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Data Protection (“SDP”) Program and American Express Data Security System (“DSS”) requirements. VISA and MasterCard have validated NCO as a Level I provider, which is the most stringent level in the PCI schema.

In 2009, the FSA changed its requirements to establish a continuous monitoring program to ensure that controls are reviewed on a consistent basis and that documentation is up to date. To that end, the US Department of Education required that its third party collections agencies comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and to ensure that the system maintains its accreditation and “Authorization to Process” by the end of October 2009. On October 22, 2009 NCO received the formal “Security Authorization to Operate Decision” from the Department of Education. This process will continue on an annual basis.

Our ARM call centers utilize both virtual and onsite predictive dialers with a total of over 6,8004,800 stations to address our low-balance, high-volume accounts, and our CRM centers utilize approximately 600400 predictive dialer stations to conduct our clients’ outbound calling campaigns. These systems scan our databases, simultaneously initiate calls on all available telephone lines, and determine if a live connection is made. Upon determining that a live connection has been made, the computer immediately switches the call to an available representative and instantaneously displays the associated account record on the representative’s workstation. Calls that reach other signals, such as a busy signal, telephone company intercept or no answer, are tagged for statistical analysis and placed in priority recall queues or multiple-pass calling cycles. NCO systems also automate almost all record keeping and workflow activities including letter and report generation. We believe

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that our automated method of operations dramatically improves the productivity of our staff.

Quality Assurance and Client Service

We believe a reputation for quality service is critical to acquiring and retaining clients. Therefore, our representatives are supervised, by both NCO and our clients, for strict compliance with client specifications, our policies, and applicable laws and regulations. We regularly measure the quality of our services by capturing and reviewing such information as the amount of time spent talking with clients’ customers, level of customer complaints and operating performance. In order to provide ongoing improvement to our telephone representatives’ performance and to ensure compliance with our policies and standards, as well as federal, state and local guidelines, quality assurance personnel supervise each telephone representative on a frequent basis and provide ongoing training to the representative based on this review. Our information systems enable us to provide clients with reports on a real-time basis as to the status of their accounts and clients can choose to network with our computer system to access such information directly.

We maintain a client service department to promptly address client issues and questions and alert senior executives of potential problems that require their attention. In addition to addressing specific issues, a team of client service representatives contact clients on a regular basis in order to establish a close relationship, determine clients’ overall level of satisfaction, and identify practical methods of improving their satisfaction.

Additionally, in 2009 we launched a new consumer help website designed to allow our clients’ customers to communicate with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Consumers can choose to contact us via email or telephone, or they can choose to have one of our representatives call them. We have a dedicated team of representatives to support the website.

Client Relationships

Our active client base currently includes over 14,00018,500 companies in the financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, retail and commercial, education and government, utilities, technology and transportation/logistics sectors. Our 10 largest clients in 20082009 accounted for approximately 3938.7 percent of our consolidated revenue.revenue excluding reimbursable costs and fees. Our largest client during the year ended December 31, 2008,2009, was in the telecommunications sector and represented 8.39.6 percent of our consolidated revenue, excluding reimbursable costs and fees, for the year ended December 31, 2008.2009. While our CRM division relies on revenue from a few key clients, none of these clients represented more than 10 percent of our consolidated revenue. In 2008,2009, we derived 31.734.5 percent of our revenue from financial services (which includes the banking and insurance sectors), 21.922.1 percent from telecommunications companies, 12.410.6 percent from healthcare organizations, 11.010.2 percent from retail and commercial entities, 8.88.6 percent from education and government organizations, 7.68.1 percent from utilities, 3.43.1 percent from technology companies and 3.22.8 percent from transportation/logistics companies, in each case excluding purchased accounts receivable.

Our ARM contracts generally define, among other things, fee arrangements, scope of services and termination provisions. Clients may usually terminate such contracts on 30 or 60 days notice. In the event of termination, however,

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clients typically do not withdraw accounts referred to us prior to the date of termination, thus providing us with an ongoing stream of revenue from such accounts, which diminishes over time. Under the terms of our contracts, clients are not required to place accounts with us but do so on a discretionary basis.

