Wholesale Financing. Primarily in the U.S. and Canada, we engage in the standard industry practice of providing dealers with inventories of farm equipment for extended periods. The terms of our wholesale finance agreements with our dealers vary by region and product line, with fixed payment schedules on all sales. In the U.S. and Canada, dealers typically are not required to make an initial down payment, and our terms allow for an interest-free period generally ranging from one to 12 months, depending on the product. We also provide financing to dealers on used equipment accepted in trade. We retain a security interest in all new and used equipment we finance. Typically, the sales terms outside the U.S. and Canada are of a shorter duration, generally ranging from 30 to 180 days. In many cases, we retain a security interest in the equipment sold on extended terms. In certain international markets, our sales are backed by letters of credit or credit insurance. For sales outside of the United States and Canada, we do not normally charge interest on outstanding receivables with our dealers and distributors. For sales to dealers or distributors in the United States and Canada, where approximately 29% of our net sales were generated in 2001, interest is charged at or above prime lending rates on outstanding receivable balances after interest-free periods. These interest-free periods vary by product and range from 1 to 12 months with the exception of certain seasonal products, which bear interest after various periods depending on the time of year of the sale and the dealer or distributor's sales volume during the preceding year. For the year ended December 31, 2001, 20.7%, 5.1%, 1.9% and 1.3% of our net sales had maximum interest-free periods ranging from 1 to 6 months, 7 to 12 months, 13 to 20 months and 21 months or more, respectively. Actual interest-free periods are shorter than above because the equipment receivable from dealers or distributors in the United States and Canada is due immediately upon sale of the equipment to a retail customer. Under normal circumstances, interest is not forgiven and interest-free periods are not extended. RETAIL FINANCING Through our retail financing joint ventures located in North America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland and Brazil, we provide a competitive and dedicated financing source to the end users of our products, as well as equipment produced by other manufacturers. These retail finance companies are owned 49% by us ...
Wholesale Financing. Permit the aggregate of the outstanding principal balance of the Wholesale Financing, together with any and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and any other sums payable in connection therewith, to exceed, at any time, Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000)."
Wholesale Financing
