Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Hertz Posts Net Loss of $1.7B in 2020

The company says it plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy by mid to late summer.

March 2, 2021
Hertz Posts Net Loss of $1.7B in 2020

For the year, Hertz's revenue was $5.3 billion, with a net loss of $1.7 billion and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $995 million. Liquidity at the end of 2020 was $1.1 billion.

Photo via Atomic Taco/Flickr.

3 min to read


On Feb. 26, Hertz Global Holdings reported results for its fourth quarter and full year 2020.

For the fourth quarter, the company's revenue was $1.2 billion, a 48% drop compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. The company posted a net loss of $289 million and an adjusted EBITDA of $140 million for the quarter.

Ad Loading...

For the year, the company's revenue was $5.3 billion, with a net loss of $1.7 billion and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $995 million. Liquidity at the end of 2020 was $1.1 billion.

The company delivered annualized cost savings of about $3 billion during the year and downsized the fleet so that it would be able to match demand entering 2021. Direct operating and selling, general and administration expenses declined 36% year over year as the company proactively reduced costs in line with demand.

"We are making significant headway on our U.S. Chapter 11 process," said Paul Stone, Hertz Global's president and CEO in a statement. "We are on track to close on the sale of our Donlen vehicle leasing and fleet management business in March 2021 and are making progress on our plan of reorganization with the goal to emerge from Chapter 11 by mid to late summer."

For the fourth quarter, vehicle utilization in the U.S. stood at 74%, compared to 79% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Transaction days in the U.S. were down 46% over the fourth quarter of 2019. However, volume trends continued to improve on a sequential quarterly basis. Off-airport revenues comprised 45% of total revenue for the segment in the fourth quarter 2020 versus 33% in the prior year period.

While total revenue per unit, per month (RPU) dropped to $972 in the fourth quarter compared to $1,059 in 2019, total revenue per day (RPD) fell only 1%, from $43.54 to $43.10.

Ad Loading...

Average fleet size dropped 46%, from 516,726 to 298,183 comparing the 2020 and 2019 fourth quarters.

Depreciation per unit per month rose 6%, from $283 per unit in the fourth quarter of 2019 to $301 in the fourth quarter of 2020. According to Hertz, depreciation was impacted by “residual values on certain vehicle models” and lower year-over-year retail sales volume during the quarter.

International rental car revenues were down 54% in the fourth quarter on 53% lower volume, narrowing third quarter losses.

Donlen, Hertz’s vehicle leasing and fleet management division, saw revenues decline 21% in the fourth quarter compared to 2019. Adjusted EBITDA fell 27%, while average vehicles fell from 222,400 in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 186,200 in 2020. As announced in November 2020, the company entered into a stock and asset purchase agreement to sell substantially all the assets of Donlen to Athene Holding Ltd. The sale is expected to close in March 2021.

More Rental Operations

Photos of CEOs Colm Brady and Francois Kruger on a blue background and above a headline.
Telematicsby News/Media ReleaseMay 22, 2026

RentalMatics, GeoInt Partner On Rental Car Speed Tracking Tech

Rental operators can now detect and act on speeding while vehicles are still on rent, thereby reducing fines, admin workload, vehicle wear, and safety risks.

Read More →
NextPass 407 ETR

NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto

Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.

Read More →
A black Jeep is displayed at the Zubie-Bosch-TSD exhibit during the International Car Rental Show.

Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics

The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026

LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Ad Loading...