Our CRM contracts are generally for terms of up to three years. Contracts are typically terminable by either party upon 60 days notice; however, in some cases, particularly in our longer term inbound contracts which often require substantial capital expenditures on our part, a client may be required to pay us a termination fee in connection with an early termination of the contract.

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In addition, certain inbound CRM contracts may contain minimum volume commitments requiring our clients to provide us with agreed-upon levels of calls during the terms of the contracts. Our fees for services rendered under these contracts are based on pre-determined contracted chargeable rates that may include a base rate per minute or per hour plus a higher rate or “bonus” rate if we meet pre-determined objective performance criteria, such as sales generated during a defined period, and may be reduced by any contractual monthly performance penalties to which the client may be entitled. Additionally, we may receive additional discretionary client determined bonuses based upon criteria established by our clients.

Some of our customer contracts provide for limited currency rate protection below certain pre-determined exchange rate levels and limited gain sharing above certain pre-determined exchange rate levels. Such contracts may mitigate certain currency risks, however, there can be no assurance that new contracts will be successfully negotiated with such provisions or that existing contract provisions will result in the reduction of currency risk for such contracts.

On occasion we enter into “forward-flow” agreements for the purchase of accounts receivable from consumer credit grantors. A forward-flow agreement is a commitment to purchase a defined volume of accounts from a seller for a designated period of time at a fixed price. The terms of the agreements vary; some may be terminated by the seller with either 30 days, 60 days or 90 days written notice.

Personnel and Training

Our success in recruiting, hiring and training a large number of employees is critical to our ability to provide high quality BPO services to our clients. We seek to hire personnel with previous experience in the industry or with experience as telephone representatives. We generally offer internal promotion opportunities and competitive compensation and benefits.

All of our call center personnel receive comprehensive training that consists of three stages: introduction training, behavioral training and functional training. These programs are conducted through a combination of classroom and role-playing sessions. Prior to customer contact, new employees receive one week of training in our operating systems, procedures and telephone techniques and instruction in applicable federal and state regulatory requirements. Our personnel also receive a wide variety of continuing professional education and on-going refresher training, as well as additional product training on an as-needed basis.

As of December 31, 2008,2009, we had a total of approximately 27,60028,200 full-time employees and 5,0002,600 part-time employees, of which approximately 17,50017,700 were telephone representatives. In addition, as of December 31, 2008,2009, we utilized approximately 1,3001,400 telephone representatives and 700 sales professionals through subcontractors. We believe that our relations with our employees are good.

Typically, our employees are not represented by a labor union; however, in February 2006, our employees in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada voted in favor of joining the B.C. Government and Services Employees’ Union, and a collective agreement was ratified in the first quarter of 2007. Fromunion. However, from time to time, our facilities are targeted by union organizers. We are not aware of any current union organizing efforts at any of our other facilities.

Sales and Marketing

Our sales force is organized into two functional groups to best match our sales professionals’ experience and expertise with the appropriate target market. The commercial sales group consists of

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approximately 60 telephone sales representatives who specialize in business-to-business BPO solutions for small to mid-sized companies. Our core sales force, composed of approximately 50 sales professionals, is organized by industry and geographical location to ensure the highest level of focus and service to potential and existing business partners. This group is focused on forming and cultivating strategic, long-term partnerships with large, multinational firms in order to maximize outsourcing opportunities via our full suite of BPO services.

We  Additionally, we have a Client Relationship Management system that provides tools to support both sales force of approximately 700 people, working on a contract basis, focused on selling account recovery services for small, medium and operations in the management of client relationships from initial identification oflarge businesses on a prospect to the care and retention of long-term clients.fixed fee basis.

