzoni has a strong presence in the market niche of lift truck attachments and industrial material handling.
The Company operates Nuvera Fuel Cells, LLC ("Nuvera"). Nuvera is an alternative-power technology company focused on the design, manufacture and sale of hydrogen fuel cell stacks and engines.
The Company makes its annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports available, free of charge, through its website, www.hyster-yale.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
The components of the Company's revenues were as follows for the year ended December 31:
2023 2022 2021
Lift trucks 74 % 73 % 73 %
Parts 15 % 15 % 15 %
Service, rental and other 6 % 7 % 6 %
Bolzoni 5 % 5 % 6 %
Nuvera less than 1% less than 1% less than 1%
Sales of internal combustion engine and electric lift trucks as a percentage of the Company's revenues were as follows for the year ended December 31:
2023 2022 2021
Internal combustion 44 % 43 % 42 %
Electric 30 % 30 % 31 %
Total lift truck sales 74 % 73 % 73 %
Manufacturing and Assembly
The Company manufactures components, such as frames, masts and transmissions, and assembles lift trucks in the market of sale whenever practical to minimize freight cost and balance currency mix. In some instances, however, it utilizes one worldwide location to manufacture specific components or assemble specific lift trucks. Additionally, components and assembled lift trucks are exported when it is advantageous to meet demand in certain markets. The Company operates eleven lift truck manufacturing and assembly facilities worldwide with four plants in the Americas, three in EMEA and four in JAPIC, including joint venture operations. In addition, the Company operates six principal Bolzoni manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Aftermarket Parts
The Company offers a line of aftermarket parts to service its large installed base of lift trucks currently in use in the industry. The Company offers online technical reference databases specifying the required aftermarket parts to service lift trucks and an aftermarket parts ordering system.
The Company sells Hyster®- and Yale®-branded aftermarket parts to dealers for Hyster® and Yale® lift trucks. The Company also sells aftermarket parts under the UNISOURCE™ and PREMIER™ brands to Hyster® and Yale® dealers for the service of competitor lift trucks. The Company has a contractual relationship with a third-party, multi-brand, aftermarket parts wholesaler in the Americas and EMEA whereby orders from the Company's dealers for parts are fulfilled by the third party who then pays the Company a commission.
Marketing
The Company’s marketing organization is structured in three regional divisions: the Americas; EMEA, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and JAPIC, which includes Japan, Asia, Pacific, India and China. In each region, certain marketing support functions for the Hyster® and Yale® brands are carried out by shared-services teams. These activities include sales and service training, information systems support, product launch coordination, specialized sales material development, help desks, order entry, marketing strategy and field service support.
Patents, Trademarks and Licenses
The Company relies on a combination of trade secret protection, trademarks, copyrights, and patents to establish and protect the Company's proprietary rights. These intellectual property rights may not have commercial value or may not be sufficiently broad to protect the aspect of the Company's technology to which they relate or competitors may design around the patents. The Company is not materially dependent upon patents or patent protection; however, as materials handling equipment has become more technologically advanced, the Company and its competitors have increasingly sought patent protection for inventions incorporated into their respective products. The Company owns the Hyster®, Yale®, Maximal®, Bolzoni®, Auramo®, Meyer® and Nuvera® trademarks and believes these trademarks are material to its business.
Distribution Network
The Company distributes lift trucks and attachments primarily through two channels: independent dealers and a direct sales program to major customers. In addition, the Company distributes aftermarket parts and services for its lift trucks through its independent dealers. The Company’s end-user base is diverse and fragmented, including but not limited to the following industries: light and heavy manufacturers, trucking and automotive, rental, building materials and paper suppliers, lumber, metal products, warehouses, retailers, food and beverage distributors, container handling and U.S. and non-U.S. governmental agencies.
Independent Dealers
The Company’s dealers, located in 123 countries, are generally independently owned and operated. The following table summarizes the Company's dealers as of December 31, 2023:
Hyster®
Yale®
Dual-Branded Maximal®
Americas 12 22 33 15
EMEA 59 52 16 22
JAPIC 72 10 4 14
143 84 53 51
Global Accounts
The Company operates a direct sales program to major customers or global accounts for both Hyster® and Yale®. This program focuses on large customers with centralized purchasing and geographically dispersed operations in multiple dealer territories. This program accounted for 19%, 17% and 20% of new lift truck unit volume in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The independent dealers support these major customers by providing aftermarket parts and service on a local basis. Dealers receive a commission for the support they provide in connection with these major customer sales and for the preparation and delivery of lift trucks to customer locations. In addition to selling new lift trucks, this global accounts program markets services, including full maintenance leases and fleet management.
Financing of Sales
The Company is engaged in a joint venture with Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc. ("WF") to provide dealer and customer financing of new lift trucks in the United States. The Company owns 20% of the joint venture entity, HYG Financial Services, Inc. ("HYGFS"), and receives fees and certain remarketing profits under a joint venture agreement. During 2022, the agreement was amended to extend the term through December 2028. The agreement automatically renews for additional one-year terms
unless written notice is given by either party at least 180 days prior to termination. The Company accounts for its ownership of HYGFS using the equity method of accounting.
Under the joint venture agreement with HYGFS, the Company’s dealers and certain customers are extended credit for the purchase of lift trucks to be placed in the dealer’s floor plan inventory or the financing of lift trucks that are sold or leased to customers. For some of these arrangements, the Company provides recourse or repurchase obligations to HYGFS or to others. In substantially all of these transactions, a perfected security interest is maintained in the lift trucks financed, so that in the event of a default, the Company has the ability to take title to the assets financed and sell it through the Hyster® or Yale® dealer network. Furthermore, the Company has established reserves for exposures under these agreements when required. In addition, the Company has an agreement with WF to limit its exposure to losses at certain eligible dealers. Under this agreement, losses related to guarantees for these certain eligible dealers are limited to 7.5% of their original loan balance. See Notes 17 and 18 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion.
Backlog
The following table outlines the Company's backlog of unfilled orders placed with its manufacturing and assembly operations for new lift trucks:
December 31, 2023 September 30, 2023 December 31, 2022
Units (in thousands) 78.4 85.3 102.1
Backlog, approximate sales value (in millions) $ 3,330 $ 3,540 $ 3,730
As of December 31, 2023, the Company expects substantially all of its backlog of unfilled orders placed with its manufacturing and assembly operations for new lift trucks to be sold during the next twelve months. Backlog represents unfilled lift truck orders placed with the Company’s manufacturing and assembly facilities from dealers and direct sales to customers. In general, unfilled orders may be canceled at any time prior to the time of sale; however, the Company can assess cancellation penalties on dealer orders within a certain period prior to initiating production. In certain circumstances, dealer orders may be cancelled, for a limited time period without penalty, after receiving notice of a surcharge on the order from the Company. The dollar value of backlog is calculated using the current unit backlog and the forecasted average sales price per unit.
Key Suppliers and Raw Materials
During 2022 and 2021, the Company experienced significant increases in material costs, primarily from global price increases for industrial metals, including steel, lead and copper and other commodity products, such as rubber, as a result of increased demand and limited supply. During 2023 the Company experienced declines in some material costs which helped sustain the Company's strong margin position, however ongoing volatility in global markets and the impact on demand and supply may result in unanticipated cost increases for our product. The Company attempts to pass these increased costs along to its customers in the form of higher prices for its products. However, given a certain portion of the Company's current backlog is subject to fixed pricing, it may not be able to fully offset the increased market-based costs of industrial metals and other commodities due to overall market conditions and the lag time involved in implementing price increases for its products.
Steel is a significant raw material required by the Company's manufacturing operations and is generally purchased from steel producing companies in the geographic area near each of the Company's manufacturing facilities. Other significant components for the Company's lift trucks are engines, axles, brakes, transmissions, batteries and chargers. In addition, the Company depends on a limited number of suppliers for some of the Company's crucial components, including diesel and gasoline engines, which are supplied by, among others, Power Solutions International, Inc., Yanmar Power Technology Co., LTD. and Kubota Corp., drive-system components, which are supplied by, among others, Dana Corporation, ZF Company and Zapi Inc., and cast-iron counterweights used to counter balance some lift trucks, which are obtained from, among others, Eagle Quest International Ltd. and BTS5 Incorporated. Some of these critical components are imported and subject to regulations, such as customary inspection by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as the Company's own internal controls and security procedures. Although most components are available from numerous sources or in quantities sufficient to meet requirements, the Company has experienced and may continue to experience significant shortages of key components for certain products, which has negatively affected and may in the future negatively affect production levels.
Government and Trade Regulations
The Company has been impacted by ongoing trade disputes with China, which led to the imposition of tariffs resulting in higher material costs. In addition, the Company’s business has been affected in the past by trade disputes between the United States and Europe. In the future, the Company's results of operations may be materially adversely affected to the extent the Company is affected by trade disputes with other foreign jurisdictions, and increased tariffs are levied on its goods or the materials the Company purchases.
Competition
The Company is one of the leaders in the lift truck industry with respect to market share in the Americas and worldwide. Competition in the lift truck industry is based primarily on strength and quality of dealers, brand loyalty, customer service, new lift truck sales prices, availability of products and aftermarket parts, comprehensive product line offerings, product performance, quality and innovation, including features, and the cost of ownership over the life of the lift truck. The Company competes with several global lift truck manufacturers that operate in all major markets, as well as other niche companies. The lift truck industry also competes with alternative methods of materials handling, including conveyor systems and automated guided vehicles and systems. The Company's aftermarket parts offerings compete with parts manufactured by other lift truck manufacturers, as well as companies that focus solely on the sale of generic parts.
The use of fuel-cell technology in industrial and commercial applications is a relatively new development. Companies implementing such technology face competitors that integrate more traditional energy technologies into their product lines, as well as competitors that have implemented or are implementing alternatives to traditional energy technologies, such as lithium batteries, fuel additives and other high efficiency or “renewable” technologies.
Cyclical Nature of Lift Truck Business
The Company’s lift truck business historically has been cyclical. Fluctuations in the rate of orders for lift trucks, attachments and fuel-cell technology reflect the capital investment decisions of the Company’s customers, which depend to a certain extent on the general level of economic activity in the various industries the lift truck customers serve. During economic downturns, customers tend to delay new lift truck and parts purchases. Consequently, the Company has experienced, and in the future may continue to experience, significant fluctuations in its revenues and net income.
Research and Development
The Company’s lift truck research and development capability is organized around four major engineering centers that are coordinated on a global basis. Products are designed for each brand concurrently and generally each center is focused on the global requirements for a single product line. The Company’s counterbalanced development center, which has global design responsibility for several classes of lift trucks for a highly diverse customer base, is located in Fairview, Oregon. The Company’s big truck development center is located in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, adjacent to a dedicated global big truck assembly facility. Big trucks are primarily used in handling shipping containers and other specialized heavy lifting applications, including steel, concrete and energy-related industries. Warehouse trucks, which are primarily used in distribution applications, are designed based on regional differences in stacking and storage practices. The Company designs warehouse equipment for sale in the Americas market in Greenville, North Carolina, adjacent to the Americas manufacturing and assembly facility. The Company designs warehouse equipment for the European market in Masate, Italy, adjacent to its manufacturing and assembly facility for warehouse equipment. The Company also has an engineering Concept Center in the United Kingdom to support advanced design activities and an engineering office in India to support its global design activities for its four major engineering centers. The Company also has the Emerging Market Development Center in China to support low-intensity product development.
The Company’s lift truck engineering centers utilize a three-dimensional CAD/CAM system and are interconnected with each of the Company’s manufacturing and assembly facilities and certain suppliers. This allows for collaboration in technical engineering designs and collaboration with these suppliers. Additionally, the Company solicits customer feedback throughout the design phase to improve product development efforts.
Development and innovation of attachments occurs in each of the Bolzoni manufacturing plants for the specific products produced in that location.
Nuvera has two research and development locations. In the United States, Billerica, Massachusetts is the primary location for design, development and testing of fuel-cell stacks and engines. In Europe, the operations at San Donato, Italy are primarily focused on fuel-cell systems integration and testing.
Sumitomo-NACCO Joint Venture
The Company has a 50% ownership interest in Sumitomo NACCO Forklift Co., Ltd. ("SN"), a limited liability company that was formed in 1970 primarily to manufacture and distribute Sumitomo-branded lift trucks in Japan and export Hyster®- and Yale®-branded lift trucks and related components and service parts outside of Japan. Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. owns the remaining 50% interest in SN. Each stockholder of SN is entitled to appoint directors representing 50% of the vote of SN’s board of directors. All matters related to policies and programs of operation, manufacturing and sales activities require mutual agreement between the Company and Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. prior to a vote of SN’s board of directors. As a result, the Company accounts for its ownership in SN using the equity method of accounting. The Company purchases Hyster®- and Yale®-branded lift trucks and related component and aftermarket parts from SN for sale outside of Japan under agreed-upon terms. The Company also contracts with SN for engineering design services on a cost plus basis and charges SN for technology used by SN but developed by the Company. During 2023, SN sold approximately 8,000 lift trucks.
