Ford Motor Credit Company LLC was incorporated in Delaware in 1959 and converted to a limited liability company in 2007. We are an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company (“Ford”). Our principal executive offices are located at One American Road, Dearborn, Michigan 48126, and our telephone number is (313) 322-3000.

Our website and its content are not deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20182020 (“20182020 Form 10-K Report” or “Report”) nor filed with the SEC.

As a result of our financing activities, we have a large portfolio of consumer and non-consumer finance receivables and operating leases.leases which we classify into two portfolios – “consumer” and “non-consumer”.

Finance receivables and operating leases in the consumer portfolio include products offered to individuals and businesses that finance the acquisition of Ford and Lincoln vehicles from dealers for personal and commercial use. Retail financing includes retail installment sale contracts for new and used vehicles and finance leases (comprised of sales-type and direct financing leasesleases) for new vehicles to retail and commercial customers, including leasing companies, government entities, daily rental companies, and fleet customers.

Finance receivables in the non-consumer portfolio include products offered to automotive dealers and receivables related to Ford and its affiliates. We make wholesale loans to dealers to finance the purchase of vehicle inventory, also known as floorplan financing, as well as loans to dealers to finance working capital and improvements to dealership facilities, finance the purchase of dealership real estate, and finance other dealer vehicle programs. We also purchase receivables from Ford and its affiliates, primarily related to the sale of parts and accessories to dealers and certain used vehicles from daily rental fleet companies. In addition, we provide financing to Ford for vehicles that Ford leases to its employees.

We also service the finance receivables and operating leases we originate and purchase, make loans to Ford affiliates, and provide insurance services related to our financing programs.

Under the Ford Credit and Lincoln Automotive Financial Services brand names, we provide financing services to and through dealers of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Operations in some markets may also include joint ventures with local financial institutions and other third parties. In addition, other private label operations and alternative business arrangements exist in some markets.

The predominant share of our business consists of financing Ford and Lincoln vehicles and supporting Ford and Lincoln dealers. Any extended reduction or suspension of Ford’s production or sale of vehicles due to a decline in consumer demand, work stoppage, governmental action, negative publicity, or other event, or significant changes to marketing programs sponsored by Ford, would have an adverse effect on our business. Additional information about Ford’s business, operations, production, sales, and risks can be found in Ford’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20182020 (“Ford’s 20182020 Form 10-K Report”), filed separately with the SEC.

Ford has sponsored special financing programs available only through us. Under these programs, Ford makes interest supplements or other support payments to us. These programs increase our financing volume and share of financing sales and operating leases of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Similar programs may be offered in the future. For additional information regarding interest supplements and other support costs received from affiliated companies, see Notes 4 and 5 of our Notes to the Financial Statements.

The automotive financing business is highly competitive, due in part to web-based credit aggregation systems that permit dealers to send through standardized systems, retail credit applications to multiple finance sources to evaluate financing options offered by these finance sources. Our principal competitors are:

We compete mainly on the basis of service and financing rate programs, including those sponsored by Ford. A key foundation of our service is providing broad and consistent purchasing policies for retail installment salefinancing and operating lease contracts, and consistent support for dealer financing requirements across economic cycles. These policies have helped us build strong relationships with Ford’s dealer network that enhance our competitiveness. Our ability to provide competitive financing rates depends on effectively and efficiently originating, purchasing, and servicing our receivables, and efficiently accessing the capital markets. We routinely monitor the capital markets and develop funding plans to optimize our competitive position. Ford-sponsored special financing programs available only through us give us a competitive advantage in providing financing to Ford dealers and their customers.

As a finance company, we own and manage a large portfolio of receivables that are generated throughout the year and are collected over a number of years, primarily in fixed monthly payments. As a result, our overall financing revenues do not exhibit seasonal variations.

We provide financing services to customers for personal and commercial use through automotive dealers that have established relationships with us. Our primary business consists of originating and purchasing retail installment salefinancing and operating lease contracts for new and used vehicles from Ford and Lincoln dealers. We report in our financial statements the receivables from customers under installment saleretail financing contracts and certain leases with fleet customers as finance receivables. We report in our financial statements most of our retail leases as net investment in operating leases with the capitalized cost of the vehicles recorded as depreciable assets.