Our in-house marketing department provides innovative customer contact solutions and sales support by performing a wide range of personalized services such as customer database administration, advertising, marketing campaigns and direct mailings, collateral development, trade show and site visit management, market and competitive research, and more. These functions are all integrated with our client relationship management system to provide a seamless interface between our sales team and our marketing department. We also maintain a dedicated team of skilled writers who prepare detailed, professional responses to formal requests for proposals and requests for information.

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Competition

The BPO industry is highly competitive. We compete with a large number of ARM providers, including large national corporations such as Alliance One, GC Services LP and iQor, Inc., as well as many regional and local firms. We also compete with large CRM providers such as Convergys Corporation, ICT Group,Sitel Worldwide Corporation, Sykes Enterprises, Inc., TeleTech Holdings, Inc., and West Corporation. Some of our competitors may offer more diversified services and/or operate in broader geographic areas than we do. In addition, many companies perform the BPO services offered by us in-house. Moreover, many larger clients retain multiple outsourcing providers, which exposes us to continuous competition in order to remain a preferred vendor. We believe that the primary competitive factors in obtaining and retaining clients are the ability to provide customized solutions to a client’s requirements, personalized quality service, sophisticated call and information systems, and a competitive price.

Our Portfolio Management segment competesRegulation

We devote significant and continuous efforts, through training of personnel and monitoring of compliance, to ensure that we comply with other purchasers of delinquent consumer accounts receivable, such as Asset Acceptance Capital Corp., Encore Capital Group, Inc.all applicable foreign, federal and Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. As a result of the economic downturn, we have seen pricing declines brought on by increased charge-offs, reduced collections, and consolidation among buyers due to reduced access to capital and the more challenging collection environment. While the purchased accounts receivable business remains competitive, particularly for recent credit card charge-offs, buyers have become more cautious and selective, and are demanding a higher return on their investments.state regulatory requirements. We believe the primary competitive driversthat we are in this business are access to capital, access to a solid servicing platform, and the ability to purchase portfolios at reasonable prices that are consistentmaterial compliance with appropriate risk premiums given the uncertain economic environment.

Regulationall such regulatory requirements.

Accounts Receivable Management

The ARM industry in the United States is regulated both at the federal and state level. The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, referred to as the FDCPA, regulates any person who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, consumer debts owed or asserted to be owed to another person. The FDCPA establishes specific guidelines and procedures that debt collectors must follow in communicating with consumer debtors, including the time, place and manner of such communications. Further, it prohibits harassment or abuse by debt collectors,

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including the threat of violence or criminal prosecution, obscene language or repeated telephone calls made with the intent to abuse or harass. The FDCPA also places restrictions on communications with individuals other than consumer debtors in connection with the collection of any consumer debt and sets forth specific procedures to be followed when communicating with such third parties for purposes of obtaining location information about the consumer. Additionally, the FDCPA contains various notice and disclosure requirements and prohibits unfair or misleading representations by debt collectors. We are also subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which regulates the consumer credit reporting industry and which may impose liability on us to the extent that the adverse credit information reported on a consumer to a credit bureau is false or inaccurate. The Federal Trade Commission, referred to as the FTC, has the authority to investigate consumer complaints against debt collection companies and to recommend enforcement actions and seek monetary penalties. The ARM business is also subject to state regulation. Some states require that we be licensed as a debt collection company. We believe that we currently hold applicable state licenses from all states where required.

We provide services to healthcare clients that are considered “covered entities” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, referred to as HIPAA. As covered entities, our clients must comply with the standards for privacy, transaction and code sets, and data security. Under HIPAA, we are considered a “business associate,” which requires that we protect the security and privacy of “protected health information” provided to us by our clients for the collection of payments for healthcare services. We believe that we operate in compliance with all applicable standards under HIPAA in all material respects.

