RUSH ENTERPRISES INC \TX\ - Annual Report: 2011 (Form 10-K)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011

Commission file number 0-20797

RUSH ENTERPRISES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (830) 626-5200

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.     Yes  ¨    No  x

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.     Yes  ¨    No  x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.     Yes  x     No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).     Yes  x     No  ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.   ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).   Yes  ¨    No  x

The aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2011 was approximately $618,179,524 based upon the last sales price on June 30, 2011 on The NASDAQ Global Select Market^SM of $19.03 for the registrant’s Class A common stock and $16.10 for the registrant’s Class B common stock. Shares of common stock held by each executive officer and director and by each shareholder affiliated with a director or an executive officer have been excluded from this calculation because such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.

The registrant had 27,713,888 shares Class A common stock and 10,779,674 shares of Class B common stock outstanding on March 8, 2012.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of registrant’s definitive proxy statement for the registrant’s 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than April 30, 2012, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.

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RUSH ENTERPRISES, INC.

Index to Form 10-K

Year ended December 31, 2011

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NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this Form 10-K (or otherwise made by the Company or on the Company’s behalf from time to time in other reports, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, news releases, conferences, website postings or otherwise) that are not statements of historical fact constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended(the “Exchange Act”), notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified. Forward-looking statements include statements about the Company’s financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management of the Company for future operations. These forward-looking statements reflect the best judgments of the Company about the future events and trends based on the beliefs of the Company’s management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company’s management. Use of the words “may,” “should,” “continue,” “plan,” “potential,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect” and “intend” and words or phrases of similar import, as they relate to the Company or its subsidiaries or Company management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the current view of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those set forth under Item 1A—Risk Factors as well as future growth rates and margins for certain of our products and services, future demand for our products and services, competitive factors, general economic conditions, cyclicality, market conditions in the new and used commercial vehicle markets, customer relations, relationships with vendors, the interest rate environment, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, distribution networks, product introductions and acceptance, technological change, changes in industry practices, one-time events and other factors described herein and in the Company’s quarterly and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, “Cautionary Statements”). Although the Company believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Based upon changing conditions, should any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in any forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the applicable Cautionary Statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as the date on which they are made and the Company undertakes no duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

NOTE REGARDING INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) allows us to disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents we have filed with the SEC. The information we refer to is “incorporated by reference” into this Form 10-K. Please read that information.

NOTE REGARDING TRADEMARKS USED IN THIS FORM 10-K

Peterbilt^® is a registered trademark of Peterbilt Motors Company. PACCAR^® is a registered trademark of PACCAR, Inc. GMC^® is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation. Hino^® is a registered trademark of Hino Motors, Ltd. UD^® is a registered trademark of UD Truck North America, Ltd. Isuzu^® is a registered trademark of Isuzu Motors Limited. John Deere^® is a registered trademark of Deere & Company. Kenworth^® is a registered trademark of PACCAR, Inc. doing business as Kenworth Truck Company. Volvo^® is a registered trademark of Volvo Trademark Holding AB. Freightliner^® is a registered trademark of Freightliner Corporation. Mack^® is a registered trademark of Mack Trucks, Inc. Navistar^® is a registered trademark of Navistar International Corporation. Caterpillar^® is a registered trademark of Caterpillar, Inc. PacLease^® is a registered trademark of PACCAR Leasing Corporation. CitiCapital^® is a registered trademark of Citicorp. Ford^® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. Cummins^® is a registered trademark of Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc. Eaton^® is a registered trademark of Eaton Corporation. Arvin Meritor^® is a registered trademark of Meritor Technology, Inc. JPMorgan Chase^® is a registered trademark of JP Morgan Chase & Co. SAP^® is a registered trademark of SAP Aktiengesellschaft. International^® is a registered trademark of Navistar International Transportation Corp. Blue Bird^® is a registered trademark of Blue Bird Investment Corporation. Autocar^® is a registered trademark of Shem, LLC. IC Bus^® is a registered trademark of IC Bus, LLC. Collins Bus Corporation^® is a registered trademark of Collins Bus Corporation. Fuso^® is a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation. Workhorse^® is a registered trademark of Workhorse Custom Chassis, LLC. Micro Bird^® is a registered trademark of Blue Bird Body Company.

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PART I

Item 1. Business

References herein to “the Company,” “Rush Enterprises,” “Rush,” “we,” “our” or “us” mean Rush Enterprises, Inc., a Texas corporation, and its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.

Access to Company Information

Rush electronically files annual reports, quarterly reports, and other reports with the SEC. You may read and copy any of the materials that we have filed with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, NW, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information about the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Our filings are also available to you on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Rush makes certain of our SEC filings available, free of charge, through our website, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to these reports. These filings are available as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Rush’s website address is www.rushenterprises.com. The information contained on our website, or on other websites linked to our website, is not part of this document.

General

Rush Enterprises, Inc. was incorporated in Texas in 1965 and consists of one reportable segment, the Truck Segment. The Company conducts business through numerous subsidiaries, all of which it wholly owns, directly or indirectly. Its principal offices are located at 555 IH 35 South, Suite 500, New Braunfels, Texas 78130.

The Company is a full-service, integrated retailer of commercial vehicles and related services. The Truck Segment operates a regional network of commercial vehicle dealerships under the name “Rush Truck Centers.” Rush Truck Centers primarily sell commercial vehicles manufactured by Peterbilt, International, Hino, UD, Ford, Isuzu, Mitsubishi Fuso, IC Bus or Blue Bird. Through its strategically located network of Rush Truck Centers, the Company provides one-stop service for the needs of its commercial vehicle customers, including retail sales of new and used commercial vehicles, aftermarket parts sales, service and repair facilities, and financing, leasing and rental, and insurance products.

The Company’s Rush Truck Centers are principally located in high traffic areas throughout the United States. Since commencing operations as a Peterbilt heavy-duty truck dealer in 1966, the Company has grown to operate 70 Rush Truck Centers in 14 states.

Our business strategy consists of providing our customers with competitively priced products supported with timely and reliable service through our integrated dealer network. We intend to continue to implement our business strategy, reinforce customer loyalty and remain a market leader by continuing to develop our Rush Truck Centers as we extend our geographic focus through strategic acquisitions of new locations and expansions of our existing facilities and product lines.

The Construction Equipment Segment will no longer be reported as a separate business segment due to the Company’s disposition of its John Deere construction equipment business in September 2010. Operating results of the Construction Equipment Segment have been classified as discontinued operations in the financial statements and related discussion and analysis below.

Rush Truck Centers. Our Rush Truck Centers are located in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. The following chart reflects our franchises and parts, service and body shop operations by location.

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Leasing and Rental Services. Through certain of our Rush Truck Centers and several stand-alone Rush Truck Leasing Centers, we provide a broad line of product selections for lease or rent, including Class 4, Class 5, Class 6, Class 7 and Class 8 trucks, heavy-duty cranes and refuse vehicles. Our lease and rental fleets are offered on a daily, monthly or long-term basis.

Financial and Insurance Products. At our dealerships, we offer third-party financing to assist customers in purchasing new and used commercial vehicles. Additionally, we sell, as agent, a complete line of property and casualty insurance, including collision and liability insurance on commercial vehicles, cargo insurance and credit life insurance.

Industry

See Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Industry” for a description of our industry and the markets in which we operate.

Our Business Strategy

Operating Strategy. Our strategy is to operate an integrated dealer network that provides service solutions to the commercial vehicle industry. Our strategy includes the following key elements:

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Growth Strategy. Through our expansion and acquisition initiatives, we have grown to operate a large, multistate, full-service network of commercial vehicle dealerships. As described below, we intend to continue to grow our business internally and through acquisitions by expanding into new geographic areas, expanding our product and service offerings and opening new dealerships in existing markets.

We believe that there are many additional product and service offerings that would complement our primary product lines. We expect any product category expansion that we pursue to satisfy our requirements that the products serve a commercial customer base and the products provide opportunities for incremental income through related aftermarket sales, service or financing.

Management of Our Dealerships

We manage our dealerships as described below.

Rush Truck Centers

Our Rush Truck Centers are responsible for sales of new and used commercial vehicles, as well as related parts and services.

Commercial Vehicle Parts and Service. Commercial vehicle related parts and service revenues accounted for approximately $675.3 million, or 26.2%, of our total revenues for 2011, but 63.0% of our gross profit. The parts and service business enhances our sales and service functions and is a source of recurring revenue. Rush Truck Centers carry a wide variety of commercial vehicle parts in inventory. Certain Rush Truck Centers also feature fully equipped service and body shop facilities, the combination and configuration of which varies by location, capable of handling a broad range of repairs on most makes and classes of commercial vehicles. Each Rush Truck Center is a warranty service center for the commercial vehicle manufacturers represented at that location and most are also authorized service centers for other manufacturers, including, Caterpillar, Cummins, Eaton and Allison. We have more than 1,000 service and body shop bays throughout our Rush Truck Center network. We also have approximately 180 field service trucks and technicians who make on-site repairs at our customers’ locations.