In general, we purchase from dealers retail installment sale contractsfinancing and operating lease contracts that meet our purchase standards. These contracts primarily relate to the purchase or lease of new vehicles, but some are for used vehicles. Dealers typically submit customer applications electronically. We automatically obtain information on the applicant including a credit bureau score, if available. We use a proprietary scoring system that measures credit quality using information in the credit application, proposed contract terms, credit bureau data, and other information. After a proprietary risk score is generated, we decide whether to purchase a contract using a decision process based on a judgmental evaluation of the applicant, the credit application, the proposed contract terms, credit bureau information (e.g., FICO score), proprietary risk score, and other information. Our evaluation emphasizes the applicant’s ability to pay and creditworthiness focusing on payment, affordability, applicant credit history, and stability as key considerations. Purchase decisions are made within a framework of Ford Credit’s purchase quality and risk factor guidelines. Credit applications are typically evaluated by our electronic decisioning process, which may approve or reject applications.

The amount we pay for a retail installment sale contract is based on a negotiated vehicle purchase price agreed to between the dealer and the retail customer, less vehicle trade-in allowance or down payment from the customer and special marketing cash payments offered by Ford Credit and Ford, plus any additional products, such as insurance and extended service plans, that are included in the contract. The net purchase price owed by the customer typically is paid over a specified number of months with interest at a fixed rate negotiated between the dealer and the retail customer. The dealer may retain a limited portion of the finance charge.

We offer a variety of retail installment sale financing products. The average original term of our retail installment sale contracts in the United States was 65 months and 68 months for contracts purchased in both 20172019 and 2018.2020, respectively. The increase is explained by marketing campaigns, primarily in the second quarter of 2020 that offered 0% financing for 84 months in response to COVID-19. Longer term contracts returned to historical levels in the second half of 2020. A small portion of our retail installment sale contracts have non-uniform payment periods and payment amounts to accommodate special cash flow situations. We also offer a retail balloon product in Europe under which the retail customer may finance a vehicle with an installment sale contract with a series of monthly payments followed by paying the amount remaining in a single balloon payment. The customer can satisfy the balloon payment obligation by payment in full of the amount owed, by refinancing the amount owed, or by returning the vehicle to us and paying any contractually agreed additional charges for excess mileage or excess wear and use. Generally, we sell vehicles returned to us to Ford dealers and non-Ford dealers through auctions.

In most markets, we hold a security interest in the vehicles purchased through retail installment sale contracts. This security interest provides us certain rights and protections. As a result, if our collection efforts fail to bring a delinquent customer’s payments current, we generally can repossess the customer’s vehicle, after satisfying local legal requirements, and sell it at auction. The customer typically remains liable for any deficiency between net auction proceeds and the defaulted contract obligations, including any repossession-related expenses. We generally require retail customers to carry fire, theft, and collision insurance on financed vehicles.

We offer vehicle-financing programs to retail and commercial customers including leasing companies, government entities, daily rental companies, and fleet customers.customers through sales-type and direct financing leases. These financings include primarily lease plans for terms of 24 to 60 months. We hold a security interest in financed vehicles in almost all instances.  At the end of the finance term, a lease customer may be required to pay any shortfall between the fair market value and the specified end of term value of the vehicle. If the fair market value of the vehicle at the end of the finance term exceeds the specified end of term value, the lease customer may be paid the excess amount. These financings are included in our consumer segment and reported as retail financing. We also offer a retail balloon product in Europe under which the retail customer may finance a vehicle with an installment sale contract with a series of monthly payments followed by paying the amount remaining in a single balloon payment. The customer can satisfy the balloon payment obligation by payment in full of the amount owed, by refinancing the amount owed, or by returning the vehicle and paying any contractually agreed additional charges for excess mileage or excess wear and use. Generally, we sell vehicles returned to us to Ford dealers and non-Ford dealers through auctions.

We offer leasing plans to retail customers through our dealers. Our highest volume retail-leasing plan is called Red Carpet Lease, which is offered in the United States and Canada through dealers of Ford and Lincoln brands. Under these plans, dealers originate the leases and offer them to us for purchase. Upon our purchase of a lease, we take ownership of the lease and title to the leased vehicle from the dealer. After we purchase a lease from a dealer, the dealer generally has no further obligation to us in connection with the lease. The customer is responsible for properly maintaining the vehicle and is obligated to pay for excess wear and use as well as excess mileage, if any. At the end of the lease, the customer has the option to purchase the vehicle for the price specified in the lease contract, or return the vehicle to the dealer. If the customer returns the vehicle to the dealer, the dealer may buy the vehicle from us or return it to us. We generally sell vehicles returned to us to Ford and non-Ford dealers through auctions.

