HRI Herc Holdings Inc - 10-K

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Investing in or maintaining your investment in Herc Holdings common stock involves risk. You should carefully consider each of the risks and uncertainties set forth below as well as the other information contained in this Report before deciding to invest in our securities. We have grouped our Risk Factors under captions that we believe describe various categories of potential risk. For the reader’s convenience, we have not duplicated risk factors that could be considered to be included in more than one category. Any of the following risks and uncertainties could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and/or cash flows and the impact could be compounded if multiple risks were to occur. However, the following risks and uncertainties are not the only risks and uncertainties facing us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or those we currently view to be immaterial also may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and/or cash flows. In the event that any of these risks have such a material adverse effect, the value of our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business

Our business is cyclical and depends on the levels of capital investment and maintenance expenditures by our customers. A slowdown in economic conditions or adverse changes in the level of economic activity or other economic factors specific to our customers or their industries, in particular contractors and industrial customers, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our rental equipment is used by our customers in a wide variety of industries, including contractors in residential and commercial construction and restoration, remediation and environment; general industrial, including refineries and petrochemical operations, manufacturing, power, metals and mining and agriculture; infrastructure; and other customers, including commercial and retail services, facility maintenance, recreation and entertainment production. Many of these industries are cyclical in nature. The demand for our rental equipment is directly affected by the level of economic activity in these industries, which means that when these industries experience a decline in activity, there is likely a corresponding decline in the demand for our rental equipment. This could materially adversely affect our results of operations.

A substantial portion of our revenues are derived from the rental of equipment to various types of contractors, including in the non-residential construction market, and to industrial customers. A decline in construction or industrial activity could lead to a decrease in the demand for our rental equipment and intensified price competition from other equipment rental industry participants. Similarly, declines in oil or gas prices, or even the perception of longer-term lower oil and natural gas prices, could lead to a significant slowdown in business activity, capital investments and maintenance expenditures of industrial customers in the upstream oil and gas markets and related service providers, which could negatively affect our rentals to participants in this industry, and could extend to other markets that we serve. Worsening of economic conditions or not achieving anticipated levels of economic expansion, either generally or in our customers’ specific industries, could have an adverse effect on demand for our products and services within those industries and extend to other markets that we serve, and could therefore materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The following factors, among others, may cause weakness in our markets, either temporarily or long-term:

• a decrease in the expected levels of rental versus ownership of equipment;

• government regulations and policies, including government initiatives for infrastructure improvements or expansions, or the policies of governments regarding exploration for, and production and development of, oil and natural gas reserves;

• a prolonged or recurring shutdown of the U.S. and Canadian federal, state, provincial and local governments;

• an increase in the cost of construction materials;

• the level of supply and demand and relative prices or anticipated prices for oil and natural gas;

• an overcapacity of fleet in the equipment rental industry;

• a lack of availability of credit;

• an increase in interest rates;

• the imposition of tariffs or other measures that create barriers to or increase the costs associated with international trade;

• labor strikes, work stoppages or other labor disruption in one or more markets we serve;

• geopolitical events, including natural disasters, disruptions to markets due to war or armed conflict; and

• terrorism or hostilities involving the United States or Canada.

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Additionally, some of our customers may delay capital investment and maintenance even when favorable conditions exist in their industries or markets.

If we were to experience a significant decrease in orders or an increase in order delays or cancellations that can result from the aforementioned economic conditions or other factors beyond our control, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our industry is highly competitive, and competitive pressures or not timely identifying and responding to customer needs, expectations or trends could lead to a decrease in our market share or in the prices that we can charge.

The equipment rental industry is highly fragmented and competitive. Our competitors include small, independent businesses with one or two rental locations, regional competitors that operate in one or more states, public companies or divisions of public companies, and equipment vendors and dealers who both sell and rent equipment directly to customers. We may in the future encounter increased competition from our existing competitors or from new competitors. Competitive pressures could adversely affect our revenues and operating results by, among other things, decreasing our rental volumes, depressing the prices that we can charge or increasing our costs to retain employees. In addition, the success of our business depends, in part, on our ability to identify and respond promptly to evolving trends in consumer preferences, expectations and needs while also managing appropriate equipment in our branches and maintaining an excellent customer experience. It is difficult to successfully predict the equipment and services our customers will demand. We also need to offer more localized assortments of our equipment to address local requirements and needs. If we do not successfully identify and provide the appropriate equipment to meet our customers’ needs and expectations, we may lose market share.

We may fail to realize all of the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of H&E Equipment Services, Inc. ("H&E") or those benefits may take longer to realize than expected.

We believe that there are significant benefits and synergies from the acquisition that may be realized through leveraging the complementary footprint and fleet mix of our Company and H&E. However, the efforts to realize these benefits and synergies will be a complex process and may disrupt our operations if not implemented in a timely and efficient manner. The full benefits of the acquisition, including the anticipated cost and revenue synergies, may not be realized as expected or may not be achieved within the anticipated timeframe, or at all. Failure to achieve the anticipated benefits of the acquisition could adversely affect our results of operation or cash flows, cause dilution to our earnings per share, decrease or delay any accretive effect of the acquisition and negatively impact the price of our common stock.

Integration of H&E into our business may be difficult, costly and time-consuming, and the anticipated benefits and cost savings of the acquisition may not be realized.

Our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition will depend, to a large extent, on our ability to integrate H&E into our business. We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully integrate H&E into our business or, if the integration is successfully accomplished, that the integration will not be more costly or take longer than presently contemplated. If we cannot successfully integrate H&E within the anticipated timeframe following the acquisition, we may not be able to realize the potential and anticipated benefits of the acquisition, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

Our ability to realize the expected synergies and benefits of the acquisition is subject to a number of risk and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control. These risks and uncertainties could adversely impact our business, financial condition and operating results, and include, among other things:

• our ability to complete the timely integration of operations and systems, organizations, standards, controls, procedures, policies and technologies, as well as the harmonization of differences in the business cultures;

• our ability to minimize the diversion of management attention from our ongoing business concerns during the process of integration;

• our ability to retain the service of key management and other key personnel of both us and H&E;

• our ability to preserve customer and other important relationships and resolve potential conflicts that may arise;

• the risk that certain customers will opt to discontinue business with us;

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• the risk that H&E may have liabilities that we failed to or were unable to discover in the course of performing due diligence;

• the risks associated with current macroeconomic trends (such as potential trade wars and rising energy costs) that could have a negative effect on the potential synergies associated with the combination;

• the risk that integrating H&E into our business may be more difficult, costly or time-consuming than anticipated;

• difficulties in achieving anticipated cost savings, synergies, business opportunities and growth prospects from the combination; and

• difficulties in managing the expanded operations of the combined company and related difficulties in managing the financial accounting and reporting processes associated with a larger combined company.

We may encounter additional integration-related costs, fail to realize all of the benefits anticipated, or be subject to other factors that adversely affect our preliminary estimates regarding the combined company.

In addition, even if the operations of H&E are integrated successfully, the full benefits of the acquisition may not be realized, including the synergies and cost savings that we expect. The occurrence of any of these events, individually or in combination, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

We are dependent on our relationships with key suppliers to obtain equipment for our business.

We are dependent on suppliers for access to the equipment and other products we offer and use throughout our network of branches. If we fail to have or maintain adequate relationships with suppliers or if we fail to timely receive equipment and products from our suppliers, then our competitive position may be harmed and our results of operations and/or cash flows may be negatively impacted. In addition, the prices of certain equipment and products may continue to experience inflationary pressures that could further increase such costs. We may not be able to pass on these costs to our customers, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and/or cash flows.

We have experienced, and in the future are likely to experience, lack of access to and delays in receipt of equipment and products from suppliers. For example, the rapid increase in demand as the COVID-19 pandemic waned caused significant stress on global supply chains. Unavailability of, and delays in obtaining, equipment and products may result from a number of factors affecting our suppliers including capacity constraints, labor shortages or disputes, supplier product quality issues, suppliers’ impaired financial condition and suppliers’ allocations to other purchasers. These risks are increased in a weak economic environment or when demand increases coming out of an economic downturn. Such disruptions could result in our inability to effectively meet our customers’ needs, impair our ability to execute our growth plans and could result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and/or cash flows.

A widespread outbreak of an illness or any other communicable disease, or any other public health crisis, could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

A widespread outbreak of epidemic, pandemic, or contagious diseases in the human population could cause a widespread public health crisis that results in economic and trade disruptions that could negatively impact our business and the businesses of our customers. The extent of the impact of any epidemic, pandemic, or contagious disease on our operational and financial performance, including our ability to execute our business strategies and initiatives in an expected time frame, will depend on, among other things, the duration and spread of the epidemic, pandemic, or contagious disease and any restrictions on economic activity imposed by governmental authorities, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. An extended period of economic disruption could materially affect our business, results of operations, access to sources of liquidity, particularly our cash flow from operations, and financial condition.