The collection of accounts receivable by collection agencies in Canada is regulated at the provincial and territorial level in substantially the same fashion as is accomplished by federal and state laws in the United States. The manner in which we conduct the business of collecting accounts is subject, in all provinces and territories, to established rules of common law or civil law and statute. Such laws establish rules and procedures governing the tracing, contacting and dealing with debtors in relation to the collection of outstanding accounts. These rules and procedures prohibit debt collectors from engaging in intimidating, misleading and fraudulent behavior when attempting to recover outstanding

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debts. In Canada, our collection operations are subject to licensing requirements and periodic audits by government agencies and other regulatory bodies. Generally, such licenses are subject to annual renewal. We believe that we hold all necessary licenses in those provinces and territories that require them.

In Australia, debt collection and debt purchasing activities are regulated by legislation and regulation at a state and federal level, with licenses required for corporations and individuals with varying effect at a state Level. The Trade Practices Act, The Privacy Act and the Anti Money Laundering legislation are the primary federal laws, and the Commercial Agents legislation is the state level legislation. NCO’s Australian operations are licensed across all required jurisdictions. We believe that we hold all necessary licenses in those jurisdictions that require them.

In addition, the ARM industry is regulated in the United Kingdom and Europe, including licensing requirements. We believe we hold all necessary licenses required in the United Kingdom and Europe. If we expand our international operations, we may become subject to additional government control and regulation in other countries, which may be more onerous than those in the United States.

Several of the industries served by us are also subject to varying degrees of government regulation. Although compliance with these regulations is generally the responsibility of our clients,

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we could be subject to various enforcement or private actions for our failure or the failure of our clients to comply with such regulations.

Customer Relationship Management

In the United States, there are two major federal laws that specifically address telemarketing, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, referred to as TCPA, which authorized the Federal Communications Commission, referred to as the FCC, to adopt rules implementingregulate the TCPA,telemarketing industry, and the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, referred to as the Fraud Prevention Act, which authorized the FTC, to adopt the Telemarketing Sales Rule, referred to as the TSR. Over the past few years, the TSR, has been amended to include several newwhich includes restrictions on telemarketing activities. These laws have been amended several times since their inception. In addition, the states have various regulatory restrictions and requirements for telemarketing companies.

The TCPA places restrictions on unsolicited automated telephone calls to residential telephone subscribers by means of automatic telephone dialing systems, prerecorded or artificial voice messages and telephone fax machines. It provides requirements for caller identification and call abandonment. In addition, the regulations require CRM firms to develop a “do not call”and maintain an internal “Do Not Call” list, to comply with the rules regarding the national “Do-Not-Call” registry, as discussed below, and to train their CRM personnel to comply with these restrictions. The TCPA creates a right of action for both consumers and state attorneys general. A court may award damages or impose penalties of $500 per violation, which may be trebled for willful or knowing violations. Currently, weWe train our service representatives to comply with theall of these regulations of the TCPA. On March 11, 2003, the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act, referred to as the Do-Not-Call Act, was signed into law. The Do-Not-Call Act required the FCC to issue final rules under the TCPA to maximize the consistency of the TCPA with the FTC’s December 18, 2002 amendments to the TSR, as discussed below. Accordingly, on July 3, 2003, the FCC issued rules regarding the national do-not-call registry, call abandonment and caller ID requirements.

The FTC regulates both general sales practices and telemarketing specifically and has broad authority to prohibit a variety of advertising or marketing practices that may constitute “unfair or deceptive acts or practices.” Pursuant to its general enforcement powers, the FTC can obtain a variety of types of equitable relief, including injunctions, refunds, disgorgement, the posting of bonds and bars from continuing to do business for a violation of the acts and regulations it enforces.

The FTC also administers the Fraud Prevention Act under which the FTC has issued the TSR prohibiting a variety of deceptive, unfair or abusive practices in direct telephone sales. Generally, these rules prohibit misrepresentations of the cost, quantity, terms, restrictions, performance or characteristics of products or services offered by telephone solicitation or of refund, cancellation or exchange policies. The rules also regulate the use of prize promotions in direct telephone sales to prevent deception and require that a telemarketer identify promptly and clearly the seller on whose behalf the CRM representative is calling, the purpose of the call, the nature of the goods or services offered and that no purchase or payment is necessary to win a prize. The regulations also require thatService providers of servicesare required to maintain records on various aspects of their businesses.