The amount we pay to a dealer for a retail lease, also called the acquisition cost, is based on the negotiated vehicle price agreed to between the dealer and the retail customer, less any vehicle trade-in allowance or down payment from the customer and special marketing cash payments offered by Ford Credit and Ford, plus any additional products, such as insurance and extended service plans, that are included in the contract. The customer makes monthly lease payments based on the purchase price less the contractual residual value of the vehicle, plus lease charges. Some of our lease programs, such as our Red Carpet Lease Advance Payment Plan, provide certain pricing advantages to customers who make all or some monthly payments at lease inception or purchase refundable higher mileage allowances. We generally require lease customers to carry fire, theft, liability, and collision insurance on leased vehicles. In the case of a contract default and repossession, the customer typically remains liable for any deficiency between net auction proceeds and the defaulted contract obligations, including any repossession-related expenses.

In the United States, operating lease terms for new vehicles range primarily from 24 to 39 months. In both 2017 and 2018, theThe average original lease term for contracts purchased was 35 months.months and 34 months for 2019 and 2020, respectively.

We extend credit to franchised dealers selling Ford and Lincoln vehicles primarily in the form of approved lines of credit to purchase new and used vehicles. Each lending request is evaluated, taking into consideration the borrower’s financial condition, supporting security, and numerous other financial and qualitative factors. Generally, receivables are secured by the related vehicle or the related property and may also be secured by other dealer assets. Asset verification processes are in place and generally include physical audits of vehicle inventories with increased audit frequency for higher-risk dealers.

When a dealer uses our wholesale financing program to purchase vehicles, we obtain a security interest in the vehicles and, in many instances, other assets of the dealer. In the United States and Canada, our wholly owned subsidiary, The American Road Insurance Company (“TARIC”), generally provides insurance for vehicle damage and theft of vehicles held in dealer inventory that are financed by us.

We also purchase receivables from Ford and its affiliates, primarily related to the sale of parts and accessories to dealers and certain used vehicles from daily rental fleet companies. In addition, we provide financing to Ford for vehicles that Ford leases to its employees. These receivables are excluded from our credit quality reporting since the performance of this group of receivables is generally guaranteed by Ford.

We actively market our financing products and services to automotive dealers and customers. We demonstrate to dealers the value of a business relationship with us through personal sales contacts, targeted advertisements in trade publications, and participation in dealer-focused conventions and organizations. Our marketing strategy is based on our belief that we can better assist dealers in achieving their sales, financial, and customer satisfaction goals by being a reliable finance source with knowledgeable automotive and financial professionals offering personal attention and interaction. We demonstrate our commitment to dealer relationships with a variety of materials, measurements, and analyses showing the advantages of a full range of automotive financing products that allows consistent and predictable single source financing. We promote increased dealer transactions through incentives, bonuses, contests, and selected program and rate adjustments.

We also market our non-consumer financing services with a specialized group of employees who make direct sales calls on dealers and, often at the request of such dealers, on potential high-volume commercial customers. This group also uses various materials to explain our flexible programs and services specifically directed at the needs of commercial and fleet vehicle customers.

After we purchase retail installment salefinancing contracts and operating leases from dealers and other customers, we manage the contracts during their contract terms. This management process is called servicing. We service the finance receivables and operating leases we originate and purchase. Our servicing duties include the following:

We manage the sale of returned leased vehicles and repossessed vehicles. We inspect and recondition the vehicle to maximize the net auction value of the vehicle. Returned leased vehicles are predominantly sold through an on-lineonline auction, closed auctions in which only Ford and Lincoln dealers may participate, or at open auctions in which any licensed dealer can participate. Typically, repossessed vehicles are sold at open auctions.

In the United States and Canada, we require dealers to submit monthly financial statements that we monitor for potential credit deterioration. We assign an evaluation rating to each dealer, which, among other things, determines the frequency of physical audits of vehicle inventory.  We electronically audit vehicle inventory utilizing integrated systems allowing us to access information from Ford reported sales. We monitor dealer inventory financing payoffs daily to detect deviations from typical repayment patterns and take appropriate actions. If a dealer fails to make principal or interest payments when due, we will classify the dealer as “status” and may take one or more of the following actions: demand payment of all or a portion of the related receivables; suspend the dealer’s credit lines; place Ford Credit employees or security personnel at the dealership; secure the dealer’s inventory; require certified funds for all vehicles sold by the dealer; initiate legal actions to exercise rights under the floorplan financing agreement; or increase the dealer’s floorplan interest rate. If a loss appears imminent, we will attempt to redistribute new vehicle inventory, liquidate all remaining collateral, enforce any third-party guarantees, and charge off any remaining amounts as uncollectible.

We also provide financing to fleet purchasers, leasing companies, daily rental companies, and other commercial customers. We generally review our exposure under these credit arrangements at least annually.