Our business is heavily reliant upon communication networks, centralized information technology ("IT") systems, and third-party technologies and services, and the concentration of our IT systems and sensitive information creates or increases risks for us, including the risk of the misuse or theft of information as a result of cybersecurity breaches or otherwise, which could harm our brand, reputation or competitive position and give rise to material liabilities.

We regularly possess, collect, receive, store, process, generate, use, disclose, transmit, protect, and handle non-public information about individuals and businesses, including both credit and debit card information and other proprietary, sensitive

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and confidential personal information (collectively, sensitive information). In addition, our customers regularly transmit sensitive information to us via the Internet and through other electronic means.

We rely heavily on communication networks, including the Internet and on IT systems, to process rental and sales transactions, manage our pricing, manage our equipment fleet, manage our financing arrangements, pay suppliers and other third parties, collect from our customers, account for our activities and otherwise conduct our business and report our financial results. Our major IT systems and accounting functions are centralized in a few locations. Any disruption, termination or substandard provision of these services, whether as the result of computer or telecommunications issues (including operational failures, server malfunctions, software bugs, software or hardware failures, loss of data or other IT assets, or similar), cyber attacks (such as computer malware, ransomware, business e-mail compromise, malicious code like viruses or worms, denial of service attacks, credential stuffing, credential harvesting, supply-chain attacks or other social engineering attacks like phishing attacks), personnel misconduct or error, localized conditions (such as a power outage, fire or explosion) or events or circumstances of broader geographic impact (such as an earthquake, storm, flood, other natural disaster, epidemic, strike, act of war, civil unrest or terrorist act), could materially adversely affect our business by disrupting normal operations. Cyber threats are increasing in number and sophistication, continually evolving, including with the increased use of artificial intelligence, making it difficult for us to anticipate and defend against such threats and vulnerabilities that can persist undetected over extended periods of time. In particular, severe ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly prevalent and can lead to significant interruptions in our operations, loss of sensitive information and income, reputational harm, and diversion of funds. Extortion payments may alleviate the negative impact of a ransomware attack, but we may be unwilling or unable to make such payments due to, for example, applicable laws or regulations prohibiting such payments.

Our facilities and systems and those of our third-party service providers may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could compromise information security, and are also subject to the risk of human error. Unauthorized parties also may attempt to gain access to our systems or facilities, or those of third parties with whom we do business. All of the aforementioned threats are prevalent, increasing in their frequency, sophistication and intensity, and come from a variety of sources, including traditional computer “hackers,” threat actors, “hacktivists,” organized criminal threat actors, sophisticated nation states, and nation-state-supported actors (including nation-state actors for geopolitical reasons and in conjunction with military conflicts and defense activities). During times of war and other major conflicts, we, the third parties upon which we rely, and our customers may be vulnerable to a heightened risk of these attacks, including retaliatory cyber attacks, that could materially disrupt our systems and operations, supply chain, and ability to produce, sell and distribute our goods and provide services.

Any of the previously identified or similar threats could cause a security breach or other interruption that could result in unauthorized, unlawful, or accidental acquisition, modification, destruction, loss, alteration, encryption, disclosure of, or access to our sensitive information or our IT systems, or those of the third parties upon whom we rely. A security breach or other interruption could disrupt our ability (and that of third parties upon whom we rely) to provide our products and services.

We may expend significant resources or modify our business activities to try to protect against security breaches, and certain data privacy and security obligations may require us to implement and maintain specific security measures or industry-standard or reasonable security measures to protect our IT systems and sensitive information. While we have implemented security measures designed to protect against security breaches, there can be no assurance that these measures are effective. We may be unable in the future to detect vulnerabilities in our IT systems and networks because many of the techniques used to effectuate a security breach are difficult to detect or anticipate until launched against a target and we may be unable to (or delayed in adopting measures to) prevent, contain or detect security breaches or other compromises or implement adequate preventative measures.

Applicable data privacy and security obligations may require us to notify relevant stakeholders of security breaches. Such disclosures are costly, and the disclosure or the failure to comply with such requirements could lead to adverse consequences. A security breach could adversely affect our corporate reputation as well as our operations, and could result in government enforcement actions, litigation against us, additional reporting requirements and/or oversight, restrictions on processing sensitive information, indemnification obligations, monetary fund diversions, interruptions in our operations, financial loss, the imposition of penalties, and other similar harms. A security breach and attendant consequences could cause the loss of customers, deter new customers from using our services, negatively impact our ability to grow and operate our business, and require that we invest significant additional resources related to our information security systems.

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In addition, we rely on third-party service providers and technologies to operate critical business systems to process sensitive information in a variety of contexts, including, without limitation, cloud-based infrastructure, data center facilities, encryption and authentication technology, employee email, and other functions. We may also rely on third-party service providers to provide other products, services, parts, or otherwise to operate our business. Therefore, we are also susceptible to disruptions, failures and breaches of the systems maintained by our outsourced providers, which we do not control. Our ability to monitor these third parties’ information security practices is limited, and these third parties may not have adequate information security measures in place. Any disruption, failure, breach or poor performance of any of these systems could lead to lower revenues, increased costs or other material adverse effects on our business and results of operations. While we may be entitled to damages if our third-party service providers fail to satisfy their privacy or security-related obligations to us, any award may be insufficient to cover our damages, or we may be unable to recover such award. In addition, supply-chain attacks have increased in frequency and severity, and we cannot guarantee that third parties’ infrastructure in our supply chain or our third-party partners’ supply chains have not been compromised. Additionally, future or past business transactions (such as acquisitions or integrations) could expose us to additional cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities, as our systems could be negatively affected by vulnerabilities present in acquired or integrated entities’ systems and technologies.

Our contracts may not contain limitations of liability, and even where they do, there can be no assurance that limitations of liability in our contracts are sufficient to protect us from liabilities, damages, or claims related to our data privacy and security obligations. We cannot be sure that our insurance coverage will be adequate or sufficient to protect us from or to mitigate liabilities arising out of our privacy and security practices, that such coverage will continue to be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or that such coverage will pay future claims. Additionally, we are incorporated into the supply chain of a large number of companies in North America and, as a result, if our products are compromised, a significant number or, in some instances, all of our customers and their data could be simultaneously affected. The potential liability and associated consequences we could suffer as a result of such a large-scale event could be catastrophic and result in irreparable harm.

Failure to maintain, upgrade or replace our IT systems could materially adversely affect us.

Our business continues to demand the use of sophisticated systems and technologies, including digital tools, SaaS offerings and cloud computing. As a result, we devote significant time and resources in maintaining, upgrading or replacing our systems and technologies in order to meet customers' demands and expectations. These types of activities subject us to additional costs and inherent risks associated with maintaining, upgrading, replacing and changing these systems and technologies, including impairment of our ability to manage our business, loss of customer confidence and business, potential disruption of our internal control structure, substantial capital expenditures, additional administration and operating expenses, demands on management time, training our employees to operate the systems, and other risks and costs of delays or difficulties in transitioning to, or integrating, new systems and technologies into our current business. We rely on certain third party software providers to maintain and periodically upgrade many of these systems and technologies so that they can continue to support our business. Further, the software programs supporting our business are licensed to us by independent software developers. The inability of these developers or us to continue to maintain and upgrade our systems and technologies would disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our operations if we were unable to convert to alternate systems in an efficient and timely manner.

In addition, costs and potential problems and interruptions associated with the implementation of new or upgraded systems and technologies, maintenance or adequate support of outdated or other existing systems and technologies could disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our business operations and could have an adverse effect on our operations if not anticipated and appropriately mitigated. For example, our business relies on the continued functionality and reliability of customer-facing systems, such as ProControl by Herc Rentals™, to enable customers to rent equipment and access our services. Any disruption, failure, or degradation of these systems, whether due to technical issues, cyber incidents, or delays in maintenance or upgrades, could prevent customers from completing transactions, impair customer satisfaction, damage our reputation, weaken our relationships with customers and result in lost revenue opportunities.

Our competitive position may be adversely affected if we are unable to maintain, upgrade or replace systems and technologies that allow us to manage our business and support our customers in a competitive manner. We also may not achieve the benefits that we anticipate from an upgraded or replaced system and technology. Additionally, any failure of a system or technology could impede our ability to timely collect and report financial results in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

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We may fail to respond adequately to changes in technology and customer demands.

In recent years, our industry has been characterized by rapid changes in technology and customer demands. For example, industry participants have taken advantage of new technologies, including digital tools, SaaS offerings and cloud computing, to improve fleet efficiency, decrease customer wait times and improve customer satisfaction. Our ability to continually improve our current processes and customer-facing tools in response to changes in technology or in customer expectations is essential in maintaining our competitive position and maintaining current levels of customer satisfaction. We may experience technical or other difficulties that could delay or prevent the development or implementation of new technologies. We also may not achieve the benefits that we anticipate from new technologies we develop or implement. The effects of these risks may, individually or in the aggregate, materially adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.