We perform traditional warranty and non-warranty service work on commercial vehicles. The cost of warranty work is generally reimbursed by the applicable manufacturer at retail commercial rates. Additionally, we provide a wide array of services, including assembly service for specialized truck bodies and truck mounted equipment. Our goal is to provide our customer any service that they need related to their commercial vehicles.

As part of our leasing and rental operations, we enter into contracts with customers to provide full-service maintenance on their trucks. We had 637 units under contract maintenance as of December 31, 2011, and 825 units under contract maintenance as of December 31, 2010.

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New Commercial Vehicle Sales. New heavy-duty truck sales represent the largest portion of our revenue, accounting for approximately $1,186.5 million, or 46.0%, of our total revenues in 2011. New Class 8 heavy-duty Peterbilt truck sales accounted for approximately 73.8% of our new commercial vehicle revenues for 2011.

Our Rush Truck Centers that sell new and used Class 8 heavy-duty trucks also sell medium-duty and light-duty commercial vehicles. Certain Rush Truck Centers sell medium-duty commercial vehicles manufactured by Peterbilt, Hino, Isuzu, Ford, International, Mitsubishi Fuso or UD and buses manufactured by Blue Bird, Diamond Coach, IC BUS and Elkhart and light-duty commercial vehicles manufactured by Ford (see Part I, Item 1, “General – Rush Truck Centers” for information on which brands we sell at each Rush Truck Center). New medium-duty commercial vehicle sales, excluding new bus sales, accounted for approximately $279.3 million, or 10.8% of our total revenues for 2011, and 17.4% of our new commercial vehicle revenues for 2011. New light-duty commercial vehicle sales accounted for approximately $33.3 million, or 1.3% of our total revenues for 2011, and 2.1% of our new commercial vehicle revenues for 2011. New bus sales accounted for approximately $101.4 million, or 3.9% of our total revenues for 2011, and 6.3% of our new commercial vehicle revenues for 2011.

A significant portion of our new commercial vehicle sales are to fleet customers (customers who purchase more than five commercial vehicles in any 12-month period). Because of the size of our Rush Truck Center network, our strong relationships with our fleet customers and our ability to handle large quantities of used commercial vehicle trade-ins, we are able to successfully market and sell to fleet customers nationwide. We believe that we have a competitive advantage over most other dealers in that we can absorb multi-unit trade-ins often associated with fleet sales and effectively disperse the used commercial vehicles for resale throughout our dealership network. We believe that our attention to customer service and our broad range of trucking services, including our ability to offer commercial vehicle financing and insurance to our customers, has resulted in a high level of customer loyalty.

Used Commercial Vehicle Sales. Used commercial vehicle sales accounted for approximately $193.3 million, or 7.5%, of our total revenues for 2011. We sell used commercial vehicles at most of our Rush Truck Centers. We believe that we are well positioned to market used commercial vehicles due to our ability to recondition them for resale utilizing the parts and service departments of our Rush Truck Centers and our ability to move used commercial vehicles between Rush Truck Centers to satisfy customer demand. The majority of our used commercial vehicle inventory consists of commercial vehicles taken as trade-ins from new customers, but we supplement our used commercial vehicle inventory by purchasing used commercial vehicles from third parties for resale.

Truck Leasing and Rental. Truck leasing and rental revenues accounted for approximately $83.4 million, or 3.2%, of our total revenues for 2011. At our Rush Truck Leasing locations, we engage in full-service truck leasing under the PacLease and Idealease trade names. Leasing and rental customers contribute to additional parts sales and service work at Rush Truck Centers because most of our leases require service and maintenance for the leased trucks to be performed at our facilities (or at facilities outside our service area, as we direct). Rented trucks are also generally serviced at our facilities. We had 3,363 units in our lease and rental fleet as of December 31, 2011 compared to 2,984 units as of December 31, 2010. Generally, we sell trucks that have been retired from our lease and rental fleet through the used sales operations at our Rush Truck Centers. Historically, we have realized gains on the sale of used lease trucks in excess of the cost of the purchase option contained in our leases or the book value of trucks owned by the Company.

Financial and Insurance Products

The sale of financial and insurance products accounted for approximately $10.9 million, or 0.4%, of our total revenue for 2011. Finance and insurance revenues have minimal direct costs and, therefore, contribute a disproportionate share of our operating profits.

Insurance Products. We sell, as agent, a complete line of property and casualty insurance to our commercial vehicle customers and other truck owners. Our agency is licensed to sell truck liability, collision and comprehensive, workers’ compensation, cargo, credit life and occupational accident insurance coverage. We serve as sales representatives for a number of leading insurance companies including the Great American Insurance Companies, Sentry Insurance and Hartford Insurance Group. Our renewal rate in 2011 was 80%. We also have licensed insurance agents at a number of our dealerships who arrange insurance for our customers.

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New and Used Commercial Vehicle Financing. Our Rush Truck Centers have personnel responsible for arranging third-party financing for our product offerings. We arranged customer financing through various commercial lending sources for approximately 21% of our new and used commercial vehicle sales in 2011 and approximately 24% in 2010. Generally, commercial vehicle finance contracts are memorialized through the use of installment contracts, which are secured by the commercial vehicles financed, and require a down payment of 10% to 30% of the selling price of the financed commercial vehicle, with the remaining balance financed over a two to five-year period. The majority of finance contracts are sold to third parties without recourse to the Company. The Company provides an allowance for repossession losses and early repayment penalties.

Sales and Marketing

Our established long history of operations in the commercial vehicle business has resulted in a strong customer base that is diverse in terms of geography, industry and scale of operations. Rush Truck Centers’ customers include owner operators, regional and national truck fleets, corporations and local governments. During 2011, no single customer of our Rush Truck Centers accounted for more than 10% of our total commercial vehicle sales by dollar volume. We generally promote our products and related services through direct customer contact by our sales personnel, advertisements in trade magazines and attendance at industry shows.

We believe that the consistently reliable service received by our customers, our longevity and our geographic diversity have resulted in increased market recognition of the “Rush” brand name and have served to reinforce customer loyalty. In an effort to enhance our name recognition and to communicate the standardized high level of quality products and services provided at our Rush Truck Centers, we implement our “Rush” brand name concept at each of our dealerships.

Facility Management

Personnel. Each Rush Truck Center is typically managed by a general manager who oversees the operations, personnel and the financial performance of the location, subject to the direction of a regional manager and personnel at our corporate office. Additionally, each full-service Rush Truck Center is typically staffed by a sales manager, parts manager, service manager, body shop manager, sales representatives, parts employees, and other service and make-ready employees, as appropriate, given the services offered. The sales staff of each Rush Truck Center is compensated on a salary plus commission or a commission only basis, while managers receive a combination of salary and performance bonus. We believe that our employees are among the highest paid in their respective industry, which enables us to attract and retain qualified personnel.

On an annual basis, regional managers work with general managers to prepare detailed monthly profit and loss forecasts based upon historical information and projected trends. During the year, general managers regularly review their facility’s progress with their regional manager and senior management and make appropriate adjustments as needed.

We have been successful in retaining our senior management, regional managers and general managers. To promote communication and efficiency in operating standards, regional managers and members of senior management attend company-wide strategy sessions each year. In addition, management personnel attend various industry sponsored leadership and management seminars and receive continuing education on the products we distribute, marketing strategies and management information systems.

Members of senior management and regional managers regularly travel to each Rush Truck Center to provide on-site management and support. Each Rush Truck Center is audited regularly for compliance with corporate policies and procedures. These routine unannounced internal audits, objectively measure dealership performance with respect to corporate expectations in the management and administration of sales, commercial vehicle inventory, parts inventory, parts sales, service sales, body shop sales, corporate policy compliance, human resources compliance, and environmental and safety compliance matters.

Purchasing and Suppliers. We believe that pricing is an important element of our marketing strategy. Because of our size, our Rush Truck Centers benefit from volume purchases at favorable prices that permit them to achieve a competitive pricing position in the industry. We purchase our commercial vehicle inventory and proprietary parts and accessories directly from the applicable vehicle manufacturer, wholesale distributors, or other sources that provide the most favorable pricing. Most purchasing commitments are negotiated by personnel at our corporate headquarters. Historically, we have been able to negotiate favorable pricing levels and terms, which enable us to offer competitive prices for our products.