Outside of the United States and Canada, non-consumer financing is managed by the respective regional offices, executed within the local markets, and similar risk management principles are applied.

We conduct insurance underwriting operations primarily through TARIC in the United States and Canada. TARIC offers a variety of products and services, including:

TARIC invests premiums, and other revenue, and its capital and surplus to fund future claims, and has established investment guidelines and strategies to reflect its risk tolerance, regulatory requirements, and rating agency considerations, among other factors. TARIC is rated by A.M. Best Company on its financial strength and issuer credit rating. Since 2012, TARIC’s rating has been A (Excellent) for its financial strength and “a” on its issuer credit rating.rating and has a “stable” outlook.

We also offer various Ford-branded insurance products throughout the world underwritten by non-affiliated insurance companies from which we receive fee income, but the underwriting risk remains with the non-affiliated insurance companies. Premiums from our insurance business generated 1% of our total revenuesrevenue in both 20172019 and 2018.2020.

We employed approximately 7,6006,800 and 6,400 full-time employees worldwide at both year-end 20172019 and 2018.2020, respectively. Most employees are salaried and are not represented by a union. We consider employee relations to be satisfactory.

As a finance company, we are highly regulated by the governmental authorities in the locations where we operate.

Within the United States, our operations are subject to regulation and supervision under various federal, state, and local laws.

We are also subject to regulation in our funding and securitization activities, including requirements under federal securities laws and specific rules and requirements for asset-backed securities. Derivative activities are regulated under the Commodities Exchange Act and Dodd-Frank Act. These regulations also impose operational and reporting requirements for these funding transactions.

In some countries outside the United States, some of our subsidiaries, including FCE and Ford Bank GmbH (“Ford Bank”), are regulated and/and / or licensed banking institutions and are required, among other things, to maintain minimum capital and liquidity. FCE is authorized by the U.K. Prudential Regulation Authority (“PRA”) and regulated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) and the PRA to carry on a range of regulated activities within the United Kingdom. Ford Bank is authorized by the European Central Bank and regulated by both the German Bundesbank and the German Federal Supervisory Authority (“BaFin”). Pursuant to the Capital Requirements RegulationDirective and Directive, CRD IV,Regulation, FCE operates through a branch and subsidiary network in 1411 other European countries. Under FCE’s banking license, consumer credit and leasing activities are also passported to the European branches. In many other locations where we operate, governmental authorities require us to obtain equivalent banking licenses to conduct our business.

Based on our compliance management processes and procedures, we believe that we maintain all material licenses and permits required for our current operations and are in material compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to us and our operations. Failure to satisfy those legal and regulatory requirements could have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial condition, reputation, and/and / or liquidity. Further, the adoption of new laws or regulations, or the revision of existing laws and regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial condition, and/and / or liquidity.

We actively monitor proposed changes to relevant legal and regulatory requirements in order to maintain our compliance. Through our governmental relations efforts, we also attempt to participate in the legislative and administrative rule-making process on regulatory initiatives that impact finance companies. The cost of our ongoing compliance efforts has not had a material adverse effect on our operations, financial condition, or liquidity.

For additional information on new or increased credit regulations, consumer or data protection regulations, or other regulations, refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

In addition to the foregoing, the other principal terms of the Relationship Agreement include the following:

We also have an agreement to maintain FCE’s net worth in excess of $500 million. No payments have been made to FCE pursuant to the agreement during the 2001 through 20182020 periods.

More information about agreements between us and Ford and other affiliates is contained in our Notes to the Financial Statements, “Business - Overview,” “Business - Consumer Financing - Retail Financing,” “Business - Non-Consumer Financing - Other Financing,” and the description of Ford’s business in Ford’s 20182020 Form 10-K Report.

We have listed below (not necessarily in order of importance or probability of occurrence) the most significantmaterial risk factors applicable to Ford or Ford Credit:Credit grouped into the following categories: Operational Risks; Macroeconomic, Market, and Strategic Risks; Financial Risks; and Legal and Regulatory Risks.

The Dodd-Frank Act directs federal agencies to adopt rules to regulate the finance industry and the capital markets and gives the CFPB broad rule-making and enforcement authority for a wide range of consumer financial protection laws that regulate consumer finance businesses, such as Ford Credit’s automotive financing business. Exercise of these powers by the CFPB may increase the costs of, impose additional restrictions on, or otherwise adversely affect companies in the automotive finance business. The CFPB has authority to supervise and examine the largest nonbank automotive finance companies, such as Ford Credit, for compliance with consumer financial protection laws.