We face intense competition, including from our own suppliers, that may lead to downward pricing or an inability to increase prices.

The markets in which we operate are highly competitive. Competitive factors in our industry include price competition, the importance of customer loyalty, changes in market penetration, the introduction of new equipment, services and technology by competitors, changes in marketing, product diversity and quality and the ability to supply equipment and services to customers in a timely, predictable manner. Because we do not have multi-year contractual arrangements with many of our customers, these competitive factors could cause our customers to cease renting our equipment and shift suppliers quickly.

The equipment rental market is highly fragmented, and we believe that price is one of the primary competitive factors. The Internet has enabled cost-conscious customers to more easily compare rates available from rental companies. If we try to increase our pricing, our competitors, some of whom may have greater resources and better access to capital or lower fixed operating costs, may seek to compete aggressively on the basis of pricing. In addition, our competitors may reduce prices in order to attempt to gain a competitive advantage, capture market share or compensate for declines in rental activity. To the extent we do not match or remain within a reasonable competitive margin of our competitors’ pricing, our revenues and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. If competitive pressures lead us to match any of our competitors’ downward pricing and we are not able to reduce our operating costs, then our margins, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely impacted.

We face competition from traditional rental companies as well as our own suppliers. We purchase our rental equipment from leading, globally-known original equipment manufacturers. Under our supplier arrangements, the suppliers may appoint additional distributors, elect to sell or rent directly to our customers or unilaterally terminate their arrangements with us at any time without cause. Any such actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows due to a reduction of, or an inability to increase, our revenues.

Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain key management, sales and trades talent, while supporting the onboarding and career development of our team members.

Our ability to successfully execute on our business plan depends upon the contributions of our senior management team as well as other key talent, including our dedicated sales force and trades talent, such as drivers and mechanics. In recent years, we have experienced increasing competition for available talent in the North American workforce as reflected by the low unemployment rate, shortages of available industry trades talent and increasing costs to retain employees. As a result, we could experience inefficiencies or a lack of business continuity due to employee turnover, new employees’ lack of historical knowledge and lack of familiarity with the business processes, operating requirements, purpose and culture, policies and procedures, and key information technologies and related infrastructure used in our day-to-day operations and financial reporting. Historically we have noted a ramp-up period before new members of our sales organization typically achieve a level of sales comparable to those we have employed for a longer period of time. We may also experience additional costs as new employees learn their roles and gain necessary experience, in addition to the cost of hiring new individuals. It is important to our success that newly hired team members quickly adapt to and excel in their new roles. If they are unable to do so, our business and financial results could be materially adversely affected. Further, if we cannot meet our needs for IT staff, we may not be able to fulfill our technology initiatives while continuing to provide maintenance on existing systems.

If we were to lose the services of members of our senior management team or other key talent, whether due to death, disability, resignation or termination of employment, our ability to successfully implement our business strategy, financial plans,

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marketing and other objectives could be significantly impaired. In addition, if we are unable to attract and retain qualified key talent, we may not be able to effectively and efficiently manage our business and execute our business plan.

Due to seasonality, especially in the construction industry, any occurrence that disrupts rental activity during our peak periods could materially adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.

Significant components of our expenses are fixed in the short-term, including real estate taxes, rent, insurance, utilities, maintenance and other facility-related expenses, the costs of operating our IT systems and certain staffing costs. Seasonal changes in our revenues do not alter those fixed expenses, typically resulting in higher profitability in periods when our revenues are higher, and lower profitability in periods when our revenues are lower. Our business, especially in the construction industry, has historically experienced lower levels of business from December until late spring, particularly in the northern United States and Canada, and heightened activity during our third and fourth quarter until December. Any occurrence that disrupts rental activity during this period of heightened activity, including adverse weather conditions such as prolonged periods of cold, rain, blizzards, floods, fires, hurricanes or other severe weather patterns, could have a disproportionately adverse effect on our business, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.

Some or all of our deferred tax assets could expire if we experience an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code").

An "ownership change" could limit our ability to utilize tax attributes, including net operating losses, capital loss carryovers, excess foreign tax carryforwards, and credit carryforwards, to offset future taxable income. As of December 31, 2025, we had unutilized U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $253 million. Our ability to use such tax attributes to offset future taxable income and tax liabilities may be significantly limited if we experience an "ownership change" as defined in Section 382(g) of the Code. In general, an ownership change will occur if and when the percentage of Herc Holdings’ ownership (by value) of one or more "5-percent shareholders" (as defined in the Code) has increased by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of stock owned by such shareholders at any time during the prior three years (calculated on a rolling basis). An entity that experiences an ownership change generally should be subject to an annual limitation on its pre-ownership change tax loss carryforward which accumulates each year to the extent that there is any unused limitation from a prior year. The limitation on our ability to utilize tax losses and credit carryforwards arising from an ownership change under Section 382 depends on the value of our equity at the time of any ownership change. If we were to experience an "ownership change,” it is possible that a significant portion of our tax loss carryforwards could expire before we would be able to use them to offset future taxable income. Many states have adopted the federal Section 382 rules and therefore have similar limitations with respect to state tax attributes.

Other Operational Risks

Any decline in our relationships with our key national account customers or the amount of equipment they rent from us could materially adversely affect our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our business depends on our ability to maintain positive relations with our key national account customers, which collectively accounted for 49% of our rental revenue in 2025. We cannot assure you that all of these relationships will continue at current levels or on current terms. Our contracts with our customers generally do not obligate them to rent equipment from us. Revenue from customers that have accounted for significant revenue in past periods, individually or as a group, may not continue in future periods or, if continued, may not reach or exceed historical levels in any period. Further, if our key customers fail to remain competitive in their respective markets or encounter financial or operational problems, our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.

Our rental fleet is subject to residual value risk upon disposition and may not sell at the prices we expect.

The market value of our equipment at the time of its disposition could be less than its estimated residual value or its depreciated value at such time. A number of factors could affect the value received upon disposition of our equipment, including:

• the market price for similar new equipment;

• the age of the equipment, wear and tear on the equipment relative to its age and the performance of preventive maintenance;

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• the time of year that it is sold;

• the supply of used equipment relative to the demand for used equipment, including as a result of changes in economic conditions or conditions in the markets that we serve;

• inventory levels at original equipment manufacturers; and

• the existence and capacities of different sales outlets.

A sale of equipment below its net book value could adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity and cash flows. Accordingly, decisions to reduce the size of our rental fleet in the event of an economic downturn or to respond to changes in rental demand are subject to the risk of loss based on the residual value of rental equipment.

We incur maintenance and repair costs associated with our rental fleet that could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows in the event these costs are greater than anticipated.

As our rental equipment ages, the cost of maintaining such equipment, if not replaced within a certain period of time, and the risk of fleet equipment being out of service, generally increase. As of December 31, 2025, the average age of our rental equipment fleet was approximately 45 months. Determining the optimal age at disposition for our rental equipment is subjective and requires considerable estimates by management. We have made estimates regarding the relationship between the age of our rental equipment, the maintenance and repair costs, the availability of our fleet and the market value of used equipment. It is possible that we may allow the average age of our rental equipment fleet to increase, which could increase our costs for maintenance and repair and likely would negatively impact the market value of such equipment at the time of its disposition. If maintenance and repair costs are higher than estimated or in-service times or market values of used equipment are lower than estimated, our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

We are exposed to a variety of claims and losses arising from our operations, and our insurance may not cover all or any portion of such claims.

We are exposed to a variety of claims arising from our operations, including claims by third parties for injury or property damage arising from the operation of our equipment or acts or omissions of our personnel and workers’ compensation claims. We are currently a defendant in numerous actions and have received numerous claims on which actions have not yet been commenced for liability and property damage arising from the operation of equipment rented from us. We also are exposed to risk of loss from damage to our equipment and resulting business interruption. Our responsibility for such claims and losses is increased when we waive the provisions in certain of our rental contracts that hold a renter responsible for damage or loss under an optional loss or damage waiver that we offer. While we attempt to mitigate our exposure to large liability losses arising from such claims by maintaining general liability, workers' compensation and vehicle liability insurance coverage, our coverage may not be adequate to protect us against these exposures and we self-insure against losses associated with exposures not covered by these insurance policies.

Moreover, in the event that insurance coverage does apply, we will bear a portion of the associated losses through the application of deductibles and self-insured retention in the insurance policies. For a company our size, such deductibles or self-insured retention could be substantial. There is also no assurance that insurance policies of these types will be available for purchase or renewal on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, or that the premiums and deductibles under such policies will not substantially increase, including as a result of market conditions in the insurance industry.

If we were to incur one or more liabilities that are significant, individually or in the aggregate, where we are not fully insured, that we self-insure against or that our insurers dispute, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. Even with adequate insurance coverage, we still may experience a significant interruption to our operations as a result of third-party claims or other losses arising from our operations.

Environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations and the costs of complying with them, or any change to them impacting our markets, could materially adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our operations are subject to numerous national, state, provincial and local laws and regulations governing environmental protection and occupational health and safety matters. These laws govern such issues as wastewater, storm water, solid and hazardous wastes and materials, air quality and matters of workplace safety. Under these laws and regulations, regardless of fault we may be liable for, among other things, the cost of investigating and remediating contamination at our sites as well as sites to which we have sent hazardous wastes for disposal or treatment, and also fines and penalties for non-compliance. We use

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hazardous materials to clean and maintain equipment, dispose of solid and hazardous waste and wastewater from equipment washing, and store and dispense petroleum products from storage tanks at certain of our locations. We also indemnify various parties for the costs associated with remediating numerous hazardous substance storage, recycling or disposal sites in many states and, in some instances, for natural resource damages. The amount of any such expense or related natural resource damages for which we may be held responsible could be substantial. We cannot predict the potential financial impact on our business if adverse environmental, health, or safety conditions are discovered, or environmental, health, and safety requirements become more stringent. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the aggregate amounts accrued for environmental liabilities, including liability for environmental indemnities, reflected in our consolidated balance sheets in "Accrued liabilities" were $0.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively. If we are required to incur environmental, health, or safety compliance or remediation costs that are not currently anticipated by us, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected, depending on the magnitude of the cost.

Climate change and legal or regulatory responses thereto may have a long-term negative impact on our business and results of operations.

There is increasing concern that a gradual increase in global average temperatures due to the concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will cause significant change in weather patterns around the globe and increase the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Climate change may also exacerbate water scarcity, negatively impacting our capability to deliver equipment that meets the safety and functional expectations of our customers as well as the health and safety of our employees. Increased frequency or duration of extreme weather conditions could impact our business and the demand for our equipment and services. An increase in demand for rental equipment may require additional capital expenditures in order for us to compete for such demand and we may not be able to make similar levels of investment as our larger competitors. In addition, in an effort to combat climate change, our customers may require our rental equipment to meet certain standards. If we are unable to meet such standards and the expectations of our customers, our business and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

In addition, the U.S. Congress and other legislative and regulatory authorities in the United States and internationally have considered, and likely will continue to consider, numerous measures related to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and other laws and regulations affecting our end markets, such as oil, gas and other natural resource extraction. Should such laws and regulations become effective, demand for our services could be affected, our fleet and/or other costs could increase and our business could be materially adversely affected.

Further, investors are placing a greater emphasis on non-financial factors, including environmental, social and governance ("ESG") factors, when evaluating investment opportunities. If we are unable to provide sufficient disclosure about ESG practices or if we fail to achieve ESG goals, investors may not view us as an attractive investment, which could have a negative effect on our stock price and business.

Part of our strategy includes pursuing strategic transactions, which could be difficult to identify and implement, and could disrupt our business or change our business profile significantly.

Our strategy includes growth through the acquisition of other companies or service lines of other businesses that either complement or expand our existing business. We also may consider the divestiture of some of our businesses. Any acquisitions or divestitures we may seek to consummate will be subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements, satisfactory financing arrangements and applicable governmental approvals and consents, including under applicable antitrust laws, such as the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. We cannot assure you that we will be able to identify suitable transactions and, even if we are able to identify such transactions, that we will be able to consummate any such acquisitions or divestitures on acceptable terms. Any future acquisitions or divestitures we pursue may involve a number of risks, including some or all of the following:

• the diversion of management’s attention from our core business;

• the disruption of our ongoing business;

• inaccurate assessment of undisclosed liabilities;

• potential known and unknown liabilities of the acquired or divested businesses and lack of adequate protections or potential related indemnities;

• the inability to integrate our acquisitions without substantial costs, delays or other problems;

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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)

• the loss of key customers or employees of the acquired or divested business;

• increasing demands on our operational systems;

• the integration of information systems and internal control over financial reporting; and

• possible adverse effects on our reported results of operations or financial position, particularly during the first several reporting periods after an acquisition or divestiture is completed.

Any acquired entities or assets may not enhance our results of operations. Even if we are able to integrate future acquired businesses with our operations successfully, we cannot assure you that we will realize the cost savings, synergies or revenue enhancements that we may anticipate from such integration or that we will realize such benefits within the expected time frame. Any acquisition also may cause us to assume liabilities, record goodwill and other intangible assets that will be subject to impairment testing and potential impairment charges, incur potential restructuring charges and increase working capital and capital expenditure requirements, which may reduce our return on invested capital.

If we were to undertake a substantial acquisition, the acquisition likely would need to be financed in part through additional financing from banks, through public offerings or private placements of debt or equity securities or with other arrangements. We cannot assure you that the necessary acquisition financing would be available to us on acceptable terms if and when required, given our substantial indebtedness and restrictions in the terms of our indebtedness that may limit the additional indebtedness that we may incur or the acquisitions that we may pursue, which may make it difficult or impossible for us to obtain financing for acquisitions. If we were to undertake an acquisition by issuing equity securities or equity-linked securities, the acquisition may have a dilutive effect on the interests of the holders of our common stock.

A significant divestiture would, in the short term, result in loss of revenues and possibly earnings, and could require the amendment or refinancing of our outstanding indebtedness or a portion thereof. Further, to the extent that we agree to accept payment of all or a portion of the sale price over time, we will bear the risk that the portion of the price that is not paid at closing may be uncollectible. In addition, in connection with any divestiture, we may agree to retain obligations related to the business or assets sold and we may agree to indemnify the purchaser for outstanding liabilities or with respect to the representations, warranties or covenants included in the definitive agreement between the parties. These retained obligations and indemnification obligations could result in significant costs and expenses.

We may face issues with our union employees.

Labor contracts covering the terms of employment of approximately 620 employees in the U.S. and 80 employees in Canada were in effect as of December 31, 2025 under approximately 30 active contracts with local unions, affiliated primarily with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Union of Operating Engineers. These contracts are renegotiated periodically. Failure to negotiate a new labor agreement when required could result in a work stoppage. Although we believe that our labor relations have generally been good, it is possible that we could become subject to additional work rules imposed by agreements with labor unions, or that work stoppages or other labor disturbances could occur in the future. In addition, our non-union workforce has been subject to unionization efforts in the past, and we could be subject to future unionization, which could lead to increases in our operating costs and/or constraints on our operating flexibility.

Risks Related to the Spin-Off and Our Separation from New Hertz

We and New Hertz have assumed and will share responsibility for certain liabilities in connection with the Spin-Off, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement entered into in connection with the Spin-Off, we assumed, among other things, liabilities associated with our equipment rental business and related assets, whether such liabilities arose prior to or subsequent to the Spin-Off, and have agreed to indemnify New Hertz for any losses arising from such liabilities, as well as any other liabilities we assumed pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement. We also will be responsible for a portion (typically 15%) of certain shared liabilities not otherwise specifically allocated to us or New Hertz under the separation and distribution agreement. Although we will be responsible for a portion of these shared liabilities, New Hertz has the authority to manage the defense and resolution of them. The amount of such liabilities could be greater than anticipated and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)

In addition, New Hertz has assumed, among other things, liabilities associated with its vehicle rental business and related assets, whether such liabilities arose prior to or subsequent to the Spin-Off, and has agreed to indemnify us for any losses arising from such liabilities, as well as any other liabilities it assumed pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement. New Hertz also will be responsible for a portion (typically 85%) of certain shared liabilities not otherwise specifically allocated to New Hertz or us under the separation and distribution agreement. We rely on New Hertz to manage the defense and resolution of these shared liabilities. If New Hertz fails to satisfy its performance and payment obligations under the separation and distribution agreement, including its indemnification obligations, such failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

If there is a determination that any portion of the Spin-Off transaction is taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then we and our stockholders could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.

Hertz Holdings received a favorable private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") to the effect that, subject to the accuracy of and compliance with certain representations, assumptions and covenants, (i) the Spin-Off qualified as a tax-free transaction under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code), and (ii) the internal spin-off transactions (collectively with the Spin-Off, the "Spin-Offs") qualified as tax free under Section 355 of the Code. A private letter ruling from the IRS generally is binding on the IRS. However, the IRS ruling does not rule that the Spin-Offs satisfied every requirement for a tax-free spin-off, and Hertz Holdings relied solely on opinions of its tax advisors to determine that such additional requirements were satisfied. The ruling and the opinions relied on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings from Hertz Holdings and New Hertz regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not otherwise satisfied, Herc Holdings, its affiliates and its stockholders may not be able to rely on the ruling or the opinions of tax advisors and could be subject to significant tax liabilities. Notwithstanding the private letter ruling and opinions of tax advisors, the IRS could determine on audit that the Spin-Offs and related transactions are taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are not correct or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinions that are not covered by the private letter ruling, or for other reasons, including as a result of certain significant changes in the stock ownership of Herc Holdings or New Hertz after the Spin-Off. If the Spin-Offs or related transactions are determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we and, in certain cases, our stockholders could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities, including taxation on the value of the New Hertz common stock in the Spin-Off.