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Management Information Systems. We utilize our management information systems to monitor the inventory level of commercial vehicles and parts at each of our dealerships. From information assimilated from management information systems, management has developed a model reflecting historic sales levels of different product lines. This model enables management to identify the appropriate level and combination of inventory and forms the basis of our operating plan.

Information received from industry analysts allows us to determine market share statistics and gross volume sales numbers for our products as well as those of competitors. This information impacts ongoing operations because management remains aware of changes within the markets we service and is able to react accordingly by realigning product lines and by adding new product lines and models.

Distribution and Inventory Management. We utilize a real-time inventory tracking system that allows for the prompt transfer of inventory among various Rush Truck Centers. The transfer of inventory reduces delays in delivery, helps maximize inventory turns and assists in controlling problems created by overstock and understock situations. We are linked directly to our major suppliers, via real-time communication links for purposes of ordering and inventory management. These automated reordering and communication systems allow us to maintain proper inventory levels and permit us to have inventory delivered to our locations, or directly to customers, typically within 24 hours of an order being placed.

Recent Acquisitions and Disposition

On September 9, 2010, the Company sold the assets of its John Deere construction equipment business, including its Rush Equipment Centers in Houston and Beaumont, Texas, to Doggett Heavy Machinery Services, LLC. The total purchase price for the Rush Equipment Centers was $31.0 million. The Company received cash of $26.2 million at closing and a $4.8 million note receivable to be paid over four years. Before closing, the Company paid liabilities, related to the assets sold, of approximately $14.6 million. The Company recorded a gain on the transaction of $10.1 million. The Construction Equipment segment will no longer be reported as a separate business segment.

On May 24, 2010, the Company acquired certain assets of Lake City Companies, LLC and certain of its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, “Lake City International”). Lake City International operated a commercial truck and bus sales, service, parts, finance and leasing business representing multiple brands at five locations in Utah, five locations in Idaho and one location in Oregon. These locations are operating as Rush Truck Centers and offer a combination of International heavy- and medium-duty commercial vehicles, Autocar trucks, Mitsubishi Fuso medium-duty trucks, IC buses and Workhorse chassis in addition to parts, service, body shop, financing and insurance capabilities. Rush Truck Leasing operates Idealease truck rental and leasing franchises at locations in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Boise, Idaho. The transaction, including the real estate, was valued at approximately $70.0 million. The purchase price for the assets of the business was paid in cash and the purchase price for the real estate was partially paid in cash with the remainder financed with long-term debt.

On July 12, 2010, the Company acquired certain assets of Joe Cooper Truck Center LLC, which consisted of a Ford franchise in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The newly acquired Ford franchise was added to the Company’s existing dealership in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The transaction was valued at approximately $1.2 million, with the purchase price paid in cash.

On October 12, 2010, the Company acquired certain assets of Metro Ford Truck Sales, Inc., which consisted of a Ford and Isuzu commercial vehicle dealership in Dallas, Texas. The Company is operating the facility as a full-service Rush Truck Center offering medium-duty trucks, parts and service. The transaction, including the real estate, was valued at approximately $5.6 million, with the purchase price paid in cash.

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On February 21, 2011, the Company acquired certain assets of Heintzelman’s Truck Center, which consisted of a Ford commercial vehicle dealership in Orlando, Florida. The Company is operating the facility as a full-service Rush Truck Center offering Ford trucks, parts, service, leasing, financing and insurance. The transaction was valued at approximately $4.7 million, with the purchase price paid in cash.

On March 14, 2011, the Company acquired certain assets of Asbury Automotive Atlanta L.L.C., a subsidiary of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., which operates commercial truck and bus dealerships in the metro Atlanta area under the “Nalley Motor Trucks” name. The acquisition includes the International, Hino, Isuzu, UD, IC Bus and Workhorse franchises in metro Atlanta, dealership locations in Atlanta and Doraville and a collision center in Atlanta. These locations are operating as Rush Truck Centers and offer commercial vehicles manufactured by International, Hino, Isuzu, UD, IC Bus and Workhorse Custom Chassis in addition to parts, service, body shop, financing and insurance capabilities. The transaction was valued at approximately $55.3 million. The purchase price for the assets of the business was paid in cash and the purchase price for the real estate was partially paid in cash with the remainder financed with long-term debt.

On November 5, 2011, the Company acquired certain assets of Peck Road Ford, which consisted of a Ford and Isuzu commercial vehicle dealership in Whittier, California. The Company is operating the facility as a full-service Rush Truck Center offering Ford and Isuzu trucks, parts, service, financing and insurance. This location also offers Peterbilt parts and service. The transaction, including real estate, was valued at approximately $10.0 million. The purchase price for the assets of the business was paid in cash and the purchase price for the real estate was partially paid in cash with the remainder financed with long-term debt.

On December 5, 2011, the Company acquired certain assets of West Texas Peterbilt, which consisted of dealerships in Amarillo, Lubbock and Odessa, Texas that offer Peterbilt trucks, parts and service, a parts and service facility in Dalhart, Texas and a parts facility in Hereford, Texas. These dealerships operate as Rush Truck Centers. Rush Truck Leasing operates a PacLease truck rental and leasing franchise in Lubbock, Texas. The purchase price for the assets of West Texas Peterbilt, including real estate, was approximately $24.6 million. The purchase price for the assets of the business was paid in cash and the purchase price for the real estate was partially paid in cash with the remainder financed with long-term debt.

See Note 15 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a detailed discussion of the allocation of the purchase price of these acquisitions.

Competition

There is, and will continue to be, significant competition both within our current markets and in new markets we may enter. We anticipate that competition between us and other dealers will continue to increase in our current markets and on a national level based on the following:

Our dealerships compete with dealerships representing other manufacturers including commercial vehicles manufactured by Mack, Freightliner, Kenworth, Volvo, and Western Star. We believe that our dealerships are able to compete with manufacturer-owned dealers, independent dealers, independent service centers, parts wholesalers, commercial vehicle wholesalers, rental service companies and industrial auctioneers in distributing our products and providing service because of the following: the overall quality and reputation of the products we sell; “Rush” brand name recognition and reputation for quality service; and our ability to provide comprehensive parts and service support, as well as financing, insurance and other customer services.

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Dealership Agreements

Peterbilt. We have entered into nonexclusive dealership agreements with Peterbilt which authorize us to act as a dealer of Peterbilt heavy- and medium-duty trucks. Our Peterbilt areas of responsibility currently encompass areas in the states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. These dealership agreements currently have terms expiring between June 2012 and December 2014 and impose certain operational obligations and financial requirements upon us and our dealerships. The Company’s dealership agreements with Peterbilt may be terminable by Peterbilt in the event the aggregate voting power of W. Marvin Rush, W.M. “Rusty” Rush, other members of the Rush family and certain executives of the Company decreases below 30%. These agreements also grant Peterbilt rights of first refusal under certain circumstances relating to any sale or transfer of our dealership locations or if certain Rush family members desire to sell more than 100,000 shares of our voting common stock within a 12-month period to anyone other than family members or certain other specified persons. Any termination or non-renewal of these dealership agreements by Peterbilt must follow certain guidelines established by both state and federal legislation designed to protect motor vehicle dealers from arbitrary termination or non-renewal of franchise agreements. The Automobile Dealers Day in Court Act and other similar state laws provide that the termination or non-renewal of a motor vehicle dealership agreement must be done in “good faith” and upon a showing of “good cause” by the manufacturer for such termination or non-renewal, as such terms have been defined by statute and interpreted in case law. Sales of new Peterbilt trucks accounted for approximately 46.2% of our total revenues for 2011.

Other Commercial Vehicle Suppliers. In addition to our dealership agreements with Peterbilt, various Rush Truck Centers have entered into dealership agreements with other commercial vehicle manufacturers including Autocar, Blue Bird, Ford, Hino, IC, International, Isuzu, Micro Bird, Mitsubishi and UD, which currently have terms expiring between March 2012 and March 2016. Any termination or non-renewal of these dealership agreements must follow certain guidelines established by both state and federal legislation designed to protect motor vehicle dealers from arbitrary termination or non-renewal of franchise agreements. The Automobile Dealers Day in Court Act and other similar state laws provide that the termination or non-renewal of a motor vehicle dealership agreement must be done in “good faith” and upon a showing of “good cause” by the manufacturer for such termination or non-renewal, as such terms have been defined by statute and interpreted in case law. These dealership agreements impose operating requirements upon us and require consent from the affected supplier for sale or transfer of such dealership agreement. Sales of non-Peterbilt commercial vehicles accounted for approximately 15.8% of our total revenues for 2011.