On December 18, 2002, The TSR also established the FTC amended the TSR. The major change was the creation of a centralized national “do not call” registry. Federal enforcement of the National Do“Do Not Call Registry began on October 1, 2003.Call” registry, where consumers could register once to stop all unwanted telemarketing calls. A consumer who receives a telemarketing call despite being on the registry can file a complaint with the FTC, either online or by calling a toll free number. Violators could be fined up to $11,000 per incident.FTC. In addition, the amended TSR restricts call abandonment (with certain safe harbors) and unauthorized billing. Further, as of January 29, 2004,

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the amended TSRbilling, and it requires telemarketers to transmit their telephone numbers and, if possible, their names to consumers’ “caller id”caller identification services.

At the state level, mostMost states have also enacted consumer protection statutes prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices as they relate to telemarketing sales. For example, telephone sales in certain states are not final until a written contract is delivered to and signed by the buyer, and such a contract often may be canceled within three business days. At least one state also prohibits parties conducting direct telephone sales from requesting credit card numbers in certain situations, and several other states require certain providers of such services to register annually, post bonds or submit sales scripts to the state’s attorney general. Under these general enabling statutes, depending onSome states have established their own statewide “Do Not Call” lists while other states have opted to use the willfulness and severityFTC’s “Do Not Call” list as their official state list.

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Table of the violation, penalties can include imprisonment, fines and a range of equitable remedies such as consumer redress or the posting of bonds before continuing in business.Contents

Additionally, some states have enacted laws and others are considering enacting laws targeted at direct telephone sales practices. Some examples include laws regulating electronic monitoring of telephone calls and laws prohibiting any interference by direct telephone sales with “caller id” devices. Most of these statutes allow a private right of action for the recovery of damages or provide for enforcement by state agencies permitting the recovery of significant civil or criminal penalties, costs and attorneys’ fees. There can be no assurance that any such laws, if enacted, will not adversely affect or limit our current or future operations.

To date, 14 states have established statewide “do not call” lists. Twenty-eight states have opted to use the FTC’s Do Not Call list as the official state list.

The industries we serve are also subject to government regulation, and, from time to time, bills are introduced in Congress, which, if enacted, could affect our operations. We, and our employees who sell insurance products, are required to be licensed by various state and provincial insurance commissions for the particular type of insurance product to be sold and are required to participate in regular continuing education programs.

Telecommunications is another industry we serve that is subject to government regulation. For example, “slamming” is the illegal practice of changing a consumer’s telephone service without permission. The FCC has promulgated regulations regarding slamming rules that apply solely to the telecommunications carrier and not the telemarketer or the independent party verifying the service change. However, some state slamming rules may extend liability for violations to agents and other representatives of telecommunications carriers, such as telemarketers.

Our representatives undergo an extensive training program, part of which is designed to educate them about applicable laws and regulations and to try to ensure their compliance with such laws and regulations. Also, we program our call management system to avoid initiating telephone calls during restricted hours or to individuals maintained on our “do not call” list.caller identification services.

In Canada, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, referred to as CRTC, enforces rules regarding unsolicited communications using automatic dialing and announcing devices, live voice and fax. Companies that violate any ofCanada also instituted the restrictions on unsolicited calls may have their telephone service terminated after two business days’ notice from the telephone company. Effective October 1, 2004, the CRTC was to require telemarketers to provide consumers with a unique registration number confirming a consumer’s do not call request; however, on September 28, 2005, the CRTC granted the request of the Canadian Marketing

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Association, referred to as CMA, for a stay of decision, pending its consideration of the CMA’s appeal.