Risks Related to Our Significant Indebtedness

Our significant level of indebtedness exposes or makes us more vulnerable to a number of risks that could materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and ability to compete.

As of December 31, 2025, we had total outstanding debt of approximately $8.1 billion, including our outstanding senior notes and the amounts drawn under our credit facilities. This significant indebtedness requires us to dedicate a significant portion of our cash flows from operations and investing activities to make payments on our debt, which reduces the amount available for working capital, capital expenditures or other general corporate purposes and which decreases our profitability and cash flow. We cannot assure you that we will maintain financing activities and cash flows sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness. In addition, our indebtedness could materially adversely affect us. For example, it could: (i) make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations to the holders of our outstanding debt securities and to the lenders under our credit facilities, resulting in possible defaults on, and acceleration of, such indebtedness; (ii) be difficult to refinance or borrow additional funds in the future; (iii) increase our vulnerability to, and limit our flexibility to plan for, or react to, general adverse economic and industry conditions, (iv) place us at a competitive disadvantage to our competitors that have proportionately less debt or comparable debt at more favorable interest rates or on better terms; (v) limit our ability to declare and pay dividends; and (vi) limit our ability to react to competitive pressures, or make it difficult for us to carry out capital spending that is necessary or important to our growth strategy and our efforts to improve operating margins. There is also a risk that one or more of the financial institutions providing commitments under our revolving credit facilities could fail to fund an extension of credit under any such facility, due to insolvency or otherwise, leaving us with less liquidity than expected. Our ability to manage these risks will depend, among other things, on financial market conditions as well as our financial and operating performance, which, in turn, is subject to a wide range of risks, including those described above under “—Risks Related to Our Business.”

If our capital resources (including borrowings under our financing arrangements and access to other refinancing indebtedness) and operating cash flows are not sufficient to pay our obligations as they mature or to fund our liquidity needs, we may be

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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)

forced, among other things, to do one or more of the following: (i) sell certain of our assets; (ii) reduce the size of our rental fleet; (iii) reduce or delay capital expenditures; (iv) reduce or eliminate our dividend; (v) obtain additional equity capital; (vi) forgo business opportunities, including acquisitions and joint ventures; or (vii) restructure or refinance all or a portion of our debt before maturity. We cannot assure you that we would be able to accomplish any of these alternatives on a timely basis or on satisfactory terms, if at all. If we cannot refinance or otherwise pay our obligations as they mature and fund our liquidity needs, our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, ability to obtain financing and ability to compete could be materially adversely affected.

Substantially all of our consolidated assets secure certain of our indebtedness, which could materially adversely affect our business and holders of our debt and equity.

Substantially all of our consolidated assets, including our rental fleet, are subject to security interests under our credit facilities. As a result, the lenders under those financing arrangements have a secured claim on such assets in the event of our bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation or reorganization, and we may not have sufficient funds to pay in full, or at all, all of our creditors or make any amount available to holders of our equity. The same is true with respect to structurally senior obligations. In general, all liabilities and other obligations of a subsidiary must be satisfied before the assets of such subsidiary can be made available to the unsecured or junior creditors (or equity holders) of the parent entity.

Because substantially all of our assets are encumbered under our credit facilities, our ability to incur additional secured indebtedness or to sell or dispose of assets to raise capital may be impaired, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial flexibility and liquidity and force us to attempt to incur additional unsecured indebtedness, which may not be available to us.

The amount of borrowings permitted under our revolving credit facility may fluctuate significantly, which may adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations and financial position.

The amount of borrowings permitted at any time under our revolving credit facility is limited to a periodic borrowing base valuation of the collateral thereunder. As a result, our access to credit under our revolving credit facility is potentially subject to significant fluctuations depending on the value of the borrowing base of eligible assets as of any measurement date, as well as certain discretionary rights of the agent in respect of the calculation of such borrowing base value. The inability to borrow under our revolving credit facility, or limitations on the amounts we can borrow under our revolving credit facility, may adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations and financial position.

An increase in interest rates or in our borrowing margin would increase the cost of servicing our debt and could reduce our profitability.

A significant portion of our indebtedness bears interest at floating rates, which increases our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions (such as economic cycles and credit-related disruptions), including interest rate fluctuations. To the extent we have not hedged against rising interest rates, an increase in the applicable benchmark interest rates would increase our cost of servicing our debt and could reduce our profitability and materially adversely affect our results of operations.

In addition, we may in the future seek to refinance our indebtedness. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness is subject to prevailing economic conditions, including our operating and financial performance, as well as financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. If interest rates or our borrowing margins increase between the time an existing financing arrangement was consummated and the time such financing arrangement is refinanced, the cost of servicing our debt would increase and our results of operations and liquidity could be materially adversely affected. A refinancing of our indebtedness could also require us to comply with more onerous covenants and further restrict our business operations. Our inability to refinance our indebtedness or to do so upon attractive terms could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, and make us vulnerable to adverse industry and general economic conditions.

Despite our current level of indebtedness, we may still be able to incur substantially more debt. This could further exacerbate the risks described above.

We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness in the future. Although the agreements and instruments governing our financing arrangements contain restrictions on our ability to incur additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, and the additional indebtedness that could be incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. Further, these restrictions also do not prevent us from incurring obligations that do not constitute indebtedness. If new debt or other obligations are added to our current debt and liability levels

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ITEM lA. RISK FACTORS (continued)

without a corresponding refinancing or redemption of our existing indebtedness and obligations, the risks related to our substantial indebtedness could increase.

Risks Related to the Securities Markets and Ownership of Our Common Stock

The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of the sale or distribution of a large number of shares of our common stock in the market or the perception that a sale or distribution could occur. These factors also could make it more difficult for us to raise funds through future offerings of our common stock.

We are unable to predict whether significant amounts of our common stock will be sold in the open market or the potential negative effects that these sales could have on the price of our common stock. Sales or distributions of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales or distributions will occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and make it difficult for us to raise funds through securities offerings in the future. As of December 31, 2025, there were 33.3 million shares of our common stock outstanding, which are freely transferable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), unless held or acquired by our “affiliates” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. In addition, all shares of our common stock acquired upon exercise of stock options and other equity-based awards granted under our stock incentive plan also will be freely tradable under the Securities Act unless acquired by our affiliates, as will shares acquired by our employees under our employee stock purchase plan. Approximately 2.6 million shares of common stock have been issued or are reserved for issuance under our stock incentive plan and our employee stock purchase plan.

We also may issue additional common stock for a number of reasons, including to finance our operations and business strategy (including acquisitions), to adjust our ratio of debt to equity, or to provide incentives pursuant to certain executive compensation arrangements. Such future issuances of equity securities, or the expectation that they will occur, could cause the market price for our common stock to decline.

Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and our By-Laws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could deter or prevent a change in control.

Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws contain provisions that are intended to deter coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage prospective acquirers to negotiate with our Board of Directors rather than to attempt a hostile takeover. These provisions include:

• granting to our Board of Directors sole power to set the number of directors and to fill any vacancy on the Board of Directors, whether such vacancy occurs as a result of an increase in the number of directors or otherwise;

• the ability of our Board of Directors to designate and issue one or more series of preferred stock without stockholder approval, the terms of which may be determined at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors;

• prohibiting our stockholders from acting by written consent;

• prohibiting our stockholders from calling special meetings of stockholders;

• the absence of cumulative voting; and

• advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations for election to the Board of Directors at stockholder meetings.

We believe that these provisions protect our stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with our Board of Directors and by providing our Board of Directors with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. These provisions are not intended to make us immune from takeovers. However, these provisions apply even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our Board of Directors determines is in our best interests and that of our stockholders. Any or all of the foregoing provisions could limit the price that some investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations ("MD&A") should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in Item 8 of this Report, which include additional information about our accounting policies, practices and the transactions underlying our financial results. The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes including receivables allowances, depreciation of rental equipment, the recoverability of long-lived assets, useful lives and impairment of long-lived tangible and intangible assets including goodwill and trade name, pension and postretirement benefits, valuation of stock-based compensation, reserves for litigation and other contingencies, accounting for income taxes and other matters arising during the normal course of business. We apply our best judgment, our knowledge of existing facts and circumstances and our knowledge of actions that we may undertake in the future in determining the estimates that will affect our consolidated financial statements. We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis using our historical experience, as well as other factors we believe appropriate under the circumstances, such as current economic conditions, and adjust or revise our estimates as circumstances change. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results may differ from these estimates.