Floor Plan Financing

Commercial vehicles. During 2011, we financed substantially all of our new commercial vehicle inventory and the loan value of our used commercial vehicle inventory under a credit agreement with General Electric Capital Corporation (“GE Capital”). Interest under the credit agreement was at a rate of LIBOR plus 2.95% and was payable monthly. As of December 31, 2011, we had approximately $496.3 million outstanding under the credit agreement.

On January 31, 2012, the Company entered into an amended and restated $600.0 million credit agreement with GE Capital. The interest rate under the amended credit agreement is LIBOR plus 2.23% on inventory loans up to $500.0 million and LIBOR plus 2.95% on inventory loans exceeding $500.0 million. The amended credit agreement allows the Company to prepay inventory loans, provided that the prepayment does not exceed the sum of 38% of the aggregate inventory loans made up to $500.0 million plus 100% of the inventory loans above $500.0 million. GE Capital may terminate this credit agreement without cause upon 120 days notice.

Several commercial vehicle manufacturers offer floor plan programs with varying interest free finance periods. When offered, the Company will finance commercial vehicles under such programs. If the commercial vehicle financed under these interest free finance programs is not sold within the interest free finance period, the Company transfers the financed commercial vehicle to the GE Capital credit agreement.

Product Warranties

The manufacturers we represent provide retail purchasers of their products with a limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, excluding certain specified components that are separately warranted by the suppliers of such components. The Company provides a warranty on the Company’s branded parts and related service. The Company also provides an extended warranty beyond the manufacturer’s warranty on new school buses sold in the State of Texas, as required by state law.

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We generally sell used commercial vehicles in “as is” condition without manufacturer’s warranty, although manufacturers sometimes will provide a limited warranty on their used products if such products have been properly reconditioned prior to resale or if the manufacturer’s warranty on such product is transferable and has not expired. We do not provide any warranty on used commercial vehicles.

Trademarks

The Peterbilt, Hino, Isuzu, Ford, International, Blue Bird, IC Bus, Autocar, Fuso and UD trademarks and trade names, which are used in connection with our marketing and sales efforts, are subject to limited licenses included in our dealership agreements with each manufacturer. The licenses are for the same periods as our dealership agreements. These trademarks and trade names are widely recognized and are important in the marketing of our products. Each licensor engages in a continuous program of trademark and trade name protection. We hold registered trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the names “Rush Enterprises,” “Rush Truck Center,” “Associated Truck Insurance Services,” “Chrome Country” and “Rig Tough.”

Employees

On December 31, 2011, the Company had 3,865 employees. The Company has no contracts or collective bargaining agreements with labor unions and has never experienced work stoppages. The Company considers its relations with its employees to be good.

Seasonality

The Company’s Truck Segment is moderately seasonal. Seasonal effects on new commercial vehicle sales related to the seasonal purchasing patterns of any single customer type are mitigated by the diverse geographic locations of our dealerships and the Company’s diverse customer base, including regional and national fleets, local governments, corporations and owner operators. However, commercial vehicle parts and service operations historically have experienced higher sales volumes in the second and third quarters.

Backlog

On December 31, 2011, the Company’s backlog of commercial vehicle orders was approximately $678.7 million as compared to a backlog of commercial vehicle orders of approximately $277.1 million on December 31, 2010. The Company includes only confirmed orders in its backlog. The delivery time for a custom-ordered commercial vehicle varies depending on the commercial vehicle specifications and demand for the particular model ordered, however, the Company expects to fill all of its backlog orders during 2012. The Company sells the majority of its new commercial vehicles by customer special order, with the remainder sold out of inventory. Orders from a number of the Company’s major fleet customers are included in the Company’s backlog as of December 31, 2011.

Environmental Standards and Other Governmental Regulations

The Company is subject to a wide range of federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those governing discharges into the air and water; the operation and removal of underground and aboveground storage tanks; the use, handling, storage and disposal of hazardous substances, petroleum and other materials; and the investigation and remediation of contamination. As with commercial vehicle or construction equipment dealerships generally, and service, parts and body shop operations in particular, our business involves the generation, use, storage, handling and contracting for recycling or disposal of hazardous materials or wastes and other environmentally sensitive materials. The Company has incurred, and will continue to incur, capital and operating expenditures and other costs in complying with such laws and regulations.

Our operations involving the management of hazardous and nonhazardous materials are subject to the requirements of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA, and comparable state statutes. Pursuant to these laws, federal and state environmental agencies have established approved methods for handling, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of regulated substances and wastes with which the Company must comply. Our business also involves the operation and use of above ground and underground storage tanks. These storage tanks are subject to periodic testing, containment, upgrading and removal under RCRA and comparable state statutes. Furthermore, investigation or remediation may be necessary in the event of leaks or other discharges from current or former underground or aboveground storage tanks.

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The Company may also have liability in connection with materials that were sent to third-party recycling, treatment, or disposal facilities under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA, and comparable state statutes. These statutes impose liability for investigation and remediation of contamination without regard to fault or the legality of the conduct that contributed to the contamination. Responsible parties under these statutes may include the owner or operator of the site where contamination occurred and companies that disposed or arranged for the disposal of the hazardous substances released at these sites. These responsible parties also may be liable for damages to natural resources. In addition, it is not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other third parties to file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the release of hazardous substances or other pollutants into the environment.

The federal Clean Water Act and comparable state statutes prohibit discharges of pollutants into regulated waters without the necessary permits, require containment of potential discharges of oil or hazardous substances, and require preparation of spill contingency plans. Water quality protection programs govern certain discharges from some of our operations. Similarly, the federal Clean Air Act and comparable state statutes regulate emissions of various air pollutants through air emissions permitting programs and the imposition of other requirements. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has developed, and continues to develop, stringent regulations governing emissions of toxic air pollutants from specified sources.

In 2010, the EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the first national standards to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and buses beginning in model year 2014. The final rules, which were issued on September 15, 2011, begin to apply in 2014 and are fully implemented in model year 2017.

It is not possible at this time to accurately predict how the foregoing proposed standards, future legislation or other new regulations that may be adopted to address greenhouse gas emissions will impact our business. Any regulations will likely result in increased compliance costs, additional operating restrictions or changes in demand for our products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.

The Company believes that it does not currently have any material environmental liabilities and that compliance with environmental laws and regulations will not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. However, soil and groundwater contamination is known to exist at some of our current properties. Further, environmental laws and regulations are complex and subject to change. In addition, in connection with acquisitions, it is possible that the Company will assume or become subject to new or unforeseen environmental costs or liabilities, some of which may be material. In connection with our dispositions, or prior dispositions made by companies we acquire, the Company may retain exposure for environmental costs and liabilities, some of which may be material. Compliance with current or amended, or new or more stringent, laws or regulations, stricter interpretations of existing laws or the future discovery of environmental conditions could require additional expenditures by us, and those expenditures could be material.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

An investment in our common stock is subject to risks inherent to our business. In addition to the other information contained in this Form 10-K, we recommend that you carefully consider the following risk factors in evaluating our business. If any of the following risks actually occur, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. If this were to happen, the value of our common stock could decline significantly, and you could lose all or part of your investment. This report is qualified in its entirety by these risk factors.

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Risks Related to Our Business

We are substantially dependent upon PACCAR for the supply of Peterbilt trucks and parts, the sale of which generates the majority of our revenues.

We currently operate as a dealer of Peterbilt trucks and parts pursuant to dealership agreements with Peterbilt, a division of PACCAR. During 2011, a significant portion of our revenues resulted from sales of trucks purchased from Peterbilt and parts purchased from PACCAR. Due to our dependence on PACCAR and Peterbilt, we believe that the long-term success of our Rush Truck Centers depends, in large part, on the following:

We have no control over the management or operation of PACCAR or Peterbilt dealerships that we do not own and a significant decline in any of these factors could have a material adverse affect on our operations, revenues and profitability.

Our dealership agreements may be terminable upon a change of control and we cannot control whether our controlling shareholder and management maintain their current positions.

We have entered into nonexclusive dealership agreements with Peterbilt that authorize us to act as a dealer of Peterbilt trucks. Peterbilt may terminate our dealership agreements in the event of a change of control of the Company or if we violate any number of provisions in the dealership agreements. Under our Peterbilt dealership agreements, a change of control occurs if (i) with respect to the election of directors, the aggregate voting power held by W. Marvin Rush, W. M. “Rusty” Rush, W. Marvin Rush’s family members and other executives of the Company decreases below 30% (such persons currently control 33.9% of the aggregate voting power with respect to the election of directors); or (ii) any person or entity other than W. Marvin Rush, W. M. “Rusty” Rush and other Rush executives or any person or entity who has been approved in writing by PACCAR, owns common stock with a greater percentage of the voting power with respect to the election of our directors than W. Marvin Rush and W. M. “Rusty” Rush and other executives of the Company, in the aggregate, or any person other than W. Marvin Rush, W. M. “Rusty” Rush, Robin M. Rush or any person who has been approved in writing by PACCAR holds the office of Chairman of the Board, President or Chief Executive Officer of the Company. We have no control over the transfer or disposition by W. Marvin Rush or by his estate of his common stock. If W. Marvin Rush were to sell his Class B common stock or bequest his Class B common stock to nonfamily members or if his estate is required to liquidate his Class B common stock to pay estate taxes or otherwise, the change of control provisions of the Peterbilt dealership agreements may be triggered and cause us to lose our critical right to sell Peterbilt products. Some of our medium-duty truck dealership agreements are also terminable if the aggregate voting power of W. Marvin Rush and his family members falls below certain percentages, typically 25%. If our dealership agreements with any manufacturer are terminated, we will lose the right to purchase such manufacturer’s products, which would have a material adverse effect on our operations, revenues and profitability.

If state dealer laws are repealed or weakened, our dealerships will be more susceptible to termination, nonrenewal or renegotiation of their dealership agreements.

We depend on our vehicle dealership agreements for a substantial portion of our revenues and profitability. State dealer laws generally provide that a manufacturer may not terminate or refuse to renew a dealership agreement unless it has first provided the dealer with written notice setting forth good cause and stating the grounds for termination or nonrenewal. Manufacturers’ lobbying efforts may lead to the repeal or revision of state motor vehicle dealer laws. If motor vehicle dealer laws are repealed in the states in which we operate dealerships, our manufacturers may be able to terminate our vehicle dealership agreements without providing advance notice, an opportunity to cure or a showing of good cause. Without the protection of state dealer laws, or if such laws are weakened, we will be subject to higher risk of termination or non-renewal of our vehicle dealership agreements. Termination or non-renewal of our vehicle dealership agreements could have a material adverse effect on our operations, revenues and profitability.

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We may be required to obtain additional financing to maintain adequate inventory levels.

Our business requires inventories held for sale to be maintained at dealer locations in order to facilitate immediate sales to customers on demand. We generally purchase inventories with the assistance of floor plan financing agreements. Our primary floor plan financing agreement may be terminated without cause upon 120 days notice. In the event that our floor plan financing becomes insufficient to satisfy our future requirements or our floor plan providers are unable to continue to extend credit under our floor plan agreements, we would need to obtain similar financing from other sources. There is no assurance that such additional floor plan financing or alternate financing could be obtained or, if obtained, that it will be on commercially reasonable terms.

A significant percentage of our revenues come from customers in the oil and gas exploration and production industry, a historically cyclical industry.

Several of our large customers provide oil and gas production services. The oil and gas exploration and production industry is a historically cyclical industry characterized by significant changes in the levels of exploration and development activities. Oil and gas prices, and market expectations of potential changes in those prices, significantly affect the levels of those activities. Any reduction in the overall level of exploration and development activities, whether resulting from changes in oil and gas prices or otherwise, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Impairment in the carrying value of goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets could negatively affect our operating results.

We have a substantial amount of goodwill on our balance sheet as a result of acquisitions we have completed. Approximately 98% of this goodwill is concentrated in our Truck Segment. The carrying value of goodwill represents the fair value of an acquired business in excess of identifiable assets and liabilities as of the acquisition date. Goodwill is not amortized, but instead is evaluated for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if potential interim indicators exist that could result in impairment. In testing for impairment, if the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its current fair value as determined based on the discounted future cash flows of the reporting unit, the goodwill is considered impaired and is reduced to fair value via a non-cash charge to earnings. Events and conditions that could result in impairment include a prolonged weak economic recovery, adverse changes in the regulatory environment, any matters that impact manufacturers’ ability to provide trucks to us, issues with our franchise rights, or other factors leading to reductions in expected long-term sales or profitability. Determination of the fair value of a reporting unit includes developing estimates that are highly subjective and incorporate calculations that are sensitive to minor changes in underlying assumptions. Management’s assumptions are subject to change as more information becomes available. Changes in these assumptions could result in an impairment charge in the future, which could have a significant adverse impact on our reported earnings. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Critical Accounting Estimates — Goodwill” for more information regarding the potential impact of changes in assumptions.

Changes in interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our profitability.

Our primary floor plan financing agreements and some of our other debt are subject to variable interest rates. Therefore, our interest expense would rise with any increase in interest rates. A rise in interest rates may also have the effect of depressing demand in the interest rate sensitive aspects of our business, particularly new and used commercial vehicle sales, because many of our customers finance these large purchases. As a result, a rise in interest rates may have the effect of simultaneously increasing our costs and reducing our revenues, which could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. See “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” for a discussion regarding our interest rate sensitivity.

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Our growth is subject to a number of economic risks.

New and used commercial vehicle retail sales tend to experience periods of decline characterized by oversupply and weak demand. The commercial vehicle retail industries may experience sustained periods of decline in commercial vehicle sales in the future. Any decline or change of this type could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Adverse regional economic and competitive conditions in the geographic markets in which we operate could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our new commercial vehicle sales volume therefore may differ from industry sales fluctuations.

Economic conditions and the other factors described above also may materially adversely impact our sales of finance and insurance products, and parts and repair services.

If we lose key personnel or are unable to attract additional qualified personnel, our business could be adversely affected because we rely on the industry knowledge and relationships of our key personnel.

We believe that our success depends significantly upon the efforts and abilities of our executive management and key employees. Additionally, our business is dependent upon our ability to continue to attract and retain qualified personnel, such as executive officers, managers and dealership personnel. The loss of the services of one or more members of our senior management team could have a material adverse effect on us and materially impair the efficiency and productivity of our operations. In addition, the loss of any of our key employees or the failure to attract additional qualified executive officers, managers and dealership personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business and may materially impact the ability of our dealerships to conduct their operations in accordance with our business strategy.

We depend on relationships with suppliers for sales incentives, discounts and similar programs which are material to our operations.

We depend on suppliers for sales incentives, discounts, warranties and other programs that are intended to promote our use of their components. Most of the incentives and discounts are individually negotiated and not always the same as those made available to our competitors. These incentives and discounts are material to our operations. A reduction or discontinuation of a component supplier’s incentive program could have a material adverse effect on our profitability.

We are dependent on the ongoing success of the manufacturers we represent and adverse conditions affecting the manufacturers we represent may negatively impact our revenues and profitability.

The success of our dealerships is dependent on the manufacturers represented at such dealerships in several ways. Our ability to sell new vehicles and replacement parts is dependent on the ability of the manufacturers we represent to produce and deliver new vehicles and replacement parts to our dealerships. Additionally, our dealerships perform warranty work for vehicles under manufacturer product warranties, which are billed to the appropriate vehicle manufacturer or component supplier as opposed to invoicing the store customer. We generally have significant receivables from manufacturers for warranty and service work performed for customers. In addition, we rely on manufacturers to varying extents for product training, marketing materials, and other items for our stores. Our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be materially adversely affected as a result of any event that has a material adverse effect on the manufacturers we represent.

The manufacturers we represent may be adversely impacted by economic downturns, significant declines in the sales of their new vehicles, labor strikes or similar disruptions (including within their major suppliers), rising raw materials costs, rising employee benefit costs, adverse publicity that may reduce consumer demand for their products (including due to bankruptcy), product defects, vehicle recall campaigns, litigation, poor product mix or unappealing vehicle design, governmental laws and regulations, or other adverse events. Our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows could be adversely affected if one or more of the manufacturers we represent are impacted by any of the foregoing adverse events.

Actions taken in response to continued operational losses by manufacturers we represent, including bankruptcy or reorganizations, could have a material adverse effect on our sales volumes and profitability. In addition, such actions could lead to the impairment of one or more of our franchise rights, inventories, fixed assets and other related assets, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. For example, during the second quarter of 2009, General Motors made the decision to terminate its medium-duty GMC truck production and wind-down the Company’s medium-duty GMC truck franchises, which forced the Company to take a significant pre-tax asset impairment charge in the second quarter of 2009. Actions taken in response to continued operational losses by manufacturers we represent, including bankruptcy or reorganizations, could also eliminate or reduce such manufacturers’ indemnification obligations to our dealerships, which could increase our risk in products liability actions.

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Our dealership agreements are non-exclusive and have relatively short terms which could result in non-renewal or imposition of less favorable terms upon renewal.

Our dealership agreements generally do not contractually provide us with exclusive dealerships in any territory. Manufacturers we represent could elect to create additional dealers in our market areas in the future, subject to restrictions imposed by state laws. While dealership agreements typically restrict dealers from operating sales or service facilities outside their assigned territory, such agreements do not restrict fleet or other sales or marketing activity outside the assigned territory. Accordingly, we engage in fleet sales and other marketing activities outside our assigned territories and other dealers engage in similar activities within our territories.

Our Peterbilt dealership agreements have current terms expiring between June 2012 and December 2014. Our International dealership agreements have current terms expiring May 2013 and May 2015. Our dealership agreements with Autocar, Mitsubishi, Hino, UD, Ford, Isuzu, Diamond, Elkhart, Blue Bird, IC Bus and Workhorse for the sale of medium-duty commercial vehicles have current terms expiring between May 2013 and March 2016. Upon expiration of each agreement, we must negotiate a renewal. In many states, state dealer franchise laws restrict the manufacturer’s ability to refuse to renew dealership agreements or to impose new terms upon renewal. To the extent such laws do permit non-renewal or imposition of new terms, the relatively short terms will give the manufacturers the opportunity to exercise such rights. Any non-renewal or imposition of less favorable terms upon renewal could have an adverse impact on our business.

The dollar amount of our backlog, as stated at any given time, is not necessarily indicative of our future earnings.

As of December 31, 2011, our backlog of new commercial vehicle orders was approximately $678.7 million. Our backlog is determined quarterly by multiplying the number of new commercial vehicles for each particular type of commercial vehicle ordered by a customer at our Rush Truck Centers by the recent average selling price for that type of commercial vehicle. We only include confirmed orders in our backlog. However, such orders are subject to cancellation. In the event of order cancellation, we have no contractual right to the total revenues reflected in our backlog.

Reductions in backlog due to cancellation by a customer or for other reasons adversely affect, potentially to a material extent, the revenue and profit we actually receive from orders projected in our backlog. If we were to experience significant cancellations of orders in our backlog, our financial condition could be adversely affected.

Our dealerships are subject to federal, state and local environmental regulations that may result in claims and liabilities, which could be material.

We are subject to a wide range of federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those governing discharges into the air and water; the operation and removal of underground and aboveground storage tanks; the use, handling, storage and disposal of hazardous substances, petroleum and other materials; and the investigation and remediation of contamination. As with commercial vehicle dealerships generally, and service, parts and body shop operations in particular, our business involves the generation, use, storage, handling and contracting for recycling or disposal of hazardous materials or wastes and other environmentally sensitive materials. Any non-compliance with these laws and regulations could result in significant fines, penalties and remediation costs which could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.

We may also have liability in connection with materials that were sent to third-party recycling, treatment, or disposal facilities under federal and state statutes. In that case, laws and regulations may make us responsible for liability relating to the investigation and remediation of contamination without regard to fault or the legality of the conduct that contributed to the contamination. In connection with our acquisitions, it is possible that we will assume or become subject to new or unforeseen environmental costs or liabilities, some of which may be material. In connection with dispositions of businesses, or dispositions previously made by companies we acquire, we may retain exposure for environmental costs and liabilities, some of which may be material.

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Further, environmental laws and regulations are complex and subject to change. Compliance with current or amended, or new or more stringent, laws or regulations, stricter interpretations of existing laws or the future discovery of environmental conditions could require additional expenditures by us which could materially adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.

Natural disasters and adverse weather events can disrupt our business.

Our dealerships are concentrated in states and regions in the United States in which actual or threatened natural disasters and severe weather events (such as hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, floods and hail storms) may disrupt our operations, which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. In addition to business interruption, our business is subject to substantial risk of property loss due to the significant concentration of property at dealership locations. Although we have, subject to certain limitations and exclusions, substantial insurance, we may be exposed to uninsured or underinsured losses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Climate change legislation or regulations restricting emissions of “greenhouse gases” could result in increased costs and reduced demand for our products and services.

The EPA and the DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) recently announced proposed rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel efficiency of medium and heavy-duty vehicles. The EPA and NHTSA are attempting to create a “heavy-duty national program,” designed to reduce oil consumption and address global climate change by each proposing complementary standards to reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions from on-highway transportation sources. The emissions and fuel consumption standards in the proposed rules would phase in with increasing stringency in each model year from 2014 to 2017. The proposed rules are likely to increase the production costs of the manufacturers we represent. Our manufacturers are likely to pass such costs on to us, which could increase the cost of the new vehicles we sell and, accordingly, reduce demand for such products. Increased costs and reduced demand could materially adversely affect our ability to sell new vehicles, which would materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Our investments in auction rate securities may be further impaired.

Auction rate securities (“ARS”) are long-term debt instruments with interest rates that reset through periodic short-term auctions. Holders of ARS can either sell into the auction, or bid, based on a desired interest rate, or hold and accept the reset rate. If there are insufficient buyers, then the auction fails and holders are unable to liquidate their investment through the auction. A failed auction is not a default of the debt instrument, but does set a new interest rate in accordance with the original terms of the debt instrument. The result of a failed auction is that the ARS continues to pay interest in accordance with its terms; however, liquidity for holders is limited until there is a successful auction or until such time as another market for ARS develops. ARS are generally callable at any time by the issuer. Auctions continue to be held as scheduled until the ARS matures or until it is called.

As a result of the conditions in the global credit markets, we have been unable to liquidate our holdings of certain ARS because the auctions for the ARS we hold have failed. As of December 31, 2011, the Company held ARS with underlying tax-exempt municipal bonds that mature in 2030 that have a fair value of $6.6 million and a cost basis of $7.6 million. This decrease in fair value is considered temporary and the impairment charge is recorded as other comprehensive income, a component of shareholder equity. We continue to earn interest on these investments at the contractual rate. In the event we need to access these funds, we will not be able to do so until a future auction is successful, the issuer redeems the securities, a buyer is found outside of the auction process or the securities mature. If these ARS are unable to successfully clear at future auctions or issuers do not redeem the securities, we may be required to further adjust the carrying value of the securities and record additional impairment charges. If we determine that the fair value of these ARS is further impaired, we will record a temporary impairment within other comprehensive income, a component of stockholders’ equity. If it is determined that the fair value of these securities is other than temporarily impaired, we would recognize the credit loss portion of the other than temporary impairment in earnings, which could materially adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition. Any noncredit loss would be recognized in other comprehensive income. For further discussion of the risks related to our auction rate securities, see Note 9 – Financial Instruments and Fair Value of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Item 7A – Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

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Risks Related to Our Common Stock

We are controlled by a single shareholder and his affiliates.

W. Marvin Rush and W. M. “Rusty” Rush own approximately 0.23% of our issued and outstanding shares of Class A common stock and 38.1% of our issued and outstanding Class B common stock. W. Marvin Rush and W. M. “Rusty” Rush collectively control more than 33.9% of the aggregate voting power of our outstanding shares and voting power which is superior to that of any other person or group. The interests of W. Marvin Rush and W.M. “Rusty” Rush may not be consistent with your interests as a shareholder. As a result of such ownership, W. Marvin Rush and W. M. “Rusty” Rush have the power to effectively control the Company, including the election of directors, the determination of matters requiring shareholder approval and other matters pertaining to corporate governance.

Our dealership agreements could discourage another company from acquiring us and impede our ability to issue additional stock to raise capital or as consideration for future acquisitions.

A number of our dealership agreements impose ownership requirements on W. Marvin Rush, W.M. “Rusty” Rush and other officers of the Company and restrictions on the sale or transfer of the underlying franchises. These ownership requirements and restrictions may prevent or deter prospective acquirers from acquiring control of us and, therefore, may adversely impact the value of our common stock. For example, under the Peterbilt dealership agreements, except as may be otherwise approved from time to time by Peterbilt, W. Marvin Rush, W. M. “Rusty” Rush, W. Marvin Rush’s family members and other of our executives, in the aggregate, are required to retain control of at least 30% of the aggregate voting power of our outstanding shares and voting power equal or superior to that of any other person or group.

In addition, W. Marvin Rush and members of his immediate family have granted Peterbilt a right of first refusal to purchase their respective shares of common stock in the event that any of such individuals desire to transfer in excess of 100,000 shares in any 12-month period to any person other than an immediate family member, an associate or a Dealer Principal (as defined in the Peterbilt dealership agreements). This right of first refusal, the number of shares owned by W. Marvin Rush and W.M. “Rusty” Rush and the requirement in our dealership agreements that certain officers of the Company and Rush family members retain a controlling interest in us, combined with the ability of the Board of Directors to issue shares of preferred stock without further vote or action by the shareholders, may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control without further action by our shareholders, which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock or prevent or delay a merger or acquisition that our shareholders may consider favorable. We do not have the right to waive the right of first refusal or the terms of its dealership agreements in order to accept a favorable offer.

Actions by our shareholders or prospective shareholders that would violate any of the above restrictions on our dealership agreements are generally outside our control. If we are unable to renegotiate these restrictions, we may be forced to terminate or sell one or more of our dealerships, which could have a material adverse effect on us. These restrictions may also inhibit our ability to raise required capital or to issue our stock as consideration for future acquisitions.

The Class A common stock has limited voting power.

Each share of Class A common stock ranks substantially equal to each share of Class B common stock with respect to receipt of any dividends or distributions declared on shares of common stock and the right to receive proceeds on liquidation or dissolution of us after payment of our indebtedness and liquidation preference payments to holders of any preferred shares. However, holders of Class A common stock have 1/20th of one vote per share on all matters requiring a shareholder vote, while holders of Class B common stock have one full vote per share.

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Our Class B common stock has a low average daily trading volume. As a result, sales of our Class B common stock could cause the market price of our Class B common stock to drop, and it may be difficult for a stockholder to liquidate its position in our Class B common stock quickly without adversely affecting the market price of such shares.

The market price of our Class B common stock has historically been lower than the market price of our Class A common stock. The volume of trading in our Class B common stock varies greatly and may often be light. As of December 31, 2011, the three-month average daily trading volume of our Class B common stock was approximately 14,000 shares, with several days having a trading volume below 1,000 shares. W. Marvin Rush, our Chairman, owns approximately 38.1% of our Class B common stock. If any large shareholder, including W. Marvin Rush, were to begin selling shares in the market rather than holding such shares over a longer term, the added available supply of shares could cause the market price of our Class B common stock to drop. In addition, the lack of a robust resale market may require a shareholder to sell a large number of shares of our Class B common stock in increments over time to mitigate any adverse impact of the sales on the market price of our Class B common stock.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None

Item 2. Properties

The Company’s corporate headquarters are located in New Braunfels, Texas. As of December 2011, the Company also owns or leases numerous facilities used in our operations in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. A Rush Truck Center may be comprised of one or more locations, generally in close proximity, in the same metropolitan area. These facilities consist primarily of office space, display lots, service facilities and parking lots.

The Company’s truck leasing operations lease additional space in Alabama, Arizona, California and Florida.

The Company’s insurance agency leases space in California, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas.

The Company leases a hangar in New Braunfels, Texas for the corporate aircraft. The Company also owns and operates a guest ranch of approximately 9,500 acres near Cotulla, Texas. The Company uses the ranch for client development purposes and sells hunting trips on the ranch.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we are involved in litigation arising out of the Company’s operations in the ordinary course of business. We maintain liability insurance, including product liability coverage, in amounts deemed adequate by management. To date, aggregate costs to us for claims, including product liability actions, have not been material. However, an uninsured or partially insured claim, or claim for which indemnification is not available, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition. We believe that there are no claims or litigation pending, the outcome of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. However, due to the inherent uncertainty of litigation, there can be no assurance that the resolution of any particular claim or proceeding would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations for the fiscal period in which such resolution occurred.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock trades on The NASDAQ Global Select Market^SM under the symbols RUSHA and RUSHB.

The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices for the Class A common stock and Class B common stock for the fiscal periods indicated and as quoted on The NASDAQ Global Select Market^SM.

As of March 2, 2012, there were approximately 39 record holders of the Class A common stock and approximately 46 record holders of the Class B common stock.

The Company did not pay dividends during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, or the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. The Board of Directors intends to retain any earnings of the Company to support operations and to finance expansion and does not intend to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future determination as to the payment of dividends will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company and will depend on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and such other factors as the Board of Directors deems relevant.

The Company has not sold any securities in the last three years that were not registered under the Securities Act.

The Company did not repurchase any shares of its Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Information regarding the Company’s equity compensation plans is incorporated by reference from Item 12, “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters,” of this annual report on Form 10-K, and should be considered an integral part of this Item 5.

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data

The information below was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in this report and reports we have previously filed with the SEC. This information should be read together with those consolidated financial statements and the notes to those consolidated financial statements. These historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future. The selected financial data presented below may not be comparable between periods in all material respects or indicative of the Company’s future financial position or results of operations due primarily to acquisitions and discontinued operations which occurred during the periods presented. See Note 15 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of such acquisitions. The selected financial data presented below should be read in conjunction with the Company’s other financial information included elsewhere herein.

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

General

The Company believes these record results validate our efforts to build an organization with a diversified earnings base that is less dependent on the highly cyclical Class 8 truck sales market. For 15 years, the Company has worked to position itself as a service solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. These efforts include focusing on expanding its capabilities in less cyclical aftermarket operations, broadening the depth of its commercial vehicle product offerings and expanding its network of Rush Truck Centers.

The Company’s aftermarket capabilities now include a wide range of services and products such as a fleet of mobile service units, mobile technicians who staff customers’ facilities, a proprietary line of parts and accessories, new diagnostic and analysis capabilities, factory certified service for alternative fuel vehicles and assembly service for specialized bodies and equipment. As a result of the Company’s efforts to expand aftermarket capabilities, aftermarket operations currently account for more than 60% of the Company’s total gross profits.

Once primarily focused on Class 8 truck sales, the Company has now expanded its commercial vehicle product line to include medium-duty and light-duty trucks, buses and vocational specialty vehicles such as refuse trucks, tow trucks and truck-mounted cranes. The Company has developed relationships with a more diverse customer base across a wide range of market segments, resulting in our ability to offer a complete range of solutions from sales of new vehicles to aftermarket support for vehicles in operation.

The Company has a track record of growth through acquisitions and additions of dealerships within its current areas of responsibility. It now operates a contiguous network of 70 Rush Truck Centers across the United States. The Company believes that this geographic diversity will more effectively allow the Company to withstand regional economic downturns and expand service capabilities that better match the footprint of its customer base.

The Company encourages its customers to “Expect More” because it is confident that it has built a network of Rush Truck Centers that can provide its customers with any service they need related to their commercial vehicles and help create efficiencies in their businesses. The Company’s long-term goal has been to provide its customers with more services so that it can minimize its dependence on the cyclical Class 8 truck sales market for operating profits.

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The Company expects U.S. Class 8 retail sales will remain on pace to reach approximately 200,000 to 215,000 units in 2012, just slightly above historical replacement levels, an approximate 15% to 24% increase over 2011. U. S. retail sales for Class 4 through 7 are expected to reach 163,000 units in 2012, a 13% increase over 2011. The Company has been able to increase its share of Class 8 U.S. retail sales by nearly 30% since 2009 through acquisitions and increased sales at its existing dealerships. Likewise, the Company’s Class 4 through 7 medium-duty market share has expanded by nearly 45% during this same time period.

A.C.T. Research Co., LLC (“A.C.T. Research”), a truck industry data and forecasting service provider, currently predicts 2012 U.S. Class 8 truck sales to reach 214,000 units, up from 174,000 units sold in 2011. A.C.T. Research currently predicts U.S. Class 4-7 retail sales in 2012 to be 163,000 units, up from 144,233 units in 2011.

The Company believes that it is in the beginning of a multi-year improving truck market as current sales levels of both Class 8 and medium-duty trucks have been below historical replacement levels for the last five years. In 2011, the Company’s Class 8 retail sales increased by 91% over 2010, far outpacing the U.S. Class 8 truck market, which increased by 58%. The Company’s Class 8 truck sales accounted for 5.2% of the U.S. Class 8 retail truck sales market in 2011. The increase in the Class 8 truck sales was primarily the result of continued strong demand by oilfield services customers and replacement purchases by large fleet customers.

Similarly, Rush’s U.S. Class 4 through 7 medium-duty commercial vehicle sales were up 94% over 2010, significantly outpacing the U.S. Class 4 through 7 market, which increased by 23%. Rush’s medium-duty retail sales accounted for 3.8% of U.S. Class 4 through 7 retail sales in 2011. The majority of our medium-duty growth was achieved through Navistar Division dealerships and Ford and Isuzu dealerships in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and California that were acquired during 2010 and 2011.

The Company continues to pursue its acquisition strategy. In the fourth quarter, the Company purchased certain assets of West Texas Peterbilt, which included five locations in West Texas, and Peck Road Ford in Whittier, California. The Company now operates five Ford franchises and sixteen Isuzu franchises in its network of Rush Truck Centers. The acquisition of West Texas Peterbilt expanded the Company’s representation of Peterbilt in Texas to include the entire state.

Improvements to the Company’s existing network of Rush Truck Centers continue. The Company relocated its dealerships in Ft. Worth, Texas and Orlando, Florida at the end of 2011. In 2012, the Company plans to relocate its Phoenix, Arizona, open a new Rush Bus Center in Houston to better serve its bus customers in the Houston market and construct a new dealership facility in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In 2011, the Company also expanded operations to take advantage of strong demand for ancillary services not traditionally performed by truck dealerships. The Company leased a 237,000 square foot facility in Houston to support demand from several long-term oilfield services customers for oilfield vehicle preparation and service, and also established a new 50,000 square foot modification center in the Dallas area.

The Company continues to evaluate opportunities to expand its Navistar Division. The 17 locations in the Navistar Division have now become a solid contributor to the Company’s overall profitability and represent a significant opportunity to enlarge the network of Rush Truck Centers. The Company remains committed to work with Navistar to expand its Navistar Division.

Key Performance Indicator

Absorption Rate. Management uses several performance metrics to evaluate the performance of its commercial vehicle dealerships, and considers Rush Truck Centers’ “absorption rate” to be of critical importance. Absorption rate is calculated by dividing the gross profit from the parts, service and body shop departments by the overhead expenses of all of a dealership’s departments, except for the selling expenses of the new and used commercial vehicle departments and carrying costs of new and used commercial vehicle inventory. When 100% absorption is achieved, then gross profit from the sale of a commercial vehicle, after sales commissions and inventory carrying costs, directly impacts operating profit. In 1999, the Company’s commercial vehicle dealerships’ absorption rate was approximately 80%. The Company has made a concerted effort to increase its absorption rate since 1999. The Company’s commercial vehicle dealerships achieved a 113.9% absorption rate for the year in 2011 and 105.5% absorption rate for the year in 2010.

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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The Company’s discussion and analysis of its financial condition and results of operations are based on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ from those estimates. The Company believes the following accounting policies, which are also described in Note 2 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, affect its more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market value. Cost is determined by specific identification of new and used commercial vehicles inventory and by the first-in, first-out method for tires, parts and accessories. As the market value of our inventory typically declines over time, reserves are established based on historical loss experience and market trends. These reserves are charged to cost of sales and reduce the carrying value of our inventory on hand. An allowance is provided when it is anticipated that cost will exceed net realizable value plus a reasonable profit margin.

Goodwill

Goodwill and other intangible assets that have indefinite lives are not amortized but instead are tested at least annually by reporting unit for impairment, or more frequently when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired.

Goodwill is reviewed for impairment utilizing a two-step process. The first step requires the Company to compare the fair value of the reporting unit, which is the same as the segment, to the respective carrying value. The Company considers its segment to be a reporting unit for purposes of this analysis. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, the goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying value is greater than the fair value, there is an indication that an impairment may exist and a second step is required. In the second step of the analysis, the implied fair value of the goodwill is calculated as the excess of the fair value of a reporting unit over the fair values assigned to its assets and liabilities. If the implied fair value of goodwill is less than the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill, the difference is recognized as an impairment loss.

The Company determines the fair value of its reporting unit using the discounted cash flow method. The discounted cash flow method uses various assumptions and estimates regarding revenue growth rates, future gross margins, future selling, general and administrative expenses and an estimated weighted average cost of capital. The analysis is based upon available information regarding expected future cash flows of each reporting unit discounted at rates consistent with the cost of capital specific to the reporting unit. This type of analysis contains uncertainties because it requires the Company to make assumptions and to apply judgment regarding its knowledge of its industry, information provided by industry analysts, and its current business strategy in light of present industry and economic conditions. If any of these assumptions change, or fails to materialize, the resulting decline in its estimated fair value could result in a material impairment charge to the goodwill associated with the reporting unit.

The Company does not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a material change in the future estimates or assumptions it used to test for impairment losses on goodwill. However, if actual results are not consistent with our estimates or assumptions, or certain events occur that might adversely affect the reported value of goodwill in the future, the Company may be exposed to an impairment charge that could be material. Such events may include, but are not limited to, strategic decisions made in response to economic and competitive conditions or the impact of the current economic environment.

The Company has historically performed an annual impairment review of goodwill during the fourth quarter of each year, however, an interim evaluation of goodwill was required during the second quarter of 2009 due to General Motors’ decision to terminate production of medium-duty GMC trucks, which resulted in the winding-down of the Company’s medium-duty GMC truck franchises. The goodwill allocation was based on the relative fair values of the medium-duty GMC truck franchises and the portion of the Company’s Truck Segment remaining. The Company’s Truck Segment recorded a non-cash charge of $0.8 million related to the impairment of the goodwill of its medium-duty GMC truck franchises. See Note 17 for further discussion of the wind-down of the Company’s medium-duty GMC truck franchise agreements.

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Goodwill was tested for impairment during the fourth quarter of 2011 and no impairment write down was required. The fair value of each of our reporting units exceeded the carrying value of its net assets. As a result, we were not required to conduct the second step of the impairment test. The Company does not believe any of its reporting units are at risk of failing step one of the impairment test.

Insurance Accruals

The Company is partially self-insured for a portion of the claims related to its property and casualty insurance programs, requiring it to make estimates regarding expected losses to be incurred. The Company engages a third party administrator to assess any open claims and the Company adjusts its accrual accordingly on an annual basis. The Company is also partially self-insured for a portion of the claims related to its worker’s compensation and medical insurance programs. The Company uses actuarial information provided from third party administrators to calculate an accrual for claims incurred, but not reported, and for the remaining portion of claims that have been reported.

Changes in the frequency, severity, and development of existing claims could influence the Company’s reserve for claims and financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The Company does not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a material change in the estimates or assumptions it used to calculate its self-insured liabilities. However, if actual results are not consistent with our estimates or assumptions, the Company may be exposed to losses or gains that could be material. A 10% change in the Company’s estimate would have changed its reserve for these losses at December 31, 2011 by $0.8 million.

Accounting for Income Taxes

Management judgment is required to determine the provisions for income taxes and to determine whether deferred tax assets will be realized in full or in part. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities 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. When it is more likely than not that all or some portion of specific deferred income tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance must be established for the amount of deferred income tax assets that are determined not to be realizable. Accordingly, the facts and financial circumstances impacting state deferred income tax assets are reviewed quarterly and management’s judgment is applied to determine the amount of valuation allowance required, if any, in any given period.

The Company’s income tax returns are periodically audited by tax authorities. These audits include questions regarding our tax filing positions, including the timing and amount of deductions. In evaluating the exposures associated with the Company’s various tax filing positions, the Company adjusts its liability for unrecognized tax benefits and income tax provision in the period in which an uncertain tax position is effectively settled, the statute of limitations expires for the relevant taxing authority to examine the tax position, or when more information becomes available.

The Company’s liability for unrecognized tax benefits contains uncertainties because management is required to make assumptions and to apply judgment to estimate the exposures associated with its various filing positions. The Company’s effective income tax rate is also affected by changes in tax law, the level of earnings and the results of tax audits. Although the Company believes that the judgments and estimates are reasonable, actual results could differ, and the Company may be exposed to losses or gains that could be material. An unfavorable tax settlement generally would require use of the Company’s cash and result in an increase in its effective income tax rate in the period of resolution. A favorable tax settlement would be recognized as a reduction in the Company’s effective income tax rate in the period of resolution. The Company’s income tax expense includes the impact of reserve provisions and changes to reserves that it considers appropriate, as well as related interest.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

The Company utilizes derivative financial instruments to manage its interest rate risk. The types of risks hedged are those relating to the variability of cash flows and changes in the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments caused by movements in interest rates. The Company assesses hedge effectiveness at the inception and during the term of each hedge. Derivatives are reported at fair value on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

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The effective portion of the gain or loss on the Company’s cash flow hedges are reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Hedge effectiveness will be assessed quarterly by comparing the changes in cumulative gain or loss from the interest rate swap with the cumulative changes in the present value of the expected future cash flows of the interest rate swap that are attributable to changes in the LIBOR rate. If the interest rate swaps become ineffective, portions of these interest rate swaps would be reported as a component of interest expense in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income.

New Accounting Standards

In June 2011, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires the presentation of components of other comprehensive income with the components of net income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income that contains two sections, net income and other comprehensive income, or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. This accounting standard update eliminated the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of shareholders’ equity, and is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. In December 2011, this standard was amended to delay the proposed identification of reclassification adjustments in the consolidated statements of income. The adoption of this accounting standard update will not have an impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, as it only requires a change in the format of our current presentation of comprehensive income.

Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis includes the Company’s historical results of operations for 2011, 2010 and 2009. The following table sets forth for the years indicated certain financial data as a percentage of total revenues:

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The following table sets forth the unit sales and revenue for new heavy-duty, new medium-duty and used commercial vehicles and the absorption rate for the years indicated (revenue in millions):