Hertz Completes Sale of Donlen to Athene Holding
Hertz received $891 million in cash for the sale of the fleet management company.

Tom Callahan is president of Donlen.
Photo courtesy of Donlen.
Hertz Global Holdings announced on March 30 the successful completion of the sale of substantially all the assets of its wholly owned subsidiary, Donlen Corporation to Athene Holding Ltd, the companies said in a statement.
Hertz received $891 million in cash proceeds per the terms of the transaction, subject to certain adjustments post-closing based on the level of assumed indebtedness, working capital and fleet equity.
Moving forward, Athene plans to invest behind the Donlen platform to support the continued growth and strength of the business, according to the statement. Athene, an insurance holding company, has more than $200 billion of assets under management.
“We are pleased to have maximized Donlen's value and are making excellent progress on our financial and operational initiatives as we reposition Hertz for the future,” said Paul Stone, Hertz president and CEO, in the statement. “We wish the entire Donlen team continued success under Athene's ownership."
“This investment is squarely in line with our strategy of sourcing attractive, differentiated long-term investments that deliver strong and consistent returns for our growing portfolio,” said Jim Belardi, Athene chairman and CEO.
“We are thrilled to gain the confidence and support of Athene, who believes deeply in our business and our people,” said Tom Callahan, Donlen president. “Donlen will be even better positioned for the future as an industry leader with Athene's investments in our proprietary tools, data management capabilities, and our focus on exceptional customer service, and we look forward to a bright future together."
Hertz filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2020.
In 2011, Hertz purchased privately-held Donlen for $250 million, assuming approximately $680 million of Donlen's outstanding fleet debt.
More Rental Operations

When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027
Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.
Read More →
Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations
Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.
Read More →