OVERVIEW OF OUR BUSINESS AND OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

We are engaged principally in the business of renting equipment. Ancillary to our principal business of equipment rental, we also sell used rental equipment, sell new equipment and consumables and offer certain services and support to our customers. Our profitability is dependent upon a number of factors including the volume, mix and pricing of rental transactions and the utilization of equipment. Significant changes in the purchase price or residual values of equipment or interest rates can have a significant effect on our profitability depending on our ability to adjust pricing for these changes. Our business requires significant expenditures for equipment, and consequently we require substantial liquidity to finance such expenditures. See "Liquidity and Capital Resources" below.

Our revenues are primarily derived from rental and related charges and consist of:

• Equipment rental (includes all revenue associated with the rental of equipment including ancillary revenue from delivery, rental protection programs and fueling charges);

• Sales of rental equipment and sales of new equipment, parts and supplies; and

• Service and other revenue (primarily relating to training and labor provided to customers).

Our expenses primarily consist of:

• Direct operating expenses (primarily wages and related benefits, facility costs and other costs relating to the operation and rental of rental equipment, such as delivery, maintenance and fuel costs);

• Cost of sales of rental equipment, new equipment, parts and supplies;

• Depreciation expense relating to rental equipment;

• Selling, general and administrative expenses;

• Transaction expenses;

• Non-rental depreciation and amortization; and

• Interest expense.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

Recent Developments and Economic Conditions

Local markets continue to be impacted by the elevated interest rate environment and continued economic uncertainty. Our diversification across industries and project types have contributed to the resiliency of our business and we believe the operating environment continues to favor equipment rental companies of scale. We actively monitor the impact of the dynamic macroeconomic environment and manage our business to adjust to such conditions. We accelerated our growth strategy in 2025 with the acquisition of H&E, adding approximately 160 branches, while also opening 26 new greenfield locations, achieving greater density and scale in select urban markets to better serve both our local and national customers.

We invested in our rental equipment as part of our long-term capital expenditure plans, adding rental equipment strategically throughout our network in response to customer demand and to position ourselves for growth into 2026. We have returned to a more normalized cadence of rental equipment expenditures and disposals, remaining mindful of the possibility we may experience supply chain disruptions in the future. Although inflation appears to have stabilized, we have experienced and expect to continue to experience inflationary pressures, potentially as a result of tariffs imposed, a portion of which may be passed on to customers. Currently, we do not expect material direct impact of tariffs on our procurement costs in 2026. There are also costs for which the pass through to customers is less direct, such as repairs and maintenance, and labor. We cannot predict the extent to which our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows will ultimately be impacted by these ongoing economic conditions, however, we believe we are well-positioned to operate effectively through the present environment.

Capital Structure

We took a number of actions related to our capital structure on June 2, 2025 to finance the acquisition of H&E including:

• Issued $1.65 billion aggregate principal amount of 7.00% Senior Notes due 2030 and $1.1 billion aggregate principal amount of 7.25% Senior Notes due 2033

• Entered into a credit agreement with respect to a new senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility that provides for aggregate maximum borrowings of up to $4.0 billion (subject to availability under a borrowing base) and replaced the prior senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility entered into in 2019

• Entered into a credit agreement with respect to a senior secured term loan facility of $750 million

Supporting our financial flexibility, liquidity and continued investment in our business, we also took the following actions during 2025:

• Amended and extended our account receivable securitization facility on August 29, 2025, extending maturity to August 31, 2026. On December 1, 2025 aggregate commitments were increased from $400 million to $475 million

• Redeemed $1.2 billion outstanding principal of the 2027 Notes on December 16, 2025 at a redemption price of 100.00% using the combined net proceeds from offering of $600 million aggregate principal amount of 5.75% Senior Notes due 2031 and $600 million aggregate principal amount of 6.00% Senior Notes due 2034

Finally, as part of our capital allocation strategy, we have continued to pay quarterly dividends at $0.70 per share throughout 2025.

Acquisition of H&E Equipment Services, Inc.

On June 2, 2025, we completed the acquisition of H&E by acquiring all of the outstanding common stock of H&E in exchange for $78.75 in cash and 0.1287 shares of our common stock on a per-H&E share basis. The total purchase price was $4.8 billion including cash payment of $2.9 billion and the issuance of approximately 4.7 million shares of our common stock to H&E's shareholders, valued at $584 million.

H&E was a full-service equipment rental company that provided its customers with a mix of high-quality general rental fleet including aerial, earthmoving, material handling, and other lines of equipment. H&E served a diverse mix of customers across both construction and industrial markets through its network of approximately 160 branches in over 30 U.S. states.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

Divestiture of Cinelease

On July 31, 2025, we completed the divestiture of the Cinelease studio entertainment business for initial cash consideration of $100 million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments, and agreed upon earnouts pursuant to the purchase and sale agreement. We recognized a pre-tax gain on the divestiture of $1 million and used the net proceeds from the sale of Cinelease to repay indebtedness.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Years Ended December 31,

($ in millions)

$ Change

% Change

Equipment rental

Sales of rental equipment

Sales of new equipment, parts and supplies

Service and other revenue

Total revenues

Direct operating

Depreciation of rental equipment

Cost of sales of rental equipment

Cost of sales of new equipment, parts and supplies

Selling, general and administrative

Transaction expenses

Non-rental depreciation and amortization

Interest expense, net

Loss on assets held for sale

Other expense (income), net

Income before income taxes

Income tax provision

Net income

NM - Not meaningful

Year Ended December 31, 2025 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2024

Equipment rental revenue increased $581 million, or 18%, during 2025 primarily due to an increase in average OEC on rent, which includes the impact of the June 2025 acquisition of H&E. On a pro forma basis including the standalone, pre-acquisition results of H&E and Otay, equipment rental revenue decreased 6% year-over-year partially resulting from ongoing moderation in certain local markets where H&E's customer base was heavily concentrated. In addition, acquisition disruption at H&E, particularly within the salesforce, prior to the close of the acquisition contributed to the year-over-year decline, however, through initiatives post-close, this stabilized during the third quarter. The divestiture of Cinelease on July 31, 2025 also contributed to the year-over-year decline.

Sales of rental equipment increased $198 million, or 64%, during 2025 when compared with 2024 as we increased the volume of sales to improve the equipment mix and utilization focusing on acquisition fleet. The margin on sales of rental equipment was 18% in 2025 compared to 28% in 2024. The decrease in margin sale of rental equipment in 2025 resulted from the fair value markup of the acquisition fleet sold, a larger volume of sales through the lower margin auction channel and continued normalization of used equipment pricing in the market.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

Direct operating expenses increased $311 million, or 24%. Direct operating expenses were 42.5% of equipment rental revenue in 2025, compared to 40.5% in the prior-year period. The increase as a percent of rental revenue related to lower fixed cost absorption due to the impact of the ongoing moderation in certain local markets and the H&E acquisition, primarily with respect to field wages and benefits, facilities expense, maintenance, delivery and fuel. Total company field wages and benefits increased $120 million and facilities expense increased $60 million as we have added team members and locations through the acquisition of H&E and opened 26 greenfield locations. Maintenance expense increased $62 million as total fleet size has increased, delivery expense increased $21 million and fuel increased $20 million on increased volume of rentals.

Depreciation of rental equipment increased $177 million, or 26%, during 2025 due to the increase in average fleet size primarily the result of the H&E acquisition. Non-rental depreciation and amortization increased $97 million, or 76%, primarily due to amortization of intangible assets related to the H&E and Otay acquisitions and an increase in non-rental asset depreciation resulting from the growth of the business.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $95 million, or 20%. Selling, general and administrative expenses were 15.0% of equipment rental revenue in 2025 compared to 14.7% in the prior-year period. The increase as a percent of equipment rental revenue was primarily related to an increase of $28 million in sales compensation and related commissions and incentives to drive revenue growth, an increase in stock compensation expense and other general administrative costs of $31 million, partially offset by initial cost synergies related to reduction of H&E corporate overhead as well as overall cost control measures introduced to mitigate the impact of ongoing moderation in certain local markets.

Transaction expenses were $199 million in 2025 compared to $11 million in 2024 due to costs incurred related to the acquisition of H&E, primarily the one-time termination fee paid on behalf of H&E of $64 million, advisory fees of $27 million, commitment fees related to the Bridge Facility of $21 million, and various other financial consulting, professional and legal fees.

Interest expense, net increased $156 million, or 60%, during 2025 when compared with 2024 primarily due to the new debt facilities issued to fund the H&E acquisition at a weighted average effective interest rate of 6.7%.

Loss on assets held for sale was $48 million during 2025 to adjust the carrying value of Cinelease net assets to its fair value less estimated costs to sell prior to its divestiture on July 31, 2025.

Due to the level of pretax income, the income tax provision and effective tax rate were zero during 2025. The income tax provision was $80 million with an effective tax rate of 27% in 2024. The effective tax rate in 2024 was driven by non-deductible goodwill impairment of $14 million, a benefit of $3 million related to stock-based compensation and certain other non-deductible expenses.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Our primary uses of liquidity include the payment of operating expenses, purchases of rental equipment to be used in our operations, servicing of debt, funding acquisitions, payment of dividends, and share repurchases. Our primary sources of funding are operating cash flows, cash received from the disposal of equipment and borrowings under our debt arrangements. As of December 31, 2025, we had approximately $8.1 billion of total nominal indebtedness outstanding.

