Brunswick Corporation Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Financial Services

Financial Services

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Note 10 – Financial Services

The Company, through its Brunswick Financial Services Corporation (BFS) subsidiary, owns a 49 percent interest in a joint venture, Brunswick Acceptance Company, LLC (BAC). CDF Ventures, LLC (CDFV), a subsidiary of GE Capital Corporation (GECC), owns the remaining 51 percent. BAC commenced operations in 2003 and provides secured wholesale inventory floor-plan financing to Brunswick’s boat and engine dealers.

In March 2013, the term of the BAC joint venture was extended through December 31, 2016. The joint venture agreement contains provisions allowing for the renewal of the agreement or the purchase of the other party’s interest in the joint venture at the end of its term. Alternatively, either partner may terminate the agreement at the end of its term. In June 2014, the joint venture agreement was amended to adjust a financial covenant that was conformed to the maximum leverage ratio test contained in the Facility as described in Note 16 – Debt. As of December 31, 2014, the Company was in compliance with the leverage ratio covenant under both the joint venture agreement and the Facility as described in Note 16 – Debt.

BAC is funded in part through a $1.0 billion secured borrowing facility from GE Commercial Distribution Finance Corporation (GECDF), which is in place through the term of the joint venture, and with equity contributions from both partners. BAC also sells a portion of its receivables to a securitization facility, the GE Dealer Floorplan Master Note Trust, which is arranged by GECC. The sales of these receivables meet the requirements of a “true sale” and are therefore not retained on the financial statements of BAC. The indebtedness of BAC is not guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. In addition, BAC is not responsible for any continuing servicing costs or obligations with respect to the securitized receivables. Through June 28, 2014, BFS and GECDF had an income sharing arrangement related to income generated from the receivables sold by BAC to the securitization facility. The Company recorded this income in Other income, net, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Beginning July 1, 2014, BAC began recognizing all income related to securitized receivables at the time of sale to conform with a change in the structure of the securitization facility. The income sharing arrangement remained in place through December 31, 2014 for assets securitized prior to July 1, 2014.

The Company considers BFS’s investment in BAC as an investment in a variable interest entity of which the Company is not the primary beneficiary. To be considered the primary beneficiary, the Company must have the power to direct the activities of BAC that most significantly impact BAC’s economic performance and the Company must have the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from BAC that could be potentially significant to BAC. Based on a qualitative analysis performed by the Company, BFS did not meet the definition of a primary beneficiary. As a result, BFS’s investment in BAC is accounted for by the Company under the equity method and is recorded as a component of Equity investments in its Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company records BFS’s share of income or loss in BAC based on its ownership percentage in the joint venture in Equity earnings (loss) in its Consolidated Statements of Operations. BFS’s equity investment is adjusted monthly to maintain a 49 percent interest in accordance with the capital provisions of the joint venture agreement. The Company funds its investment in BAC through cash contributions and reinvested earnings. BFS’s total investment in BAC at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 was $10.8 million and $11.2 million, respectively.

The Company’s maximum loss exposure relating to BAC is detailed as follows:



(in millions)	December 31, 2014			December 31, 2013
Investment	$	10.8		$	11.2
Repurchase and recourse obligations ^(A)	37.3			37.0
Liabilities ^(B)	(1.6		)	(1.4		)
Total maximum loss exposure	$	46.5		$	46.8

(A)

Repurchase and recourse obligations are off-balance sheet obligations provided by the Company for the Boat and Marine Engine segments, respectively, and are included within the Maximum Potential Obligations disclosed in Note 13 – Commitments and Contingencies. Repurchase and recourse obligations are mainly related to a North American repurchase agreement with GECDF and could be reduced by repurchase activity occurring under other similar agreements with GECDF and affiliates. The Company’s risk under these repurchase arrangements is partially mitigated by the value of the products repurchased as part of the transaction. Amounts above exclude any potential recoveries from the value of the repurchased product. The previously reported amount of $51.8 million as of December 31, 2013, reflects repurchase and recourse obligations under the Company's global repurchase agreement that was replaced in 2013 with the North American repurchase agreement described above.


(B)	Represents accrued amounts for potential losses related to recourse exposure and the Company’s expected losses on obligations to repurchase products, after giving effect to proceeds anticipated to be received from the resale of these products to alternative dealers.

BFS recorded income related to the operations of BAC of $6.0 million, $3.7 million and $3.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. This income includes amounts earned by BFS under the aforementioned income sharing agreement.