Human Capital Resources
As of January 31, 2024, the Company had approximately 8,600 employees. The employees are distributed among each of the Company's businesses as follows:
Lift Truck 7,200
Bolzoni 1,200
Nuvera 200
Certain employees in the Danville, Illinois parts depot operations are unionized. The Danville union contract expires every three years at which time salaries, certain employee policies and a limited number of benefits are negotiated for the following three-year period. The Company’s contract with the Danville union expires in June 2024. Generally, employee benefits for Danville union employees are aligned with non-union U.S. employees. All other employees at the Company's facilities in the United States are not represented by unions. In Brazil, all employees are represented by a union. The Company’s contracts with the Brazilian unions expire annually at which time salaries and certain benefits are negotiated for the following year. In Mexico, certain employees are unionized. The Company’s contract with the Mexican union expires annually in March, at which time salaries are negotiated for the following year. Benefits in Mexico are negotiated every other year.
In Europe, certain employees in the Helsinki, Finland, Salzgitter, Germany, Craigavon, Northern Ireland, Masate, Italy, Piacenza, Italy, San Donato, Italy and Nijmegen, the Netherlands facilities are represented by a union or a works council. All of the European employees are part of works councils or employee forums, which perform a consultative role on business and employment matters. The Company believes its current labor relations with both union and non-union employees are generally satisfactory.
The Company believes the long-term best interests of its stockholders are best served by embracing economic, social, environmental and health and safety objectives throughout its organization, which also contributes benefits to its customers and the communities in which it operates. The Company has established specific cost-effective corporate projects through its 2026 Aspirations program that are expected to reduce its impact on the environment and conserve natural resources.
The Company considers its employees a primary focus area of corporate responsibility. The Company's priority on people focuses on five main areas: occupational health and safety, employment, diversity and equal opportunity, training and education and engagement with local communities.
Occupational Health & Safety
A robust focus on health and safety performance is a fundamental driver of the Company’s achievements. Within the “Safety First” framework, there is diligent oversight and assessment of key performance indicators, a testament to the Company's dedication to safeguarding the holistic well-being of our workforce. The Company's safety aspiration is for zero occupational injury or illness rates, based on the philosophy that all such injuries and illnesses are preventable.
The Company requires comprehensive training and accountability from all employees to uphold safety as a daily priority. The Company's workforce is empowered to initiate safety improvements, engage in safety committees and reinforce safety behaviors at all times. The Company recognizes that employees engaged in the work are the most knowledgeable about associated risks. Therefore, the Company requires that the local safety/environmental improvement teams contain employee representatives reflective of their workforce, including hourly employees.
As expressed in the Global Environmental/Occupational Health and Safety Policy, the Company considers environmental protection, occupational health and safety and site security to be paramount to our employees, contractors and visitors and seeks to minimize and control risks to people and the environment and do so by participating in industry standard third-party certifications. Furthermore, the Company's facilities undergo annual internal inspections against our environmental, occupational health and safety and security standards.
Employment
The Company thrives when employees feel valued, motivated and involved. Knowing this, the Company actively seeks to align our employees with fulfilling and impactful tasks which leverage their skills, talent and potential. The Company is committed to investing in initiatives for recruitment and talent development aimed at attracting and retaining a diverse, competent and qualified pool of skilled individuals.
Some of the employment initiatives offered include various training opportunities, an educational assistance program, competitive wage and benefit programs, promotion of diversity and inclusion initiatives, a wellness program and cultivation of an energetic corporate atmosphere. In each country where the Company operates, the Company reviews the competitive markets to develop comprehensive benefits packages that address health and well-being, such as medical, dental and vision coverages; financial security programs such as retirement and savings plans; paid time off for vacation and holiday time and more.
Diversity and Equal Opportunity
The Company is dedicated to fostering a respectful and inclusive work environment. The aspiration is for every employee and potential employee to be treated with dignity and fairness, free from any discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability. The Company firmly stands against inappropriate behavior or remarks in the workplace. This includes conduct that creates a hostile or offensive atmosphere, disrupts work performance or harms employment opportunities. All forms of harassment, including sexual, verbal, physical or visual, are strictly prohibited. The Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy is a key component of the Company's Corporate Compliance Program.
The Company recognizes the importance of different voices and experiences in steering our growth and innovation forward. The Company continues to develop our female employees through our Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD) program, which is an eight-month program empowering women with skills and mindset for impactful leadership. Through interactive sessions, readings and reflective activities, participants develop a comprehensive understanding of their strengths and learn to lead with clarity, courage, compassion and a strong business acumen. Attendees are nominated based on their current roles as well as their potential for leadership, their career goals and aspirations as well as other key criteria.
The Company also maintains several Employee Resource Groups ("ERG"), such as the W41 Women’s Network, HYG Veterans Group, Emerging Professionals Network, Green Team and the Young Professionals Network. These groups are employee-led and employee-run which promote diversity by bringing together employees who share similar interests or affinities. They offer access to resources, development and leadership opportunities, and are designed to leverage the individual talents, perspectives and experiences of employees to support an inclusive workplace environment. All regular, full-time employees are eligible to join any ERG. Furthermore, each ERG must have a leadership sponsor who provides guidance and feedback on the group’s strategies and objectives.
Training and Education
The Company believes in the 70/20/10 Model of Employee Development, where 70% of development occurs through on-the-job experiences, 20% is learned from others and 10% is through formal training. The Company also believes in developing its existing employee base, seeking to retain the best and brightest talent. Therefore, employees are encouraged to seek out a mix of opportunities to enhance their professional and personal growth.
A multitude of training and educational opportunities are offered through the Company's Learning and Development Guide and the Hyster-Yale Learning Center. Each employee is provided access to this guide and to a digital learning platform, receiving a detailed overview of the wide variety of development opportunities available to all employees at little or no cost to them.
The Company's dedication to the growth and advancement of its employees is emphasized in the Performance Management Program ("PMP"). This program harmonizes individual performance with business objectives, creating a platform for employees to make meaningful contributions to the organization through ongoing feedback and development while ultimately driving outstanding business outcomes. The PMP encourages employee reviews in a structured manner that allows for the employee and their manager to reflect upon and discuss progress at mid-year and at year-end. All salaried employees participate in the program, and the Company is piloting the program with hourly employees.
Engagement with Local Communities
The Company believes it has a civic obligation to support educational and charitable causes. The Board of Director’s Charitable Contributions Committee encourages the Company and each of its subsidiaries to maintain programs in support of the local communities where employees live and work. This committee focuses its efforts on charitable contributions towards programs of the arts and sponsoring cultural, education, civic, health and welfare organizations, health care programs and minority and women’s groups, as well as other charitable programs in areas in which the Company operates.
Environmental Health and Safety Responsibility
As the scope of environmental laws and regulations increases across the world, it is imperative to stay focused on the Company's compliance obligations. In response, the Company has developed policies and procedures to address standards for the environment, which are designed to meet or exceed applicable laws and regulations. At a minimum, all employees must adhere to the Code of Corporate Conduct, including compliance with applicable environmental, health and safety requirements as well as laws and regulations.
The Company's strategy comprises three key tenants:
•comply with all applicable environmental and health and safety requirements;
•keep all work areas free from environmental health and safety hazards; and
•comply with reporting requirements of the Company and government agencies
The Company strives to efficiently manage operational energy use and mitigate the carbon footprint across global operations. The Company reviews and validates globally reported environmental data and seeks to normalize environmental metrics according to sequence of event hours, allowing better understanding of the efficiency of key performance indicators while accounting for changes in business volume. Periodically, the Company will partner with a third party to perform external reviews and validations to enhance the program and build confidence with our stakeholders.
To effectively manage this program, the Company's energy and emissions management strategy is built upon three pillars:
•Efficiency
•reduce energy consumption within the Company's operations; and
•pursue renewable energy and other low-carbon sources
•Engagement
•collaborate with suppliers to understand their energy challenges and develop solutions
•Innovation
•design and deliver products that improve energy efficiency and decrease operating costs
The Company has a deep appreciation for energy and energy efficiency. The Company consumes energy to create powerful equipment and this equipment, in turn, consumes energy while in-use. The Company recognizes the importance of managing energy consumption as efficiently as possible both during the production and use phase of products. To ensure there is internal accountability, oversight and focus in place for managing energy usage reduction, the Company has established divisional waste and energy committees in both the Americas and EMEA. These committees meet monthly to discuss progress and updates on current year energy and waste reduction projects as well as plans for future initiatives. The committees provide quarterly updates to key stakeholders within the organization to keep the business engaged with the topic and updated on the steps the Company is taking to decrease its environmental footprint among other priorities.
The Company is implementing site-specific energy policies at manufacturing facilities to support local energy management practices. These policies ask each location to define a strategy for reducing energy consumption, to set objectives and aspirations and to periodically review and track the reduction of energy use and carbon emissions. The implementation of these local energy policies is expected to guide the energy consumption reduction progress across the Company's internal operations.
The Company understands the importance of responsible material use, including how to manage and dispose of wastes generated within its operations. The Company has documented source reduction as a universal first step in minimizing waste generated within chemical and waste management procedures. Furthermore, as waste disposal options vary based on several factors, each of the Company's sites has specific policies and procedures in place to guide their materials management processes, including waste reuse and recycling efforts. The Company also provides formal training to address handling and storage of materials, including spill prevention and emergency response procedures. Relevant employees who routinely handle hazardous materials go through additional training, including handling, storage and disposal methods as well as additional spill response and emergency procedures. For these employees, the Company administers an annual hazardous material management test to confirm they are prepared to work with and around such materials.
The Company's approach to waste management is built upon three pillars.
Reduce: This pillar of the Company's waste management program is threaded throughout its operations from the design stage to raw materials selection to safe and efficient operations at the Company's facilities. The reduction of raw materials purchased and consumed reduces not only operational costs but also lowers environmental impacts from the upstream raw materials to the downstream disposal methods. Curtailing the storage of excessive materials and limiting exposure to on-site chemicals also reduces potential safety and environmental hazards. As a result, raw material reduction and efficiency efforts are a concerted focus across the Company.
Reuse: With regards to raw materials and the circular economy, the Company's “Remanufacturing” program covers 12 key components, which enable customers to exchange used parts for remanufactured items. The Company has strived to optimize its use of raw materials and allow valuable resources to remain in circulation. As part of the Company's Supplier Engagement Manual, specific procedures are in place to assess whether its customers are supported and their expectations are met. The Company has also implemented rules around packaging to assess whether the design and strength of the packaging minimizes cost of materials, labor and shipping.
Recycle: The Company's sites prioritize waste minimization first, followed by reuse and recycling. Waste reduction efforts have been further supported by ongoing initiatives and campaigns to increase awareness of recycling capabilities.
The three pillar approach drives zero waste to landfill aspirations within the Company's 2026 Aspirations program:
•Minimize and reduce landfilled waste at all global facilities
•Encourage non-pollution technologies in product research and development
•Remanufacturing program to return used parts and replace them with remanufactured parts
•Ensure multiple lifecycles of the Company's reusable parts, mitigating the need for raw materials for new parts
•Widespread use of returnable packaging across the Company's product lines
•Emphasized use of material reduction and recyclability for expendable packaging
•Supplier packaging guidelines to promote the use of recyclable materials
Environmental Matters
The Company’s manufacturing operations are subject to laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing the management and disposal of hazardous substances. The Company’s policies stress compliance, and the Company believes it is currently in substantial compliance with existing environmental laws. If the Company fails to comply with these laws or its environmental permits, it could incur substantial costs, including cleanup costs, operational disruptions, fines and civil and criminal sanctions. In addition, future changes to environmental laws could require the Company to incur significant additional expense or restrict operations. Based on current information, the Company does not expect compliance with environmental requirements to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.
The Company’s products may also be subject to laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing vehicle exhaust. Regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe have issued or proposed various regulations and directives designed to reduce emissions from spark-ignited engines and diesel engines used in off-road vehicles, such as industrial lift trucks. These regulations require the Company and other lift truck manufacturers to incur costs to modify designs and manufacturing processes and to perform additional testing and reporting. While there can be no assurance, the Company believes the impact of the additional expenditures to comply with these requirements will not have a material adverse effect on its business.
The Company is investigating or remediating historical contamination at some current and former sites caused by its operations or those of businesses it acquired. While the Company is not currently aware that any material outstanding claims or obligations exist with regard to these sites, the discovery of additional contamination at these or other sites could result in significant cleanup costs that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial conditions and results of operations.
In connection with any acquisition made by the Company, the Company could, under some circumstances, be held financially liable for or suffer other adverse effects due to environmental violations or contamination caused by prior owners of businesses the Company has acquired. In addition, under some of the agreements through which the Company has sold businesses or assets, the Company has retained responsibility for certain contingent environmental liabilities arising from pre-closing operations. These liabilities may not arise, if at all, until years later and could require the Company to incur significant additional expenses.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company's other filings with the SEC, the following risk factors should be carefully considered in evaluating the Company and its business before investing in the Company's common stock. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties, not presently known to the Company or otherwise, may also impair the Company's business. Although the risks are organized by headings, and each risk is discussed separately, many are interrelated. If any of the risks actually occur, the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations or stock price could be materially and adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Business and Operations
The Company is subject to risks relating to its global operations.
The Company is a U.S.-based multinational corporation that has global operations. Operating globally subjects the Company to a number of operational risks relating to changes in government regulations and policies in a large number of jurisdictions around the world, including those related to tariffs and trade barriers, investments, property ownership rights, taxation, and exchange controls. Increasing emphasis and changing expectations with respect to environmental, social and governance matters may impose additional costs on the Company or expose the Company to new or additional risks. In addition, changes in the relative values of currencies occur from time to time and could affect the Company's operating results.
Further, existing free trade laws and regulations provide certain beneficial duties and tariffs for qualifying imports and exports, subject to compliance with the applicable classification and other requirements. Changes in laws or policies governing the terms of international trade, and in particular increased trade restrictions, tariffs or taxes on imports from countries where the Company manufactures products could have a material adverse impact on the Company's business and financial results.
Part of the strategy to expand worldwide market share is strengthening the Company's non-U.S. distribution network. A part of this strategy also includes decreasing costs by sourcing basic components in lower-cost countries. Implementation of this part of the strategy may increase the impact of the risks to global operations and there can be no assurance that such risks will not have an adverse effect on the Company's revenues, profitability or market share.
Economic and political conditions in the United States and abroad may lead to significant changes in tax rules and regulations. For example, proposals to reform non-U.S. tax laws or other regulations could significantly impact how multinational corporations do business. The Company's effective income tax rate could be volatile and materially change as a result of changes in tax laws, mix of earnings and other factors. Although the Company cannot predict the final form or impact of any regulation or other proposal, if adopted at all, such regulations and proposals could, if enacted, have a material adverse impact on the Company's profitability.
Furthermore, international trade may also be disrupted by geopolitical conflict and hostilities in the regions or involving the countries in which the Company operates. This could aggravate each of the foregoing risks, as well as disrupt our ability to operate in affected areas, including collecting on commercial receivables.
The Company relies on the timely and free flow of goods through open and operational international shipping lanes and ports from suppliers and manufacturing locations. Disruptions of shipping lanes from labor disputes or sea piracy, or at ports, common carriers, or suppliers could create significant risks, particularly if these disputes result in work slowdowns, lockouts, strikes, or other disruptions during periods of significant importing or manufacturing. These factors could potentially result in delayed or cancelled orders by customers, unanticipated inventory accumulation or shortages, and harm to the business, results of operations, and financial condition.
In addition, operating globally subjects the Company to risks related to the health and welfare of its employees and the employees of suppliers, as well as the workplaces where the Company’s products or critical components from suppliers are manufactured. Conditions resulting from natural disasters or global health epidemics or pandemics may prevent or delay the Company’s ability to obtain critical components or manufacture and sell the Company’s products. These disruptions could materially affect the Company’s liquidity, operations and revenues and profitability could be significantly reduced.
The Company depends on a limited number of suppliers for specific critical components.
The Company depends on a limited number of suppliers for some of its critical components, including diesel, gasoline and fuel cell engines and cast-iron counterweights used to counterbalance some lift trucks. Some of these critical components are imported and subject to regulation, primarily with respect to customary inspection of such products by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Although most components are available from numerous sources or in quantities sufficient to meet requirements, the Company has experienced significant shortages of key components for certain products which has negatively affected and may in the future negatively affect production levels. The results of operations and liquidity position have been and could be adversely affected if the Company is unable to obtain these critical components, or if the costs of these critical components were to continue to increase, due to inflation, regulatory compliance or otherwise, and the Company is unable to pass the cost increases on to its customers.
Furthermore, disruptions associated with suppliers have impacted and may continue to impact the Company's liquidity position. If the normalization of supply chains and inflationary pressures is longer than anticipated, the Company may not be able to generate sufficient cash from operations which, among other things, could negatively impact the Company's debt levels and ability to access its credit facilities, or require the Company to seek additional financing sources, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all. If the Company suffers a liquidity shortage, the Company may be forced to reduce production levels, reduce planned capital investments, reduce workforce, decrease or suspend planned dividends, or adopt other measures.
The cost of raw materials used by the Company's products has fluctuated and may continue to fluctuate, which could materially reduce the Company's profitability.
The Company has experienced and may continue to experience significant increases in materials costs, primarily as a result of inflationary pressures and global increases in the costs of industrial metals, including steel, lead and copper and other commodities, such as rubber, as a result of increased demand and limited supply. The Company manufactures products that include raw materials that consist of steel, rubber, copper, lead, castings and counterweights. The Company also purchases parts provided by suppliers that are manufactured from castings and steel or contain lead. The cost of these parts is affected by the same economic conditions that impact the cost of the parts the Company manufactures. The cost to manufacture lift trucks and related service parts has been and may continue to be affected by fluctuations in prices for these raw materials. If costs of these raw materials increase, the Company's profitability could be materially reduced.
If the Company's strategic initiatives, including the introduction of new products, do not prove effective, revenues, profitability and market share could be significantly reduced.
Changes in the timing of implementation of the Company's current strategic initiatives may result in a delay in the expected recognition of future costs and realization of future benefits. In addition, if future industry demand levels are lower than
expected or customers' demands change, the Company may not be successful in implementing its strategic initiatives. If the Company is unable to successfully implement these strategic initiatives, revenues, profitability, growth prospects and market share could be significantly reduced.
Failure to compete effectively within the Company's industry could result in a significant decrease in revenues and profitability.
The Company experiences intense competition in the sale of lift trucks and aftermarket parts. Competition in the lift truck industry is based primarily on strength and quality of dealers, brand loyalty, customer service, new lift truck sales prices, availability of products and aftermarket parts, comprehensive product line offerings, product performance, quality and innovation, including features, and the cost of ownership over the life of the lift truck. The Company competes with several global manufacturers that operate in all major markets. These manufacturers may have lower manufacturing costs and greater financial resources than the Company, which may enable them to commit larger amounts of capital in response to changing market conditions. If the Company fails to compete effectively, revenues and profitability could be significantly reduced.
The lift truck business is cyclical. Any downturn in the general economy could result in significant decreases in the Company's revenue and profitability and an inability to sustain or grow the business.
The Company's lift truck business historically has been cyclical. Fluctuations in the rate of orders for lift trucks, attachments and fuel-cell technology reflect the capital investment decisions of the Company's customers, which depend to a certain extent on the general level of economic activity in the various industries the customers serve. During economic downturns, customers tend to delay new lift truck and parts purchases. Consequently, the Company has experienced, and in the future may continue to experience, significant fluctuations in revenues and net income. If there is a downturn in the general economy, or in the industries served by lift truck customers, the Company's revenue and profitability could decrease significantly, and the Company may not be able to sustain or grow the business.
The pricing and costs of the Company's products have been and may continue to be impacted by currency fluctuations, which could materially increase costs, and result in material exchange losses and reduce operating margins.
Because the Company conducts transactions in various currencies, including euros, Japanese yen, U.S. dollars, Chinese renminbi, British pounds, Swedish kroner, Mexican pesos and Australian dollars, lift truck pricing is subject to the effects of fluctuations in the value of these currencies and fluctuations in the related currency exchange rates. As a result, the Company's sales have historically been affected by, and may continue to be affected by, these fluctuations. In addition, exchange rate movements between currencies in which the Company purchases materials and components and manufactures certain products and the currencies in which the Company sells those products have been affected by and may continue to result in exchange losses that could materially reduce operating margins. Furthermore, the Company's hedging contracts may not fully offset risks from changes in currency exchange rates.
The Company relies primarily on its network of independent dealers to sell lift trucks and aftermarket parts and the Company has no direct control over sales by those dealers to customers. The loss of or ineffective or poor performance by these independent dealers could result in a significant decrease in revenues and profitability and the inability to sustain or grow the business.
The Company relies primarily on independent dealers for sales of lift trucks and aftermarket parts. Sales of the Company's products are therefore subject to the quality and effectiveness of the dealers, who are not subject to the Company's direct control. As a result, ineffective or poorly performing dealers could result in a significant decrease in revenues and profitability and the Company may not be able to sustain or grow its business.
The Company may not be successful in commercializing Nuvera’s technology, which success would depend, in part, on the Company’s ability to protect Nuvera’s intellectual property.
The Company may not be able to commercialize Nuvera’s fuel-cell technologies on economically efficient terms. Unforeseen difficulties, such as delays in development due to design defects or changes in specifications and insufficient research and development resources or cost overruns, may hinder the Company’s ability to incorporate Nuvera’s technologies into its product lines on an economically favorable basis or at all.
Furthermore, Nuvera’s commercial success will depend largely on the Company’s ability to maintain patent and other intellectual property protection covering certain of Nuvera’s technologies. Nuvera’s fuel-cell technology may not be economically viable if the Company is unable to prevent others from infringing or successfully challenging the validity of certain patents and other intellectual property rights attributable to Nuvera.
If the global capital goods market declines, the cost saving efforts the Company has implemented may not be sufficient to achieve the benefits expected.
If the global economy or the capital goods market declines, revenues could decline. If revenues are lower than expected, the programs the Company has implemented may not achieve the benefits expected. Furthermore, the Company may be forced to
take additional cost saving steps that could result in additional charges that materially adversely affect the ability to compete or implement the Company's current business strategies.
The Company is subject to recourse or repurchase obligations with respect to the financing arrangements of some of its customers.
Through arrangements with WF and others, dealers and other customers are provided financing for new lift trucks in the United States and in major countries of the world outside of the United States. Through these arrangements, the Company's dealers and certain customers are extended credit for the purchase of lift trucks to be placed in the dealer’s floor plan inventory or the financing of lift trucks that are sold or leased to customers. For some of these arrangements, the Company provides recourse or repurchase obligations such that it would become obligated in the event of default by the dealer or customer. Total amounts subject to these types of obligations were $162.4 million and $133.2 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Generally, the Company maintains a perfected security interest in the related assets financed such that, in the event the Company becomes obligated under the terms of the recourse or repurchase obligations, it may take title to the assets financed. The Company cannot be certain, however, that the security interest will equal or exceed the amount of the recourse or repurchase obligations. In addition, the Company cannot be certain that losses under the terms of the recourse or repurchase obligations will not exceed the reserves that have been set aside in the consolidated financial statements. The Company could incur a charge to earnings if reserves prove to be inadequate, which could have a material adverse effect on results of operations and liquidity for the period in which the charge is taken.
Other products may be introduced to the market by competitors, making the Nuvera technology less marketable.
The use of fuel-cell technology in industrial and commercial applications is a relatively new development. Companies implementing such technology face competition from competitors that integrate more traditional energy technologies into their product lines, as well as competitors that have implemented or are implementing alternatives to traditional energy technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, fuel additives and other high efficiency or “renewable” technologies. Any of these technologies may have more established or otherwise more attractive manufacturing, distribution and operating cost features, which could negatively impact customers’ preferences for product lines that incorporate fuel-cell technology and, as a result, diminish the marketability of products incorporating Nuvera technology.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity
The Company may be unable to protect its information systems against service interruptions, data corruption, cyber-based attacks or network breaches, which have in the past and could in the future disrupt business operations and could materially adversely affect the Company's operating results, financial position or reputation.
The Company relies on information technology networks and systems, some of which are managed by third parties, in connection with various business activities. These activities include processing, transmitting and storing electronic information, and managing or supporting a variety of business processes and activities, including supply chain, manufacturing, distributing, invoicing and collection. The Company uses information systems to record, process and summarize financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and to comply with regulatory financial reporting and legal and tax requirements.
The Company’s information systems have been and may in the future be susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components; power outages; hardware failures; user error; insider threats; or cybersecurity threats, including, but not limited to, ransomware, malware, phishing and denial of service attacks, which are increasing in frequency and sophistication. In addition, security breaches, whether in the Company’s systems or those of third parties on which the Company relies, could result in unauthorized access to and disclosure of confidential, personal or sensitive information and loss of intellectual property and pose a risk to the security, confidentiality, availability and integrity of the Company’s data, as well as the data of the Company’s suppliers, customers and employees. While various procedures and controls have been and are being utilized to mitigate such risks, there can be no guarantee that the actions and controls the Company implements, or which the Company has caused or will cause third-party service providers to implement, will be sufficient to protect and mitigate associated risks to the Company’s information systems, information or other property. Moreover, the Company may not be aware of all vulnerabilities associated with its information systems.
The Company has experienced cyber security threats and vulnerabilities in the Company’s information systems and those of the Company’s third-party providers. Such prior events have not had a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. In addition, the amount of insurance coverage the Company maintains may be inadequate or difficult to obtain in order to cover claims or liabilities relating to a cybersecurity attack. If, in the future, the Company’s or a third party’s information systems suffer severe damage, disruption, breach, or shutdown, and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, then the Company could be subject to litigation with third parties, government enforcement actions, penalties, disruption to operations and product systems, unauthorized release of confidential or otherwise protected information, corruption of data, or remediation costs, which could result in a negative impact on the Company’s operating results, financial condition or reputation. Reports of unauthorized access to the Company's products, systems and
data, regardless of their veracity, may result in the perception that the products, systems or data are capable of being hacked, which could harm its brands, prospects and operating results. Further, the amount of insurance coverage the Company maintains may be inadequate to cover claims or liabilities relating to a cybersecurity attack.
Security breaches with respect to the Company’s products could interfere with its business, dealers, and customers, exposing it to liability that would cause its business and reputation to suffer.
Some of the Company’s products include cyberphysical components and systems typically used for telematics services, automated vehicles and remote system updates. While the Company has implemented security measures intended to prevent unauthorized access to these products, malicious actors have attempted, and may attempt in the future, to gain unauthorized access to such products including through such components and systems in order to gain control of the products, change the products’ functionality, user interface, or performance characteristics, or gain access to data stored in or generated by the products. Any unauthorized access to or control of the products or systems or any loss of data could result in litigation with third parties, government enforcement actions, penalties, disruption to product systems, unauthorized release of confidential or otherwise protected information, corruption of data, or remediation costs, which could materially adversely affect the Company’s operating results, financial position, growth opportunities or reputation.
Risks Related to Legal and Regulatory Matters
The Company is subject to import and export controls, which could subject the Company to liability or impair the Company's ability to compete in international markets.
Due to the international scope of the Company's operations, the Company is subject to a complex system of import- and export-related laws and regulations, including U.S. export control and customs regulations and customs regulations of other countries. These regulations are complex and vary among the legal jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Obtaining the necessary authorizations, including any required license, for a particular transaction may be time-consuming, is not guaranteed, and may result in the delay or loss of sales opportunities. Furthermore, U.S. export control laws and economic sanctions laws prohibit certain transactions with U.S. embargoed or sanctioned countries, governments, persons and entities. Any alleged or actual failure to comply with such laws and regulations may subject the Company to government scrutiny, investigation, and civil and criminal penalties, and may limit the Company's ability to import or export products or to provide services outside the United States. Depending on severity, any of these penalties could have a material impact on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. There can be no assurance that laws and regulations will not be changed in ways which will require the Company to modify its business models and objectives or affect the Company's returns on investments by restricting existing activities and products, subjecting them to escalating costs or prohibiting them outright.
Actual liabilities relating to pending lawsuits may exceed the Company's expectations.
The Company is a defendant in pending lawsuits involving, among other things, product liability claims. The Company cannot be sure that it will succeed in defending these claims, that judgments will not be rendered against the Company with respect to any or all of these proceedings or that reserves set aside or insurance policies will be adequate to cover any such judgments. In addition, insurance coverage is increasingly expensive, contains more stringent terms, may be difficult to obtain in the future and may be inadequate to cover related claims and liabilities. The Company could incur a charge to earnings if reserves prove to be inadequate or the average cost per claim or the number of claims exceed estimates, which could have a material adverse effect on results of operations and liquidity for the period in which the charge is taken and any judgment or settlement amount is paid.
Actual liabilities relating to environmental matters may exceed the Company's expectations.
The Company's manufacturing operations are subject to laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing the management and disposal of hazardous substances. If the Company fails to comply with these laws or the Company's environmental permits, then the Company could incur substantial costs, including cleanup costs, fines and civil and criminal sanctions. In addition, future changes to environmental laws could require the Company to incur significant additional expenses or restrict operations.
The Company's products may also be subject to laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing vehicle exhausts. Regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe have issued or proposed various regulations and directives designed to reduce emissions from spark-ignited engines and diesel engines used in off-road vehicles, such as industrial lift trucks. These regulations require the Company and other lift truck manufacturers to incur costs to modify designs and manufacturing processes and to perform additional testing and reporting.
The Company is investigating or remediating historical contamination at some current and former sites caused by its operations or those of businesses it acquired. While the Company is not currently aware that any material outstanding claims or obligations exist with regard to these sites, the discovery of additional contamination at these or other sites could result in significant cleanup costs that could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.
In connection with any acquisition the Company has made, it could, under some circumstances, be held financially liable for or suffer other adverse effects due to environmental violations or contamination caused by prior owners of businesses the Company has acquired. In addition, under some of the agreements through which the Company has sold businesses or assets, it has retained responsibility for certain contingent environmental liabilities arising from pre-closing operations. These liabilities may not arise, if at all, until years later and could require the Company to incur significant additional expenses, which could materially adversely affect the results of operations and financial condition.
The Company may become subject to claims under non-U.S. laws and regulations, which may require expensive, time-consuming and distracting litigation.
Because the Company has employees, property and business operations outside of the United States, it is subject to the laws and the court systems of many jurisdictions. The Company may become subject to claims outside the United States based in non-U.S. jurisdictions for violations of their laws with respect to the Company's non-U.S. operations. In addition, these laws may be changed or new laws may be enacted in the future, including, for example, with respect to environmental, climate change, health and safety and cybersecurity matters. Non-U.S. litigation is often expensive, time consuming and distracting. As a result, any of these risks could significantly reduce profitability and the Company's ability to operate its businesses effectively.
Risks Related to Key Personnel and Ownership
The Company is dependent on key personnel, and the loss of these key personnel could significantly reduce profitability.
The Company is highly dependent on the skills, experience and services of key personnel, and the loss of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on its business, operating results and financial condition. Competition for, and availability of skilled personnel is challenging in the markets in which the Company competes, and employment and retention of qualified and skilled front-line personnel is important to the successful conduct of the Company's business. The Company's success depends upon its ability to recruit, hire, train and retain additional skilled and experienced management personnel. The Company's inability to hire and retain personnel with the requisite skills could impair its ability to manage and operate its business effectively and could significantly reduce profitability.
Certain members of the Company’s extended founding family own a substantial amount of its Class A and Class B common stock and, if they were to act in concert, could control the outcome of director elections and other stockholder votes on significant corporate actions.
The Company has two classes of common stock: Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to cast one vote per share and, as of December 31, 2023, accounted for approximately 28 percent of the voting power of the Company. Holders of Class B common stock are entitled to cast ten votes per share and, as of December 31, 2023, accounted for the remaining voting power of the Company. As of December 31, 2023, certain members of the Company’s extended founding family held approximately 30 percent of the Company’s outstanding Class A common stock and approximately 95 percent of the Company’s outstanding Class B common stock. On the basis of this common stock ownership, certain members of the Company’s extended founding family could have exercised 77 percent of the Company’s total voting power. Although there is no voting agreement among such extended family members, in writing or otherwise, if they were to act in concert, they could control the outcome of director elections and other stockholder votes on significant corporate actions, such as certain amendments to the Company’s certificate of incorporation and sale of the Company or substantially all of its assets. Because certain members of the Company’s extended founding family could prevent other stockholders from exercising significant influence over significant corporate actions, the Company may be a less attractive takeover target, which could adversely affect the market price of its common stock.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Item 2. PROPERTIES
The following table presents the principal assembly, manufacturing, distribution and office facilities that the Company owns or leases:
Segment Facility Location Owned/Leased Function(s)
Lift Truck
Americas Berea, Kentucky Owned Assembly of lift trucks and manufacture of component parts
Charlotte, North Carolina Leased Customer experience and training center
Cleveland, Ohio Leased Global headquarters
Danville, Illinois Owned Americas parts distribution center
Fairview, Oregon Owned Counterbalanced development center for design and testing of lift trucks, prototype equipment and component parts
Greenville,
North Carolina Owned Divisional headquarters and marketing and sales operations for Hyster® and Yale® in the Americas; Americas warehouse development center; assembly of lift trucks and manufacture of component parts
Itu, Brazil Owned Assembly of lift trucks and parts distribution center
Ramos Arizpe, Mexico Owned Assembly of lift trucks and manufacture of component parts
EMEA Craigavon, Northern Ireland Owned Manufacture of lift trucks and component parts
Frimley, Surrey, UK Leased Divisional headquarters and marketing and sales operations for Hyster® and Yale® in EMEA
Irvine, Scotland Leased European administrative center
Masate, Italy Leased Assembly of lift trucks; European warehouse development center
Nijmegen, the Netherlands Owned Big trucks development center; manufacture and assembly of big trucks and component parts; European parts distribution center
JAPIC Fuyang, China Owned Manufacture and assembly of lift trucks
Pune, India Leased Engineering, supply chain and marketing services
Shanghai, China Owned Sale of parts and marketing operations of China
Bolzoni Helsinki, Finland Leased Manufacture and distribution of Bolzoni products
Hebei, China Owned Manufacture and distribution of Bolzoni products
Piacenza, Italy Owned Bolzoni headquarters; manufacture and distribution of Bolzoni products
Salzgitter, Germany Owned Manufacture and distribution of Bolzoni products
Sulligent, Alabama Owned Manufacture of Bolzoni products and manufacture of component parts for lift trucks
Wuxi, China Owned Manufacture and distribution of Bolzoni products
Nuvera Billerica, Massachusetts Leased Nuvera research and development laboratory
SN’s operations are supported by three facilities. SN’s headquarters are located in Obu, Japan at a facility owned by SN. The Obu facility also has assembly and distribution capabilities for lift trucks and parts. In Cavite, the Philippines and Hanoi, Vietnam, SN owns facilities for the manufacture of components for SN and the Company's products.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
The Company is, and will likely continue to be, involved in a number of legal proceedings which the Company believes generally arise in the ordinary course of the business, given its size, history and the nature of its business and products. The Company does not believe that any of these legal proceeding will have a material effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
None.
Item 4A. INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following tables set forth the name, age, current position and principal occupation and employment during the past five years of the Company’s executive officers.
Name Age Current Position Other Positions
Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. 82 Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hyster-Yale (from May 2023). Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hyster-Yale (from February 2021 to May 2023), Chairman of HYG (from prior to 2019 to May 2023), Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hyster-Yale (from prior to 2019 to February 2021).
Rajiv K. Prasad 60 President and Chief Executive Office of Hyster-Yale (from May 2023), President and Chief Executive Officer of HYG (from January 2020). President of Hyster-Yale (from February 2021 to May 2023), Chief Product and Operations Officer of HYG (from prior to 2019 to December 2019).
Stephen J. Karas 54 Senior Vice President, President APIC (from February 2020). Vice President, Global Supply Chain of HYG (from prior to 2019 to January 2020).
Jennifer M. Langer 50 Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of Hyster-Yale (from May 2021), Vice President, Finance - EMEA (from January 2024). Vice President, Controller of Hyster-Yale (from prior to 2019 to May 2021). Vice President, Controller of HYG (from prior to 2019 to December 2023).
Scott A. Minder 50 Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Hyster-Yale (from September 2022). Vice President, Treasurer and Investor Relations of ATI Inc. (a global specialty materials and component company) (from prior to 2019 to August 2022).
Stewart D. Murdoch 53 Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa of HYG (from October 2020). General Manager, Director and Head of EMEA North and Australasia, Habasit (UK), Ltd. (an industrial company) (from prior to 2019 to September 2020).
Charles F. Pascarelli 64 Senior Vice President, President, Americas of HYG (from prior to 2019).
Anthony J. Salgado 53 Chief Operating Officer of HYG (from July 2019). Senior Vice President, JAPIC of HYG (from prior to 2019 to June 2019).
Jon C. Taylor 59 Chief Financial Officer of HYG (from February 2022) VP Finance of HYG (from July 2020 to January 2022), President, Nuvera Fuel Cells (from prior to 2019 to June 2020).
Suzanne S. Taylor 61 Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Hyster-Yale (from prior to 2019), Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of HYG (from prior to 2019).
The information under this Item is furnished pursuant to Instruction 3 to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K. There exists no arrangement or understanding between any executive officer and any other person pursuant to which such executive officer was elected. Each executive officer serves until his or her successor is elected and qualified.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
Item 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
The Company's Class A common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “HY.” There is no established public trading market for the Company's Class B common stock, and no alternative trading or quotation system for the Company's Class B common stock has been or is expected to be established. The Class B common stock is convertible into Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis.
At December 31, 2023, there were approximately 790 Class A common stockholders of record and 840 Class B common stockholders of record.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
There have been no issuer purchases of equity securities and no publicly announced repurchase program currently exists.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Item 6. [RESERVED]

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Item 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
HYSTER-YALE MATERIALS HANDLING, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(Tabular Amounts in Millions, Except Per Share, Percentage Data and as Otherwise Noted)
OVERVIEW
Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. ("Hyster-Yale" or the "Company") and its subsidiaries, including its operating company Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. ("HYG"), is a globally integrated company offering a full line of high-quality, application-tailored lift trucks and solutions aimed at meeting the specific materials handling needs of its customers. The Company's solutions include attachments and hydrogen fuel cell power products, telematics, automation and fleet management services, as well as a variety of other power options for its lift trucks. The Company, through HYG, designs, engineers, manufactures, sells and services a comprehensive line of lift trucks, attachments and aftermarket parts marketed globally, primarily under the Hyster® and Yale® brand names, mainly to independent Hyster® and Yale® retail dealerships. The materials handling business historically has been cyclical because the order rate for lift trucks fluctuates depending on the economic activity level in the various industries and countries its customers serve. The Company owns a 90% majority interest in Hyster-Yale Maximal Forklift (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. ("Hyster-Yale Maximal"), a Chinese manufacturer of low-intensity and standard lift trucks and specialized material handling equipment. Hyster-Yale Maximal also designs and produces specialized products in the port equipment and rough terrain forklift markets. Lift trucks and component parts are manufactured in the United States, Northern Ireland, China, Mexico, the Netherlands, Brazil, the Philippines, Italy, Japan and Vietnam.
The Company operates Bolzoni S.p.A. ("Bolzoni"). Bolzoni is a leading worldwide producer and distributor of attachments, forks and lift tables marketed under the Bolzoni®, Auramo® and Meyer® brand names. Bolzoni also produces components for lift truck manufacturers. Bolzoni products are manufactured in the United States, Italy, China, Germany and Finland. Through the design, production and distribution of a wide range of attachments, Bolzoni has a strong presence in the market niche of lift truck attachments and industrial material handling.
The Company operates Nuvera Fuel Cells, LLC ("Nuvera"). Nuvera is an alternative-power technology company focused on the design, manufacture and sale of hydrogen fuel cell stacks and engines.
Competition in the lift truck industry is based primarily on strength and quality of dealers, brand loyalty, customer service, new lift truck sales prices, availability of products and aftermarket parts, comprehensive product line offerings, product performance, quality and innovation, including features, and the cost of ownership over the life of the lift truck. The Company competes with several global lift truck manufacturers that operate in all major markets, as well as other niche companies. The lift truck industry also competes with alternative methods of materials handling, including conveyor systems and automated guided vehicle systems. The Company's aftermarket parts offerings compete with parts manufactured by other lift truck manufacturers, as well as companies that focus solely on the sale of generic parts.
See Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K for discussion of financial condition and results of operations for 2022 compared with 2021.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are based upon the Company's consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires the use of estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities, if any. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates based on historical experience, actuarial valuations and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from those estimates.
The Company believes the following are critical accounting policies. Certain of these are critical accounting estimates as they require significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements.
Deferred Income Taxes: Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences that exist between the financial statement carrying value of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards on a taxing jurisdiction basis. The Company measures deferred tax assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates that will apply in the years in which it expects the temporary differences to be recovered or paid. U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for income taxes requires a reduction of the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets by recording a valuation allowance if, based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not (defined as a likelihood of more than 50%) such assets will not be realized. The valuation of deferred tax assets requires judgment in assessing the likely future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the Company's financial statements or tax returns and future profitability. The Company's accounting for deferred tax consequences represents its best estimate of those future events. Changes in the Company's estimates, due to unanticipated events or otherwise, could have a material effect on its
financial condition and results of operations. The Company continually evaluates its deferred tax assets to determine if a valuation allowance is required or no longer needed. At December 31, 2023, the Company had gross deferred tax assets of $145.9 million which were reduced by valuation allowances of $126.6 million and gross deferred tax liabilities of $29.0 million.
Goodwill: Goodwill is tested for impairment annually as of May 1, and is tested for impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the carrying amount may be impaired. The Company completed the annual goodwill impairment testing as of May 1, 2023 at the reporting unit level for the related goodwill. The Company uses either a qualitative or quantitative analysis to determine whether fair value exceeds carrying value. An estimate of the fair value of the reporting unit is determined through a combination of comparable market values for similar businesses and discounted cash flows. These estimates can change significantly based on such factors as the reporting unit's financial performance, economic conditions, interest rates, growth rates, pricing, changes in business strategies and competition. Based on the annual testing, the fair value of each reporting unit was in excess of its carrying value and no impairment existed. As of December 31, 2023, Bolzoni had $50.6 million of goodwill. Based on the most recent interim impairment test, Bolzoni's fair value of equity exceeded the carrying value by approximately $50 million or 30%.
Factors which could result in future impairment charges include, but are not limited to, changes in worldwide economic conditions, changes in competitive conditions and customer preferences. These risk factors are discussed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, changes in the weighted average cost of capital could also impact impairment testing results. The Company will continue to monitor its reporting units and asset groups for any indicators of impairment.
Product liabilities: The Company is generally self-insured for product liability claims, although catastrophic insurance coverage is retained for potentially significant individual claims, and the Company also has insurance for certain historic claims. The Company provides for the estimated cost of personal and property damage relating to its products based on a review of historical experience and consideration of any known trends. Reserves are recorded for estimates of the costs for known claims and estimates of the costs of incidents that have occurred but for which a claim has not yet been reported. While the Company engages in extensive product quality reviews and customer education programs, the product liability provision is affected by the number and magnitude of claims of alleged product-related injury and property damage and the cost to defend those claims. In addition, the estimates regarding the magnitude of claims are affected by changes in assumptions regarding medical costs, legal defense costs, inflation rates and trends in damages awarded by juries. Changes in the assumptions regarding any one of these factors could result in a change in the estimate of the magnitude of claims. A one percent increase in the estimate of the number of claims or the magnitude of claims would increase the product liability reserve and reduce operating profit by approximately $0.1 million to $0.8 million. Although there can be no assurances, the Company is not aware of any circumstances that would be reasonably likely to materially change the estimates in the future.
Product warranties: The Company provides for the estimated cost of product warranties at the time revenues are recognized. While the Company engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of component suppliers, the warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, labor costs and replacement component costs incurred in correcting a product failure. If actual product failure rates, labor costs or replacement component costs differ from the Company's estimates, which are based on historical failure rates and consideration of known trends, revisions to the estimate of the cost to correct product failures would be required. If the estimate of the cost to correct product failures were to increase by one percent over 2023 levels, the product warranties reserves would increase and reduce operating profit by approximately $3.2 million. The Company's past results of operations have not been materially affected by a change in the estimate of product warranties and although there can be no assurances, the Company is not aware of any circumstances that would be reasonably likely to materially change the estimates in the future.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL REVIEW
The following table identifies the components of change for 2023 compared with 2022 by segment:
Revenues Gross Profit Operating Profit (Loss)
2022 $ 3,548.3 $ 433.9 $ (39.1)
Increase (decrease) in 2023
Americas 493.9 261.5 186.3
EMEA 116.3 76.0 58.7
JAPIC (48.9) 2.9 (5.0)
Lift truck business 561.3 340.4 240.0
Bolzoni 19.6 11.5 9.1
Nuvera 0.9 (1.0) (2.1)
Eliminations (11.8) 0.8 0.8
2023 $ 4,118.3 $ 785.6 $ 208.7
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The segment and geographic results of operations for the Company were as follows for the year ended December 31:
Favorable / (Unfavorable) % Change
2023 2022 2023 vs. 2022
Lift truck unit shipments (in thousands)
Americas 67.1 58.4 14.9 %
EMEA 25.1 29.2 (14.0) %
JAPIC 10.0 13.2 (24.2) %
102.2 100.8 1.4 %
Revenues
Americas $ 2,899.3 $ 2,405.4 20.5 %
EMEA 820.5 704.2 16.5 %
JAPIC 201.1 250.0 (19.6) %
Lift truck business 3,920.9 3,359.6 16.7 %
Bolzoni 375.3 355.7 5.5 %
Nuvera 4.3 3.4 26.5 %
Eliminations (182.2) (170.4) 6.9 %
$ 4,118.3 $ 3,548.3 16.1 %
Gross profit (loss)
Americas $ 564.9 $ 303.4 86.2 %
EMEA 121.0 45.0 168.9 %
JAPIC 25.5 22.6 12.8 %
Lift truck business 711.4 371.0 91.8 %
Bolzoni 82.2 70.7 16.3 %
Nuvera (8.2) (7.2) (13.9) %
Eliminations 0.2 (0.6) n.m.
$ 785.6 $ 433.9 81.1 %
Favorable / (Unfavorable) % Change
2023 2022 2023 vs. 2022
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Americas $ 331.8 $ 256.6 (29.3) %
EMEA 108.9 91.6 (18.9) %
JAPIC 41.1 33.2 (23.8) %
Lift truck business 481.8 381.4 (26.3) %
Bolzoni 66.9 64.5 (3.7) %
Nuvera 28.2 27.1 (4.1) %
$ 576.9 $ 473.0 (22.0) %
Operating profit (loss)
Americas $ 233.1 $ 46.8 398.1 %
EMEA 12.1 (46.6) n.m.
JAPIC (15.6) (10.6) (47.2) %
Lift truck business 229.6 (10.4) n.m.
Bolzoni 15.3 6.2 146.8 %
Nuvera (36.4) (34.3) (6.1) %
Eliminations 0.2 (0.6) n.m.
$ 208.7 $ (39.1) n.m.
Interest expense 37.3 28.4 (31.3) %
Other income (9.6) (5.1) 88.2 %
Income (loss) before income taxes 181.0 (62.4) n.m.
Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders $ 125.9 $ (74.1) n.m.
Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 7.24 $ (4.38) n.m.
Reported income tax rate 29.2 % (14.7) %
n.m. - not meaningful
Following is the detail of the Company's unit shipments, bookings and backlog of unfilled orders placed with its manufacturing and assembly operations for new lift trucks, reflected in thousands of units. As of December 31, 2023, substantially all of the Company's backlog is expected to be sold within the next twelve months.
YEAR ENDED NINE MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED
December 31, 2023 September 30, 2023 December 31, 2022
Unit backlog, beginning of period 102.1 102.1 105.3
Unit shipments (102.2) (78.6) (100.8)
Unit bookings 78.5 61.8 97.6
Unit backlog, end of period 78.4 85.3 102.1
The following is the detail of the approximate sales value of the Company's lift truck unit bookings and backlog, reflected in millions of dollars. The dollar value of bookings and backlog is calculated using the current unit bookings and backlog and the forecasted average sales price per unit.
YEAR ENDED NINE MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED
December 31, 2023 September 30, 2023 December 31, 2022
Bookings, approximate sales value $ 2,430 $ 1,950 $ 3,080
Backlog, approximate sales value $ 3,330 $ 3,540 $ 3,730
2023 Compared with 2022
The following table identifies the components of change in revenues for 2023 compared with 2022:
Revenues
Lift truck
Total Americas EMEA JAPIC
2022 $ 3,548.3 $ 2,405.4 $ 704.2 $ 250.0
Increase (decrease) in 2023 from:
Unit price 270.6 163.8 102.8 4.0
Unit volume and product mix 188.9 244.8 (8.4) (47.5)
Parts 84.9 80.0 5.1 (0.2)
Bolzoni revenues 19.6 - - -
Foreign currency 16.3 2.7 18.2 (4.6)
Nuvera revenues 0.9 - - -
Other 0.6 2.6 (1.4) (0.6)
Eliminations (11.8) - - -
2023 $ 4,118.3 $ 2,899.3 $ 820.5 $ 201.1
Revenues increased 16.1% to $4,118.3 million in 2023 from $3,548.3 million in 2022 mainly from improvements at the Lift Truck business. The increase at Lift Truck was primarily due to improved pricing, higher unit and parts volume in the Americas and a shift in sales to higher-priced lift trucks in the Americas and EMEA. The improvement in Lift Truck revenue was partially offset by a decline in unit shipments in JAPIC and EMEA.
Bolzoni revenues increased in 2023 compared with 2022 mainly from higher volume and price increases, partially offset by an increase in the sale of lower-priced products.
The following table identifies the components of change in operating profit (loss) for 2023 compared with 2022:
Operating Profit (Loss)
Lift truck
Total Americas EMEA JAPIC
2022 $ (39.1) $ 46.8 $ (46.6) $ (10.6)
Increase (decrease) in 2023 from:
Lift truck gross profit and eliminations 341.2 261.5 76.0 2.9
Lift truck selling, general and administrative expenses (100.4) (75.2) (17.3) (7.9)
Bolzoni operations 9.1 - - -
Nuvera operations (2.1) - - -
2023 $ 208.7 $ 233.1 $ 12.1 $ (15.6)
The Company recognized an operating profit of $208.7 million in 2023 compared with an operating loss of $39.1 million in 2022. The increase in Lift Truck operating profit was primarily due to improved gross profit from higher pricing of $270.6 million, mainly in the Americas and EMEA, a shift in sales to higher margin lift trucks, lower material costs net of manufacturing inefficiencies, primarily in the Americas, and higher unit and parts sales compared with 2022. These items were partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses primarily due to increased employee-related costs, including incentive compensation, as well as higher marketing, product liability and product development costs.
Operating profit in the Americas increased primarily due to improved gross profit from higher pricing of $163.8 million, lower material costs net of manufacturing inefficiencies, a shift in sales to higher margin lift trucks and increased unit and parts sales. These improvements were partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily related to higher employee costs, including incentive compensation, higher marketing and product development to support the Company's strategic initiatives and higher product liability costs.
EMEA's operating profit improved mainly due to improved gross profit from improved pricing of $102.8 million, partially offset by lower volumes and manufacturing inefficiencies.
JAPIC's operating loss increased to $15.6 million in 2023 from $10.6 million in 2022, primarily due to higher selling, general and administrative expenses, partially offset by higher gross profit from a shift in mix to higher-margin products and material cost deflation.
Bolzoni's operating profit increased to $15.3 million in 2023 compared with $6.2 million in 2022, primarily due to higher gross profit from improved pricing, lower manufacturing costs and higher volumes. The increase was partially offset by a shift to lower margin products and higher selling, general and administrative expenses, mainly related to higher employee costs, including incentive compensation.
The Company recognized net income attributable to stockholders of $125.9 million in 2023 compared with a net loss attributable to stockholders of $74.1 million in 2022. The improvement was primarily the result of the factors affecting operating profit (loss), partially offset by higher income taxes and interest expense. See Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion of income taxes.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Cash Flows
The following tables detail the change in cash flow for the years ended December 31:
2023 2022 Change
Operating activities:
Net income (loss) $ 128.1 $ (71.6) $ 199.7
Depreciation and amortization 45.1 43.4 1.7
Dividends from unconsolidated affiliates 10.5 15.6 (5.1)
Stock-based compensation 29.3 6.4 22.9
Working capital changes:
Accounts receivable 26.8 (89.5) 116.3
Inventories (4.3) (39.1) 34.8
Accounts payable and other liabilities (112.5) 173.6 (286.1)
Other current assets (8.4) (5.4) (3.0)
Other operating activities 36.1 7.2 28.9
Net cash provided by operating activities 150.7 40.6 110.1
Investing activities:
Expenditures for property, plant and equipment (35.4) (28.8) (6.6)
Proceeds from the sale of assets, businesses and investments 4.1 1.8 2.3
Purchase of noncontrolling interest (3.2) (8.4) 5.2
Net cash used for investing activities (34.5) (35.4) 0.9
Cash flow before financing activities $ 116.2 $ 5.2 $ 111.0
The change in net cash provided by operating activities of $110.1 million in 2023 compared with 2022 was primarily a result of the improved net income (loss) partially offset by changes in working capital items. The changes in working capital were mainly due to a decrease in accounts payable in 2023 compared to 2022 and lower customer deposits for down payments on orders.
The change in net cash used for investing activities during 2023 compared with 2022 is mainly due to higher capital expenditures in 2023, partially offset by the purchase of Bolzoni's noncontrolling interest in 2023 compared with the first installment purchase of the noncontrolling interest of Hyster-Yale Maximal in 2022.
2023 2022 Change
Financing Activities:
Net increase (decrease) in long-term debt and revolving credit agreements $ (76.0) $ 11.1 $ (87.1)
Cash dividends paid (23.6) (21.8) (1.8)
Other (0.9) (0.2) (0.7)
Net cash used for financing activities $ (100.5) $ (10.9) $ (89.6)
The change in net cash used for financing activities was primarily due to debt repayments during 2023 compared with additional borrowings in 2022.
Financing Activities
The Company has a $320.8 million secured, floating-rate revolving credit facility (the "Facility") that expires in June 2026 and a $225.0 million term loan (the "Term Loan"), which matures in May 2028. The Facility was amended in the second quarter of 2023 for the purpose of, among other items, (i) establishing a new tranche of revolving loans with aggregate commitments of $25.0 million under the Facility and (ii) changing the benchmark interest rate for U.S. dollar-denominated borrowings under the Facility from LIBOR to Term SOFR, each as defined in the Facility.
The Term Loan was also amended in the second quarter of 2023 for the purpose of changing the benchmark interest rate for borrowings under the Term Loan from LIBOR to Term SOFR, each as defined in the Term Loan. See Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion.
The Facility can be increased up to $400.0 million over the term of the Facility in minimum increments of $10.0 million, subject to approval by the lenders. The obligations under the Facility are generally secured by a first priority lien on working capital assets of the borrowers and guarantors in the Facility, which includes but is not limited to cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and inventory, and a second priority lien on the present and future shares of capital stock, fixtures and general intangibles consisting of intellectual property. The approximate book value of assets held as collateral under the Facility was $1.2 billion as of December 31, 2023.
The Facility includes restrictive covenants, which, among other things, limit additional borrowings and investments of the Company subject to certain thresholds, as provided in the Facility. The Facility limits the payment of dividends and other restricted payments the Company may make unless certain total excess availability and/or fixed charge coverage ratio thresholds, each as set forth in the Facility, are satisfied. The Facility also requires the Company to achieve a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio when total excess availability is less than the greater of 10% of the total borrowing base, as defined in the Facility, and $20.0 million. At December 31, 2023, the Company was in compliance with the covenants in the Facility.
The $25.0 million tranche will terminate on May 1, 2024 unless otherwise terminated prior to such date by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Facility. Commencing December 1, 2023, the $25.0 million tranche began to amortize on a monthly basis in the amount of $4.2 million per month. At December 31, 2023, $20.8 million was outstanding.
Key terms of the Facility as of December 31, 2023 were as follows:
FACILITY
U.S. borrowing capacity $ 230.8
Non-U.S. borrowing capacity 90.0
Outstanding 78.1
Availability restrictions 6.7
Availability $ 236.0
FILO LOANS LOANS OTHER THAN FILO LOANS
Applicable margins, as defined in agreement
U.S. base rate loans 2.25%
0.25% to 0.75%
SOFR, EURIBOR and non-U.S. base rate loans 3.25%
1.25% to 1.75%
SOFR adjustment, as defined in agreement 0.10%
0.10%
Applicable margins, for amounts outstanding
U.S. base rate loans - 0.50%
SOFR loans 3.25%
1.50%
Non-U.S. base rate loans - 1.50%
Applicable interest rate, for amounts outstanding
U.S. base rate - 9.00%
SOFR 8.69 % 6.95%
Facility fee, per annum on unused commitment - 0.25%
The Term Loan requires quarterly principal payments on the last day of each March, June, September and December, which commenced September 30, 2021, in an amount equal to $562,500 and the final principal repayment is due in May 2028. The Company may also be required to make mandatory prepayments, in certain circumstances, as provided in the Term Loan.
The obligations under the Term Loan are generally secured by a first priority lien on the present and future shares of capital stock, U.S. material real property, fixtures and general intangibles consisting of intellectual property and a second priority lien on U.S. working capital assets of the borrowers and guarantors of the Term Loan, which includes, but is not limited to cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and inventory. The approximate book value of assets held as collateral under the Term Loan was $780 million as of December 31, 2023.
In addition, the Term Loan includes restrictive covenants, which, among other things, limit additional borrowings and investments of the Company subject to certain thresholds, as provided in the Term Loan. The Term Loan limits the payment of dividends and other restricted payments the Company may make in any fiscal year, unless the consolidated total net leverage ratio, as defined in the Term Loan, does not exceed 2.50 to 1.00 at the time of the payment. At December 31, 2023, the Company was in compliance with the covenants in the Term Loan.
Key terms of the Term Loan as of December 31, 2023 were as follows:
TERM LOAN
Outstanding $ 219.4
Discounts and unamortized deferred financing fees 3.3
Net amount outstanding $ 216.1
Applicable margins, as defined in agreement
U.S. base rate loans 2.50%
SOFR 3.50%
SOFR adjustment, as defined in the agreement 0.11%
SOFR floor 0.50%
Applicable interest rate, for amounts outstanding 8.97%
The Company incurred fees of $0.8 million and $7.6 million in 2023 and 2021, respectively. These fees related to amending the Facility and the Term Loan. These fees were deferred and are being amortized as interest expense over the term of the applicable debt agreements. No fees were incurred in 2022. Fees related to the Term Loan are presented as a direct deduction of the corresponding debt.
The Company had other debt outstanding, excluding finance leases, of approximately $172.5 million at December 31, 2023. In addition to the excess availability under the Facility of $236.0 million, the Company had remaining availability of $33.7 million related to other non-U.S. revolving credit agreements.
The Company believes funds available from cash on hand, the Facility, other available lines of credit and operating cash flows will provide sufficient liquidity to meet its operating needs and commitments during the next twelve months and until the expiration of the Facility in June 2026.
Contractual Obligations, Contingent Liabilities and Commitments
Following is a table summarizing the Company's material cash requirements from contractual obligations as of December 31, 2023:
Payments Due by Period
Contractual Obligations Total 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 Thereafter
Term Loan $ 219.4 $ 2.3 $ 2.3 $ 2.2 $ 2.2 $ 210.4 $ -
Variable interest payments on Term Loan 81.9 20.0 18.6 18.4 17.7 7.2 -
Revolving credit agreements 83.3 83.3 - - - - -
Variable interest payments on revolving credit agreements 12.7 12.7 - - - - -
Other debt 167.3 154.2 9.9 2.5 0.7 - -
Variable interest payments on other debt 6.9 6.1 0.7 0.1 - - -
Finance lease obligations including principal and interest 27.6 14.8 8.8 2.9 0.9 0.2 -
Operating leases 93.6 19.7 15.4 13.6 12.3 9.1 23.5
Purchase and other obligations 796.0 786.1 2.3 3.9 3.7 - -
The principal sources of financing for these material contractual obligations are expected to be internally generated funds and bank financing.
An event of default, as defined in the agreements governing the Facility, the Term Loan, other debt agreements, and in operating and capital lease agreements, could cause an acceleration of the payment schedule. No such event of default has occurred or is anticipated under these agreements.
The purchase and other obligations are primarily for accounts payable, open purchase orders and accrued payroll and incentive compensation.
In addition, the Company has recourse and repurchase obligations with a maximum undiscounted potential liability of $162.4 million at December 31, 2023. Recourse and repurchase obligations primarily represent contingent liabilities assumed by the Company to support financing agreements made between the Company's customers and third-party finance companies for the customer’s purchase of lift trucks from the Company. For these transactions, the Company or a third-party finance company retains a perfected security interest in the lift truck, such that the Company would take possession of the lift truck in the event it would become liable under the terms of the recourse and repurchase obligations. Generally, these commitments are due upon demand in the event of default by the customer. The security interest is normally expected to equal or exceed the amount of the commitment. To the extent the Company would be required to provide funding as a result of these commitments, the Company believes the value of its perfected security interest and amounts available under existing credit facilities are adequate to meet these commitments in the foreseeable future.
The amount of the recourse or repurchase obligations changes over time as obligations under existing arrangements expire and new obligations arise in the ordinary course of business. Losses anticipated under the terms of the recourse or repurchase obligations were not significant at December 31, 2023 and reserves have been provided for such losses in the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. See also “Related-Party Transactions” below.
Capital Expenditures
The following table summarizes actual and planned capital expenditures:
Planned 2024 Actual 2023 Actual 2022
Lift truck business $ 75.0 $ 26.8 $ 20.3
Bolzoni 9.1 5.1 5.5
Nuvera 2.9 3.5 3.0
$ 87.0 $ 35.4 $ 28.8
Planned expenditures in 2024 are primarily for improvements at manufacturing locations and manufacturing equipment, product development and improvements to information technology infrastructure. The primary sources of financing for these capital expenditures are expected to be internally generated funds and bank financing.
Capital Structure
December 31
2023 2022 Change
Cash and cash equivalents $ 78.8 $ 59.0 $ 19.8
Other net tangible assets 729.4 625.0 104.4
Intangible assets 39.3 42.7 (3.4)
Goodwill 53.3 51.3 2.0
Net assets 900.8 778.0 122.8
Total debt (494.0) (552.9) 58.9
Total temporary and permanent equity $ 406.8 $ 225.1 $ 181.7
Debt to total capitalization 55 % 71 % (16) %
RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS
See Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion of related-party transactions.
PERSPECTIVE AND OUTLOOK
Market Commentary
Generally, the 2023 global economy performed better than anticipated. The Company's core lift truck market remains strong and above pre-pandemic levels in most regions. Nonetheless, some external market factors, including ongoing geopolitical instability, most recently evidenced by the tensions in the Red Sea, continue to create a significant amount of uncertainty within the global economic outlook. Due to this and abnormally high industry volumes from 2020 to 2022, global market activity declined across 2023, particularly in EMEA.
The latest publicly available lift truck market data indicates that new unit, third-quarter 2023 booking activity decreased globally and in all major geographies except China and India compared with strong 2022 levels. Internal company estimates suggest that fourth-quarter 2023 global lift truck market bookings decreased compared with the prior year. Its estimated that the rate of decline slowed in EMEA and accelerated somewhat in the Americas.
In 2024, global market bookings are expected to be generally comparable to 2023 levels. An anticipated first-half decline is expected to be offset by a second-half increase. For both full-years 2023 and 2024, market unit volumes are projected to remain strong.
Consolidated Strategic Perspective
The Company's significantly improved 2023 results are due to the global team's ongoing execution of strategic initiatives and actions to offset external headwinds and improve the business' resiliency over time. These actions include key projects and process improvements to help the Company achieve long-term growth rates above the material handling market's expected growth rates. The Company's mature Lift Truck and Bolzoni businesses are the foundation for growth, while the Company believes the Nuvera's substantial growth prospects should be additive in future years. The Company is focused on transforming the way the world moves materials from Port to Home. The Company plans to do this through two customer promises. First, by providing optimized product solutions and second, by providing exceptional customer care. The Company believes these actions will contribute to an increased and sustainable competitive advantage over time.
Operational Perspectives - Lift Truck Business
Given the Company's extended backlog position, it continues to prioritize booking orders with strong margins. This focus combined with declining market demand, particularly in the Americas, resulted in an 8% decrease in fourth-quarter 2023 lift truck bookings compared with third-quarter 2023 and a 20% decline from strong prior-year levels.
Looking forward, the Company expects to be price competitive with the market, but will work to maintain targeted bookings margins even as backlog levels are reduced. Overall, the Company expects 2024 bookings to increase compared to 2023. This improvement is primarily due to anticipated market share gains, especially in warehouse products, within an overall flat global lift truck market. These expected increases are primarily the result of the Company's strategic initiatives, particularly those focused on emerging technology solutions for warehouse-related markets. These technology solutions had strong 2023 growth rates, and the Company expects to build on that momentum in 2024. Planned production rate increases combined with
anticipated market decreases in the first half of 2024 should help the Company reduce its extended lead times and backlog closer to pre-pandemic levels over 2024. However, given current expectations, the Company believes lead times and backlog levels will likely remain above optimal levels on certain product lines for an extended period. Specific lines, such as warehouse products, are expected to return to more normal lead time and backlog levels in 2024.
The Company's extended backlog, valued at $3.3 billion, represents almost ten months of revenue and should serve as a cushion for the business if bookings decline more than anticipated in 2024. Overall, customer cancellations, which can impact backlog levels, trended up modestly in 2023 from prior year rates. The Company's cancellation rate remains substantially below the industry average.
Full-year 2024 production and shipment rates are expected to increase compared with 2023 as production launch issues and lingering component and labor constraints dissipate. The Company's focus remains on maintaining a full production pipeline across its facilities within this moderated market demand environment.
The trend of higher average unit backlog prices and margins continued in the fourth quarter. This trend was largely due to the Company's ongoing focus on booking orders at strong margins and benefits from prior-year price increases to offset inflation. Fourth-quarter 2023 average booking prices decreased compared with both the third-quarter 2023 and the prior year largely due to the shift toward lower-priced warehouse products with shorter average lead times.
While material costs decreased modestly in 2023, forward economic indicators suggest stabilizing material costs and moderately higher labor costs in 2024. Elevated freight costs tied to geopolitical events are expected throughout 2024, particularly in the first half of the year. In this context, the Company expects to maintain its strong price-to-cost ratio in the first half of 2024 as higher-priced backlog units are shipped. This, combined with an anticipated increase in unit volumes, is expected to lead to higher gross margins and an improved operating profit in the first half of the year compared with 2023.
The expiration of tariff exemptions in late May 2024, shipment of trucks ordered in 2024's more competitive pricing environment and the mix effect of increased warehouse product shipments are likely to temper unit margins in the second half of the year. For the full-year, gross profit margins should be comparable to 2023 levels. The Company is working to reduce the earnings impact from externally driven factors through increased manufacturing productivity and expense control. The Company will continue to monitor labor and material costs closely, as well as the impacts from tariffs and competition, and will adjust forward pricing accordingly.
Overall, higher production and shipment rates along with stable gross profit margins are expected to generate increased Lift Truck revenues and operating profit in 2024 compared to the prior year.
Strategic Perspectives - Lift Truck
From a broad perspective, the Lift Truck business has three core strategies that are expected to transform the Company's competitiveness, market position and economic performance over time. The first core strategy is to provide products that improve customer productivity at the lowest cost of ownership. The Lift Truck business' capabilities in this area are expected to be enhanced by bringing to market a wide variety of vehicle innovations, including new modular and scalable product families, truck electrification projects and technology advancements in operator assist systems (OAS), power options and vehicle automation.
The Company continues to make progress on its high priority projects. The Company's heart-of-the-line modular, scalable 2- to 3.5-ton internal combustion engine lift trucks have been launched in the EMEA and Americas markets. The production ramp-up continues to occur gradually given the current extended backlog. However, bookings and shipments accelerated in 2023. A first-quarter 2024 launch of the full 2-to 3-ton internal combustion product line, which includes value, standard and premium truck configurations, is expected for the JAPIC market. Similar enhancements to the 2- to 3.5-ton electric truck platforms are also expected over 2024 and 2025. The modular, scalable product platform is expected to enhance multiple areas of the business, including reducing supply chain costs, improving working capital levels and helping optimize the Company's manufacturing footprint, while providing customers with a more customizable product that better meets their needs.
Other key projects include electrifying trucks used for applications now dominated by internal combustion engine trucks that capitalize on advancements in electric powertrain options. The Company currently has its first electrified fuel cell Container Handler operating at the Port of Los Angeles, and its first electrified fuel cell Reach Stacker operating at the Port of Valencia, Spain. Hyster-Yale anticipates delivering a new electrified fuel cell Terminal Tractor and an electrified fuel cell Empty Container Handler to a customer in Hamburg, Germany in 2024.
The Company is exploring options for additional electrification projects within the European Union and the United States. The Company also has key projects focused on applying its technology advancements to additional OAS and automated product options. Notably, during third-quarter 2023, the Company entered into an agreement with a technology-service provider to co-develop further robotics software technology for automated lift truck solutions.
The Lift Truck business also has a key project focused on expanding global sourcing options of container handlers. The Company expects its Hyster® RS45 ReachStackers, as well as Empty Container Handlers, to be sourced from production locations in both Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Fuyang, China during 2024. This dual-source supply chain will help the Company better meet the needs of the global market, enabling customers to benefit from time efficient delivery for economically viable trucks.
The second core strategy is be the leader in the delivery of industry- and customer-focused solutions by transforming the Company's sales approach to ensure it meets a wide variety of customer needs across a broad set of end markets. To meet diversified customer product needs, the Company is transforming its sales processes by using an industry-focused approach. The Company believes that understanding the customers’ applications is best done by segmenting the market into two broad umbrella categories: industrial and warehousing applications. The Company’s Hyster® brand will increasingly focus on industrial applications, while the Yale® brand will increasingly focus on warehouse applications. This focus separation will reinforce a natural differentiation between the two brands that already exists in the marketplace.
The third core strategy is to be the leader in independent distribution by focusing on effectively coordinating dealer and major account coverage, enhancing dealer excellence and ensuring outstanding dealer ownership globally. The Company is committed to helping its excellent dealer group be the leaders in their territories.
Operational and Strategic Perspectives - Bolzoni
Bolzoni anticipates a modest increase in 2024 revenues compared with 2023 as legacy products begin to be phased out and attachment volumes increase. Operating profit is expected to increase year-over-year as higher product margins and anticipated manufacturing efficiency improvements are projected to more than offset higher material and operating costs.
Bolzoni's core strategy is to be the leader in the attachments business. In this context, Bolzoni continues to concentrate on driving its "One Company - 3 Brands" approach globally, increasing its Americas business and focusing on strengthening its ability to serve key attachment industries and customers in global markets. As part of this approach, Bolzoni also intends to increase its sales, marketing and product capabilities especially in North America to support its industry-specific sales strategy.
Operational and Strategic Perspectives - Nuvera
Nuvera's core strategy is to be a leader in the heavy-duty fuel cell market. Nuvera continues to focus on placing 45kW and 60kW fuel cell production engines for demonstration in a limited number of niche, heavy-duty vehicle applications with expected significant fuel cell adoption potential where batteries alone cannot meet the market’s need. As a result, these applications are expected to have nearer-term fuel cell adoption potential. Nuvera has announced several projects with various third parties to test Nuvera® engines in targeted applications, including the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Valencia, and most recently with Helinor Energy for zero-emission energy solutions for maritime applications. Nuvera expects to have additional products being tested in bus applications in China and India and in a German port by mid-2024. Nuvera is also developing a new, larger 125kW fuel cell engine for heavier-duty applications, which is projected to be available in 2025, and is working with customers to launch modular fuel cells for stationary and mobile generator applications.
Nuvera is focused on increasing customer product demonstrations and customer bookings in 2024. Nuvera is also expanding its presence in Europe and China. Orders from current customers have been booked and are expected to result in higher sales in 2024 compared with 2023. Nuvera expects these higher sales to be offset by increased development costs, leading to comparable year-over-year operating results. The increased engine demonstration volumes should significantly enhance the foundation for future fuel cell engine technology adoption and improved financial returns in future years.
Consolidated Outlook
At the consolidated level, the Company expects 2024 operating profit to increase while net income is expected to be comparable to 2023. The latter is due to higher projected 2024 income tax expense driven by an elevated income tax rate. This results from full utilization of U.S. net operating losses in 2023 combined with ongoing capitalization of research and development costs for tax purposes in 2024. The Company anticipates continued strong product margins from shipments of fixed-price backlog units to drive year-over-year profit growth in the first half of the year. However, the expiration of tariff exemptions and shipments of orders placed in 2024's more competitive pricing environment will likely temper second half results. As an offset to any competitive pricing adjustments, the Company will continue to focus on effectively managing its ongoing component and labor costs and production levels. The Company made solid progress toward its 7% operating profit margin and greater than 20% return on total capital employed goals at both the Lift Truck and Bolzoni businesses in 2023 and will work to make continued progress in 2024 toward achieving these goals.
The Company is committed to continuing to reduce its leverage and enhance its cash flows through ongoing working capital reductions and continued discipline over operating expenses. Capital expenditures were $35.4 million in 2023 and are expected to be $87 million in 2024. This full-year increase over restrained 2023 levels includes a return to investing for business growth and network efficiency. While the Company expects to make these substantial additional investments in the business, maintaining liquidity also continues to be a priority. Working capital control continues to be an area of intense focus for the
Company. Inventory levels remain elevated and above pre-pandemic levels but are slowly declining from their peak in mid-2023. Efforts to maximize the use of on-hand inventory are expected to help significantly reduce excess inventory levels in 2024 despite intermittent supply chain and some periodic labor constraints. As a result of these actions, the Company expects a significant increase in cash flow from operations in 2024 compared with 2023.
RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
For information regarding recently issued accounting standards refer to Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
EFFECTS OF FOREIGN CURRENCY
The Company operates internationally and enters into transactions denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, the Company is subject to the variability that arises from exchange rate movements. The effects of foreign currency fluctuations on revenues, operating profit and net income are addressed in the previous discussions of operating results. The Company's use of foreign currency derivative contracts is discussed in Item 7A, "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” of this Form 10-K.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements contained in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and elsewhere throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are made subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Among the factors that could cause plans, actions and results to differ materially from current expectations are, without limitation: (1) delays in delivery and other supply chain disruptions, or increases in costs as a result of inflation or otherwise, including materials, critical components and transportation costs and shortages, the imposition of tariffs, or the renewal of tariff exclusions, on raw materials or sourced products, and labor, or changes in or unavailability of quality suppliers or transporters, including the impacts of the foregoing risks on the Company's liquidity, (2) delays in manufacturing and delivery schedules, (3) customer acceptance of pricing, (4) the ability of the Company and its dealers, suppliers and end-users to access credit in the current economic environment, or obtain financing at reasonable rates, or at all, as a result of interest rate volatility and current economic and market conditions, including inflation, (5) reduction in demand for lift trucks, attachments and related aftermarket parts and service on a global basis, including any cyclical reduction in demand in the lift truck industry, (6) unfavorable effects of geopolitical and legislative developments on global operations, including without limitation the entry into new trade agreements and the imposition of tariffs and/or economic sanctions, including the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (the “UFLPA”) which could impact the Company's imports from China, as well as armed conflicts, including the Russia/Ukraine conflict, the Israel and Gaza conflict and/or the conflict in the Red Sea, and their regional effects, (7) exchange rate fluctuations, interest rate volatility and monetary policies and other changes in the regulatory climate in the countries in which the Company operates and/or sells products, (8) the effectiveness of the cost reduction programs implemented globally, including the successful implementation of procurement and sourcing initiatives, (9) the successful commercialization of Nuvera's technology, (10) the political and economic uncertainties in the countries where the Company does business, as well as the effects of any withdrawals from such countries, (11) bankruptcy of or loss of major dealers, retail customers or suppliers, (12) customer acceptance of, changes in the costs of, or delays in the development of new products, (13) introduction of new products by, more favorable product pricing offered by or shorter lead times available through competitors, (14) product liability or other litigation, warranty claims or returns of products, (15) changes mandated by federal, state and other regulation, including tax, health, safety or environmental legislation, (16) the ability to attract, retain, and replace workforce and administrative employees, (17) disruptions resulting from natural disasters, public health crises, political crises or other catastrophic events, and (18) the ability to protect the Company’s information technology infrastructure against service interruptions, data corruption, cyber-based attacks or network breaches.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
INTEREST RATE RISK
The Company has entered into certain financing arrangements that require interest payments based on floating interest rates. As such, the Company's financial results are subject to changes in the market rate of interest. The Company has entered into interest rate swap agreements to reduce the exposure to changes in the market rate of interest. The Company does not enter into interest rate swap agreements for trading purposes. Terms of the interest rate swap agreements require the Company to receive a variable interest rate and pay a fixed interest rate. See also Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
For purposes of risk analysis, the Company uses sensitivity analysis to measure the potential loss in fair value of financial instruments sensitive to changes in interest rates. The Company assumes that a loss in fair value is either a decrease to its assets or an increase to its liabilities. The fair value of the Company's interest rate swap agreements was a net asset of $11.9 million at December 31, 2023. A hypothetical 10% decrease in interest rates would cause a decrease in the fair value of interest rate swap agreements and the asset would decrease by approximately $2.9 million.
FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE RISK
The Company operates internationally and enters into transactions denominated in foreign currencies. As such, the Company's financial results are subject to the variability that arises from exchange rate movements. The Company uses forward foreign currency exchange contracts to partially reduce risks related to transactions denominated in foreign currencies and not for trading purposes. These contracts generally mature within 36 months and require the companies to buy or sell euros, Japanese yen, U.S. dollars, Chinese renminbi, British pounds, Swedish kroner, Mexican pesos and Australian dollars for its functional currency at rates agreed to at the inception of the contracts. The fair value of these contracts was a net liability of $12.2 million at December 31, 2023. See also Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
For purposes of risk analysis, the Company uses sensitivity analysis to measure the potential loss in fair value of financial instruments sensitive to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. The Company assumes that a loss in fair value is either a decrease to its assets or an increase to its liabilities. Assuming a hypothetical 10% weakening of the U.S. dollar compared with other foreign currencies at December 31, 2023, the fair value of the liability of foreign currency-sensitive financial instruments, which primarily represent forward foreign currency exchange contracts, would be increased by $19.7 million compared with the fair value at December 31, 2023. It is important to note that the change in fair value indicated in this sensitivity analysis would be somewhat offset by changes in the revaluation of the underlying receivables and payables.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The information required by this Item 8 is set forth in the Financial Statements and Supplementary Data contained in Part IV of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is hereby incorporated herein by reference to such information.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
Item 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
There were no disagreements with accountants on accounting and financial disclosure for the three-year period ended December 31, 2023.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures: An evaluation was carried out under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's management, including the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, these officers have concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
Management's report on internal control over financial reporting: Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer, the Company conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Based on this evaluation under the framework in Internal Control - Integrated Framework, management concluded that the Company's internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2023. The Company's effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting has been audited by Ernst & Young, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in its report, which is included in Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Changes in internal control: During the fourth quarter of 2023, there have been no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None of the Company’s directors or officers (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) adopted, modified, or terminated a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or a non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement (as each term is defined in Item 408 of Regulation S-K) during the Company’s fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2023.

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Item 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Information required by this Item 10 of Part III will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, which information is incorporated herein by reference.
Information regarding the executive officers of the Company is included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as Item 4A of Part I as permitted by the Instruction to Item 401 of Regulation S-K.
The Company has adopted a code of ethics applicable to all Company personnel, including the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer and controller, or other persons performing similar functions. The code of ethics, entitled the “Code of Corporate Conduct,” is posted on the Company's website at www.hyster-yale.com under “Corporate Governance.” Amendments and waivers of the Company's Code of Corporate Conduct for directors or executive officers of the Company, if any, will be disclosed on the Company's website or on a current report on Form 8-K. Information on the Company's website is not incorporated by reference in, and does not form part of, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Information required by this Item 11 of Part III will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, which information is incorporated herein by reference.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
Item 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
Information required by this Item 12 of Part III will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, which information is incorporated herein by reference.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2023 with respect to our compensation plans (including individual compensation arrangements) under which equity securities are authorized for issuance, aggregated as follows:
Plan Category Number of Securities to Be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights Weighted-Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights Number of Securities Remaining Available for Future Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans (Excluding Securities Reflected in Column(a))
Class A Shares: (a) (b) (c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders - N/A 889,400
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders - N/A -
Total - N/A 889,400
Class B Shares:
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders - N/A -
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders - N/A -
Total - N/A -

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Information required by this Item 13 of Part III will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, which information is incorporated herein by reference.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Item 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
Information required by this Item 14 of Part III will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, which information is incorporated herein by reference.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) (1) The response to Item 15(a)(1) is set forth beginning at page of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(a) (3) Listing of Exhibits - See the exhibit index beginning at page 31 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(b) The response to Item 15(b) is set forth beginning at page 31 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
EXHIBIT INDEX
(3) Articles of Incorporation and By-laws.
3.1(i) Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.'s Amendment No. 5 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1, dated September 26, 2012, Commission File No. 333-182388.
3.1(ii) Amended and Restated By-laws of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 17, 2015, Commission File No. 000-54799.
(4) Instruments defining the rights of security holders, including indentures.
4.1 Specimen of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. Class A Common Stock certificate is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.'s Registration Statement on Form S-1, dated June 28, 2012, Commission File No. 333-182388.
4.2 Specimen of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. Class B Common Stock certificate is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.'s Registration Statement on Form S-1, dated June 28, 2012, Commission File No. 333-182388.
4.3 Description of Securities is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 25, 2020, Commission File Number 000-54799.
(10) Material Contracts.
10.1 Tax Allocation Agreement, dated September 28, 2012, by and between NACCO Industries, Inc. and Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 4, 2012, Commission File Number 1-35646.
10.2 Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, by and among the Participating Stockholders (as defined therein), Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Depository (as defined therein) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 4, 2012, Commission File No. 1-35646.
10.3 First Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2012, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 19, 2013, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.4 Second Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of January 18, 2013, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 19, 2013, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.5 Third Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2015, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on April 29, 2015, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.6 Fourth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 29, 2015, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10 filed with Amendment No. 4 to the Statement on Schedule 13D, filed by the Reporting Persons named therein on February 16, 2016, Commission File Number 005-87003.
10.7 Fifth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 2, 2016, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 11 filed with Amendment No. 5 to the Statement on Schedule 13D, filed by the reporting persons named therein on February 14, 2017, Commission File Number 005-38001.
10.8 Sixth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2016, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 12 filed with Amendment No. 5 to the Statement on Schedule 13D, filed by the reporting persons named therein on February 14, 2017, Commission File Number 005-38001.
10.9 Seventh Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of February 6, 2017, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on May 2, 2017, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.10 Eighth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of October 30, 2018, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 26, 2019, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.11 Ninth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 5, 2019, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 28 filed with Amendment No. 8 to the Statement on Schedule 13D, filed by the reporting persons named therein on February 13, 2020, Commission File Number 005-38001.
10.12 Tenth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2020, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholders identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 30 filed with Amendment No. 9 to the Statement on Schedule 13D, filed by the reporting persons named therein on February 12, 2021, Commission File Number 005-38001.
10.13 Eleventh Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 7, 2021, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholders identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.15 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8, dated February 1, 2022, Commission File Number 333-262448.
10.14 Twelfth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of December 12, 2022, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 41 filed with Amendment No. 11 to the Statement on Schedule 13D, filed by the reporting persons named therein on February 14, 2023, Commission File Number 005-87003.
10.15* Thirteenth Amendment to Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2024, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., the new Participating Stockholder identified on the signature pages thereto and the Participating Stockholders under the Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2012, as amended, by and among the Depository, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and the Participating Stockholders is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 43 filed with Amendment No. 12 to the Statement on Schedule 13D, filed by the reporting persons named therein on February 13, 2024, Commission File Number 005-87003.
10.16* The Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. Executive Excess Retirement Plan (Effective as of January 1, 2016) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 28, 2017, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.17* Amendment No. 1 to the Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. Executive Excess Retirement Plan (As Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2016) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated April 30, 2020, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.18* Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. 2020 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, is incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement on Form DEF 14A, filed by the Company on March 31, 2020, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.19* Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. Supplemental Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan (Effective as of the Spin-Off Date) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.67 to Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.'s Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1, dated September 13, 2012, Commission File Number 333-182388.
10.20* Form Award Agreement for the Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. Supplemental Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan (Effective as of the Spin-Off Date) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.68 to Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.'s Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1, dated September 13, 2012, Commission File Number 333-182388.
10.21* Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. Non-Employee Directors' Equity Compensation Plan (Amended and Restated Effective May 17, 2019) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 25, 2020, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.22* Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. Non-Employee Directors' Equity Compensation Plan (Amended and Restated Effective May 9, 2023) is incorporated herein by reference to Appendix A to the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed by the Company on March 29, 2023, Commission File No. 000-54799.
10.23* Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and Subsidiaries Director Fee Policy (Amended Effective as of January 1, 2022) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on May 3, 2022, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.24* Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and Subsidiaries Director Fee Policy (Amended Effective as of January 1, 2023) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on May 2, 2023, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.25* The Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (Amended and Restated Effective as of January 1, 2016) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 28, 2017, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.26* The Hyster-Yale Group Inc. Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (Amended and Restated Effective as of January 1, 2016) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.25 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 28, 2017, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.27* Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. Excess Retirement Plan (Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2016) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.35 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 17, 2016, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.28* Amendment No. 1 to the Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. Excess Retirement Plan (As Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2016) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 26, 2019, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.29* Amendment No. 2 to the Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. Executive Excess Retirement Plan (As Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2016) is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated January 21, 2021, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.30* Offer Letter, dated August 1, 2022, between Scott A. Minder and Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on November 1, 2022, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.31 Equity joint venture contract, dated November 27, 1997, between Shanghai Perfect Jinqiao United Development Company Ltd., People’s Republic of China, NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc., USA, and Sumitomo-Yale Company Ltd., Japan is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to NMHG Holding Co.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, dated May 28, 2002, Commission File Number 333-89248.
10.32 Third Amended and Restated Joint Venture and Shareholders Agreement between Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc. and Hyster-Yale Group, Inc., dated September 17, 2018 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.33 Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Joint Venture and Shareholders Agreement between Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc. and Hyster-Yale Group, Inc., dated December 19, 2022 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.30 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.34 A$ Facility Agreement, dated November 22, 2000, between GE Capital Australia and National Fleet Network Pty Limited is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to NMHG Holding Co.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4, dated May 28, 2002, Commission File Number 333-89248.
10.35 Second Amended and Restated Recourse and Indemnity Agreement, dated September 17, 2018, by and between Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc., HYG Financial Services, Inc, and Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.36 First Amended and Restated Guarantee Agreement, dated September 17, 2018, by Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. in favor of Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.37 First Amended and Restated Guarantee Agreement, dated September 17, 2018, by Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. in favor of Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.38 Second Amended and Restated Loan, Security and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of June 24, 2021, among Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., Bolzoni Auramo, Inc. and Hyster-Yale Group, Inc., as U.S. Borrowers, Hyster-Yale Nederland B.V., as a Dutch Borrower, Hyster-Yale UK Limited, as a UK Borrower, any other Borrowers party thereto from time to time and certain Persons party thereto from time to time as Guarantors, certain financial institutions, as Lenders, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Security Trustee, BOFA Securities, Inc. and CitiBank, N.A., as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers and CitiBank, N.A., as Syndication Agent is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on August 3, 2021, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.39 First Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Loan, Security and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of May 25, 2023, among Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., Bolzoni Auramo, Inc. and Hyster-Yale Group, Inc., as U.S. Borrowers, Hyster-Yale Nederland B.V., as the Dutch Borrower, and Hyster-Yale UK Limited, as the UK Borrower, certain Persons party thereto from time to time as Guarantors, certain financial institutions, as Lenders, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Security Trustee is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on August 1, 2023, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.40 Amended and Restated Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of May 28, 2021, among Hyster-Yale Group, Inc., as the Borrower, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc., as Holdings, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the Other Lenders party thereto is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on August 3, 2021, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.41 Conforming Changes Amendment, dated as of June 23, 2023, by Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on August 1, 2023, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.42 Equity Transfer Agreement, dated December 6, 2017, by and between KNSN Pipe & Pile Company Limited and Hyster-Yale Acquisition Holding LTD Regarding Zhejiang Maximal Forklift Co., LTD. is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.57 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on February 27, 2018, Commission File Number 000-54799.
10.43 Equity Transfer Agreement between Y-C HongKong Holding Co., Limited and Hyster-Yale Acquisition Holding LTD regarding Hyster-Yale Maximal Forklift (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. dated May 26, 2021 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed by the Company on August 3, 2021, Commission File Number 000-54799.
(21) Subsidiaries.
21.1 A list of the subsidiaries of the Company.
(23) Consents of experts and counsel.
23.1 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
(24) Powers of Attorney.
24.1 Power of attorney for Colleen R. Batcheler.
24.2 Power of attorney for James B. Bemowski.
24.3 Power of attorney for John C. Butler Jr.
24.4 Power of attorney for Carolyn Corvi.
24.5 Power of attorney for Edward T. Eliopoulos.
24.6 Power of attorney for John P. Jumper.
24.7 Power of attorney for Dennis W. LaBarre.
24.8 Power of attorney for H. Vincent Poor.
24.9 Power of attorney for Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.
24.10 Power of attorney for Claiborne R. Rankin.
24.11 Power of attorney for Britton T. Taplin.
24.12 Power of attorney for David B. H. Williams.
(31) Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications.
31(i)(1) Certification of Rajiv K. Prasad pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Exchange Act.
31(i)(2) Certification of Scott A. Minder pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) of the Exchange Act.
(32) Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, signed and dated by Rajiv K. Prasad and Scott A. Minder.
(97) Policy relating to the recovery of erroneously awarded compensation.
97.1 Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. Compensation Clawback Policy.
101.INS Inline XBRL Instance Document - The instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
101.PRE Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).
* Management contract or compensation plan or arrangement required to be filed as an exhibit pursuant to Item 15(b) of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.