Our liquidity as of December 31, 2025 consisted of cash and cash equivalents of $52 million and unused commitments of approximately $1.9 billion under our New ABL Credit Facility. See "Borrowing Capacity and Availability" below for further discussion. Our practice is to maintain sufficient liquidity through cash from operations, our New ABL Credit Facility and AR Facility (together, the "Facilities") to mitigate the impacts of any adverse financial market conditions on our operations. We believe that cash generated from operations and cash received from the disposal of equipment, together with amounts available under the Facilities or other financing arrangements will be sufficient to meet working capital requirements, anticipated capital expenditures, payment of dividends, and debt payments, if any, over the next twelve months.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

In conjunction with the acquisition of H&E, we issued new debt consisting of $2.8 billion in senior unsecured notes with maturities in 2030 and 2033, a $750 million term loan facility and $2.5 billion of borrowings on a new asset based revolving credit facility, of which approximately $1.6 billion was used to repay borrowings on the prior asset-based revolving credit facility. The combined weighted average interest rate on the new debt instruments upon issuance at June 2, 2025 was 6.8%. The term loan facility was amended in December 2025 to reduce the interest rate margin applicable thereunder while the principal amount remained unchanged. The term loan facility requires quarterly payments in an aggregate amount equal to 1.00% per annum beginning March 15, 2026, with the balance due at the maturity of the facility June 2, 2032. Also in December, we redeemed our senior unsecured notes due 2027 and issued $600 million each of senior unsecured notes due 2031 and 2034. The senior unsecured notes currently outstanding and our new asset-based revolving credit facility do not have any principal payment requirements prior to their maturity dates. See Note 11, "Debt" included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report for more information.

Cash Flows

Significant factors driving our liquidity position include cash flows generated from operating activities and capital expenditures. Historically, we have generated and expect to continue to generate positive cash flow from operations. Our ability to fund our capital needs will be affected by our ongoing ability to generate cash from operations and access to capital markets.

The following table summarizes the change in cash and cash equivalents for the periods shown (in millions):

Years Ended December 31,

$ Change

Cash provided by (used in):

Operating activities

Investing activities

Financing activities

Effect of exchange rate changes

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

Year Ended December 31, 2025 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2024

Operating Activities

During the year ended December 31, 2025, we generated $140 million less cash from operating activities compared with the same period in 2024. The decrease was primarily related to decreased profitability, cash paid for transaction expenses incurred and additional interest expense payments related to the additional borrowings for the acquisition of H&E.

Investing Activities

Cash used in investing activities increased $3.4 billion during 2025 when compared with the prior-year period. Our primary use of cash in investing activities in 2025 was for acquisitions, the acquisition of rental equipment, and non-rental capital expenditures. Acquisition expenditures of $4.3 billion were related to the cash portion of the H&E acquisition. Generally, we rotate our equipment and manage our fleet of rental equipment in line with customer demand and continue to invest in our information technology, service vehicles and facilities. Changes in our net capital expenditures are described in more detail in the "Capital Expenditures" section below.

Financing Activities

Cash provided by financing activities increased $3.5 billion during 2025 when compared with the prior-year. Financing activities primarily represent our changes in debt. During 2025, we issued $3.95 billion in senior unsecured notes, a $750 million term loan facility and borrowed $4.59 billion on our revolving lines of credit and securitization which were used primarily to fund the acquisition of H&E and invest in rental equipment. Repayments totaled $4.1 billion including extinguishment of the prior revolving line of credit and redemption of $1.2 billion of our senior unsecured notes due 2027. We

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HERC HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

also used the proceeds from the Cinelease divestiture and operating cash flow to make repayments on the revolving line of credit throughout the year. Net repayments in the prior year period were $391 million.

In order to reduce future cash interest payments, as well as future amounts due at maturity or upon redemption, we may from time to time repurchase our debt, including our notes, bonds, loans or other indebtedness, in privately negotiated, open market or other transactions and upon such terms and at such prices as we may determine. We will evaluate any such transactions in light of then-existing market conditions, taking into account our current liquidity and prospects for future access to capital. The repurchases may be material and could relate to a substantial proportion of a particular class or series, which could reduce the trading liquidity of such class or series.

Capital Expenditures

Our capital expenditures relate largely to purchases of rental equipment, with the remaining portion representing purchases of property, equipment and information technology. The table below sets forth the capital expenditures related to our rental equipment and related disposals for the periods noted (in millions).

Years Ended December 31,

Rental equipment expenditures

Disposals of rental equipment

Net rental equipment expenditures

Net capital expenditures for rental equipment decreased $111 million during the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Rental equipment expenditures and disposals have increased in the current year to shift the mix of fleet, drive revenue synergies and improve utilization.

Borrowing Capacity and Availability

Our Facilities provide our borrowing capacity and availability. Creditors under the Facilities have a claim on specific pools of assets as collateral as identified in each credit agreement. Our ability to borrow under the Facilities is a function of, among other things, the value of the assets in the relevant collateral pool. We refer to the amount of debt we can borrow given a certain pool of assets as the "Borrowing Base."

In connection with the AR Facility, we sell accounts receivable on an ongoing basis to a wholly-owned special-purpose entity (the "SPE"). The accounts receivable and other assets of the SPE are encumbered in favor of the lenders under our AR Facility. The SPE assets are owned by the SPE and are not available to settle the obligations of the Company or any of its other subsidiaries. Substantially all of the remaining assets of Herc and certain of its U.S. and Canadian subsidiaries are encumbered in favor of our lenders under our New ABL Credit Facility. None of such assets are available to satisfy the claims of our general creditors. See Note 11, "Debt" included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report for more information.

With respect to the Facilities, we refer to "Remaining Capacity" as the maximum principal amount of debt permitted to be outstanding under the Facilities (i.e., the amount of debt we could borrow assuming we possessed sufficient assets as collateral) less the principal amount of debt then-outstanding under the Facility. We refer to "Availability Under Borrowing Base Limitation" as the lower of Remaining Capacity or the Borrowing Base less the principal amount of debt then-outstanding under the Facility (i.e., the amount of debt we could borrow given the collateral we possess at such time).

As of December 31, 2025, the following was available to us (in millions):

Remaining

Capacity

Availability Under

Borrowing Base

Limitation

New ABL Credit Facility

AR Facility

Total

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HERC HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

During 2025, we amended the AR Facility in August to extend the maturity to August 31, 2026 and in December aggregate commitments were increased from $400 million to $475 million. See Note 11, "Debt" included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report for more information.

As of December 31, 2025, $53 million of standby letters of credit were issued and outstanding, none of which have been drawn upon. The New ABL Credit Facility had $197 million available under the letter of credit facility sublimit, subject to borrowing base restrictions.

Covenants

Our New ABL Credit Facility, our AR Facility, our Term Loan Facility and our 2029 Notes, our 2030 Notes, our 2031 Notes, our 2033 Notes, and our 2034 Notes (collectively, the "Notes") contain a number of covenants that, among other things, limit or restrict our ability to dispose of assets, incur additional indebtedness, incur guarantee obligations, prepay certain indebtedness, make certain restricted payments (including paying dividends, redeeming stock or making other distributions), create liens, make investments, make acquisitions, engage in mergers, fundamentally change the nature of our business, make capital expenditures, or engage in certain transactions with certain affiliates.

Under the terms of our New ABL Credit Facility, our AR Facility, our Term Loan Facility and our Notes, we are not subject to ongoing financial maintenance covenants; however, under the New ABL Credit Facility, failure to maintain certain levels of liquidity will subject us to a contractually specified fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1:1 for the four quarters most recently ended. As of December 31, 2025, the appropriate levels of liquidity have been maintained, therefore this financial maintenance covenant is not applicable.

At December 31, 2025, Herc Holdings' balance sheet was substantially identical to that of Herc, with the exception of the debt held by Herc Holdings (Notes, Term Loan Facility and New ABL Credit Facility) and certain components of shareholders equity. For the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the statements of operations of Herc Holdings and Herc were identical with the exception of interest expense on the debt held at Herc Holdings that is not reflected in the statement of operations of Herc.

For further information on the terms of our Notes, New ABL Credit Facility, Term Loan Facility and AR Facility see Note 11, "Debt" included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report. For a discussion of the risks associated with our indebtedness, see Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" contained in this Report.

Dividends

On December 5, 2025, we declared a quarterly dividend of $0.70 per share to record holders as of December 15, 2025, with payment date of December 26, 2025. The declaration of dividends on our common stock is discretionary and will be determined by our board of directors in its sole discretion and will depend on our business conditions, financial condition, earnings, liquidity and capital requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors. The amounts available to pay cash dividends are restricted by our debt agreements.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

Our discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.