In November 2005, a bill was announced to amend the Telecommunications Act, which would allow the creation of a Canadian National Do Not Call list, where consumers could register oncereferred to stop all unwanted telemarketing calls. The CRTC announced on January 2, 2008 thatas the list is expected to be launched by September 30, 2008, and that Bell Canada will be responsible for registering numbers, providing telemarketers with up-to-date versions of the list, and receiving consumer complaints about telemarketing calls. The National Do Not Call List (NDNCL) did launch as planned in September 2008. ANDNCL, under which a telemarketer shall not initiate a telemarketing communication on behalf of a client unless that client is a registered subscriber of the NDNCL and the applicable fees have been paid. Although we do not initiate telemarketing calls on our own behalf, we haveWe are registered as a telemarketer with the NDNCL. Additionally, we ensure that our clients have properly registered and paid for the NDNCL by requesting the client’s registration number.

In 2001, the federal government of Canada enacted theCanada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, referred to as the Federal Act. Effective January 1, 2004, the Federal Act requires all commercial enterprises to obtain consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of an individual’s personal information. Failure to comply with the Federal Act could result in significant fines and penalties or possible damage awards for the tort of public humiliation. In addition to the foregoing sanctions, the Federal Act also contemplates that any finding of an improper use of personal information will be subject to public disclosure by the Privacy Commissioner. The Federal Act permits any Province of Canada to enact substantially similar legislation governing the subject matter of the Federal Act, in which case the legislation of the Province will override the provisions of the Federal Act. Our Canadian operations are located primarily in the Provinces of Ontario, British Columbia and New Brunswick. British Columbia has enacted legislation, referred to as the B.C. Act, governing the subject matter of the Federal Act. The federal government of Canada has not yet declared the B.C. Act substantially similar to the Federal Act. Until such time as the federal government of Canada makes such declaration, both the B.C. Act and the Federal Act will apply concurrently to our operations in British Columbia. Though neither has yet enacted legislation that is substantially similar to the Federal Act, both Ontario and New Brunswick have indicated that they may enact legislation governing the subject matter of the Federal Act. Failure to comply with the Federal Act, the B.C. Act, as well as, any such future legislation enacted by Ontario, New Brunswick or any other provinces in which we operate, may have an adverse affect on, or limit our current or future, operations.

TheCanada’s Competition Act contains a number of provisions that regulate the conduct of telemarketers in Canada, in particular the manner in which outbound calls are to be conducted. Failure

The industries we serve are also subject to comply with such legislationgovernment regulation, and, from time to time, bills are introduced in Congress, which, if enacted, could adversely affect our business.operations. We, and our employees who sell insurance products, are required to be licensed by various state and Canadian provincial insurance commissions for the particular type of insurance product to be sold and are required to participate in regular continuing education programs.

We devote significantprovide service to the telecommunications industry, which is subject to government regulation. For example, “slamming” is the illegal practice of changing a consumer’s telephone service without permission. The FCC has promulgated regulations regarding slamming rules that apply solely to the telecommunications carrier and continuous efforts, throughnot the telemarketer or the independent party verifying the service change. However, some state slamming rules may extend liability for violations to agents and other representatives of telecommunications carriers, such as telemarketers.

Our representatives undergo an extensive training program, part of personnel and monitoring of compliance,which is aimed to ensure that we comply with all applicable foreign, federal and state regulatory requirements. We believe that we are in materialtheir compliance with all such regulatory requirements.laws and regulations affecting the telemarketing industry. We also program our call management system to avoid initiating telephone calls during restricted hours or to individuals maintained on our “Do Not Call” list.

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any of which could result in an event of default under the notes. The lenders will also have the right in these circumstances to terminate any commitments they have to provide further financing.

If we were unable to repay or otherwise refinance these borrowings when due, our lenders could sell the collateral securing our senior credit facility, which constitutes substantially all of our and our domestic wholly-owned subsidiaries’ assets (other thenthan certain assets relating to portfolio transactions). Although holders of the notes could accelerate the notes upon the acceleration of the obligations under our senior credit facility, we cannot assure you that sufficient assets will remain to repay the notes after we have paid all the borrowings under our senior credit facility and any other senior debt.

We are a holding company and we depend upon cash from our subsidiaries to service our debt. If we do not receive cash distributions, dividends or other payments from our subsidiaries, we may be unable to make payments on the notes.

We are a holding company and all of our operations are conducted through our subsidiaries. Accordingly, we are dependent upon the earnings and cash flows of, and cash distributions, dividends and other payments from, our subsidiaries to provide the funds necessary to meet our debt service obligations, including the required payments on the notes. If we do not receive such cash distributions, dividends or other payments from our subsidiaries, we may be unable to pay the principal or interest on the notes. In addition, certain of our subsidiaries who are guarantors of the notes are holding companies that will rely on subsidiaries of their own as a source of funds to meet any obligations that might arise under their guarantees.

Generally, the ability of a subsidiary to make cash available to its parent is affected by its own operating results and is subject to applicable laws and contractual restrictions contained in its debt instruments and other agreements. Although the indentures governing the notes will limit the extent to which our subsidiaries may restrict their ability to make dividend and other payments to

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us, these limitations will be subject to significant qualifications and exceptions. The indentures governing the notes also allow us to include the operating results of our subsidiaries in our consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, as defined in the indentures, for the purpose of determining whether we can incur additional indebtedness under the indentures, even though some of those subsidiaries are subject to contractual restrictions on making dividends or distributions of cash to us for the purposes of servicing such indebtedness. In addition, the indentures allow us to create limitations on distributions and dividends under the terms of our and any of our subsidiaries’ future credit facilities. Moreover, there may be restrictions on payments by our subsidiaries to us under applicable laws, including laws that require companies to maintain minimum amounts of capital and to make payments to stockholders only from profits. As a result, although our subsidiaries may have cash, we or our subsidiary guarantors may be unable to obtain that cash to satisfy our obligations under the notes or the guarantees, as applicable.

Each noteholder’s right to receive payments on the notes is effectively junior to those lenders who have a security interest in our assets.

Our obligations under the notes and our guarantors’ obligations under their guarantees of the notes are unsecured, but our obligations under our senior credit facility and each guarantor’s obligations under their respective guarantees of the senior credit facility are secured by a security interest in substantially all of our domestic tangible and intangible assets (other than certain assets relating to portfolio transactions) and the assets and a portion of the stock of certain of our non-U.S. subsidiaries. If we are declared bankrupt or insolvent, or if we default under our senior credit facility, the lenders could declare all of the funds borrowed thereunder, together with accrued interest, immediately due and payable. If we were unable to repay such indebtedness, the lenders could foreclose on the pledged assets to the exclusion of holders of the notes, even if an event of default exists under the indentures governing the notes at such time. Furthermore, if the lenders foreclose and sell the pledged equity interests in any subsidiary guarantor under the notes, then that guarantor will be released from its guarantee of the notes automatically and immediately upon such sale. In any such event, because the notes are not secured by any of our assets or the equity interests in subsidiary guarantors, it is possible that there would be no assets remaining from which noteholders’ claims could be satisfied or, if any assets remained, they might be insufficient to satisfy noteholders’ claims fully.

As of December 31, 2008,2009, the notes and the guarantees were subordinated or effectively subordinated to $670.1$566.3 million of indebtedness (representing borrowings under our senior credit facility which did not include availability of approximately $193,000$71.2 million under the revolving portion of our senior credit facility after giving effect to letters of credit outstanding as of December 31, 2008)2009). The indentures will permit the incurrence of substantial additional indebtedness by us and our restricted subsidiaries in the future, including secured indebtedness.

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Claims of noteholders will be structurally subordinate to claims of creditors of all of our non-U.S. subsidiaries and some of our U.S. subsidiaries because they have not guaranteed the notes.

The notes are not guaranteed by any of our non-U.S. subsidiaries, and certain other domestic subsidiaries. Accordingly, claims of holders of the notes will be structurally subordinate to the claims of creditors of these non-guarantor subsidiaries, including trade creditors. All obligations of our non-guarantor subsidiaries will have to be satisfied before any of the assets of such subsidiaries would be available for distribution, upon a liquidation or otherwise, to us or a guarantor of the notes.

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As of December 31, 2008,2009, our non-guarantor subsidiaries had total liabilities (excluding intercompany liabilities) of $98.9$78.4 million, representing 6.96.4 percent of our total consolidated liabilities. Our non-guarantor subsidiaries accounted for $344.8$320.8 million, or 22.820.5 percent of our consolidated revenue, and had $49.9$14.8 million of net loss, compared to our consolidated net loss of $337.1$84.2 million, for the year ended December 31, 2008.2009. In addition, our non-guarantor subsidiaries accounted for $261.0$238.7 million, or 15.316.3 percent, of our consolidated assets at December 31, 2008.2009.

Because a portion of our operations are conducted by subsidiaries that have not guaranteed the notes, our cash flow and our ability to service debt, including our and the guarantors’ ability to pay the interest on and principal of the notes when due, are dependent to a significant extent on interest payments, cash dividends and distributions and other transfers of cash from subsidiaries that have not guaranteed the notes. In addition, any payment of interest, dividends, distributions, loans or advances by subsidiaries that have not guaranteed the notes to us and the guarantors, as applicable, could be subject to taxation or other restrictions on dividends or repatriation of earnings under applicable local law, monetary transfer restrictions and foreign currency regulations in the jurisdiction in which these subsidiaries operate. Moreover, payments to us and the guarantors by subsidiaries that have not guaranteed the notes will be contingent upon these subsidiaries’ earnings.

Our subsidiaries that have not guaranteed the notes are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts due pursuant to the notes, or to make any funds available therefore, whether by dividends, loans, distributions or other payments. Any right that we or the guarantors have to receive any assets of any subsidiaries that have not guaranteed the notes upon the liquidation or reorganization of those subsidiaries, and the consequent rights of holders of notes to realize proceeds from the sale of any of those subsidiaries’ assets, will be effectively subordinated to the claims of that subsidiary’s creditors, including trade creditors and holders of debt of that subsidiary.

We also have joint ventures and subsidiaries in which we own less than 100 percent of the equity so that, in addition to the structurally senior claims of creditors of those entities, the equity interests of our joint venture partners or other stockholders in any dividend or other distribution made by these entities would need to be satisfied on a proportionate basis with us. These joint ventures and less than wholly-owned subsidiaries may also be subject to restrictions on their ability to distribute cash to us in their financing or other agreements and, as a result, we may not be able to access their cash flow to service our debt obligations, including in respect of the notes.

Each noteholder’s right to receive payments on the notes is junior to all of our existing and future senior indebtedness and the guarantees of the notes is junior to all the guarantors’ existing and future senior indebtedness.

The notes are general unsecured obligations that are junior in right of payment to all our existing and future senior indebtedness, including our senior credit facility. The guarantees are general unsecured obligations of the guarantors that are junior in right of payment to all of the applicable guarantor’s existing and future senior indebtedness, including our senior credit facility.

We and the guarantors may not pay principal, premium, if any, interest or other amounts on account of the notes or the guarantees in the event of a payment default or certain other defaults in respect of certain of our senior indebtedness, including debt under our senior credit facility, unless the senior indebtedness has been paid in full or the default has been cured or waived. In addition, in the event of certain other defaults with respect to the senior indebtedness, we or the guarantors may not be permitted to pay any amount on account of the notes or the guarantees for a designated

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period of time.

The subordination provisions in the notes and the guarantees provide that, in the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution of us or any guarantor, our or the guarantor’s assets will not be available to pay obligations under the notes or the applicable guarantee until we or the guarantor has made all payments on its respective senior indebtedness. We and the guarantors may not have sufficient assets after all these payments have been made to make any payments

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