Certain of our accounting policies, as discussed below, involve a higher degree of judgment and complexity in their application and, therefore, represent the critical accounting policies used in the preparation of our financial statements. If different assumptions or conditions were to prevail, the results could be materially different from our reported results. For additional discussion of our critical accounting policies and estimates, as well as our significant accounting policies, see Note 2, "Basis of

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies" to the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.

Rental Equipment

Our principal assets are rental equipment, which represented 42.7% and 53.6% of our total assets as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Rental equipment consists of equipment utilized in our equipment rental operations. When rental equipment is acquired, we use historical experience, industry residual value guidebooks and the monitoring of market conditions to set depreciation rates. Generally, we estimate the period that we will hold the asset, primarily based on historical measures of the amount of equipment usage and the targeted age of equipment at the time of disposal. We also estimate the residual value of the applicable rental equipment at the expected time of disposal. The residual value for rental equipment is affected by factors which include equipment age and amount of usage. Depreciation is recorded over the estimated holding period. Depreciation rates are reviewed regularly based on management's ongoing assessment of present and estimated future market conditions, their effect on residual values at the time of disposal and the estimated holding periods. To the extent that the useful lives of all of our rental equipment were to increase or decrease by one year, we estimate that our annual depreciation expense would decrease or increase by approximately $75 million or $100 million, respectively. Market conditions for used equipment sales also can be affected by external factors such as the economy, natural disasters, fuel prices, supply of similar used equipment, the market price for similar new equipment and incentives offered by manufacturers. As a result of this ongoing assessment, we make periodic adjustments to depreciation rates of rental equipment in response to changing market conditions. During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, there were no material adjustments to our depreciation rates.

Defined Benefit Pension Obligations

The Herc Holdings Retirement Plan is a U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan that has been frozen to new employees since it was established in 2016. Additionally, pursuant to various collective bargaining agreements, certain union-represented employees participate in multiemployer pension plans.

Employee pension costs and obligations are dependent on assumptions used by actuaries in calculating such amounts. These assumptions include discount rates, salary growth, long-term return on plan assets, retirement rates, mortality rates and other factors. Actual results that differ from our assumptions are accumulated and amortized over future periods and, therefore, generally affect our recognized expense in such future periods. While we believe that the assumptions used are appropriate, significant differences in actual experience or significant changes in assumptions would affect our pension costs and obligations. The various employee-related actuarial assumptions (e.g., retirement rates, mortality rates and salary growth) used in determining pension costs and plan liabilities are reviewed periodically by management, assisted by the enrolled actuary, and updated as warranted. The discount rate used to value the pension liabilities and related expenses and the expected rate of return on plan assets are the two most significant assumptions impacting pension expense. The discount rate used is a market-based rate as of the valuation date. For the expected return on assets assumption, we use a forward-looking rate that is based on the expected return for each asset class (including the value added by active investment management), weighted by the target asset allocation. The past annualized long-term performance of the Plan's assets has generally been in line with the long-term rate of return assumption.

Business Combinations

We have made multiple acquisitions and may continue to make acquisitions in the future. The assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded based on their respective fair values at the date of acquisition. Determining the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired is judgmental in nature and can involve the use of significant estimates and assumptions. Long-lived assets (principally rental equipment), goodwill and other intangible assets generally represent the largest components of the acquisitions. Rental equipment is valued utilizing either a cost or market approach, or a combination of these methods, depending on the asset being valued and the availability of market data. The intangible assets acquired are non-compete agreements, customer relationships and trade names and associated trademarks. The estimated fair values of these intangible assets reflect various assumptions about discount rates, revenue growth rates, operating margins, terminal values, useful lives and other prospective financial information. Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the net of the fair value of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. Non-compete agreements, customer relationships and trade

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

names and associated trademarks are valued based on an excess earnings or income approach based on projected cash flows and may be amortized over the useful life if they are determined to be finite-lived intangible assets.

As part of an acquisition, we will also acquire other assets and assume liabilities. These other assets and liabilities typically include, but are not limited to, parts inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other working capital items. Because of their short-term nature, the fair values of these other assets and liabilities generally approximate the book values on the acquired entities' balance sheets.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

On an annual basis and at interim periods when circumstances require, we test the recoverability of our goodwill. Goodwill impairment is deemed to exist if the carrying value of goodwill of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a business one level below that operating segment (the component level) if discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by segment management. However, components are aggregated as a single reporting unit if they have similar economic characteristics. We have assessed the guidance and performed our analysis using our one reporting unit, equipment rental.

Pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 350,  Intangibles-Goodwill and Other , an entity may first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. Various factors are considered in performing the qualitative test, including macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, the overall financial performance of our reporting unit, our stock price and the excess amount between our reporting unit’s fair value and carrying value as indicated on our most recent quantitative assessment.

When assessing the fair value of our reporting units using a quantitative approach, we estimate the fair value using a combination of an income approach on the present value of estimated future cash flows and a market approach based on published earnings multiples of comparable entities with similar operations and economic characteristics as well as acquisition multiples paid in recent transactions. The key assumptions used in the discounted cash flow valuation model for impairment testing include discount rates, growth rates, cash flow projections and terminal value rates. Discount rates are set by using the weighted average cost of capital ("WACC") methodology. The WACC methodology considers market and industry data as well as company specific risk factors for each reporting unit in determining the appropriate discount rates to be used. The discount rate utilized for each reporting unit is indicative of the return an investor would expect to receive for investing in such a business. The cash flows represent management's most recent planning assumptions. These assumptions are based on a combination of industry outlooks, views on general economic conditions and our expected pricing plans. Terminal value rate determination follows common methodology of capturing the present value of perpetual cash flow estimates beyond the last projected period assuming a constant WACC and low long-term growth rates. If the carrying value of the reporting unit is greater than its fair value, we recognize an impairment charge for the amount equal to that excess. A significant decline in the projected cash flows or a change in the WACC used to determine fair value could result in a future goodwill impairment charge.

Indefinite-lived intangible assets, primarily trade names, are not amortized but are evaluated annually for impairment and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of this asset may exceed its fair value. If the carrying value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

In connection with our impairment analysis for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets conducted as of October 1, 2025, we assessed qualitative factors as described above to determine if it is more likely than not that goodwill and indefinite-lived assets may be impaired and concluded that there was no impairment related to such assets at such date.

Finite-Lived Intangible and Long-Lived Assets

Finite-lived intangible assets include technology, customer relationships, and other intangibles. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over the estimated economic lives of the assets, which range from two to 15 years. These assets are primarily amortized using the straight-line method, however, certain assets may be amortized using an accelerated method that

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Continued)

reflects the economic benefit to us. Long-lived assets, including intangible assets with finite lives, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Determination of recoverability is based on an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. Measurement of an impairment loss for long-lived assets that management expects to hold and use is based on the estimated fair value of the asset. Long-lived assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or estimated fair value less costs to sell. During the year ended December 31, 2025, we recorded an asset impairment charge related to Cinelease of $49 million as discussed further in Note 8, "Assets Held for Sale." In 2024, we recorded an asset impairment charge related to Cinelease of $194 million, and there were no asset impairment charges for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Income Taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and net bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates is recognized in the statement of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are recorded to reduce deferred tax assets by the

amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Subsequent changes to enacted tax rates will result in changes to deferred taxes and any related valuation allowances. We have recorded a deferred tax asset for unutilized net operating loss carryforwards in various tax jurisdictions.

We have determined not to assert that earnings from foreign operations are permanently reinvested. Therefore, we recognize deferred taxes on foreign earnings as appropriate. We have asserted that future earnings associated with the potential stock sale or liquidation of foreign subsidiaries is permanently reinvested. Accordingly, we have not recorded any deferred tax liabilities associated with these book-to-tax differences. We regularly review our cash positions and our determination of permanent reinvestment of foreign earnings. If we determine that all or a portion of such foreign earnings are repatriated, we may be subject to additional foreign withholding taxes and U.S. state income taxes. Many foreign jurisdictions impose taxes on distributions to other jurisdictions. Due to the variations and complexities of these laws, we believe it would be impractical to calculate and accrue these taxes beyond the normal earnings and profits standard for U.S. tax purposes.

In accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes , we recognize, in its consolidated financial statements, the impact of our tax positions that are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. We will determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. In evaluating whether a tax position has met the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we presume that the position will be examined by the appropriate taxing authority with full knowledge of all relevant information. Upon determination that a tax position meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, it is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements.

We are subject to ongoing tax examinations and assessments in various jurisdictions. Accordingly, accruals for tax contingencies are established based on the probable outcomes of such matters. Our ongoing assessments of the probable outcomes of the examinations and related tax accruals require judgment and could increase or decrease our effective tax rate as well as impact our operating results.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

For a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements, see Note 2, "Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies" to the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report.

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HERC HOLDINGS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES