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TFI International

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FY2020 Annual Report · TFI International
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2020 ANNUAL REPORT

 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER AND YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

1 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

The  following  is  TFI  International  Inc.’s  management  discussion  and  analysis  (“MD&A”).  Throughout  this  MD&A,  the  terms 
“Company”, “TFI International” and “TFI” shall mean TFI International Inc., and shall include its independent operating subsidiaries. 
This MD&A provides a comparison of the Company’s performance for its three-month period and year ended December 31, 2020 
with the corresponding three-month period and year ended December 31, 2019 and it reviews the Company’s financial position as 
of  December  31,  2020.  It  also  includes  a  discussion  of  the  Company’s  affairs  up  to  February  18,  2021,  which  is  the  date  of  this 
MD&A. The MD&A should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes as at 
and for the year ended December 31, 2020. 

In this document, all financial data are prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued 
by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) unless otherwise noted. The presentation currency of the Company was 
changed from Canadian dollars to United States dollars (U.S. dollars) effective December 31, 2020, as such all amounts are in U.S. 
dollars, and the term “dollar”, as well as the symbol “$”, designate U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. Variances may exist as 
numbers have been rounded. This MD&A also uses non-IFRS financial measures. Refer to the section of this report entitled “Non-IFRS 
Financial Measures” for a complete description of these measures. 

The  Company’s  audited  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  approved  by  its  Board  of  Directors  (“Board”)  upon 
recommendation of its audit committee on February 18, 2021. Prospective data, comments and analysis are also provided wherever 
appropriate to assist existing and new investors to see the business from a corporate management point of view. Such disclosure is 
subject to reasonable constraints for maintaining the confidentiality of certain information that, if published, would probably have an 
adverse impact on the competitive position of the Company. 

Additional  information  relating  to  the  Company  can  be  found  on  its  website  at  www.tfiintl.com.  The  Company’s  continuous 
disclosure materials, including its annual and quarterly MD&A, annual and quarterly consolidated financial statements, annual report, 
annual information form, management proxy circular and the various press releases issued by the Company are also available on its 
website, or directly through the SEDAR system at www.sedar.com, or through the EDGAR system at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.  

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 

The  Company  may  make  statements  in  this  report  that  reflect  its  current  expectations  regarding  future  results  of  operations, 
performance and achievements. These are “forward-looking” statements and reflect management’s current beliefs. They are based 
on information currently available to management. Words such as ”may”, “might”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, 
“plan”,  “foresee”,  “believe”,  “to  its  knowledge”,  “could”,  “design”,  “forecast”,  “goal”,  “hope”,  “intend”,  “likely”,  “predict”, 
“project”, “seek”, “should”, “target”, “will”, “would” or “continue” and words and expressions of similar import are intended to 
identify these forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could 
cause actual results to differ materially from historical results and those presently anticipated or projected. 

The Company wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements which reference issues only 
as of the date made. The following important factors could cause the Company’s actual financial performance to differ materially 
from that expressed in any forward-looking statement: the  highly competitive market conditions, the Company’s ability  to recruit, 
train and retain qualified drivers, fuel price variations and the Company’s ability to recover these costs from its customers, foreign 
currency fluctuations, the impact of environmental standards and regulations, changes in governmental regulations applicable to the 
Company’s  operations,  adverse  weather  conditions,  accidents,  the  market  for  used  equipment,  changes  in  interest  rates,  cost  of 
liability  insurance  coverage,  downturns  in  general  economic  conditions  affecting  the  Company  and  its  customers,  credit  market 
liquidity, and the Company’s ability to identify, negotiate, consummate and successfully integrate business acquisitions.  

The foregoing list should not be construed as exhaustive, and the Company disclaims any subsequent obligation to revise or update 
any  previously  made  forward-looking  statements  unless  required  to  do  so  by  applicable  securities  laws.  Unanticipated  events  are 
likely to occur. Readers should also refer to the section “Risks and Uncertainties” at the end of this MD&A for additional information 
on risk factors and other events that are not within  the Company’s  control. The  Company’s future financial and  operating  results 
may fluctuate as a result of these and other risk factors. 

2020 Annual Report 

2 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA AND HIGHLIGHTS 

(unaudited) 
(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share data) 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended  
December 31  

Revenue before fuel surcharge 

  1,048,147  

883,717  

880,947  

  3,484,303  

  3,477,576  

  3,480,214  

2020  

2019*  

2018*  

2020  

2019*  

2018*  

Fuel surcharge 

Total revenue 

Adjusted EBITDA1 

Operating income from continuing 

operations 

Net income 

Net income from continuing operations 

Adjusted net income1 

Net cash from continuing operating 

73,859  

105,315  

120,711  

296,831  

425,969  

474,543  

  1,122,006  

989,032  

  1,001,658  

  3,781,134  

  3,903,545  

  3,954,757  

193,538  

163,397  

137,279  

699,589  

649,021  

529,163  

117,122  

86,328  

86,328  

93,357  

92,784  

56,680  

57,955  

60,085  

78,824  

416,567  

382,868  

332,020  

58,450  

275,675  

233,677  

224,820  

58,450  

275,675  

244,225  

224,820  

65,656  

299,763  

253,583  

247,548  

activities 

164,928  

133,262  

131,743  

610,862  

500,496  

414,993  

Free cash flow from continuing operations1  

134,715  

78,053  

78,821  

544,644  

347,698  

259,054  

Total assets 

  3,849,364  

  3,508,820  

  2,968,744  

  3,849,364  

  3,508,820  

  2,968,744  

Total long-term debt and lease liabilities 

  1,228,530  

  1,698,898  

  1,161,430  

  1,228,530  

  1,698,898  

  1,161,430  

Per share data 

EPS – diluted 
EPS from continuing operations – diluted  

Adjusted EPS – diluted1 

Dividends 

As a percentage of revenue before fuel 

surcharge 

Adjusted EBITDA margin1 
Depreciation of property and equipment   

Depreciation of right-of-use assets 

Amortization of intangible assets 
Operating margin from continuing 

operations 1 

Adjusted operating ratio1 

0.91  

0.91  

0.98  

0.23  

0.68  

0.70  

0.72  

0.20  

18.5%  

18.5%  

4.2%  

2.1%  

1.3%  

11.2%  

89.1%  

5.1%  

2.2%  

1.4%  

10.5%  

90.2%  

0.65  

0.65  

0.73  

0.18  

15.5%  

4.5%  

—  

1.3%  

8.9%  

90.3%  

3.03  

3.03  

3.30  

0.80  

2.74  

2.86  

2.97  

0.74  

20.1%  

18.7%  

4.9%  

2.3%  

1.4%  

4.9%  

2.2%  

1.4%  

12.0%  

88.5%  

11.0%  

89.8%  

2.48  

2.48  

2.73  

0.67  

15.2%  

4.4%  

—  

1.4%  

9.5%  

90.6%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar.  

Q4 Highlights 

•  Change of presentation currency to U.S. dollars effective on December 31, 2020. 

• 

Fourth quarter operating income from continuing operations of $117.1 million increased 26% from the same quarter last year 
on continued strengthening transportation demand following the COVID-19 trough, cost reductions enacted in response to the 
pandemic, strong execution across the organization, an asset-light approach, and cost efficiencies. 

•  Operating  margin  from  continuing  operations1,  a  non-IFRS  measure,  increased  to  11.2%,  up  70  basis  points  relative  to  Q4 

2019.  

•  Net income from continuing operations of $86.3 million increased 49% compared to $58.0 million in Q4 2019.  

•  Diluted earnings per share (diluted “EPS”) from continuing operations of $0.91 increased from $0.70 in Q4 2019. 

1 

Refer to the section “Non-IFRS financial measures”. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                          
•  Adjusted net income1, a non-IFRS measure, of $93.4 million increased from $60.1 million in Q4 2019.  

•  Adjusted diluted EPS1, a non-IFRS measure, of $0.98 increased from $0.72 in Q4 2019.  

•  Net cash from continuing operating activities of $164.9 million increased from $133.3 million in Q4 2019. 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

3 

• 

• 

Free cash flow from continuing operations1, a non-IFRS measure, of $134.7 million increased from $78.1 million in Q4 2019.  

The Company’s reportable segments performed as follows: 

o 

Package and Courier operating income increased 30% to $29.4 million; 

o 

Less-Than-Truckload operating income increased 27% to $24.5 million; 

o 

Truckload operating income increased 15% to $53.6 million; and 

o 

Logistics operating income increased 86% to $26.5 million.  

•  On December 15, 2020, the Board of Directors of TFI declared a quarterly dividend of $0.23 (CAD $0.29), a 14% increase over 

the $0.20 (CAD $0.26) dividend in Q4 2019. 

•  During  the  quarter,  TFI  International  acquired  the  dry  bulk  business  of  Grammer  Logistics,  selected  assets  of  Desrosiers 
Transport, FreightLine Carrier Systems, Excel Transportation, and DLS Worldwide (renamed “TForce Worldwide”). Subsequent to 
quarter  end,  TFI  agreed  to  acquire  UPS  Freight  from  United  Parcel  Service,  Inc.  (NYSE:  UPS)  with  the  transaction  expected  to 
close during Q2 2021, and acquired Fleetway Transport Inc.  

• 

Subsequent  to  the  quarter,  TFI  International  completed  its  previously  announced  issuance  and  sale  of  an  aggregate  principal 
amount of $500 million of senior notes. 

ABOUT TFI INTERNATIONAL 

Services 

TFI International is a North American leader in the transportation and logistics industry, operating across the United States, Canada 
and  Mexico  through  its  subsidiaries.  TFI  International  creates  value  for  shareholders  by  identifying  strategic  acquisitions  and 
managing a growing network of wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. Under the TFI International umbrella, companies benefit from 
financial  and  operational  resources  to  build  their  businesses  and  increase  their  efficiency.  TFI  International  companies  service  the 
following reportable segments: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Package and Courier; 

Less-Than-Truckload; 

Truckload; 

Logistics. 

Seasonality of operations 

The activities conducted by the Company are subject to general  demand for  freight  transportation.  Historically, demand has been 
relatively  stable with  the  first  quarter  generally  the  weakest.  Furthermore,  during  the  harsh  winter months,  fuel  consumption  and 
maintenance costs tend to rise. 

Human resources 

As  at  December  31,  2020  the  Company  had  16,753  employees  in  TFI  International’s  various  business  segments  across  North 
America.  This  compares  to  17,150  employees  as  at  December  31,  2019.  The  year-over-year  decrease  of  397  is  attributable  to 
business  acquisitions  that  added  1,329  employees  offset  by  rationalizations  affecting  1,726  employees  mainly  in  the  Less-Than-
Truckload (“LTL”) and Truckload segments. The Company believes that it has a relatively low turnover rate among its employees in 
Canada, and a normal turnover rate in the U.S. comparable to other U.S. carriers, and that its employee relations are very good. 

1  

Refer to the section “Non-IFRS financial measures”. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
                                                          
4 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Equipment 

The Company believes it has the largest trucking fleet in Canada and a significant presence in the U.S. market. As at December 31, 
2020, the Company had 7,867 tractors, 25,520 trailers and 9,901 independent contractors. This compares to 7,772 tractors, 25,505 
trailers and 9,826 independent contractors as at December 31, 2019. 

Facilities 

TFI International’s head office is in Montréal, Québec and its executive office is in Etobicoke, Ontario. As at December 31, 2020, the 
Company had 366 facilities, as compared to 380 facilities as at December 31, 2019. Of these, 235 are located in Canada, including 
151 and 84 in Eastern and Western Canada, respectively. The Company also had 119 facilities in the United States and 12 facilities in 
Mexico. In the last twelve months, 45 facilities were added from business acquisitions, and terminal consolidation decreased the total 
number of facilities by 59, mainly in the Logistics segment. In Q4 2020, the Company closed 11 sites. 

Customers 

The Company has a diverse customer base across a broad cross-section of industries with no single client accounting for more than 
5%  of  consolidated  revenue.  Because  of  its  customer  diversity,  as  well  as  the  wide  geographic  scope  of  the  Company’s  service 
offerings and the range of segments in which it operates, a downturn in the activities of an individual customer or customers in a 
particular  industry  would  not  be  expected  to  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  operations.  The  Company  has  forged  strategic 
partnerships with other transport companies in order to extend its service offerings to customers across North America. 

Revenue by Top Customers' Industry (59% of total revenue) 

Retail 

Manufactured Goods 

Building Materials 

Metals & Mining 

Services 

Automotive 

Food & Beverage 

Forest Products 

Chemicals & Explosives 

Energy 

Waste Management 

Maritime Containers 

Others 

(For the year ended December 31, 2020) 

CONSOLIDATED RESULTS 

25%  

16%  

8%  

8%  

8%  

7%  

7%  

5%  

5%  

3%  

2%  

1%  

5%  

This  section  provides  general  comments  on  the  consolidated  results  of  operations.  A  more  detailed  analysis  is  provided  in  the 
“Segmented results” section. 

2020 business acquisitions 

In line with its growth strategy, the Company has acquired thirteen businesses during 2020: the Courier Service business from R.R. 
Donnelley  &  Sons  Company  (“CSB”),  Gusgo  Transport  (“Gusgo”),  select  assets  of  CT  Transportation,  LLC  (“CT”),  select  assets  of 
MCT Transportation, LLC (“MCT”), DSN Chemical Transportation (“DSN”), Keith Hall & Sons (“KHS”), substantially all the assets of 
CCC Transportation (“CCC”), selected assets of TBM Logistics Ltd. (“TBM”), selected assets of Desrosiers Transport (“Desrosiers”), 
the  dry  bulk  business  of  Grammer  Logistics  (“Grammer”),  FreightLine  Carrier  Systems  (“FreightLine”),  DLS  Worldwide  (“DLS”) 
renamed “TForce Worldwide”, and Excel Transportation (“Excel”).  

On March  2, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition  of CSB. CSB operates primarily  in the Midwest and Southeast  U.S. 
serving the pharmaceutical, healthcare, retail, financial and transportation industries.  

On  June  18,  2020,  TFI  International  completed  the  acquisition  of  Gusgo.  Based  in  Ontario,  Gusgo  operates  as  a  customs-bonded 
carrier of dry and temperature-controlled commodities in an approximately 500-mile radius around the Greater Toronto Area. 

TFI International 

 
  
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

5 

On June 26, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition of CT. Based in Georgia, CT specializes in flatbed transportation for 
major  building  product  manufacturers  and  home  improvement  distributors  throughout  the  Southeast  and  Mid-Atlantic  regions  of 
the United States.  

On  June  26,  2020,  TFI  International  completed  the  acquisition  of  MCT.  Based  in  South  Dakota,  MCT  provides  transportation  for 
major companies in the packaged food, agriculture, medical and automotive industries, primarily throughout the Southeast and Mid-
West regions of the United States. 

On July 16, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition of DSN. Based in Ontario, DSN provides 3PL transborder services for 
chemical transportation and warehousing for major companies. 

On  July  31,  2020,  TFI  International  completed  the  acquisition  of  KHS.  Based  in  Ontario,  KHS  provides  food  grade  transporting 
services, hauling liquid, dry foods, and general freight across North America.  

On  September  9,  2020,  TFI  International  completed  the  acquisition  of  CCC.  Based  in  Florida,  CCC  operates as  a  truckload  carrier 
offering cement hauling services primarily in the Southeast region of the United States. 

On September 18, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition of TBM. Based in Alberta, TBM provides bulk transportation in 
Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.  

On October 1, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition Desrosiers. Based in Ontario, Desrosiers provides bulk transportation 
across lower Ontario.  

On  October  5,  2020,  TFI  International  completed  the  acquisition  of  Grammer.  Based  in  North  Carolina,  Grammer  focuses  on  the 
transportation of commodities including cement and cementitious materials, sand, fly ash, salt, and lime throughout the southeast 
United States. 

On October 31, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition of FreightLine. Based in Ontario, FreightLine provides cross border 
logistics services.  

On November 2, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition of DLS. Based in Illinois, DLS provides logistics services through a 
third-party logistics (“3PL”) network of internal sales personnel, commissioned sales agents, and agent-stations. 

On November 29, 2020, TFI International completed the acquisition of Excel. Based in Ontario, Excel provides Less-Than-Truckload 
services across Canada. 

Revenue 

For the three months ended December 31, 2020, total revenue was $1,122.0 million, up 13%, or $133.0 million, from Q4 2019. 
The contribution from business acquisitions of $147.8 million and from an increase in revenue before fuel surcharge of $19.4 million 
in existing operations was offset by a decrease in fuel surcharge revenue of $34.3 million. The average exchange rate used to convert 
TFI  International’s  revenue  generated  in  CAD  dollars  increased  this  quarter  (US$0.7667)  compared  to  the  same  quarter  last  year 
(US$0.7576) resulting in a negative currency impact of $7.0 million. 

For the year ended December 31, 2020, total revenue was $3.8 billion, down 3%, or $122.4 million, as compared to $3.9 billion in 
2019 mainly due to the decreases in fuel surcharge revenue of $138.6 million and revenue before fuel surcharge of $283.3 million, 
both  in  existing  operations,  offset  by  a  contribution  from  business  acquisitions  of  $299.5  million  and  positive  currency  impact  of 
$25.1 million.  

Operating expenses from continuing operations 

For  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  the  Company’s  operating  expenses  from  continuing  operations  increased  by 
$108.7  million,  to  $1,004.9  million  from  $896.2  million  in  Q4  2019.  The  increase  attributable  to  business  acquisitions  of  $141.2 
million was partially offset by a net decrease of $32.6 million, or 4%, in existing operating expenses. Operating improvements, better 
fleet  utilization,  lower  material  and  services  expenses  and  lower  personnel  expenses  contributed  to  maintaining  the  operating 
expenses in the Company’s existing operations below the Q4 2019 level as a percentage of total revenue. 

For the three months ended December 31, 2020, material and services expenses, net of fuel surcharge, increased by 4.0 percentage 
points  of  revenue  before  fuel  surcharge  compared  to  the  same  period  last  year  due  mainly  due  to  business  acquisitions  which 
accounted for 2.9 percentage points of the increase.  

2020 Annual Report 

 
6 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

For  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  personnel  expense  increased  1%  to  $245.4  million  from  $244.2  million  in  Q4 
2019.  The  increase  includes  a  mark-to-market  loss  on  DSUs  of  $3.2  million  net  of  Canadian  Emergency  Wage  Subsidy  of  $6.3 
million.  

Other  operating  expenses,  which  are  primarily  composed  of  costs  related  to  office  and  terminal  rent,  taxes,  heating, 
telecommunications,  maintenance  and  security  and  other  general  administrative  expenses,  decreased  0.2  percentage  points  of 
revenue before fuel surcharge compared to the same period last year. 

For the three-month period ended December 31, 2020, the gain on sale of assets held for sale was $2.2 million, compared to $6.4 
million in Q4 2019. Seven properties were disposed of for a cash consideration of $6.1 million.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company’s operating expenses from continuing operations decreased by $156.1 million 
from $3.5 billion in 2019 to $3.4 billion in 2020. The decrease is mainly attributable to a decrease of $291.9 million of materials and 
service expense and $134.1 million of personnel expenses, both from existing operations, mainly driven by the reduced volumes in 
Q2 and Q3 attributable to COVID-19. Further contributing to the decrease in operating expenses is the Canadian Emergency Wage 
Subsidy of $52.3 million. This is offset by an increase from business acquisitions of $279.5 million. 

Operating income from continuing operations 

For  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  TFI  International’s  operating  income  from  continuing  operations  rose  by  $24.3 
million to $117.1 million compared to $92.8 million in the same quarter in 2019. The operating margin from continuing operations 
as a percentage of revenue before fuel surcharge improved, from 10.5% in Q4 2019 to 11.2% in Q4 2020. All reportable segments 
reported margin increases. Notably, the Less-Than-Truckload segment reported a margin increase of 4.6 percentage points.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, operating income from continuing operations increased by $33.7 million, or 9%, to $416.6 
million compared to $382.9 million in 2019, driven by operating improvements, business acquisitions and the wage subsidy of $52.3 
million offset by reduced contributions from the gain on sale of assets held for sale of $9.7 million, a bargain purchase gain of $4.0 
million, and gain on sale of rolling stock and equipment of $7.5 million.  

Finance income and costs 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Finance costs (income) 

Interest expense on long-term debt 

Interest expense on lease liabilities 

Interest income and accretion on promissory note 

Net change in fair value and accretion expense of contingent 

considerations 

Net foreign exchange (gain) loss 

Net change in fair value of interest rate derivatives 

Others 

Net finance costs 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

7,287  

3,072  

(277 ) 

141  

373  

(488 ) 

5,274  

15,382  

2019*  

11,344  

3,455  

2020  

34,967  

12,443  

2019*  

43,949  

13,983  

(620 ) 

(1,051 ) 

(2,285 ) 

55  

(396 ) 

—  

1,714  

15,552  

224  

(1,237 ) 

(488 ) 

9,052  

53,910  

199  

220  

—  

6,041  

62,107  

* 

Recasted for changes in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar and mark-to-market gain (loss) on deferred share units presentation in personnel 
expenses from finance (income) costs. 

Interest expense on long-term debt 

Interest expense on long-term debt for the three-month period ended December 31, 2020 was $4.1 million less compared to the 
same quarter last year. The decrease is mainly attributable to a lower average debt level of $0.94 billion for the three months ended 
December 31, 2020 as compared to $1.35 billion the same period in the prior year, and a decrease in the average interest rate in 
2020 as compared to the prior year. For the year ended December 31, 2020, interest expense decreased by $9.0 million due to lower 
average borrowings of $1.05 billion as compared to $1.31 billion in 2019.  

Net foreign exchange gain or loss and net investment hedge 

The Company designates as a hedge a portion of its U.S. dollar denominated debt held against its net investments in U.S. operations. 
This accounting treatment allows the Company to offset the designated portion of foreign exchange gain (or loss) of its debt against 
the foreign exchange loss (or gain) of its net investments in U.S. operations and present them in other comprehensive income. Net 
foreign  exchange  gains  or  losses  recorded  in  income  or  loss  are  attributable  to  the  translation  of  the  U.S.  dollar  portion  of  the 
Company’s  credit  facility  not  designated  as  a  hedge  and  to  the  translation  of  other  financial  assets  and  liabilities  denominated  in 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

7 

currencies  other  than  the  functional  currency.  For  the  three-month  period  ended  December  31,  2020,  a  gain  of  $8.6  million  of 
foreign  exchange  variations  (a  gain  of  $7.5  million  net  of  tax)  was  recorded  to  other  comprehensive  income  as  it  relates  to  the 
translation of the debt in the net investment hedge. For the three-month period ended December 31, 2019, a gain of $5.8 million of 
foreign  exchange  variations  (a  gain  of  $5.0  million  net  of  tax)  was  recorded  to  other  comprehensive  income  as  it  relates  to  the 
translation  of  the  debt  in  the  net  investment  hedge.  For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  a  loss  of  $2.3  million  of  foreign 
exchange variations (a loss of $2.0 million net of tax) was recorded to other comprehensive income as it relates to the translation of 
the debt in the net investment hedge. For the year ended December 31, 2019, a gain of $14.0 million of foreign exchange variations 
(a gain of $12.2 million net of tax) was recorded to other comprehensive income as it relates to the translation of the debt in the net 
investment hedge. 

Net change in fair value of derivatives and cash flow hedge 

The fair values of the Company’s derivative financial instruments, which are used to mitigate foreign exchange and interest rate risks, 
are subject to market price fluctuations in foreign exchange and interest rates.  

The Company designates the interest rate derivatives as a hedge of the variable interest  rate instruments.  Therefore,  the  effective 
portion of changes in fair value of the derivatives is recognized in other comprehensive income. For the three-month period ended 
December 31, 2020, the loss of $2.6 million on change in fair value of interest rate derivatives (a loss of $1.9 million net of tax) was 
entirely designated as cash flow hedge and recorded to other comprehensive income as a change in the fair value of the cash flow 
hedge. For the three-month period ended December 31, 2019, a $0.2 million loss on change in fair value of interest rate derivatives 
(a loss of $0.2 million net of tax) was designated as cash flow hedge and recorded to other comprehensive income as a change in 
the fair value of the cash flow hedge. 

For year ended December 31, 2020, a $0.5 million loss on change in fair value of interest rate derivatives (a loss of $0.5 million net 
of tax) was designated as cash flow hedge and recorded to other comprehensive income as a change in the fair value of the cash 
flow hedge. For year ended December 31, 2019, a $10.0 million loss on change in fair value of interest rate derivatives (a loss of 
$7.4  million  net of  tax)  was  designated as  cash  flow  hedge  and  recorded  to  other  comprehensive  income as  a  change  in  the  fair 
value of the cash flow hedge. 

As at December 31, 2020, the Company no longer had any cash flow hedge positions.  

Income tax expense 

For the three months ended December 31, 2020, the Company’s effective tax rate was 15.1%. The income tax expense of $15.4 
million  reflects  a  $11.6  million  favourable  variance  versus  an  anticipated  income  tax  expense  of  $27.0  million  based  on  the 
Company’s statutory tax rate of 26.5%. The favourable variance is mainly due to favourable variations from an adjustment for prior 
years  of  $8.3  million,  tax  deductions  and  tax  exempt  income  of  4.6  million  and  a  favourable  impact  from  Treasury  Regulations, 
interpretive guidance clarifying the U.S. Tax Reform Bill of $1.0 million. The positive adjustment for the prior years was mainly due to 
adjustment to future tax rates used in deferred income taxes. 

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  the  Company’s  effective  tax  rate  was  24.0%.  The  income  tax  expense  of  $87.0  million 
reflects  a  $9.1  million  favourable  variance  versus  an  anticipated  income  tax  expense  of  $96.1  million  based  on  the  Company’s 
statutory  tax  rate  of  26.5%.  The  favourable  variance  is  mainly  due  to  positive  variations  for  the  tax  deductions  and  tax  exempt 
income  of  $10.2  million,  adjustment  from  prior  years  of  $8.6  million  and  from  lower  effective  rates  in  other  jurisdictions  of  $4.5 
million offset by negative variances from non-deductible expenses of $8.7 million and interpretive guidance clarifying the U.S. Tax 
Reform Bill of $4.5 million.  

The  U.S.  Tax  Reform  introduces  important  changes  to  U.S.  corporate  income  tax  laws  that  may  significantly  affect  the  Group  in 
future  years  including  the  creation  of  a  new  Base  Erosion  Anti-abuse  Tax  (BEAT)  that  subjects  certain  payments  from  U.S. 
corporations to foreign related parties to additional taxes, and limitations to the deduction for net interest expense incurred by U.S. 
corporations. On April 7, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department issued Treasury Regulations, interpretive guidance clarifying the U.S. 
Tax Reform Bill. As anticipated, a tax benefit relating to 2019 and Q1 2020 was disallowed, resulting in a one-time tax expense of 
$7.3 million in Q2 2020. On July 23, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department issued final regulations on changes made to the U.S. Tax 
Reform Bill. It introduces a High-Tax Exception under the Global Intangible Low-taxed Income (GILTI) provisions. A tax benefit relating 
to  2018  and  2019  was  recorded,  resulting  in  a  one-time  tax  recovery  of  $2.0  million  in  2020.  For  the  year  ended  December  31, 
2020, the total impact from these new regulations was $4.5 million following positive adjustments recorded in Q4 2020.  

In  addition  to  the  above,  significant  2020  lower  addition  to  property  and  equipment  from  the  company’s  US  operations  ($69.7 
million in 2020 compared to $145.9 million in 2019) resulted in a higher 2020 current tax expense as a percentage of income before 
income tax as the Company is taking full depreciation on these capital expenditures.  

2020 Annual Report 

 
8 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Net loss from discontinued operations 

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019,  the  Company  recognized  a  net  loss  on  an  accident  claim  of  $10.5  million,  or  $12.4 
million  net  of  $1.9  million  of  tax  recovery.  This  claim  originated  from  an  operating  entity  within  the  discontinued  rig  moving 
operations, which were closed in 2015. 

Net income and adjusted net income 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share data) 

Net income 

Amortization of intangible assets related to business acquisitions, 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

86,328  

2019*  

56,680  

2020  

2019*  

275,675  

233,677  

net of tax 

10,221  

9,263  

35,286  

35,756  

Net change in fair value and accretion expense of contingent 

considerations, net of tax 

Net change in fair value of derivatives, net of tax 

Net foreign exchange (gain) loss, net of tax 

Gain on sale of business, net of tax 

Bargain purchase gain 

Gain on sale of land and buildings and assets held for sale, net of 

tax 

Net loss from discontinued operations 

U.S. Tax Reform 

Adjusted net income1 

Adjusted EPS – basic1 

Adjusted EPS – diluted1 

104  

(373 ) 

227  

(230 ) 

—  

(1,848 ) 

—  

(1,072 ) 

93,357  

1.00  

0.98  

40  

—  

(328 ) 

—  

—  

165  

(373 ) 

(895 ) 

(230 ) 

146  

—  

161  

—  

(4,008 ) 

(8,014 ) 

(6,872 ) 

1,302  

—  

(10,308 ) 

(18,691 ) 

—  

4,451  

10,548  

—  

60,085  

299,763  

253,583  

0.74  

0.72  

3.36  

3.30  

3.04  

2.97  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar.  

For the three months ended December 31, 2020, TFI International’s net income was $86.3 million compared to $56.7 million in Q4 
2019. The Company’s adjusted net income1, a non-IFRS measure, which excludes items listed in the above table, was $93.4 million 
compared  to  $60.1  million  in  Q4  2019,  up  55%  or  $33.3  million.  Adjusted  EPS,  fully  diluted,  increased  by  $0.26  to  $0.98  from 
$0.72 in Q4 2019.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, TFI International’s net income was $275.7 million compared to $233.7 million in 2019. The 
increase of $42.0 million is mainly attributable to the contribution from business acquisitions of $13.9 million, improved operating 
results of existing operations, and the loss from discontinued operations of $10.5 million reflected in the 2019 comparative amount. 
The  Company’s  adjusted  net  income  was  $299.8 million  in  2020  compared  to  $253.6  million  in  2019,  up  18%  or  $46.2  million. 
Adjusted EPS, fully diluted, increased by 11%, to $3.30. 

1  

Refer to the section “Non-IFRS financial measures”. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                          
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

9 

SEGMENTED RESULTS 

To  facilitate  the  comparison  of  business  level  activity  and  operating  costs  between  periods,  the  Company  compares  the  revenue 
before  fuel  surcharge  (“revenue”)  and  reallocates  the  fuel  surcharge  revenue  to  materials  and  services  expenses  within  operating 
expenses. Note that “Total revenue” is not affected by this reallocation. 

Selected segmented financial information 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Package 

and 

Less- 

Than- 

Three months ended December 31, 2020 

Revenue before fuel surcharge1 

  154,094  

  141,081  

438,135  

  322,319  

—  

(7,482 ) 

  1,048,147  

Courier  

Truckload  

Truckload  

Logistics  

Corporate  

Eliminations  

Total  

% of total revenue2 

Adjusted EBITDA3 

Adjusted EBITDA margin4 

Operating income (loss) 

Operating margin4 

Net capital expenditures5 

15%  

35,934  

23.3%  

29,401  

19.1%  

2,550  

14%  

37,084  

26.3%  

24,464  

17.3%  

6,194  

42%  

101,383  

23.1%  

53,604  

12.2%  

21,155  

29%  

35,809  

11.1%  

26,462  

8.2%  

70  

(16,672 ) 

(16,809 ) 

244  

100%  

193,538  

18.5%  

117,122  

11.2%  

30,213  

—  

—  

—  

Three months ended December 31, 2019*   

Revenue before fuel surcharge1 

  127,301  

  151,303  

412,760  

  198,961  

—  

(6,608 ) 

883,717  

% of total revenue2 

Adjusted EBITDA3 

Adjusted EBITDA margin4 

Operating income (loss) 

Operating margin4 

Net capital expenditures5 

YTD December 31, 2020 

15%  

29,295  

23.0%  

22,680  

17.8%  

3,321  

18%  

31,269  

20.7%  

19,311  

12.8%  

27,945  

47%  

90,447  

21.9%  

46,417  

11.2%  

17,783  

20%  

21,933  

11.0%  

14,216  

7.1%  

1,002  

(9,547 ) 

(9,840 ) 

5,158  

100%  

163,397  

18.5%  

92,784  

10.5%  

55,209  

—  

—  

—  

Revenue before fuel surcharge1 

  481,490  

  522,851  

  1,584,837  

  923,456  

—  

(28,331 ) 

  3,484,303  

% of total revenue2 

Adjusted EBITDA3 

Adjusted EBITDA margin4 

Operating income (loss) 

Operating margin4 

14%  

15%  

46%  

25%  

  104,019  

  138,361  

383,155  

  113,885  

(39,831 ) 

21.6%  

78,753  

16.4%  

26.5%  

87,950  

16.8%  

24.2%  

206,346  

13.0%  

12.3%  

84,459  

9.1%  

(40,941 ) 

Total assets less intangible assets 

  194,631  

  404,074  

  1,193,730  

  272,592  

34,564  

Net capital expenditures5 

YTD December 31, 2019* 

16,798  

19,230  

29,179  

567  

444  

100%  

699,589  

20.1%  

416,567  

12.0%  

  2,099,591  

66,218  

—  

—  

—  

—  

Revenue before fuel surcharge1 

  473,666  

  627,219  

  1,657,797  

  745,322  

—  

(26,428 ) 

  3,477,576  

% of total revenue2 

Adjusted EBITDA3 

Adjusted EBITDA margin4 

Operating income (loss) 

Operating margin4 

14%  

18%  

  106,278  

  126,641  

22.4%  

82,228  

17.4%  

20.2%  

82,230  

13.1%  

48%  

362,641  

21.9%  

192,172  

11.6%  

20%  

83,030  

11.1%  

57,447  

7.7%  

Total assets less intangible assets 

  180,811  

  407,358  

  1,206,568  

  159,152  

Net capital expenditures5 

10,967  

27,536  

108,039  

1,995  

(29,569 ) 

(31,209 ) 

49,771  

4,261  

100%  

649,021  

18.7%  

382,868  

11.0%  

  2,003,660  

152,798  

—  

—  

—  

—  

* 

Recasted for changes in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar and mark-to-market gain (loss) on deferred share units presentation in personnel 
expenses from finance (income) costs. 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

Includes intersegment revenue. 
Segment revenue including fuel surcharge and intersegment revenue to consolidated revenue including fuel surcharge and intersegment revenue. 
Refer to the section “Non-IFRS financial measures” 
As a percentage of revenue before fuel surcharge. 
Additions rolling stock and equipment, net of proceeds from the sale of rolling stock and equipment and assets held for sale excluding property. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                          
10  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Package and Courier 

(unaudited) – (in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Three months ended December 31  

Years ended December 31  

Total revenue 

Fuel surcharge 

Revenue 

Materials and services expenses (net of 

fuel surcharge) 

Personnel expenses 

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

  167,555  

(13,461 ) 

  145,018  

(17,717 ) 

  529,155  

(47,665 ) 

  539,610  

(65,944 ) 

  154,094  

  100.0%  

  127,301  

  100.0%  

  481,490  

  100.0%  

  473,666  

  100.0%  

  72,115  

46.8%  

  55,737  

43.8%  

  220,741  

45.8%  

  203,441  

43.0%  

  39,821  

25.8%  

  35,222  

27.7%  

  133,552  

27.7%  

  138,125  

29.2%  

Other operating expenses 

6,234  

4.0%  

7,015  

5.5%  

  23,145  

4.8%  

  25,973  

5.5%  

Depreciation of property and 

equipment 

Depreciation of right-of-use assets 

Amortization of intangible assets 

(Gain) loss on sale of rolling stock and 

3,168  

3,210  

248  

2.1%  

2.1%  

0.2%  

2,606  

3,713  

2.0%  

  11,539  

2.4%  

  10,046  

2.9%  

  12,871  

2.7%  

  13,956  

234  

0.2%  

947  

0.2%  

891  

2.1%  

2.9%  

0.2%  

equipment 

(10 ) 

-0.0%  

47  

0.0%  

43  

0.0%  

(135 ) 

-0.0%  

Gain on derecognition of right-of-use 

assets 

—  

—  

(15 ) 

-0.0%  

(10 ) 

-0.0%  

(16 ) 

-0.0%  

(Gain) loss on sale of land and 

buildings and assets held for sale 

(93 ) 

-0.1%  

62  

0.0%  

(91 ) 

-0.0%  

(843 ) 

-0.2%  

Operating income 

Adjusted EBITDA 

  29,401  

19.1%  

  22,680  

17.8%  

  78,753  

16.4%  

  82,228  

17.4%  

  35,934  

23.3%  

  29,295  

23.0%  

  104,019  

21.6%  

  106,278  

22.4%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

Operational data 

(unaudited) – (Revenue in U.S. dollars)   

Three months ended December 31  

Years ended December 31  

%  

2.9%  

6.5%  

2020    

2019*  

  Variance  

%  

2020  

2019*    

Variance  

Revenue per pound (including fuel) 

Revenue per pound (excluding fuel) 

Revenue per shipment (including fuel)   

$ 

$ 

$ 

0.40   $ 

0.36  

0.36   $ 

0.31  

6.40   $ 

6.52  

$ 

$ 

$ 

0.04  

0.05  

11.1%  

16.1%  

(0.12 )   

-1.8%  

$ 

$ 

$ 

Tonnage (in thousands of metric tons)   

192    

185  

7  

3.8%  

$ 

$ 

$ 

0.36  

0.33  

6.24  

658  

0.35   $ 

0.01  

0.31   $ 

0.02  

6.29   $ 

(0.05 )   

-0.8%  

695    

(37 )   

-5.3%  

Shipments (in thousands) 

  26,185    

22,244  

3,941  

17.7%  

84,854  

85,743    

(889 )   

-1.0%  

Average weight per shipment (in lbs.) 

16.16    

18.33  

(2.17 )   

-11.8%  

Vehicle count, average 

1,008    

972  

36  

3.7%  

17.09  

1,023  

17.86    

(0.77 )   

-4.3%  

981    

42  

4.3%  

Weekly revenue per vehicle (incl. fuel, 

in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

$  12.79   $  11.48  

$ 

1.31  

11.4%  

$ 

9.95  

$  10.58   $ 

(0.63 )   

-6.0%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

Revenue 

For the three months ended December 31, 2020, revenue increased by $26.8 million or 21%, from $127.3 million in 2019 to $154.1 
million  in  2020.  This  increase  in  revenue  is  attributable  to  a  16.1%  increase  in  revenue  per  pound  (excluding  fuel  surcharge) 
combined with a 3.8% increase in tonnage. Increase in tonnage was the result of a 17.7% increase in shipments offset by a 11.8% 
decrease in average weight per shipment. This combination is the result from increased B2C deliveries.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, revenue increased by $7.8 million or 2%, from $473.7 million in 2019 to $481.5 million in 
2020. The increase is related to B2C volumes partially offset by disruptions in the early months of the pandemic. Also, during the 
year ended December 31, 2020, the Package and Courier segment experienced an IT security breach that had a negative impact on 
the segment’s revenue estimated at $6 million.  

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  11 

Operating expenses 

For  the three months ended December 31, 2020, materials  and services expenses,  net of fuel surcharge  revenue,  increased $16.4 
million  or  29%,  partly  due  to  a  $9.4  million  increase  in  subcontractor  costs  and  a  $1.5  million  increase  in  external  personnel  to 
manage  higher  volume  at  sorting  facilities.  Personnel  expenses,  as  a  percentage  of  revenue,  decreased  from  27.7%  in  2019  to 
25.8% in 2020 attributed to reduced weight of administrative salaries in percentage of revenue. 

For the year ended December 31, 2020, materials and services expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue, increased $17.3 million or 
9%.  Personnel  expenses,  excluding  credits  received  under  Canada  Emergency  Wage  Subsidy  of  $5.7  million,  as  a  percentage  of 
revenue  slightly  decreased  from  29.2%  in  2019  to  28.9%  in  2020  mainly  due  to  lower  administrative  salaries  partially  offset  by 
increase  in  direct  salaries  from  higher  B2C  deliveries.  Other  operating  expenses  decreased  $2.8  million,  or  11%  in  2020  mainly 
coming  from  reduction  in  IT  charges,  travel  and  office  expenses,  and  external  personal.  Depreciation  of  property  and  equipment 
increased $1.5 million, or 15%, when compared to 2019, mostly due to investment in conveyors put into operation. 

Operating income 

Operating income for the three months ended December 31, 2020 increased by 30% or $6.7 million compared to the fourth quarter 
of 2019 and the operating margin was 19.1% in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to 17.8% for the same period in 2019. This 
year-over-year  increase  in  operating  income  was  driven  primarily  by  strong  organic  revenue  growth  combined  with  margin 
expansion.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, operating income decreased by $3.5 million to $78.8 million. This decrease is a combination 
of  lower  operating  income  in  the  first  half  of  the  year  because  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  higher  B2C  volumes  generating 
slightly lower margins. 

Less-Than-Truckload 

(unaudited) – (in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Three months ended December 31  

Years ended December 31  

Total revenue 

Fuel surcharge 

Revenue 

Materials and services expenses (net of 

fuel surcharge) 

Personnel expenses 

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

  157,628  

(16,547 ) 

  175,319  

(24,016 ) 

  589,235  

(66,384 ) 

  727,249  

  (100,030 ) 

  141,081  

  100.0%  

  151,303  

  100.0%  

  522,851  

  100.0%  

  627,219  

  100.0%  

  67,140  

47.6%  

  75,026  

49.6%  

  252,334  

48.3%  

  315,648  

50.3%  

  33,338  

23.6%  

  38,202  

25.2%  

  116,257  

22.2%  

  159,820  

25.5%  

Other operating expenses 

3,587  

2.5%  

7,788  

5.1%  

  16,593  

3.2%  

26,720  

4.3%  

Depreciation of property and 

equipment 

Depreciation of right-of-use assets 

Amortization of intangible assets 

Gain on sale of rolling stock and 

4,886  

5,546  

2,179  

3.5%  

3.9%  

1.5%  

5,148  

6,159  

2,129  

3.4%  

  19,407  

4.1%  

  22,555  

1.4%  

8,392  

3.7%  

4.3%  

1.6%  

19,736  

24,825  

8,359  

3.1%  

4.0%  

1.3%  

equipment 

(62 ) 

-0.0%  

(147 ) 

-0.1%  

(519 ) 

-0.1%  

(510 ) 

-0.1%  

Gain on derecognition of right-of-use 

assets 

(6 ) 

-0.0%  

(835 ) 

-0.6%  

(175 ) 

-0.0%  

(1,100 ) 

-0.2%  

Loss (gain) on sale of land and 

buildings and assets held for sale 

9  

0.0%  

(1,478 ) 

-1.0%  

57  

0.0%  

(8,509 ) 

-1.4%  

Operating income 

Adjusted EBITDA 

  24,464  

17.3%  

  19,311  

12.8%  

  87,950  

16.8%  

82,230  

13.1%  

  37,084  

26.3%  

  31,269  

20.7%  

  138,361  

26.5%  

  126,641  

20.2%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Operational data 

(unaudited) – (Revenue in U.S. dollars) 

Three months ended December 31  

Years ended December 31  

2020  

2019*  

  Variance    

%  

2020    

2019*     Variance    

%  

Adjusted operating ratio 

82.7%  

88.2%  

83.2%    

88.2%    

Revenue per hundredweight 

(excluding fuel) 

$  10.15   $ 

9.99  

Revenue per shipment (including fuel) 

$  241.02   $  253.35  

$ 

$ 

0.16    

1.6%   $ 

9.77   $ 

10.01   $ 

(0.24 )  

-2.4%  

(12.33 )  

-4.9%   $  240.11   $  242.98   $ 

(2.87 )  

-1.2%  

Tonnage (in thousands of tons) 

Shipments (in thousands) 

695  

654  

757  

692  

(62 )  

-8.2%  

2,675    

3,132    

(457 )  

-14.6%  

(38 )  

-5.5%  

2,454    

2,993    

(539 )  

-18.0%  

Average weight per shipment (in lbs) 

2,125  

2,188  

(63 )  

-2.9%  

2,180    

2,093    

87    

4.2%  

Average length of haul (in miles) 

Vehicle count, average 

811  

902  

839  

1,016  

(28 )  

-3.3%  

818    

830    

(12 )  

-1.4%  

(114 )  

-11.2%  

918    

1,024    

(106 )  

-10.4%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

During 2020 and in the fourth quarter, one business has been acquired in the Less-Than-Truckload segment. 

Revenue 

For the three months ended December 31, 2020, the LTL segment’s revenue was $141.1 million, a $10.2 million, or 7%, decrease 
when compared to the same period in 2019. The decrease in revenue is due to an 8.2% decrease in tonnage partially offset by a 
1.6% increase in revenue per hundredweight (excluding fuel). The decrease in tonnage is the result of a 5.5% decrease in shipments 
combined with a 2.9% decrease in average weight per shipment. Despite the 7% decline in revenues for the three months ended 
December 31, 2020, the revenues have improved from the second and third quarters, which were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 
pandemic,  where  revenues  decreased  respectively  30%  and  14%  as  compared  to  the  same  periods  in  2019.  Excluding  business 
acquisitions, revenue was down $11.0 million, or 7%, when compared to the same period in 2019. 

For the year ended December 31st, 2020, revenue decreased $104.4 million or 16.6% to $522.9 million.  

Operating expenses 

For  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  materials  and  services  expenses,  net  of  fuel  surcharge  revenue,  decreased  $7.9 
million, or  10.5%, mostly  due to a $10.8 million decrease in  sub-contractor  cost attributable to  decrease in tonnage  and  partially 
offset  by  a  reduction  in  fuel  surcharge  revenue.  Following  the  same  trend,  personnel  expenses  decreased  12.7%  year-over-year, 
attributable to the decrease in tonnage, a reduction in administrative salaries and credits from the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy 
of  $2.2  million.  Other  operating  expenses  decreased  $4.2  million  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2020,  mainly  due  to  a  $1.8  million 
reduction in real estate cost combined with $0.4 million reduction in external personnel and a $0.6 million reduction in travel and 
bad  debt  expense.  The  cost  reductions,  specifically  the  reduction  of  administrative  salaries  and  real  estate  costs,  were  driven  by 
efficiencies from the merger of two operating divisions into a single operation.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, materials and services expenses, net of fuel surcharge, decreased $63.3 million, or 20.1%, 
mainly due to a $71.4 million reduction in subcontractor cost. Personnel expenses as a percentage of revenue before fuel surcharge 
decreased from 25.5% in 2019 to 22.2% in 2020, mostly due to credits of $20.3 million from the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy 
partially offset by a $2.4 million increase in severance cost. Other operating expenses decreased $10.1 million when compared to the 
same  period  in  2019,  mainly  due  to  a  $4.1  million  decrease  in  real  estate  cost  combined  with  $1.5  million  reduction  in  external 
personnel and a $2.2 million reduction in travel, bad debt and IT cost. 

Operating income 

Operating income for the three months ended December 31, 2020 increased $5.2 million, or 27%, when compared  to  the  same 
period in 2019. As a percentage of revenue, operating income was 17.3% during the fourth quarter of 2020, versus 12.8% for the 
same period in 2019. 

For the  year ended December 31, 2020, operating income increased $5.7 million to  $88.0 million. This increase was  impacted  by 
gains  on  sale  of  assets  held  for  sale  of  $7.0  million  in  the  first  quarter  of  2019  and  $1.5  million  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2019. 
Excluding this $8.5 million gain on assets held for sale, operating income of the LTL segment for the twelve-month ended December 
31, 2020, increased $14.3 million, or 19%, when compared to the same period in 2019. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
 
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  13 

Truckload 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Three months ended December 31  

Years ended December 31  

Total revenue 

Fuel surcharge 

Revenue 

Materials and services expenses 

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

  477,262  

(39,127 ) 

  469,798  

(57,038 ) 

  1,748,359  

  1,891,554  

(163,522 ) 

(233,757 ) 

  438,135  

  100.0%  

  412,760  

  100.0%  

  1,584,837  

  100.0%  

  1,657,797  

  100.0%  

(net of fuel surcharge) 

  188,660  

43.1%  

  178,936  

43.4%  

654,220  

41.3%  

707,028  

42.6%  

Personnel expenses 

  135,911  

31.0%  

  134,572  

32.6%  

503,242  

31.8%  

549,723  

33.2%  

Other operating expenses 

  14,323  

3.3%  

  12,534  

3.0%  

52,337  

3.3%  

53,472  

3.2%  

Depreciation of property and 

equipment 

  34,986  

8.0%  

  36,218  

Depreciation of right-of-use assets   

  10,055  

Amortization of intangible assets 

5,171  

2.3%  

1.2%  

Gain on sale of business 

(306 ) 

-0.1%  

7,091  

5,678  

—  

8.8%  

1.7%  

1.4%  

—  

136,859  

32,229  

19,891  

8.6%  

2.0%  

1.3%  

(306 ) 

-0.0%  

136,139  

24,263  

22,415  

—  

8.2%  

1.5%  

1.4%  

—  

Gain on sale of rolling stock and 

equipment 

(2,129 ) 

-0.5%  

(3,603 ) 

-0.9%  

(7,785 ) 

-0.5%  

(14,698 ) 

-0.9%  

Gain on derecognition of right-of-

use assets 

(13 ) 

-0.0%  

(126 ) 

-0.0%  

(332 ) 

-0.0%  

(369 ) 

-0.0%  

Gain on sale of land and buildings 

and assets held for sale 

(2,127 ) 

-0.5%  

(4,957 ) 

-1.2%  

(11,864 ) 

-0.7%  

(12,348 ) 

-0.7%  

Operating income 

Adjusted EBITDA 

  53,604  

12.2%  

  46,417  

11.2%  

206,346  

13.0%  

192,172  

11.6%  

  101,383  

23.1%  

  90,447  

21.9%  

383,155  

24.2%  

362,641  

21.9%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Operational data 

(unaudited) 

U.S. based Conventional TL 

Three months ended December 31  

Years ended December 31  

2020  

2019*  

  Variance  

%  

2020  

2019*  

  Variance  

%  

Revenue (in thousands of U.S. dollars)  

  161,476  

  156,678  

4,798  

3.1%  

  632,590  

  646,782  

(14,192 ) 

-2.2%  

Adjusted operating ratio 

Total mileage (in thousands) 

Tractor count, average 

Trailer count, average 

Tractor age 

Trailer age 

Number of owner operators, average   

Canadian based Conventional TL 

91.5%  

92.4%  

  92.0%  

91.5%  

  86,427  

  84,291  

2,136  

2.5%  

  349,349  

  351,490  

(2,141 ) 

-0.6%  

2,932  

2,929  

  11,005  

  11,007  

2.2  

6.6  

560  

1.8  

6.5  

424  

3  

(2 ) 

0.4  

0.1  

22.2%  

1.5%  

136  

32.1%  

0.1%  

2,949  

2,960  

-0.0%  

  10,938  

  11,008  

2.2  

6.6  

509  

1.8  

6.5  

400  

(11 ) 

(70 ) 

0.4  

0.1  

-0.4%  

-0.6%  

22.2%  

1.5%  

109  

27.3%  

Revenue (in thousands of U.S. dollars)  

  58,497  

  56,668  

1,829  

3.2%  

  206,418  

  226,816  

(20,398 ) 

-9.0%  

Adjusted operating ratio 

Total mileage (in thousands) 

Tractor count, average 

Trailer count, average 

Tractor age 

Trailer age 

Number of owner operators, average   

Specialized TL 

85.2%  

85.9%  

  86.3%  

85.6%  

  23,095  

  24,236  

(1,141 ) 

-4.7%  

  89,212  

  98,943  

(9,731 ) 

-9.8%  

623  

641  

2,809  

2,826  

2.5  

5.9  

314  

2.3  

5.4  

317  

(18 ) 

(17 ) 

0.2  

0.5  

-2.8%  

-0.6%  

8.7%  

9.3%  

(3 ) 

-0.9%  

606  

684  

2,796  

2,884  

2.5  

5.9  

302  

2.3  

5.4  

333  

(78 ) 

(88 ) 

0.2  

0.5  

-11.4%  

-3.1%  

8.7%  

9.3%  

(31 ) 

-9.3%  

Revenue (in thousands of U.S. dollars)  

  219,093  

  200,452  

  18,641  

9.3%  

  749,655  

  791,087  

(41,432 ) 

-5.2%  

Adjusted operating ratio 

Tractor count, average 

Trailer count, average 

Tractor age 

Trailer age 

86.9%  

89.3%  

  84.6%  

88.3%  

2,314  

6,619  

4.0  

12.9  

2,189  

6,142  

4.0  

11.7  

125  

477  

0.0  

1.2  

5.7%  

7.8%  

0.0%  

10.3%  

2,096  

6,251  

4.0  

12.9  

2,099  

6,121  

4.0  

11.7  

(3 ) 

-0.1%  

130  

0.0  

1.2  

2.1%  

0.0%  

10.3%  

Number of owner operators, average   

1,132  

1,224  

(92 ) 

-7.5%  

1,115  

1,191  

(76 ) 

-6.4%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

During  2020,  eight  businesses  have  been  acquired  in  the  Truckload  segment,  including  two  business  acquisitions  in  the  fourth 
quarter. 

Revenue 

For  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  TL  revenue  excluding  fuel  surcharge  increased  by  $25.4  million  or  6%,  from 
$412.8 million in 2019 to $438.1 million in 2020. This increase is mainly due to business acquisitions’ contribution of $34.5 million, 
offset by a decline in revenue from existing operations of $9.1 million. For conventional TL operations in the U.S., revenue increased 
by $4.8 million, or 3.1% compared to prior year period. Revenue per mile improved by 2.2%, following the strong spot pricing in 
the US market, and miles per tractor declined by 1.5%, attributable to unseated tractors resulting from the limited driver availability. 
For  conventional  TL  operations  in  Canada,  revenues  increased  by  $1.8  million,  or  3.2%  compared  to  the  prior  year  period.  The 
increase  was  due  to  a  2.5%  improvement  in  revenue  per  tractor,  where  revenue  per  mile  improved  by  5.2%,  offset  by  a  2.6% 
decline in miles per tractor. For Specialized TL, revenue increased by $18.6 million, or 9.3%, compared to the prior year period.  

The TL  segment brokerage revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2020  decreased by $5.8 million or 10%, to  $51.2 
million.  Brokerage  gross  margins  decreased  to  18.7%  for  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  from  19.5%  in  the 
comparable prior year period.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, TL revenue decreased by $73.0 million or 4%, from $1,657.8 million in 2019 to $1,584.8 
million  in  2020.  This  decrease  is  mainly  due  to  a  decline  in  revenue  from  existing  operations  of  $161.0  million,  offset  by  recent 
business acquisitions’ contribution of $88.0 million. For the brokerage business, revenue decreased by $50.3 million or 22%, while 
margins increased from 19.0% in 2019 to 19.3% in 2020. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  15 

Operating expenses 

For  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  operating  expenses,  including  business  acquisition  impact  and  net  of  fuel 
surcharge, increased by $18.5 million or 5%, from $366.3 million in 2019 to $384.8 million in 2020. Material and services expenses, 
net of fuel surcharge, increased by 5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. Personnel expenses and other operating expenses 
increased by 1% and 14% respectively in the fourth quarter year over year. Included in the personnel expense was $4.1 million from 
the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy, of which $2.6 million is accounted for in Specialized TL.  

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  TL  operating  expenses,  net  of  fuel  surcharge,  decreased  by  $86.8  million  or  6%,  from 
$1,465.6  million  in  2019  to  $1,378.8  million  in  2020.  The  Company  continues  to  improve  its  cost  structure  and  increase  the 
efficiency  and  profitability  of  its  existing  fleet  and  network  of  independent  contractors.  The  decrease  in  the  personnel  expense  of 
$46.5 million, or 8%, from $549.7 million in 2019 is primarily due to $24.0 million from the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy. 

Gain on sale of property  

For the three months ended December 31, 2020, a $2.0 million gain on sale of assets held for sale was recorded in the Truckload 
segment following the sale of  five properties for  total  considerations  of  $6.0 million (a gain of $5.0 million and proceeds  of  $7.0 
million in 2019). These disposals are a result of management’s continued efforts to improve efficiencies and benefit from economies 
of scale through the consolidation of operating locations.  

For the  year ended December 31, 2020, a  $11.8 million gain on  sale of assets held for sale was  recorded in the Truckload segment 
following the sale of properties for total considerations of $23.7 million (a gain of $12.3 million and proceeds of $16.0 million in 2019).  

Operating income 

The TL segment’s operating ratio was 87.8% for the three months ended December 31, 2020 as compared to 88.8% in 2019, a $6.9 
million, or 15%, increase in operating income. Operating income in the TL segment was $53.6 million for the three months ended 
December 31, 2020, up from $46.4 million in the same prior year period. The operating income in the fourth quarter of 2019 includes 
cumulative  gains  from  the  sale  of  assets  held  for  sale  and  gains  on  the  sale  of  rolling  stock  and  equipment  of  $8.6  million,  as 
compared to a cumulative amount of $4.3 million in 2020 for a net impact on the operating income of $4.3 million. The decrease in 
the proceeds on the sale of the rolling stock and equipment is due to a softer resale market and a reduction in the fleet replacement.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, the TL segment increased its operating income by $14.2 million or 7%, from $192.2 million 
in 2019 to $206.3 million in 2020. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
16  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Logistics  

(unaudited) – (in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Three months ended December 31  

Years ended December 31  

Total revenue 

Fuel surcharge 

Revenue 

Materials and services expenses (net of 

fuel surcharge) 

Personnel expenses 

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

2020  

%  

2019*  

%  

  327,689  

(5,370 ) 

  206,268  

(7,307 ) 

  945,130  

(21,674 ) 

  774,833  

(29,511 ) 

  322,319  

  100.0%  

  198,961  

  100.0%  

  923,456  

  100.0%  

  745,322  

  100.0%  

  241,798  

75.0%  

  140,019  

70.4%  

  668,225  

72.4%  

  524,098  

70.3%  

  24,381  

7.6%  

  25,427  

12.8%  

  93,579  

10.1%  

  96,593  

13.0%  

Other operating expenses 

  19,983  

6.2%  

  11,745  

5.9%  

  48,012  

5.2%  

  41,865  

Depreciation of property and equipment  

Depreciation of right-of-use assets 

Amortization of intangible assets 

Bargain purchase gain 

(Gain) loss on sale of rolling stock and 

596  

3,138  

5,608  

—  

0.2%  

1.0%  

1.7%  

—  

2,520  

4,557  

—  

640  

0.3%  

2,336  

0.3%  

2,147  

1.3%  

  13,204  

1.4%  

  14,148  

2.3%  

  17,889  

1.9%  

  17,302  

—  

(4,008 ) 

-0.4%  

(8,014 ) 

-1.1%  

5.6%  

0.3%  

1.9%  

2.3%  

equipment 

368  

0.1%  

(5 ) 

-0.0%  

373  

0.0%  

(43 ) 

-0.0%  

Gain on derecognition of right-of-use 

assets 

(20 ) 

-0.0%  

(158 ) 

-0.1%  

(618 ) 

-0.1%  

(221 ) 

-0.0%  

Loss on sale of land and buildings and 

assets held for sale 

5  

0.0%  

—  

—  

5  

0.0%  

—  

—  

Operating income 

Adjusted EBITDA 

  26,462  

8.2%  

  14,216  

7.1%  

  84,459  

9.1%  

  57,447  

7.7%  

  35,809  

11.1%  

  21,933  

11.0%  

  113,885  

12.3%  

  83,030  

11.1%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

During 2020, four businesses have been acquired in the Logistics segment, including two business acquisitions in the fourth quarter. 

Revenue 

For  the  three  months  ended  December  31,  2020,  revenue  increased  by  $123.4  million,  or  62%,  from  $199.0  million  in  2019  to 
$322.3 million. Excluding business acquisitions, revenue increased by $14.0 million, or 7%, mainly attributable to strong eCommerce 
activities in Canada.  

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  revenue  increased  by  $178.1  million,  or  24%,  from  $745.3  million  to  $923.5  million. 
Excluding business acquisitions, revenue decreased by 3.1% or $23.1 million. 

Approximately 71% (2019 – 72%) of the Logistics segment’s revenues in the quarter were generated from operations in the U.S. 
and Mexico and approximately 29% (2018 – 28%) were generated from operations in Canada. 

Operating expenses 

For the three months ended December 31,  2020, total operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge,  increased by  $110.9  million,  or 
60%,  from  $184.7  million  to  $295.6  million.  Excluding  business  acquisitions,  total  operating  expenses,  net  of  fuel  surcharge, 
increased by $4.7 million or 2.5%, explained by $11.9 million increase in materials and services expenses (net of fuel surcharge) due 
to  the  revenue  increase,  but  partially  offset  by  a  $4.3  million  decrease  in  personnel  expenses  and  $3.0  million  decrease  in  other 
operating expense, mostly coming from the optimization of our last mile operations in the U.S. 

For the year ended December 31, 2020, operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge, increased by $150.8 million, or 22%, compared 
to 2019, from $687.9 million to $838.7 million. Excluding business acquisitions, operating expenses decreased by $39.1 million, or 
5.7%. 

Operating income 

Operating income for the three months ended December 31, 2020 increased by $12.2 million, or 86%, from $14.2 million to $26.5 
million,  driven  primarily  by  strong  organic  revenue  growth  combined  with  margin  expansion.  Excluding  business  acquisitions, 
operating margin increased by 380 basis points from 7.1% in 2019 to 10.9% in 2020, mainly as a result of higher quality revenue 
and cost efficiency measures from our last mile operations. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  operating  margin  increased  by  1.5  percentage  points  to  9.1%.  Excluding  the  bargain 
purchase gains and the business acquisitions of 2020, operating income increased by 48% or $23.7 million compared to 2019, while 
the operating margin increased from 6.6% to 10.2%. 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  17 

Sources and uses of cash 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Sources of cash: 

Net cash from continuing operating activities 

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 

Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale 

Net variance in cash and bank indebtedness 

Net proceeds from long-term debt 

Proceeds from the issuance of common shares 

Proceeds from the sale of business 

Others 

Total sources 

Uses of cash: 

Purchases of property and equipment 

Business combinations, net of cash acquired 

Net variance in cash and bank indebtedness 

Net repayment of long-term debt 

Repayment of lease liabilities 

Dividends paid 

Repurchase of own shares 

Net cash used in discontinued operations 

Others 

Total usage 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

164,928  

133,262  

610,862  

500,496  

23,949  

6,248  

273,791  

—  

—  

2,351  

3,128  

20,785  

13,079  

270  

—  

—  

—  

4,861  

52,116  

24,480  

—  

—  

425,350  

2,351  

48,142  

71,754  

39,146  

—  

136,569  

—  

—  

18,362  

474,395  

172,257  

  1,163,301  

766,327  

60,693  

244,053  

—  

116,153  

22,408  

18,434  

—  

—  

12,654  

92,551  

142,710  

(284 ) 

327,650  

—  

18,303  

19,859  

14,840  

22,823  

1,275  

2,890  

6,528  

484,247  

82,587  

67,604  

38,021  

—  

13,954  

261,295  

150,912  

6,083  

—  

75,072  

60,478  

192,455  

12,022  

8,010  

474,395  

172,257  

  1,163,301  

766,327  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

Cash flow from continuing operating activities 

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  net  cash  from  continuing  operating  activities  increased  by  22%  to  $610.9  million  from 
$500.5 million in 2019. This $110.4 million increase is attributable to an increase in net income of $42.0 million, $17.3 million from 
improvements in net change in working capital, a decrease in interest paid of $14.7 million, and a reduction in income taxes paid of 
$12.0 million.  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Cash flow used in investing activities from continuing operations 

Property and equipment 

The  following  table  presents  the  additions  of  property  and  equipment  by  category  for  the  three-month  periods  and  years  ended 
December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Additions to property and equipment: 

Purchases as stated on cash flow statements 

Non-cash adjustments 

Additions by category: 

Land and buildings 

Rolling stock 

Equipment 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

60,693  

92,551  

142,710  

261,295  

(283 ) 

(3,478 ) 

104  

2,403  

60,410  

89,073  

142,814  

263,698  

5,055  

52,744  

2,611  

60,410  

36,450  

49,524  

3,099  

89,073  

19,331  

39,733  

112,645  

211,796  

10,838  

12,169  

142,814  

263,698  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

The  Company  invests  in  new  equipment  to  maintain  its  quality  of  service  while  minimizing  maintenance  costs.  Its  capital 
expenditures reflect the level of reinvestment required to keep its equipment in good order and to maintain a strategic allocation of 
its capital resources. 

In the normal course of activities, the Company constantly renews its rolling stock equipment generating regular proceeds and gain 
or loss on disposition. The following table indicates the proceeds and gains or losses from sale of property and equipment and assets 
held for sale by category for the three-month periods and years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Proceeds by category: 

Land and buildings 

Rolling stock 

Equipment 

Gains (losses) by category: 

Land and buildings 

Rolling stock 

Equipment 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

6,053  

24,078  

66  

13,210  

20,654  

—  

23,877  

52,468  

251  

39,535  

70,600  

765  

30,197  

33,864  

76,596  

110,900  

2,132  

2,275  

(368 ) 

4,039  

6,374  

3,781  

(74 ) 

11,877  

8,375  

21,581  

15,616  

(471 ) 

(231 ) 

10,081  

19,781  

36,966  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

Business acquisitions 

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  cash  used  in  business  acquisitions  totalled  $327.7  million  to  acquire  thirteen  businesses. 
Refer  to  the  section  of  this  report  entitled  “2020  business  acquisitions”  and  further  information  can  be  found  in  note  5  of  the 
December 31, 2020 audited consolidated financial statements. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  19 

Cash flow used in financing activities  

Common shares 

On February 13, 2020, the Company issued 6,900,000 common shares in the United States and Canada as part of its initial public 
offering in the United States raising net proceeds of $217.6 million.  

On  August  11,  2020,  the  Company  issued  5,060,000  common  shares  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  raising  net  proceeds  of 
$207.8 million. 

Cash flow used in discontinued operations 

For the year ended December 31, 2019, discontinued operations used cash of $12.0 million.  

Free cash flow from continuing operations 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

Net cash from continuing operating activities 

164,928  

133,262  

610,862  

500,496  

Additions to property and equipment 

(60,410 ) 

(89,073 ) 

(142,814 ) 

(263,698 ) 

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 

Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale 

Free cash flow from continuing operations 

23,949  

6,248  

134,715  

20,785  

13,079  

78,053  

52,116  

24,480  

71,754  

39,146  

544,644  

347,698  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

The Company's objectives when managing its cash flow from operations are to ensure proper capital investment in order to provide 
stability and competitiveness for its operations, to ensure sufficient liquidity to pursue its growth strategy, and to undertake selective 
business acquisitions within a sound capital structure and a solid financial position. 

For  the  year ended  December  31,  2020,  TFI  International  generated  free  cash  flow from  continuing operations  of  $544.6  million, 
compared  to  $347.7  million  in  2019,  which  represents  a  year-over-year  increase  of  $196.9  million.  This  increase  is  mainly  due  to 
more  net  cash  from  continuing  operating  activities  of  $110.4  million,  largely  stemming  from  an  increase  in  net  income  of  $42.0 
million, $17.3 million from improvements in working capital, a decrease in interest paid of $14.7 million, and a reduction in income 
taxes paid of $12.0 million, and to a reduction in net capital expenditures of $86.6 million due to the Company’s cash management 
measure put in place as a response to COVID-19 in Q2. The capital expenditures of rolling stock in Q4 have been re-established to 
prior year levels, $52.7 million in 2020 as compared to $49.5 million in 2019.  

The free cash flow conversion, which measures the level of capital employed to generate earnings, improved for the three months 
ended December 31, 2020 to 83.9% from 80.4%, due to improved operating results than compared to 2019. For the year ended 
December  31,  2020  the  free  cash  flow  conversion  improved  to  89.9%  from  76.5%  due  to  the  impact  of  reduced  capital 
expenditures.  

Based on the December 31, 2020 closing share price of $51.58, the free cash flow generated by the Company during 2020 ($544.6 
million) represented a yield of 11.3%. 

Financial position 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Total assets 

Long-term debt 

Lease liabilities 

Shareholders' equity 

As at 
December 31, 2020  

As at 
December 31, 2019*  

As at 
December 31, 2018**  

3,849,364  

872,544  

355,986  

1,790,177  

3,508,820  

1,343,307  

355,591  

1,159,292  

2,968,744  

1,161,430  

—  

1,155,882  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

**  Excludes the impacts from the adoption of IFRS 16 Leases as discussed in note 3 of the audited 2019 consolidated financial statements. As is permitted with this new 
standard, comparative information has not been restated and, therefore, may not be comparable. Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar 
to U.S. dollar. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Compared to December 31, 2019, the Company’s long-term debt decreased by $470.8 million, or 35% during 2020. The repayment 
of  debt  was  funded  by  the  cash  generated  from  operating  activities  and  from  the  issuances  of  common  shares,  which  injected 
$563.1 million of cash. The share issuances explain most of the increase in shareholders’ equity as well. 

As at December 31, 2020, the Company’s working capital (accounts receivable, inventory and prepaids less accounts payable) was 
$168.3 million compared to $149.2 million as at December 31, 2019. The increase is mainly attributable to business acquisitions and 
timing differences of receipts and payments.  

Contractual obligations, commitments, contingencies and off-balance sheet arrangements 

The  following  table  indicates  the  Company’s  contractual  obligations  with  their  respective  maturity  dates  at  December  31,  2020, 
excluding future interest payments. 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Unsecured revolving facility – June 2023 

Unsecured revolving facility – November 2021 

Unsecured term loan – June 2022 

Unsecured debenture – December 2024 

Unsecured senior notes – December 2026 

Conditional sales contracts 

Lease liabilities 

Total  

125,428  

7,461  

322,200  

157,171  

150,000  

113,086  

355,986  

Less than 
1 year  

1 to 3 
years  

3 to 5 
years  

After 
5 years  

—  

125,428  

7,461  

—  

—  

—  

35,536  

88,522  

—  

322,200  

—  

—  

59,662  

132,525  

639,815  

—  

—  

—  

157,171  

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

150,000  

17,352  

68,038  

536  

66,901  

242,561  

217,437  

Total contractual obligations 

  1,231,332  

131,519  

On  November  21,  2020,  the  Company  renewed  its  credit  facility  for  one  year.  The  credit  facility  is  unsecured  and  provides  an 
availability of $25 million maturing in November 2021. The interest rate follows the same pricing grid applicable for the debt in the 
CAD $1,200 million revolving credit facility.  

On December 18, 2020, the Company repaid, without penalty, the first tranche of CAD $200 million of its term loan which was to 
mature in June 2021.  

Subsequent  to  year  end,  on  January  13,  2021,  the  Company  received  $500  million  proceed  from  a  new  debt  taking  the  form  of 
unsecured senior notes consisting of four tranches maturing between January 2029 and January 2036 and bearing interest between 
3.15% and 3.50%.  

The  following  table  indicates  the  Company’s  financial  covenants  to  be  maintained  under  its  credit  facility.  These  covenants  are 
measured  on  a  consolidated  rolling  twelve-month  basis  and  are  calculated  as  prescribed  by  the  credit  agreement  which,  among 
other things, requires the exclusion of the impact of the new standard IFRS 16 Leases: 

Covenants 

Funded debt-to- EBITDA ratio 

Requirements 

December 31, 2020 

As at  

[ratio of total debt plus letters of credit and some other long-term liabilities to earnings 
before interest, income tax, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), including last 
twelve months adjusted EBITDA from business acquisitions] 

< 3.50 

1.33 

EBITDAR-to-interest and rent ratio 

[ratio of EBITDAR (EBITDA before rent and including last twelve months adjusted 
EBITDAR from business acquisitions) to interest and net rent expenses] 

> 1.75 

4.78 

As at December 31, 2020, the Company had $29.5 million of outstanding letters of credit ($32.1 million on December 31, 2019).  

As at December 31, 2020, the Company had $117.1 million of purchase commitments and $44.1 million of purchase orders that the 
Company intends to enter into a lease that is expected to materialize within a year (December 31, 2019 – $27.1 million and $9.0 
million, respectively). 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  21 

Dividends and outstanding share data 

Dividends 

The  Company  declared  $21.3  million  in  dividends,  or  $0.23  (CAD  $0.29)  per  common  share,  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2020.  The 
Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.23 per outstanding common share of the Company’s capital, for an expected 
aggregate payment of $21.5 million to be paid on April 15, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 31, 
2021. 

NCIB on common shares 

Pursuant to the renewal of the normal course issuer bid (“NCIB”), which began on October 14, 2020 and expires on October 13, 
2021, the Company is authorized to repurchase for cancellation up to a maximum of 7,000,000 of its common shares under certain 
conditions. As at December 31, 2020, and since the inception  of  this  NCIB, the Company  has  not  repurchased and cancelled any 
common shares.  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company repurchased 1,542,155 common shares (as compared to 6,409,446 in 2019) 
at  a  weighted average  price  of  $24.64  per  share  (as  compared  to $30.03  in  2019) for  a  total  purchase  price  of  $38.0  million  (as 
compared to $192.5 million in 2019). 

Outstanding shares, stock options and restricted share units 

A total of 93,397,985 common shares were outstanding as at December 31, 2020 (December 31, 2019 – 81,450,326). There was 
no material change in the Company’s outstanding share capital between December 31, 2020 and February 18, 2021. 

As at December 31, 2020, the number of outstanding options to acquire common shares issued under the Company’s stock option 
plan was 2,982,514 (December 31, 2018 – 4,421,866) of which 2,111,364, were exercisable (December 31, 2019 – 3,039,635). On 
July  27,  2020,  the  Board  of  Directors  approved  the  grant  of  99,485  stock  options  under  the  Company’s  stock  option  plan.  Each 
stock option entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price based on the volume-weighted 
average trading price of the Company’s shares for the last five trading days immediately preceding the effective date of the grant. 

As at December 31, 2020, the number of restricted share units (‘’RSUs’’) granted under the Company’s equity incentive plan to its 
senior employees was 299,075 (December 31, 2019 – 239,337). On February 7, 2020, the Board of Directors approved the grant of 
145,218 RSUs under the Company’s equity incentive plan. The RSUs will vest in February of the third year following the grant date. 
Upon satisfaction of the required service period, the plan provides for settlement of the award through shares. 

As at December 31, 2020, the number of performance share units (‘’PSUs’’) granted under the Company’s equity incentive plan to 
its senior employees was 147,121 (December 31, 2019 – nil). On February 7, 2020, the Board of Directors approved the grant of 
145,218 PSUs under the Company’s equity incentive plan. The PSUs will vest in February of the third year following the grant date. 
Upon satisfaction of the required service period, the plan provides for settlement of the award through shares. 

Legal proceedings 

The  Company  is  involved  in  litigation  arising  from  the  ordinary  course  of  business  primarily  involving  claims  for  bodily  injury  and 
property  damage.  It  is  not  feasible  to  predict  or  determine  the  outcome  of  these  or  similar  proceedings.  However,  the  Company 
believes the ultimate recovery or liability, if any, resulting from such litigation individually or in total would not materially adversely 
nor  positively  affect  the  Company’s  financial  condition  or  performance  and,  if  necessary,  has  been  provided  for  in  the  financial 
statements. 

OUTLOOK 

The  North  American  economy  was  impacted  significantly  in  2020  by  the  Coronavirus  (COVID-19)  pandemic  before  a  general 
recovery began midyear. While many of the end markets served by TFI International remained relatively strong throughout, such as 
the  transport  of  essential  household  goods,  medical  products  and  eCommerce,  others  such  as  business-to-business  and 
transportation for the apparel and automotive industries have only recently begun to recover. In early February 2021, nearly one year 
since the onset of the pandemic, a broad economic recovery continues but significant uncertainty remains due to unknowns around 
more contagious COVID-19 strains, the distribution of vaccines and their overall effectiveness. 

TFI International has remained fully operational during the ongoing pandemic with uninterrupted service, by leveraging its integrated 
and far-reaching network. Nonetheless, economic visibility is currently lower than normal, and a second wave of Coronavirus-related 
economic  disruption  could  again  result  in  social  distancing  mandates  and  lockdowns,  adversely  impacting  end  markets  served  by 
TFI’s operating companies and resulting in another round of declines in freight volumes and pricing. Additional uncertainties include 
stock market volatility and an ongoing heightened level of civil unrest, along with potential policy changes to be enacted by the new 
US presidential administration surrounding international trade, environmental mandates, tax and other matters. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
22  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Management believes the Company is well prepared to navigate any further disruption in the economic landscape due to its focus 
on efficiency and its lean cost structure, partially reflecting cost reduction measures enacted in 2020 in response to the pandemic, as 
well  as  a  longstanding  focus  on  profitability,  efficiency,  and  the  rationalization  of  assets  to  avoid  internal  overcapacity.  TFI  is 
particularly well positioned to benefit from the expansion of eCommerce and from potential growth and cost synergies related to its 
recently  announced  acquisition  of  UPS  Freight,  expected  to  close  during  the  second  quarter  of  2021.  In  addition,  the  Company 
continues to have strong liquidity and a conservative balance sheet. 

Longer term, management believes its decisions over the past year have already facilitated the return to year-over-year growth, and 
that  TFI’s  current  positioning,  to  be  further  enhanced  by  the  pending  acquisition  of  UPS  Freight,  should  enable  the  Company  to 
emerge  even  stronger  when  conditions  normalize.  Regardless  of  operating  conditions,  management’s  goal  is  to  build  long-term 
shareholder  value  through  consistent  adherence  to  its  operating  principles,  including  the  intense  customer  focus  exhibited  by  its 
many  dedicated  professionals,  its  asset-light  approach  to  the  business,  continual  efforts  to  enhance  efficiencies,  and  an  effective 
strategy around industry consolidation. 

SUMMARY OF EIGHT MOST RECENT QUARTERLY RESULTS 

(unaudited) – (in millions of U.S. dollars, 
except per share data) 

    Q4’20  

  Q3’20*  

  Q2’20*  

  Q1’20*     Q4’19*  

  Q3’19*  

  Q2’19*  

  Q1’19*  

Total revenue 

Adjusted EBITDA1 

    1,122.0  

193.5  

936.1  

189.4  

798.5  

167.6  

924.5    

989.0  

988.4  

  1,000.3  

149.1    

163.4  

167.9  

176.7  

925.9  

141.1  

Operating income from continuing 

operations 

Net income 

EPS – basic 

EPS – diluted 

Net income from continuing operations    

EPS from continuing operations – basic     

EPS from continuing  

operations – diluted 

Adjusted net income1 

Adjusted EPS – diluted1 

117.1  

117.0  

86.3  

0.92  

0.91  

86.3  

0.92  

0.91  

93.4  

0.98  

83.1  

0.91  

0.90  

83.1  

0.91  

0.90  

87.5  

0.94  

95.1  

50.5  

0.58  

0.57  

50.5  

0.58  

0.57  

67.2  

0.76  

87.3    

55.8    

0.66    

0.65    

55.8    

0.66    

0.65    

52.6    

0.61    

94.1  

56.7  

0.70  

0.68  

58.0  

0.71  

0.70  

60.1  

0.72  

99.9  

62.5  

0.75  

0.74  

62.5  

0.76  

0.74  

66.8  

0.79  

120.6  

65.6  

0.78  

0.76  

74.8  

0.89  

0.87  

76.3  

0.88  

78.9  

48.9  

0.57  

0.56  

48.9  

0.57  

0.56  

50.4  

0.58  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency form Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

The differences between the quarters are mainly the result of seasonality (softer in Q1) and business acquisitions. Higher 2020 and 
2019  operating  income  was  also  driven  by  strong  execution  across  the  organization,  increased  quality  of  revenue,  and  cost 
efficiencies. The decline in Q2 2020 is due to COVID-19 related business interruptions.  

NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES 

Financial data have been prepared in conformity with IFRS, including the following measures: 

Operating expenses: Operating expenses include: a) materials and services expenses, which are primarily costs related to independent 
contractors and vehicle operation; vehicle operation expenses, which primarily include fuel, repairs and maintenance, vehicle leasing 
costs, insurance, permits and operating supplies; b) personnel expenses; c) other operating expenses, which are primarily composed 
of  costs  related  to  offices’  and  terminals’  rent,  taxes,  heating,  telecommunications,  maintenance  and  security  and  other  general 
administrative expenses; d) depreciation of property and equipment, depreciation of right-of-use assets, amortization of intangible 
assets and gain or loss on the sale of rolling stock and equipment, on derecognition of right-of use assets, on sale of business and on 
sale of land and buildings and assets held for sale; e) bargain purchase gain; and f) impairment of intangible assets. 

Operating income (loss) from continuing operations: Net income or loss from continuing operations before finance income and costs 
and income tax expense (recovery), as stated in the consolidated financial statements. 

1 

Refer to the section “Non-IFRS financial measures”. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                          
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  23 

This MD&A includes references to certain non-IFRS financial measures as described below. These non-IFRS measures do not have any 
standardized  meanings  prescribed  by  IFRS  and  are  therefore  unlikely  to  be  comparable  to  similar  measures  presented  by  other 
companies. Accordingly, they should not be considered in isolation, in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, measures of 
financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The terms and definitions of IFRS and non-IFRS measures used in this MD&A 
and a reconciliation of each non-IFRS measure to the most directly comparable IFRS measure are provided below. 

Adjusted net income: Net income or loss excluding amortization of intangible assets related to business acquisitions, net change in 
the fair value and accretion expense of contingent considerations, net change in the fair value of derivatives, net foreign exchange 
gain or loss, impairment of intangible assets, bargain purchase gain, gain or loss on sale of land and buildings, assets held for sale 
and sale of business, and loss from discontinued operations, net of tax and U.S. Tax Reform. In presenting an adjusted net income 
and adjusted EPS, the Company’s intent is to help provide an understanding of what would have been the net income and earnings 
per  share  in  a  context  of  significant  business  combinations  and  excluding  specific  impacts  and  to  reflect  earnings  from  a  strictly 
operating  perspective.  The  amortization  of  intangible  assets  related  to  business  acquisitions  comprises  amortization  expense  of 
customer relationships, trademarks and non-compete agreements accounted for in business combinations and the income tax effects 
related  to  this  amortization.  Management  also  believes,  in  excluding  amortization  of  intangible  assets  related  to  business 
acquisitions, it provides more information on the amortization of intangible asset expense portion, net of tax, that will not have to be 
replaced to preserve the Company’s ability to generate similar future cash flows. The Company excludes these items because they 
affect  the  comparability  of  its  financial  results  and  could  potentially  distort  the  analysis  of  trends  in  its  business  performance. 
Excluding these items does not imply they are necessarily non-recurring. See reconciliation on page 8. 

Adjusted  earnings  per  share  (adjusted  “EPS”)  -  basic:  Adjusted  net  income  divided  by  the  weighted  average  number  of  common 
shares. 

Adjusted EPS - diluted: Adjusted net income divided by the weighted average number of diluted common shares. 

Adjusted EBITDA: Net income or loss from continuing operations before finance income and costs, income tax expense, depreciation, 
amortization, impairment of intangible assets, bargain purchase gain, and gain or loss on sale of land and buildings, assets held for 
sale and intangible assets.  

Segmented  adjusted  EBITDA  refers  to  operating  income  (loss)  from  continuing  operations  before  depreciation,  amortization, 
impairment  of  intangible  assets,  bargain  purchase  gain,  and  gain  or  loss  on  sale  of  land  and  buildings,  assets  held  for  sale  and 
intangible assets. Management believes adjusted EBITDA to be a useful supplemental measure. Adjusted EBITDA is provided to assist 
in determining the ability of the Company to assess its performance. 

Consolidated adjusted EBITDA reconciliation: 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Net income from continuing operations 

Net finance costs 

Income tax expense 

Depreciation of property and equipment 

Depreciation of right-of-use assets 

Amortization of intangible assets 

Gain on sale of business 

Bargain purchase gain 

(Gain) loss on sale of land and buildings 

Gain on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted EBITDA 

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar.  

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

86,328  

15,382  

15,412  

43,753  

21,618  

13,557  

(306 ) 

—  

5  

2019*  

57,955  

15,552  

19,277  

44,721  

19,508  

12,757  

—  

—  

(8 ) 

2020  

2019*  

275,675  

244,225  

53,910  

86,982  

62,107  

76,536  

170,520  

168,720  

80,496  

48,213  

(306 ) 

(4,008 ) 

6  

77,326  

49,701  

—  

(8,014 ) 

(9 ) 

(2,211 ) 

(6,365 ) 

(11,899 ) 

(21,571 ) 

193,538  

163,397  

699,589  

649,021  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Segmented adjusted EBITDA reconciliation: 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Package and Courier 

Operating income 

Depreciation and amortization 

Gain on sale of land and buildings 

(Gain) loss on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted EBITDA 

Less-Than-Truckload 

Operating income 

Depreciation and amortization 

Loss on sale of land and buildings 

(Gain) loss on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted EBITDA 

Truckload 

Operating income 

Depreciation and amortization 

Gain on sale of business 

Gain on sale of land and buildings 

Gain on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted EBITDA 

Logistics 

Operating income 

Depreciation and amortization 

Bargain purchase gain 

Loss on sale of land and buildings 

Adjusted EBITDA 

Corporate 

Operating loss 

Depreciation and amortization 

Loss on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted EBITDA 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

29,401  

6,626  

(1 ) 

(92 ) 

22,680  

6,553  

—  

62  

78,753  

25,357  

—  

(91 ) 

82,228  

24,893  

—  

(843 ) 

35,934  

29,295  

104,019  

106,278  

24,464  

12,611  

1  

8  

19,311  

13,436  

—  

(1,478 ) 

87,950  

50,354  

1  

56  

82,230  

52,920  

—  

(8,509 ) 

37,084  

31,269  

138,361  

126,641  

53,604  

50,212  

(306 ) 

—  

46,417  

48,987  

206,346  

188,979  

192,172  

182,817  

—  

(8 ) 

(306 ) 

—  

—  

(9 ) 

(2,127 ) 

(4,949 ) 

(11,864 ) 

(12,339 ) 

101,383  

90,447  

383,155  

362,641  

26,462  

9,342  

—  

5  

14,216  

7,717  

—  

—  

84,459  

33,429  

57,447  

33,597  

(4,008 ) 

(8,014 ) 

5  

—  

35,809  

21,933  

113,885  

83,030  

(16,809 ) 

(9,840 ) 

(40,941 ) 

(31,209 ) 

137  

—  

293  

—  

1,110  

—  

1,520  

120  

(16,672 ) 

(9,547 ) 

(39,831 ) 

(29,569 ) 

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated as adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue before fuel surcharge. 

Free cash flow: Net cash from continuing operating activities less additions to property and equipment plus proceeds from sale of 
property  and  equipment  and  assets  held  for  sale.  Management  believes  that  this  measure  provides  a  benchmark  to  evaluate  the 
performance of the Company in regard to its ability to meet capital requirements. See reconciliation on page 19. 

Free cash flow conversion: Adjusted EBITDA less net capital expenditures (excluding property), divided by the adjusted EBITDA. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Free cash flow conversion reconciliation: 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Net income from continuing operations 

Net finance costs 

Income tax expense 

Depreciation of property and equipment 

Depreciation of right-of-use assets 

Amortization of intangible assets 

Gain on sale of business 

Bargain purchase gain 

(Gain) loss on sale of land and buildings 

Gain on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted EBITDA 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  25 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

86,328  

15,382  

15,412  

43,753  

21,618  

13,557  

(306 ) 

—  

5  

2019*  

57,955  

15,552  

19,277  

44,721  

19,508  

12,757  

—  

—  

(8 ) 

2020  

2019*  

275,675  

244,225  

53,910  

86,982  

62,107  

76,536  

170,520  

168,720  

80,496  

48,213  

(306 ) 

(4,008 ) 

6  

77,326  

49,701  

—  

(8,014 ) 

(9 ) 

(2,211 ) 

(6,365 ) 

(11,899 ) 

(21,571 ) 

193,538  

163,397  

699,589  

649,021  

Additions to rolling stock and equipment 

(55,355 ) 

(52,623 ) 

(123,483 ) 

(223,965 ) 

Proceeds from sale of rolling stock and equipment 

24,144  

20,654  

52,719  

71,365  

Adjusted EBITDA net of net rolling stock and equipment 

162,327  

131,428  

628,825  

496,421  

Free cash flow conversion 

83.9%  

80.4%  

89.9%  

76.5%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

Operating margin from continuing operations is calculated as operating income (loss) from continuing operations as a percentage of 
revenue before fuel surcharge. 

Adjusted  operating  ratio:  Operating  expenses  from  continuing  operations  before  impairment  of  intangible  assets,  gain  on  sale  of 
business, bargain purchase gain, and gain or loss on sale of land and buildings, assets held for sale, and intangible assets (“Adjusted 
operating  expenses”),  net  of  fuel  surcharge  revenue,  divided  by  revenue  before  fuel  surcharge.  Although  the  adjusted  operating 
ratio is not a recognized financial measure defined by IFRS, it is a widely recognized measure in the transportation industry, which 
the  Company  believes  provides  a  comparable  benchmark  for  evaluating  the  Company’s  performance.  Also,  to  facilitate  the 
comparison  of  business  level  activity  and  operating  costs  between  periods,  the  Company  compares  the  revenue  before  fuel 
surcharge (“revenue”) and reallocates the fuel surcharge revenue to materials and services expenses within operating expenses. 

Consolidated adjusted operating ratio reconciliation: 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Operating expenses 

Gain on sale of business 

Bargain purchase gain 

Gain (loss) on sale of land and building 

Gain on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted operating expenses 

Fuel surcharge revenue 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

  1,004,884  

896,248  

  3,364,567  

  3,520,677  

306  

—  

(5 ) 

—  

—  

8  

306  

4,008  

(6 ) 

—  

8,014  

9  

2,211  

6,365  

11,899  

21,571  

  1,007,396  

902,621  

  3,380,774  

  3,550,271  

(73,859 ) 

(105,315 ) 

(296,831 ) 

(425,969 ) 

Adjusted operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue 

933,537  

797,306  

  3,083,943  

  3,124,302  

Revenue before fuel surcharge 

Adjusted operating ratio 

  1,048,147  

883,717  

  3,484,303  

  3,477,576  

89.1%  

90.2%  

88.5%  

89.8%  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Less-Than-Truckload and Truckload reportable segments adjusted operating ratio reconciliation and Truckload operating segments 
reconciliations: 

(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Less-Than-Truckload 

Total revenue 

Total operating expenses 

Operating income 

Operating expenses 
Gain (loss) on sale of land and buildings and assets held for sale   

Adjusted operating expenses 

Fuel surcharge revenue 

Adjusted operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue 

Revenue before fuel surcharge 

Adjusted operating ratio 

Truckload 

Total revenue 

Total operating expenses 

Operating income 

Operating expenses 

Gain on sale of business 

Gain on sale of land and buildings and assets held for sale 

Adjusted operating expenses 

Fuel surcharge revenue 

Adjusted operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue 

Revenue before fuel surcharge 

Adjusted operating ratio 

Truckload – Revenue before fuel surcharge 

U.S. based Conventional TL 

Canadian based Conventional TL 

Specialized TL 

Eliminations 

Truckload – Fuel surcharge revenue 

U.S. based Conventional TL 

Canadian based Conventional TL 

Specialized TL 

Eliminations 

Truckload – Operating income 

U.S. based Conventional TL 

Canadian based Conventional TL 

Specialized TL 

TFI International 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

157,628  

133,164  

24,464  

175,319  

156,008  

19,311  

589,235  

501,285  

87,950  

727,249  

645,019  

82,230  

133,164  

156,008  

501,285  

645,019  

(9 ) 

1,478  

(57 ) 

8,509  

133,155  

157,486  

501,228  

653,528  

(16,547 ) 

(24,016 ) 

(66,384 ) 

(100,030 ) 

116,608  

141,081  

82.7%  

477,262  

423,658  

133,470  

151,303  

88.2%  

434,844  

522,851  

83.2%  

553,498  

627,219  

88.2%  

469,798  

  1,748,359  

  1,891,554  

423,381  

  1,542,013  

  1,699,382  

53,604  

46,417  

206,346  

192,172  

423,658  

423,381  

  1,542,013  

  1,699,382  

306  

2,127  

—  

4,957  

306  

—  

11,864  

12,348  

426,091  

428,338  

  1,554,183  

  1,711,730  

(39,127 ) 

(57,038 ) 

(163,522 ) 

(233,757 ) 

386,964  

438,135  

88.3%  

371,300  

  1,390,661  

  1,477,973  

412,760  

  1,584,837  

  1,657,797  

90.0%  

87.7%  

89.2%  

161,476  

156,678  

58,497  

56,668  

219,093  

200,452  

632,590  

206,418  

749,655  

646,782  

226,816  

791,087  

(931 ) 

(1,038 ) 

(3,826 ) 

(6,888 ) 

438,135  

412,760  

  1,584,837  

  1,657,797  

19,006  

4,798  

15,244  

79  

26,720  

7,677  

22,686  

81,222  

19,408  

63,018  

112,165  

31,628  

90,650  

(45 ) 

(126 ) 

(686 ) 

39,127  

57,038  

163,522  

233,757  

13,722  

8,673  

31,209  

53,604  

11,931  

8,001  

26,485  

46,417  

51,857  

28,337  

126,152  

206,346  

55,055  

32,610  

104,507  

192,172  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(unaudited) 

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 

U.S. based Conventional TL 

Operating expenses** 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  27 

Three months ended 
December 31  

Years ended 
December 31  

2020  

2019*  

2020  

2019*  

166,760  

171,467  

661,955  

703,892  

Gain on sale of land and buildings and assets held for sale 

—  

—  

1,103  

—  

Adjusted operating expenses 

Fuel surcharge revenue 

Adjusted operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue 

Revenue before fuel surcharge 

Adjusted operating ratio 

Canadian based Conventional TL 

Operating expenses** 

Gain on sale of land and buildings and assets held for sale 

Adjusted operating expenses 

Fuel surcharge revenue 

Adjusted operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue 

Revenue before fuel surcharge 

Adjusted operating ratio 

Specialized TL 

Operating expenses** 

Gain on sale of business 

Gain on sale of assets held for sale 

Adjusted operating expenses 

Fuel surcharge revenue 

Adjusted operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue 

Revenue before fuel surcharge 

Adjusted operating ratio 

Recasted for change in presentation currency from Canadian dollar to U.S. dollar. 

* 
**  Operating expenses excluding intra TL eliminations 

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES 

The  Company’s  future  results  may  be  affected  by  a  number 
of  factors  over many  of  which  the  Company  has  little  or  no 
control.  The  following  discussion  of  risk  factors  contains 
forward-looking 
issues, 
uncertainties  and  risks,  among  others,  should  be  considered 
in  evaluating  the  Company’s  business,  prospects,  financial 
condition, results of operations and cash flows. 

statements. 

following 

The 

Competition. The Company faces growing competition from 
other transporters in Canada, the United States and Mexico. 
These  factors,  including  the  following,  could  impair  the 
Company’s ability to maintain or improve its profitability and 
could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s 
results of operations: 

166,760  

171,467  

663,058  

703,892  

(19,006 ) 

(26,720 ) 

(81,222 ) 

(112,165 ) 

147,754  

161,476  

91.5%  

144,747  

156,678  

92.4%  

581,836  

632,590  

92.0%  

591,727  

646,782  

91.5%  

54,622  

56,344  

197,489  

225,834  

—  

54,622  

(4,798 ) 

49,824  

58,497  

85.2%  

8  

—  

8  

56,352  

197,489  

225,842  

(7,677 ) 

(19,408 ) 

(31,628 ) 

48,675  

56,668  

85.9%  

178,081  

206,418  

86.3%  

194,214  

226,816  

85.6%  

203,128  

196,653  

686,521  

777,230  

306  

2,127  

—  

4,949  

306  

—  

10,761  

12,340  

205,561  

201,602  

697,588  

789,570  

(15,244 ) 

(22,686 ) 

(63,018 ) 

(90,650 ) 

190,317  

219,093  

86.9%  

178,916  

200,452  

89.3%  

634,570  

749,655  

84.6%  

698,920  

791,087  

88.3%  

• 

• 

• 

the Company competes with many other transportation 
companies of varying sizes, including Canadian, U.S. and 
Mexican transportation companies; 

the Company’s competitors may periodically reduce their 
freight  rates  to  gain  business,  which  may  limit  the 
Company’s ability to maintain or increase freight rates or 
maintain growth in the Company’s business; 

the  Company’s 

some  of 
customers  are  other 
transportation companies or companies that also operate 
their own private trucking fleets, and they may decide to 
freight  or  bundle 
their  own 
transport  more  of 
transportation with other services; 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

• 

some  of  the  Company’s  customers  may  reduce  the 
number of carriers they use by selecting so-called “core 
carriers”  as  approved  service  providers  or  by  engaging 
dedicated providers, and in some instances the Company 
may not be selected; 

•  many  customers  periodically  accept  bids  from  multiple 
carriers  for  their  shipping  needs,  and  this  process  may 
depress freight rates or result in the loss of some of the 
Company’s business to competitors; 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the  market  for  qualified  drivers  is  highly  competitive, 
particularly  in  the  Company’s  growing  U.S.  operations, 
and the Company’s inability to attract and retain drivers 
could  reduce  its  equipment  utilization  and  cause  the 
Company  to  increase  compensation,  both  of  which 
would adversely affect the Company’s profitability; 

economies  of  scale  that  may  be  passed  on  to  smaller 
carriers  by  procurement  aggregation  providers  may 
improve their ability to compete with the Company; 

some of the Company’s smaller competitors may not yet 
be  fully  compliant  with  recently-enacted  regulations, 
such  as  regulations  requiring  the  use  of  electronic 
logging devices “ELDs” in the United States, which may 
allow  such  competitors  to  take  advantage  of  additional 
driver productivity; 

advances in technology, such as advanced safety systems, 
automated  package  sorting,  handling  and  delivery, 
vehicle  platooning,  alternative  fuel  vehicles,  autonomous 
vehicle  technology  and  digitization  of  freight  services, 
may  require  the  Company  to  increase  investments  in 
order  to  remain  competitive,  and  the  Company’s 
customers  may  not  be  willing  to  accept  higher  freight 
rates to cover the cost of these investments; 

the  Company’s  competitors  may  have  better  safety 
records  than  the  Company  or  a  perception  of  better 
safety records, which could impair the Company’s ability 
to compete; 

shippers, 

some  high-volume  package 
as 
Amazon.com,  are  developing  and  implementing  in-
house  delivery  capabilities  and  utilizing  independent 
contractors for deliveries, which could in turn reduce the 
Company’s revenues and market share; 

such 

the Company’s brand names may be subject to adverse 
publicity  (whether  or  not  justified)  and  lose  significant 
value,  which  could  result  in  reduced  demand  for  the 
Company’s services; 

competition  from  freight  brokerage  companies  may 
materially  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  customer 
relationships and freight rates; and 

higher fuel prices and, in turn, higher fuel surcharges to 
the  Company’s  customers  may  cause  some  of  the 
Company’s  customers  to  consider  freight  transportation 
alternatives, including rail transportation. 

TFI International 

Regulation. In Canada, carriers must obtain licenses issued by 
provincial  transport  boards  in  order  to  carry  goods  inter-
provincially  or  to  transport  goods  within  any  province. 
Licensing from U.S. and Mexican regulatory authorities is also 
required  for  the  transportation  of  goods  in  Canada,  the 
United  States,  and  Mexico.  Any  change  in  or  violation  of 
existing  or  future  regulations  could  have  an  adverse  impact 
on  the  scope  of  the  Company’s  activities.  Future  laws  and 
regulations  may  be  more  stringent,  require  changes  in  the 
Company’s  operating  practices,  influence  the  demand  for 
transportation  services  or  require  the  Company  to  incur 
significant  additional  costs.  Higher  costs  incurred  by  the 
Company, or by the Company’s suppliers who pass the costs 
onto  the  Company  through  higher  supplies  and  materials 
pricing,  could  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  results  of 
operations. 

including 

In addition to the regulatory regime applicable to operations 
in  Canada,  the  Company  is  increasing  its  operations  in  the 
United  States,  and  is  therefore  increasingly  subject  to  rules 
and  regulations  related  to  the  U.S.  transportation  industry, 
including  regulation  from  various  federal,  state  and  local 
agencies, 
the  Department  of  Transportation 
(“DOT”)  (in  part  through  the  Federal  Motor  Carrier  Safety 
Administration  (“FMCSA”)),  the  Environmental  Protection 
Agency  (“EPA”)  and  the  Department  of  Homeland  Security. 
Drivers must, both in Canada and the United States, comply 
with safety and fitness regulations, including those relating to 
drug and alcohol testing, driver safety performance and hours 
of  service.  Weight  and  dimensions,  exhaust  emissions  and 
fuel efficiency are also subject to government regulation. The 
Company may also become subject to new or more restrictive 
regulations  relating  to  fuel  efficiency,  exhaust  emissions, 
hours  of  service,  drug  and  alcohol  testing,  ergonomics,  on-
board  reporting  of  operations,  collective  bargaining,  security 
at  ports,  speed  limitations,  driver  training  and  other  matters 
affecting safety or operating methods.  

In  the  United  States,  there  are  currently  two  methods  of 
evaluating the safety and fitness of carriers: the Compliance, 
Safety, Accountability (“CSA”) program, which evaluates and 
ranks  fleets  on  certain  safety-related  standards  by  analyzing 
data from recent safety events and investigation results, and 
the  DOT  safety  rating,  which  is  based  on  an  on-site 
investigation  and  affects  a  carrier’s  ability  to  operate  in 
interstate  commerce.  Additionally,  the  FMCSA  has  proposed 
rules in the past that would change the methodologies used 
to determine carrier safety and fitness.  

Under  the  CSA  program,  carriers  are  evaluated  and  ranked 
against  their  peers  based  on  seven  categories  of  safety-
related  data.  The  seven  categories  of  safety-related  data 
currently 
include  Unsafe  Driving,  Hours-of-Service 
Compliance,  Driver  Fitness,  Controlled  Substances/Alcohol, 
Vehicle  Maintenance,  Hazardous  Materials  Compliance  and 
Crash 
(such  categories  known  as  “BASICs”). 
Carriers are grouped by category with other carriers that have 
a similar number of safety events (i.e. crashes, inspections, or 
violations)  and  carriers  are  ranked  and  assigned  a  rating 

Indicator 

 
percentile or score. If the Company were subject to any such 
interventions,  this  could  have  an  adverse  effect  on  the 
Company’s  business,  financial  condition  and  results  of 
operations. As a result, the Company’s fleet could be ranked 
poorly  as  compared  to  peer  carriers.  There  is  no  guarantee 
that we will be able to maintain our current safety ratings or 
that we will not be subject to interventions in the future. The 
Company recruits first-time drivers to be part of its fleet, and 
these drivers may have a higher likelihood of creating adverse 
safety  events  under  CSA.  The  occurrence  of 
future 
deficiencies  could  affect  driver  recruitment  in  the  United 
States  by  causing  high-quality  drivers  to  seek  employment 
with  other  carriers  or  limit  the  pool  of  available  drivers  or 
could cause the Company’s customers to direct their business 
away  from  the  Company  and  to  carriers  with  higher  fleet 
safety  rankings,  either  of  which  would  materially  adversely 
affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results 
of  operations.  In  addition,  future  deficiencies  could  increase 
the Company’s insurance expenses. Additionally, competition 
for  drivers  with  favorable  safety  backgrounds  may  increase, 
in  driver-related 
which 
compensation costs. Further, the Company may incur greater 
than  expected  expenses 
improve 
in 
unfavorable scores. 

could  necessitate 

its  attempts 

increases 

to 

In December 2015, the U.S. Congress passed a new highway 
funding bill called Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act 
(the “FAST Act”), which calls for significant CSA reform. The 
FAST Act directs the FMCSA to conduct studies of the scoring 
system  used  to  generate  CSA  rankings  to  determine  if  it  is 
effective in identifying high-risk carriers and predicting future 
crash  risk.  This  study  was  conducted  and  delivered  to  the 
FMCSA in June 2017 with several recommendations to make 
the  CSA  program  more  fair,  accurate  and  reliable.  In  June 
2018,  the  FMCSA  provided  a  report  to  the  U.S.  Congress 
outlining  the  changes  it  may  make  to  the  CSA  program  in 
response to the study. Such changes include the testing and 
possible adoption of a revised risk modeling theory, potential 
collection  and  dissemination  of  additional  carrier  data  and 
revised measures for intervention thresholds. The adoption of 
such  changes  is  contingent  on  the  results  of  the  new 
modeling  theory  and  additional  public  feedback.  Thus,  it  is 
unclear if, when and to what extent such changes to the CSA 
program  will  occur.  The  FAST  Act  is  set  to  expire  in 
September 2020, and the U.S. Congress has noted its intent 
to consider a multiyear highway measure that would update 
the FAST Act, which could lead to further changes to the CSA 
program.  Any  changes  that  increase  the  likelihood  of  the 
Company  receiving  unfavorable  scores  could  materially 
adversely  affect  the  Company’s  results  of  operations  and 
profitability. 

In December 2016, the FMCSA issued a final rule establishing 
a  national  clearinghouse  for  drug and  alcohol  testing  results 
and  requiring  motor  carriers  and  medical  review  officers  to 
provide records of violations by commercial drivers of FMCSA 
drug  and  alcohol  testing  requirements.  Motor  carriers  in  the 
United  States  will  be  required  to  query  the  clearinghouse  to 
ensure drivers and driver applicants do not have violations of 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  29 

federal  drug  and  alcohol  testing  regulations  that  prohibit 
them  from  operating  commercial  motor  vehicles.  The  final 
rule became effective on January 4, 2017, with a compliance 
date  of  January  6,  2020.  In  December  2019,  however,  the 
FMCSA  announced  a  final  rule  pursuant  to  which  the 
compliance  date  for  state  driver’s  licensing  agencies  for 
certain  Drug  and  Alcohol  Clearinghouse  requirements  were 
extended  for  three  years.  The  December  2016  commercial 
initially  required  states  to  request 
driver’s 
information from the clearinghouse about individuals prior to 
issuing,  renewing,  upgrading  or  transferring  a  commercial 
driver’s  license.  This  new  action  will  allow  states  to  delay 
compliance with the requirement until January 2023.  

license  rule 

In addition, other rules have been recently proposed or made 
final  by  the  FMCSA,  including  (i)  a  rule  requiring  the  use  of 
speed-limiting  devices  on  heavy-duty  tractors  to  restrict 
maximum speeds, which was proposed in 2016, and (ii) a rule 
setting out minimum driver training standards for new drivers 
applying for commercial driver’s licenses for the first time and 
to  experienced  drivers  upgrading  their  licenses  or  seeking  a 
hazardous  materials  endorsement,  which  was  made  final  in 
December  2016  with  a  compliance  date  in  February  2020 
(FMCSA officials recently delayed implementation of the final 
rule  by  two  years).  In  July  2017, the  DOT  announced  that  it 
would no longer pursue a speed limiter rule, but left open the 
possibility that it could resume such a pursuit in the future. In 
2019  U.S.  Congressional  representatives  proposed  a  similar 
rule  related  to  speed  limiting  devices.  The  effect  of  these 
rules,  to  the  extent  they  become  effective,  could  result  in  a 
decrease  in  fleet  production  and/or  driver  availability,  either 
of  which  could  materially  adversely  affect  the  Company’s 
business, financial condition and results of operations. 

The Company currently has a satisfactory DOT rating for each 
of  its  U.S.  operations,  which  is  the  highest  available  rating 
under the current safety rating scale. If the Company were to 
receive  a  conditional  or  unsatisfactory  DOT  safety  rating,  it 
could  materially  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  business, 
financial  condition  and  results  of  operations  as  customer 
contracts may require a satisfactory DOT safety rating, and a 
conditional or unsatisfactory rating could materially adversely 
affect  or  restrict the  Company’s  operations  and increase  the 
Company’s insurance costs.  

The FMCSA has proposed regulations that would modify the 
existing rating system and the safety labels assigned to motor 
carriers  evaluated  by  the  DOT.  Under  regulations  that  were 
proposed  in  2016,  the  methodology  for  determining  a 
carrier’s DOT safety rating would be expanded to include the 
on-road  safety  performance  of  the  carrier’s  drivers  and 
equipment,  as  well  as  results  obtained  from  investigations. 
Exceeding  certain  thresholds  based  on  such  performance  or 
results would cause a carrier to receive an unfit safety rating. 
The  proposed  regulations  were  withdrawn  in  March  2017, 
but the FMCSA noted that a similar process may be initiated 
in  the  future.  If  similar  regulations  were  enacted  and  the 
Company  were  to  receive  an  unfit  or  other  negative  safety 
rating, the Company’s business would be materially adversely 

2020 Annual Report 

 
30  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

affected in the same manner as if it received a conditional or 
unsatisfactory  safety  rating  under  the  current  regulations.  In 
addition, poor safety performance could lead to increased risk 
of liability, increased insurance, maintenance and equipment 
costs and potential loss of customers, which could materially 
adversely  affect  the  Company’s  business,  financial  condition 
and 
recently 
announced plans to conduct a new study on the causation of 
certain  crashes.  Although  it  remains  unclear  whether  such  a 
study  will  ultimately  be  undertaken  and  completed,  the 
results  of  such  a  study  could  spur  further  proposed  and/or 
final rules regarding safety and fitness in the United States. 

results  of  operations.  The  FMCSA  also 

From  time  to  time,  the  FMCSA  proposes  and  implements 
changes  to  regulations  impacting  hours-of-service.  Such 
changes  can  negatively  impact  the  Company’s  productivity 
and  affect  its  operations  and  profitability  by  reducing  the 
number of hours per day or week the Company’s U.S. drivers 
and independent contractors may operate and/or disrupt the 
Company’s  network.  In  August  2019,  the  FMCSA  issued  a 
proposal  to  make  changes  to  its  hours-of-service  rules  that 
would  allow  U.S.  truck  drivers  more  flexibility  with  their  30-
minute rest break and with dividing their time in the sleeper 
berth.  It  would  also  extend  by  two  hours  the  duty  time  for 
drivers  encountering  adverse  weather,  and  extend  the  short 
haul exemption by lengthening the drivers’ maximum on-duty 
period from 12 hours to 14 hours. It is unclear how long the 
process of finalizing a final rule will take, if one does come to 
fruition.  Any  future  changes  to  hours  of  service  regulations 
the  Company’s 
could  materially  and  adversely  affect 
operations and profitability. 

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,  the 
EPA  and  certain  U.S.  states,  including  California,  have 
adopted  regulations  that  are  aimed  at  reducing  tractor 
emissions  and/or  increasing  fuel  economy  of  the  equipment 
the Company uses. Certain of these regulations are currently 
effective,  with  stricter  emission  and  fuel  economy  standards 
becoming  effective  over  the  next  several  years.  Other 
regulations  have  been  proposed  in  the  United  States  that 
would  similarly  increase  these  standards.  U.S.  federal  and 
state  lawmakers  and  regulators  have  also  adopted  or  are 
legal 
considering  a  variety  of  other  climate-change 
requirements  related  to  carbon  emissions  and  greenhouse 
gas emissions. These legal requirements could potentially limit 
carbon  emissions  within  certain  states  and  municipalities  in 
the United States. Certain of these legal requirements restrict 
the location and amount of time that diesel-powered tractors 
(like the Company’s) may idle, which may force the Company 
to  purchase  on-board  power  units  that  do  not  require  the 
engine  to  idle  or  to  alter  the  Company’s  drivers’  behavior, 
which  might  result  in  a  decrease  in  productivity  and/or  an 
increase  in  driver  turnover.  All  of  these  regulations  have 
increased,  and  may  continue  to  increase,  the  cost  of  new 
tractors and trailers and may require the Company to retrofit 
certain  of 
its 
maintenance costs, and could impair equipment productivity 
and  increase  the  Company’s  operating  costs,  particularly  if 
such  costs  are  not  offset  by  potential  fuel  savings.  The 

trailers,  may 

tractors  and 

increase 

its 

TFI International 

occurrence  of  any  of  these  adverse  effects,  combined  with 
the  uncertainty  as  to  the  reliability  of  the  newly-designed 
diesel  engines  and  the  residual  values  of  the  Company’s 
equipment,  could  materially  adversely  affect  the  Company’s 
business,  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations. 
Furthermore,  any  future  regulations  that  impose  restrictions, 
caps,  taxes  or  other  controls  on  emissions  of  greenhouse 
gases  could  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  operations  and 
financial  results.  The  Company  cannot  predict  the  extent  to 
which its operations and productivity will be impacted by any 
future regulations. The Company will continue monitoring its 
compliance  with  U.S.  federal  and  state  environmental 
regulations. 

In March 2014, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held 
that the application of California state wage and hour laws to 
interstate truck drivers is not pre-empted by U.S. federal law. 
The  case  was  appealed  to  the  U.S.  Supreme  Court,  which 
denied  certiorari  in  May  2015,  and  accordingly,  the  Ninth 
Circuit  Court  of  Appeals  decision  stands.  However,  in 
December  2018,  the  FMCSA  granted  a  petition  filed  by  the 
American Trucking Associations determining that federal law 
pre-empts  California’s  wage  and  hour  laws,  and  interstate 
truck  drivers  are  not  subject  to  such  laws.  The  FMCSA’s 
decision  has  been  appealed  by  labour  groups  and  multiple 
lawsuits  have  been  filed  in  U.S.  federal  courts  seeking  to 
overturn the decision, and thus it is uncertain whether it will 
stand. Current and future U.S. state and local wage and hour 
laws, including laws related to employee meal breaks and rest 
periods, may vary significantly from U.S. federal law. Further, 
driver piece rate compensation, which is an industry standard, 
has  been  attacked  as  non-compliant  with  state  minimum 
wage  laws.  As  a  result,  the  Company,  along  with  other 
companies in the industry, is subject to an uneven patchwork 
of  wage  and  hour  laws  throughout  the  United  States.  In 
addition,  the  uncertainty  with  respect  to  the  practical 
application of wage and hour laws are, in the future may be, 
resulting in additional costs for the Company and the industry 
as  a  whole,  and  a  negative  outcome  with  respect  to  any  of 
the  above-mentioned  lawsuits  could  materially  affect  the 
Company. There is proposed federal legislation to solidify the 
pre-emption of state and local wage and hour laws applied to 
interstate  truck  drivers;  however,  passage  of  such  legislation 
is  uncertain.  If  U.S.  federal  legislation  is  not  passed,  the 
Company  will  either  need  to  continue  complying  with  the 
most  restrictive  state  and  local  laws  across  its  entire  fleet  in 
the  United  States,  or  revise  its  management  systems  to 
comply  with  varying  state  and  local  laws.  Either  solution 
could result in increased compliance and labour  costs,  driver 
turnover,  decreased  efficiency  and  increased  risk  of  non-
compliance. In April 2016, the Food and Drug Administration 
(“FDA”)  published  a  final  rule  establishing  requirements  for 
shippers,  loaders,  carriers  by  motor  vehicle  and  rail  vehicle, 
and  receivers  engaged  in  the  transportation  of  food,  to  use 
sanitary  transportation  practices  to  ensure  the  safety  of  the 
food they transport as part of the FSMA. This rule sets forth 
requirements  related  to  (i)  the  design  and  maintenance  of 
equipment  used  to  transport  food,  (ii)  the  measures  taken 
during  food  transportation  to  ensure  food  safety,  (iii)  the 

 
training  of  carrier  personnel  in  sanitary  food  transportation 
practices,  and  (iv)  maintenance  and  retention  of  records  of 
written  procedures,  agreements,  and  training  related  to  the 
foregoing  items.  These  requirements  took  effect  for  larger 
carriers in April 2017 and apply to the Company when it acts 
as a carrier or as a broker. If the Company is found to be in 
violation  of  applicable  laws  or  regulations  related  to  the 
FSMA  or  if  the  Company  transports  food  or  goods  that  are 
contaminated or are found to cause illness and/or death, the 
Company  could  be  subject  to  substantial  fines,  lawsuits, 
penalties and/or criminal and civil liability, any of which could 
have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business, 
financial condition, and results of operations.  

Changes  in  existing  regulations  and  implementation  of  new 
regulations,  such  as  those  related  to  trailer  size  limits, 
emissions  and  fuel  economy,  hours  of  service,  mandating 
ELDs  and  drug  and  alcohol  testing  in  Canada,  the  United 
States and Mexico, could increase capacity in the industry or 
improve  the  position  of  certain  competitors,  either  of  which 
could  negatively  impact  pricing  and  volumes  or  require 
additional  investments  by  the  Company.  The  short-term  and 
long-term impacts of changes in legislation or regulations are 
difficult  to  predict  and  could  materially  adversely  affect  the 
Company’s results of operations. 

The right to continue to hold applicable licenses and permits 
is  generally  subject  to  maintaining  satisfactory  compliance 
with  regulatory  and  safety  guidelines,  policies  and  laws. 
Although  the  Company  is  committed  to  compliance  with 
laws  and  safety,  there  is  no  assurance  that  it  will  be  in  full 
compliance  with  them  at  all  times.  Consequently,  at  some 
future  time,  the  Company  could  be  required  to  incur 
significant costs to maintain or improve its compliance record. 

United States and Mexican operations. A growing portion of 
the  Company’s  revenue  is  derived  from  operations  in  the 
United  States  and  transportation  to  and  from  Mexico.  The 
Company’s international operations are subject to a variety of 
risks,  including  fluctuations  in  foreign  currencies,  changes  in 
the  economic  strength  or  greater  volatility  in  the  economies 
of  foreign  countries  in  which  the  Company  does  business, 
difficulties  in  enforcing  contractual  rights  and  intellectual 
property  rights,  compliance  burdens  associated  with  export 
and import laws, theft or vandalism, and social, political and 
economic instability. The Company’s international operations 
could  be  adversely  affected  by  restrictions  on  travel. 
Additional  risks  associated  with  the  Company’s  international 
operations  include  restrictive  trade  policies,  imposition  of 
duties, changes to trade agreements and other treaties, taxes 
or  government  royalties  by  foreign  governments,  adverse 
changes in the regulatory environments, including in tax laws 
and  regulations,  of  the  foreign  countries  in  which  the 
Company does business, compliance with anti-corruption and 
anti-bribery  laws,  restrictions  on  the  withdrawal  of  foreign 
investments,  the  ability  to  identify  and  retain  qualified  local 
managers  and  the  challenge  of  managing  a  culturally  and 
geographically  diverse  operation.  The  Company  cannot 
guarantee compliance with all applicable laws, and violations 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  31 

could  result  in  substantial  fines,  sanctions,  civil  or  criminal 
penalties,  competitive  or  reputational  harm,  litigation  or 
regulatory  action  and  other  consequences  that  might 
adversely affect the Company’s results of operations. 

The  United  States  has  imposed  tariffs  on  certain  imported 
steel  and  aluminum.  The  implementation  of  these  tariffs,  as 
well  as  the  imposition  of  additional  tariffs  or  quotas  or 
changes to certain trade agreements, including tariffs applied 
to goods traded between the United States and China, could, 
among other things, increase the costs of the materials used 
by  the  Company’s  suppliers  to  produce  new  revenue 
equipment  or  increase  the  price  of  fuel.  Such  cost  increases 
for the Company’s revenue equipment suppliers would likely 
be passed on to the Company, and to the extent fuel prices 
increase, the Company may not be able to fully recover such 
increases  through  rate  increases  or  the  Company’s  fuel 
surcharge  program,  either  of  which  could  have  a  material 
adverse effect on the Company’s business. 

The  United  States-Mexico-Canada  Agreement  (“USMCA”) 
has  been  ratified  by  the  United States  and  Mexico  but  must 
be ratified by the Parliament of Canada before it enters into 
effect.  The  USMCA  is  designed  to  modernize  food  and 
agriculture trade, advance rules of origin for automobiles and 
trucks, and enhance intellectual property protections, among 
other  matters,  according  to  the  Office  of  the  U.S.  Trade 
Representative.  The  USMCA  is  now  in  the  process  of  being 
ratified by each country. It is difficult to predict at this stage 
what  could  be  the  impact  of  the  USMCA  on  the  economy, 
including  the  transportation  industry.  However,  given  the 
amount of North American trade that moves by truck, if the 
USMCA enters into effect,  it could have a significant  impact 
on  supply  and  demand  in  the  transportation  industry,  and 
could adversely impact the amount, movement and patterns 
of freight transported by the Company.  

In December 2017, the United States enacted comprehensive 
tax  legislation,  commonly  referred  to  as  the  2017  Tax  Cuts 
and  Jobs  Act.  The  new  law  requires  complex  computations 
not  previously  required  by  U.S.  tax  law.  The  Treasury  has 
issued  final  regulations  and  interpretive  guidance  on  specific 
areas since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was enacted, but 
there  remain  significant  regulations  that  are  still  awaiting 
finalization.  The  finalization  of  these  proposed  regulations 
could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Corporation’s 
results  in  future  periods.  Further,  compliance  with  the  new 
law  and 
require 
information  not  previously 
preparation  and  analysis  of 
In  addition,  the  U.S. 
required  or  regularly  produced. 
issue 
Department  of  Treasury  has  broad  authority  to 
regulations and interpretative guidance that may significantly 
impact how the Company will apply the law and impact the 
Company’s results of operations in future periods. The timing 
and scope of such regulations and interpretative guidance are 
uncertain.  In  addition,  there  is  a  risk  that  states  within  the 
United  States  or  foreign  jurisdictions  may  amend  their  tax 
laws  in  response  to  these  tax  reforms,  which  could  have  a 
material adverse effect on the Company’s results.  

for  such  provisions 

the  accounting 

2020 Annual Report 

 
32  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

In addition, if the Company is unable to maintain its Free and 
Secure  Trade  (“FAST”)  and  U.S.  Customs  Trade  Partnership 
Against  Terrorism  (“C-TPAT”)  certification  statuses,  it  may 
have  significant  border  delays,  which  could  cause  its  cross-
less  efficient  than  those  of 
border  operations  to  be 
competitor carriers that obtain or continue to maintain FAST 
and C-TPAT certifications. 

Operating  Environment  and  Seasonality.  The  Company  is 
exposed to the following factors, among others, affecting its 
operating environment: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the  Company’s  future  insurance  and  claims  expense, 
including the cost of its liability insurance premiums and 
the  number  and  dollar  amount  of  claims,  may  exceed 
historical  levels,  which  would  require  the  Company  to 
incur  additional  costs  and  could  reduce  the  Company’s 
earnings;  

a  decline  in  the  demand  for  used  revenue  equipment 
could  result  in  decreased  equipment  sales,  lower  resale 
values  and  lower  gains  (or  recording  losses)  on  sales  of 
assets; 

trailer 

reduce 

vendors  may 

tractor  and 
their 
manufacturing  output  in  response  to  lower  demand  for 
their  products  in  economic  downturns  or  shortages  of 
component  parts,  which  may  materially  adversely  affect 
the  Company’s  ability  to  purchase  a  quantity  of  new 
revenue equipment that is sufficient to sustain its desired 
growth rate; and 

increased  prices  for  new  revenue  equipment,  design 
changes  of  new  engines,  reduced  equipment  efficiency 
reduce 
resulting 
emissions,  or  decreased  availability  of  new  revenue 
equipment. 

from  new  engines  designed 

to 

season  because 

inclement  weather 

The  Company’s  tractor  productivity  decreases  during  the 
winter 
impedes 
operations  and  some  shippers  reduce  their  shipments  after 
the  winter  holiday  season.  Revenue  may  also  be  adversely 
affected by inclement weather and holidays, since revenue is 
directly related to available working days of shippers.  At the 
same  time,  operating  expenses  increase  and  fuel  efficiency 
declines because of engine idling and harsh weather creating 
higher  accident  frequency,  increased  claims  and  higher 
equipment repair expenditures. The Company may also suffer 
from  weather-related  or  other  unforeseen  events  such  as 
tornadoes,  hurricanes,  blizzards,  ice  storms,  floods,  fires, 
earthquakes  and  explosions.  These  events  may  disrupt  fuel 
supplies,  increase  fuel  costs,  disrupt  freight  shipments  or 
routes,  affect  regional  economies,  damage  or  destroy  the 
Company’s assets or adversely affect the business or financial 
condition  of  the  Company’s  customers,  any  of  which  could 
results  of 
materially  adversely  affect 
operations  or  make  the  Company’s  results  of  operations 
more volatile. 

the  Company’s 

TFI International 

General  Economic,  Credit,  and  Business  Conditions.  The 
Company’s  business  is  subject  to  general  economic,  credit, 
business  and  regulatory  factors  that  are  largely  beyond  the 
Company’s control, and which could have a material adverse 
effect on the Company’s operating results. 

The  Company’s  industry  is  subject  to  cyclical  pressures,  and 
the Company’s business is dependent on a number of factors 
that  may  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  its  results  of 
operations,  many  of  which  are  beyond  the  Company’s 
control.  The  Company  believes  that  some  of  the  most 
significant of these factors include (i) excess tractor and trailer 
capacity  in  the  transportation  industry  in  comparison  with 
shipping  demand;  (ii)  declines  in  the  resale  value  of  used 
equipment;  (iii)  recruiting  and  retaining  qualified  drivers;  (iv) 
strikes,  work  stoppages  or  work  slowdowns  at 
the 
Company’s  facilities  or  at  customer,  port,  border crossing  or 
other shipping-related facilities;  (v)  compliance  with  ongoing 
regulatory  requirements;  (vi)  increases  in  interest  rates,  fuel 
taxes,  tolls  and  license  and  registration  fees;  and  (vii)  rising 
healthcare costs in the United States.  

The  Company  is  also  affected  by  (i)  recessionary  economic 
cycles, which tend to be characterized by weak demand and 
downward  pressure  on  rates;  (ii)  changes  in  customers’ 
inventory  levels  and  in  the  availability  of  funding  for  their 
working  capital;  (iii)  changes  in  the  way  in  which  the 
Company’s  customers  choose  to  source  or  utilize  the 
Company’s  services;  and 
in  customers’ 
business cycles, such as retail and manufacturing, where the 
Company  has  significant  customer  concentration.  Economic 
conditions may adversely affect customers and their demand 
for and ability to pay for the Company’s services. Customers 
encountering  adverse  economic  conditions  represent  a 
greater potential for loss and the Company may be required 
to increase its allowance for doubtful accounts. 

(iv)  downturns 

Economic  conditions  that  decrease  shipping  demand  and 
increase the supply of available tractors and trailers can exert 
downward  pressure  on  rates  and  equipment  utilization, 
thereby  decreasing  asset  productivity.  The  risks  associated 
with  these  factors  are  heightened  when  the  economy  is 
weakened.  Some  of  the  principal  risks  during  such  times 
include: 

• 

• 

• 

the  Company  may  experience  a  reduction  in  overall 
freight  levels,  which  may  impair  the  Company’s  asset 
utilization; 

freight  patterns  may  change  as  supply  chains  are 
redesigned,  resulting  in  an  imbalance  between  the 
Company’s  capacity  and  assets  and  customers’  freight 
demand; 

the Company may be forced to accept more loads from 
freight brokers, where freight rates are typically lower, or 
may  be  forced  to  incur  more  non-revenue  generating 
miles to obtain loads; 

 
• 

• 

• 

the  Company  may  increase  the  size  of  its  fleet  during 
periods  of  high  freight  demand  during  which 
its 
competitors  also 
increase  their  capacity,  and  the 
Company may experience losses in greater amounts than 
such  competitors  during  subsequent  cycles  of  softened 
freight demand if the Company is required to dispose of 
assets at a loss to match reduced freight demand; 

customers  may  solicit  bids  for  freight  from  multiple 
trucking  companies  or  select  competitors  that  offer 
lower  rates  in  an  attempt  to  lower  their  costs,  and  the 
Company may be forced to lower its rates or lose freight; 
and  

lack  of  access  to  current  sources  of  credit  or  lack  of 
lender access to capital, leading to an inability to secure 
credit financing on satisfactory terms, or at all. 

reduce 

that  could  materially 

The Company is subject to cost increases that are outside the 
Company’s  control 
the 
Company’s  profitability  if  it  is  unable  to  increase  its  rates 
sufficiently.  Such  cost  increases  include,  but  are  not  limited 
to,  increases  in  fuel  and  energy  prices,  driver  and  office 
employee  wages,  purchased  transportation  costs,  taxes, 
interest  rates,  tolls,  license  and  registration  fees,  insurance 
premiums  and  claims,  revenue  equipment  and  related 
maintenance,  and  tires  and  other  components.  Strikes  or 
other work stoppages at the Company’s service centres or at 
customer,  port,  border  or  other 
locations, 
deterioration  of  Canadian,  U.S.  or  Mexican  transportation 
infrastructure and reduced investment in such infrastructure, 
or  actual  or  threatened  armed  conflicts  or  terrorist  attacks, 
efforts  to  combat  terrorism, military  action against  a  foreign 
state  or  group  located  in  a  foreign  state  or  heightened 
security requirements could lead to wear, tear and damage to 
the  Company’s  equipment,  driver  dissatisfaction,  reduced 
economic  demand,  reduced  availability  of  credit,  increased 
prices for fuel or temporary closing of the shipping locations 
or  borders  between  Canada,  the  United  States  and  Mexico. 
Further,  the  Company  may  not  be  able  to  appropriately 
adjust  its  costs  and  staffing  levels  to  meet  changing  market 
demands.  In  periods  of  rapid  change,  it  is  more  difficult  to 
match the Company’s staffing level to its business needs. 

shipping 

The  Company’s  operations,  with  the  exception  of 
its 
brokerage operations, are capital intensive and asset heavy. If 
anticipated demand differs materially from actual usage, the 
Company  may  have  too  many  or  too  few  assets.  During 
periods of decreased customer demand, the Company’s asset 
utilization may suffer, and it may be forced to sell equipment 
on  the  open  market  or  turn  in  equipment  under  certain 
equipment  leases  in  order  to  right  size  its  fleet.  This  could 
cause  the  Company  to  incur  losses  on  such  sales  or  require 
payments  in connection with equipment the  Company  turns 
in,  particularly  during  times  of  a  softer  used  equipment 
market, either of which could have a material adverse effect 
on the Company’s profitability. 

Although  the  Company’s  business  volume  is  not  highly 
concentrated,  its  customers’  financial  failures  or  loss  of 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  33 

customer  business  may  materially  adversely  affect  the 
Company. If the Company were unable to generate sufficient 
cash  from  operations,  it  would  need  to  seek  alternative 
sources  of  capital,  including  financing,  to  meet  its  capital 
requirements. In the event that the Company were unable to 
generate  sufficient  cash  from  operations  or  obtain  financing 
on favorable terms in the future, it may have to limit its fleet 
size,  enter  into  less  favorable  financing  arrangements  or 
operate  its  revenue  equipment  for  longer  periods,  any  of 
which  could  have  a  materially  adverse  effect  on 
its 
profitability. 

(“COVID-19”)  outbreak  or  other 

similar 
Coronavirus 
outbreaks. The recent outbreak of COVID-19, and any other 
outbreaks  of  contagious  diseases  or  other  adverse  public 
health  developments,  could  have  a  materially  adverse  effect 
on  the  Company’s  financial  condition,  liquidity,  results  of 
operations,  and  cash  flows.  The  outbreak  of  COVID-19  has 
resulted in governmental authorities implementing numerous 
measures to try to contain the virus, such as travel bans and 
restrictions,  quarantines,  shelter  in  place  orders,  increased 
border and port controls and closures, and shutdowns. There 
is  considerable  uncertainty  regarding  such  measures  and 
potential future measures, all of which could limit our ability 
to  meet  customer  demand,  as  well  as  reduce  customer 
demand. 

Certain of the Company’s office personnel, has been working 
remotely,  which  could  disrupt  to  a  certain  extent  the 
Company’s  management,  business,  finance,  and  financial 
reporting teams. The Company may experience an increase in 
absences  or  terminations  among  its  driver  and  non-driver 
personnel  due  to  the  outbreak  of  COVID-19,  which  could 
have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s operating 
results.  Further,  the  Company’s  operations,  particularly  in 
areas  of  increased  COVID-19  infections,  could  be  disrupted 
resulting  in  a  negative  impact  on  the  Company’s  operations 
and results.  

The  outbreak  of  COVID-19  has  significantly 
increased 
economic and demand uncertainty. It is likely that the current 
outbreak  or  continued  spread  of  COVID-19  will  cause  an 
economic  slowdown,  and  it  is  possible  that  it  could  cause  a 
global recession. Risks related to a slowdown or recession are 
described  in  our  risk  factor  titled  “General  Economic,  Credit 
and Business Conditions”. 

The extent to which COVID-19  could impact  the  Company’s 
operations, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, 
and cash flows is highly uncertain and will depend on future 
the 
developments.  Such  developments  may 
geographic  spread  and  duration  of  the  virus,  the  severity  of 
the  disease  and  the  actions  that  may  be  taken  by  various 
governmental  authorities  and  other  third  parties  in  response 
to the outbreak. 

include 

Interest  Rate  Fluctuations.  Future  cash  flows  related  to 
variable-rate financial liabilities could be impacted by changes 
in  benchmark  rates  such  as  Bankers’  Acceptance  or  London 
Interbank  Offered  Rate  (Libor).  In  addition,  the  Company  is 

2020 Annual Report 

 
34  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

exposed  to  gains  and  losses  arising  from  changes  in  interest 
rates through its derivative financial instruments carried at fair 
value. 

Currency  Fluctuations.  The  Company’s  financial  results  are 
reported  in  Canadian  dollars  and  a  growing  portion  of  the 
Company’s  revenue  and  operating  costs  are  realized  in 
currencies other than the Canadian dollar, primarily  the U.S. 
dollar. The exchange rates between these currencies and the 
Canadian dollar have fluctuated in recent years and will likely 
continue to do so in the future. It is not possible to mitigate 
all  exposure  to  fluctuations  in  foreign  currency  exchange 
rates.  The  results  of  operations  are  therefore  affected  by 
movements of these currencies against the Canadian dollar. 

futures 

Price  and  Availability  of  Fuel.  Fuel  is  one  of  the  Company’s 
largest operating expenses. Diesel fuel prices fluctuate greatly 
due  to  factors  beyond  the  Company’s  control,  such  as 
political  events,  commodity 
trading,  currency 
fluctuations,  natural  and  man-made  disasters,  terrorist 
activities  and  armed  conflicts,  any  of  which  may  lead  to  an 
increase  in  the  cost  of  fuel.  Fuel  prices  are  also  affected  by 
the rising demand for fuel in developing countries and could 
be materially adversely affected by the use of crude oil and oil 
reserves  for  purposes  other  than  fuel  production  and  by 
diminished drilling activity. Such events may lead not only to 
increases  in  fuel  prices,  but  also  to  fuel  shortages  and 
disruptions  in  the  fuel  supply  chain.  Because  the Company’s 
operations  are  dependent  upon  diesel  fuel,  significant  diesel 
fuel cost increases, shortages or supply disruptions could have 
a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business, 
financial condition and results of operations. 

While  the  Company  has  fuel  surcharge  programs  in  place 
with  a  majority  of  the  Company’s  customers,  which 
historically  have  helped  the  Company  offset  the  majority  of 
the  negative  impact  of  rising  fuel  prices,  the  Company  also 
incurs fuel costs that cannot be recovered even with respect 
to  customers  with  which  the  Company  maintains  fuel 
surcharge  programs,  such  as  those  associated  with  non-
revenue  generating  miles  or  time  when  the  Company’s 
engines  are  idling.  Moreover,  the  terms  of  each  customer’s 
fuel  surcharge  program  vary  from  one  division  to  another, 
and the recoverability for fuel price increases varies as well. In 
addition, because the Company’s fuel surcharge recovery lags 
behind changes in fuel prices, the Company’s fuel surcharge 
recovery  may  not  capture  the  increased  costs  the  Company 
pays for fuel, especially when prices are rising. This could lead 
to  fluctuations  in  the  Company’s  levels  of  reimbursement, 
such as has occurred in the past. There can be no assurance 
that  such  fuel  surcharges  can  be  maintained  indefinitely  or 
that they will be fully effective. 

Insurance.  The  Company’s  operations  are  subject  to  risks 
inherent  in  the  transportation  sector,  including  personal 
injury,  property  damage,  workers’  compensation  and 
employment  and  other 
issues.  The  Company’s  future 
insurance  and  claims  expenses  may  exceed  historical  levels, 
which  could  reduce  the  Company’s  earnings.  The  Company 
subscribes  for  insurance  in  amounts  it  considers  appropriate 

TFI International 

in  the  circumstances  and  having  regard  to  industry  norms. 
Like  many  in  the  industry,  the  Company  self-insures  a 
significant  portion  of  the  claims  exposure  related  to  cargo 
loss,  bodily  injury,  workers’  compensation  and  property 
damages.  Due  to  the  Company’s  significant  self-insured 
amounts,  the  Company  has  exposure  to  fluctuations  in  the 
number or severity of claims and the risk of being required to 
accrue or pay additional amounts if the Company’s estimates 
are  revised  or  claims  ultimately  prove  to  be  in  excess  of  the 
amounts  originally  assessed.  Further,  the  Company’s  self-
insured  retention  levels  could  change  and  result  in  more 
volatility than in recent years. 

The Company holds a fully-fronted policy of CAD $10 million 
limit  per  occurrence  for  automobile  bodily  injury,  property 
damage  and  commercial  general  liability  for  its  Canadian 
Insurance  Program,  subject  to  certain  exceptions.  The 
Company retains a deductible of US $2.25 million for certain 
U.S.  subsidiaries  on  their  primary  US  $5  million  limit  policies 
for  automobile  bodily  injury  and  property  damage,  also 
subject  to  certain  exceptions,  and  a  50%  quota  share 
deductible  for  the  US  $5  million  limit  in  excess  of  US  $5 
million.  The  Company  retains  a  deductible  of  US  $1  million 
on  its  primary  US  $5  million  limit  policy  for  certain  U.S. 
subsidiaries  for  commercial  general  liability.  The  Company 
retains deductibles of up to US $1 million per occurrence for 
workers’  compensation  claims.  The  Company’s 
liability 
coverage has a total limit of US $100 million per occurrence 
for both its Canadian and U.S. divisions. 

Although the Company believes its aggregate insurance limits 
should be sufficient to cover reasonably expected claims, it is 
possible that the amount of one or more claims could exceed 
limits  or  that  the 
the  Company’s  aggregate  coverage 
Company  will  chose  not  to  obtain  insurance  in  respect  of 
such  claims.  If  any  claim  were  to  exceed  the  Company’s 
coverage, the Company would bear the excess, in addition to 
the  Company’s  other  self-insured  amounts.  The  Company’s 
results  of  operations  and  financial  condition  could  be 
materially  and  adversely  affected  if  (i)  cost  per  claim  or  the 
number  of  claims  significantly  exceeds  the  Company’s 
coverage  limits  or  retention  amounts;  (ii)  the  Company 
experiences  a  claim  in  excess  of  its  coverage  limits;  (iii)  the 
Company’s  insurance  carriers  fail  to  pay  on  the  Company’s 
insurance  claims;  (iv)  the  Company  experiences  a  significant 
increase in premiums; or (v) the Company experiences a claim 
for  which  coverage  is  not  provided,  either  because  the 
Company  chose  not  to  obtain  insurance  as  a  result  of  high 
premiums  or  because  the  claim  is  not  covered  by  insurance 
which the Company has in place. 

The  Company  accrues  the  costs  of  the  uninsured  portion  of 
pending  claims  based  on  estimates  derived  from  the 
Company’s evaluation of the nature and severity of individual 
claims  and  an  estimate  of  future  claims  development  based 
upon historical claims development trends. Actual settlement 
of  the  Company’s  retained  claim  liabilities  could  differ  from 
its  estimates  due  to  a  number  of  uncertainties,  including 
evaluation  of  severity,  legal  costs  and  claims  that  have  been 

 
incurred  but  not  reported.  Due  to  the  Company’s  high 
retained  amounts,  it  has  significant  exposure  to  fluctuations 
in  the  number  and  severity  of  claims.  If  the  Company  were 
required  to  accrue  or  pay  additional  amounts  because  its 
estimates  are  revised  or  the  claims  ultimately  prove  to  be 
more  severe  than  originally  assessed,  its  financial  condition 
and  results  of  operations  may  be  materially  adversely 
affected. 

Employee  Relations.  Most  of  the  Company’s  unionized 
employees  are  Canadian  employees  with  a  small  number  of 
unionized  employees  in  the  United  States.  Although  the 
Company  believes  that  its  relations  with  its  employees  are 
satisfactory, no assurance can be given that the Company will 
be able to successfully extend or renegotiate the Company’s 
current  collective  agreements  as  they  expire  from  time  to 
time  or  that  additional  employees  in  the  United  States  will 
not  attempt  to  unionize.  If  the  Company  fails  to  extend  or 
renegotiate the Company’s collective agreements, if disputes 
with  the  Company’s  unions  arise,  or  if  the  Company’s 
unionized  or  non-unionized  workers  engage  in  a  strike  or 
other  work  stoppage  or  interruption,  the  Company  could 
experience  a  significant  disruption  of,  or  inefficiencies  in,  its 
operations  or  incur  higher  labour  costs,  which  could  have  a 
material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of 
operations, financial condition and liquidity. 

At  the  date  hereof,  the  collective  agreements  between  the 
Company  and  the  vast  majority  of  its  unionized  employees 
have  been  renewed.  The  Company’s  collective  agreements 
have  a  variety  of  expiration  dates,  to  the  last  of  which  is  in 
September  2024.  In  a  small  number  of  cases,  the  expiration 
date  of  the  collective  agreement  has  passed;  in  such  cases, 
the  Corporation  is  generally  in  the  process  of  renegotiating 
the  agreement.  The  Company  cannot  predict  the  effect 
which  any  new  collective  agreements  or  the  failure  to  enter 
into  such  agreements  upon  the  expiry  of  the  current 
agreements may have on its operations. 

Increases 

Drivers. 
in  driver  compensation  or  difficulties 
attracting  and  retaining  qualified  drivers  could  have  a 
material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  profitability  and 
the ability to maintain or grow the Company’s fleet. 

Like  many 
in  the  transportation  sector,  the  Company 
experiences  substantial  difficulty  in  attracting  and  retaining 
sufficient  numbers  of  qualified  drivers.  The  trucking  industry 
periodically  experiences  a  shortage  of  qualified  drivers.  The 
Company  believes  the  shortage  of  qualified  drivers  and 
intense  competition  for  drivers  from  other  transportation 
companies will create difficulties in maintaining or increasing 
the  number  of  drivers  and  may  negatively  impact  the 
Company’s  ability  to  engage  a  sufficient  number  of  drivers, 
and  the  Company’s  inability  to  do  so  may  negatively  impact 
its operations. Further, the compensation the Company offers 
its drivers and independent contractor expenses are subject to 
market conditions, and the Company may find it necessary to 
increase  driver  and  independent  contractor  compensation  in 
future periods. 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  35 

to  operate  existing 

the  Company  and  many  other 

trucking 
In  addition, 
companies  suffer  from  a  high  turnover  rate  of  drivers  in  the 
U.S. TL market. This high turnover rate requires the Company 
to  continually  recruit  a  substantial  number  of  new  drivers  in 
revenue  equipment.  Driver 
order 
shortages  are  exacerbated  during  periods  of  economic 
expansion,  in  which  alternative  employment  opportunities, 
including  in  the  construction  and  manufacturing  industries, 
which  may  offer  better  compensation  and/or  more  time  at 
home,  are  more  plentiful  and  freight  demand  increases,  or 
during  periods  of  economic  downturns, 
in  which 
unemployment  benefits  might  be  extended  and  financing  is 
limited  for  independent  contractors  who  seek  to  purchase 
equipment,  or  the  scarcity  or  growth  of  loans  for  students 
who  seek  financial  aid  for  driving  school.  The  lack  of 
adequate  tractor  parking  along  some  U.S.  highways  and 
congestion caused by inadequate highway funding may make 
it  more  difficult  for  drivers  to  comply  with  hours  of  service 
regulations  and  cause  added  stress  for  drivers,  further 
reducing  the  pool  of  eligible  drivers.  The  Company’s  use  of 
team-driven  tractors  for  expedited  shipments  requires  two 
drivers  per  tractor,  which  further  increases  the  number  of 
drivers the Company must recruit and retain in comparison to 
operations that require one driver  per tractor. The Company 
also  employs  driver  hiring  standards,  which  could  further 
reduce the pool of available drivers from which the Company 
would  hire.  If  the  Company  is  unable  to  continue  to  attract 
and retain a sufficient number of drivers, the Company could 
be  forced  to,  among  other  things,  adjust  the  Company’s 
the 
compensation  packages, 
Company’s  tractors  without  drivers  or  operate  with  fewer 
trucks  and  face  difficulty  meeting  shipper  demands,  any  of 
which  could  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  growth  and 
profitability. 

the  number  of 

increase 

Independent Contractors. The Company’s contracts with U.S. 
independent contractors are governed by U.S. federal leasing 
regulations,  which  impose  specific  requirements  on  the 
Company and the independent contractors. If more stringent 
state  or  U.S.  federal  leasing  regulations  are  adopted,  U.S. 
independent  contractors  could  be  deterred  from  becoming 
independent  contractor  drivers,  which  could  materially 
adversely  affect  the  Company’s  goal  of  maintaining  its 
current fleet levels of independent contractors. 

financing 

The  Company  provides 
to  certain  qualified 
Canadian  independent  contractors  and  financial  guarantees 
to  a  small  number  of  U.S.  independent  contractors.  If  the 
Company  were  unable  to  provide  such  financing  or 
guarantees in the future, due to liquidity constraints or other 
restrictions,  it  may  experience  a  decrease  in  the  number  of 
independent  contractors  it  is  able  to  engage.  Further,  if 
independent contractors the Company engages default under 
or  otherwise  terminate  the  financing  arrangements  and  the 
independent 
Company 
contractors or seat the tractors with its drivers, the Company 
may incur losses on amounts owed to it with respect to such 
tractors. 

is  unable  to  find  replacement 

2020 Annual Report 

 
36  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Pursuant  to  the  Company’s  fuel  surcharge  program  with 
independent  contractors,  the  Company  pays  independent 
contractors  with  which  it  contracts  a  fuel  surcharge  that 
increases  with  the  increase  in  fuel  prices.  A  significant 
increase  or  rapid  fluctuation  in  fuel  prices  could  cause  the 
Company’s  costs  under  this  program  to  be  higher  than  the 
revenue  the  Company  receives  under  its  customer  fuel 
surcharge programs. 

for 

including 

legislation 

requirements 

to 
those 

themselves,  have 

U.S.  tax  and  other  regulatory  authorities,  as  well  as  U.S. 
independent  contractors 
increasingly 
asserted  that  U.S.  independent  contractor  drivers  in  the 
trucking  industry  are  employees  rather  than  independent 
contractors, and the Company’s classification of independent 
contractors has been the subject of audits by such authorities 
from time to time. U.S. federal and state legislation has been 
introduced in the past that would make it easier for tax and 
other  authorities  to  reclassify  independent  contractors  as 
increase 
employees, 
the 
recordkeeping 
that  engage 
independent  contractor  drivers  and  to  increase  the  penalties 
for companies who misclassify their employees and are found 
to  have  violated  employees’  overtime  and/or  wage 
requirements.  Additionally,  U.S.  federal 
legislators  have 
sought to abolish the current safe harbor allowing taxpayers 
meeting  certain  criteria  to  treat  individuals  as  independent 
contractors if they are following a long-standing, recognized 
practice,  to  extend  the  U.S.  Fair  Labor  Standards  Act  to 
independent  contractors  and  to  impose  notice  requirements 
based  on employment  or  independent  contractor  status  and 
fines  for  failure  to  comply.  Some  U.S.  states  have  put 
initiatives  in  place  to  increase  their  revenue  from  items  such 
as unemployment, workers’ compensation and income taxes, 
independent  contractors  as 
and  a 
employees  would  help  states  with  this  initiative.  Further, 
courts  in  certain  U.S.  states  have  recently  issued  decisions 
that  could  result  in  a  greater  likelihood  that  independent 
contractors would be judicially classified as employees in such 
states. 

reclassification  of 

invalidate  AB5.  While  this  preliminary  injunction  provides 
temporary  relief  to  the  enforcement  of  AB5,  it  remains 
unclear  how  long  such  relief  will  last,  whether  the  CTA  will 
ultimately be successful in invalidating the law, and whether 
other U.S. States will enact laws similar to AB5. 

U.S.  class  action  lawsuits  and  other  lawsuits  have  been  filed 
against  certain  members  of  the  Company’s  industry  seeking 
to  reclassify  independent  contractors  as  employees  for  a 
variety  of  purposes,  including  workers’  compensation  and 
health  care  coverage.  In  addition,  companies  that  use  lease 
purchase  independent  contractor  programs,  such  as  the 
Company,  have  been  more  susceptible  to  reclassification 
lawsuits,  and  several  recent  decisions  have  been  made  in 
favour  of  those  seeking  to  classify  independent  contractor 
truck  drivers  as  employees.  U.S.  taxing  and  other  regulatory 
authorities  and  courts  apply  a  variety  of  standards  in  their 
determination  of 
If  the 
independent contractors with whom the Company contracts 
are  determined  to  be  employees,  the  Company  would  incur 
additional exposure under U.S. federal and state tax, workers’ 
compensation,  unemployment  benefits,  labour,  employment 
and tort laws, including for prior periods, as well as potential 
liability  for employee  benefits and  tax  withholdings,  and  the 
Company’s  business,  financial  condition  and  results  of 
operations  could  be  materially  adversely  affected.  The 
Company  has 
in 
Massachusetts  and  California  in  the  past  with  independent 
contractors who alleged they were misclassified. 

settled  certain  class  action  cases 

independent  contractor  status. 

to  successfully 

Acquisitions  and  Integration  Risks.  Historically,  acquisitions 
have  been  a  part  of  the  Company’s  growth  strategy.  The 
Company  may  not  be  able 
integrate 
acquisitions  into  the  Company’s  business,  or  may  incur 
significant unexpected costs in doing so. Further, the process 
of  integrating  acquired  businesses  may  be  disruptive  to  the 
Company’s  existing  business  and  may  cause  an  interruption 
or  reduction  of  the  Company’s  business  as  a  result  of  the 
following factors, among others: 

the  burden 

(as  opposed 

to  demonstrate 

independent  contractors 

In  September  2019,  California  enacted  a  new  law,  A.B.  5 
(“AB5”),  that  made  it  more  difficult  for  workers  to  be 
to 
classified  as 
employees). AB5 provides that the three-pronged “ABC Test” 
must  be  used  to  determine  worker  classifications  in  wage 
order claims. Under the ABC Test, a worker is presumed to be 
their 
an  employee  and 
independent  contractor  status  is  on  the  hiring  company 
through  satisfying  all  three  of  the  following  criteria:  (a)  the 
worker is free from control and direction in the performance 
of  services;  (b)  the  worker  is  performing  work  outside  the 
usual  course  of  the  business  of  the  hiring  company;  and  (c) 
the  worker  is  customarily  engaged  in  an  independently 
established  trade,  occupation,  or  business.  How  AB5  will  be 
enforced  is  still  to  be  determined.  While  it  was  set  to  enter 
into  effect  in  January  2020,  a  federal  judge  in  California 
issued  a  preliminary  injunction  barring  the  enforcement  of 
AB5  on  the  trucking  industry  while  the  California  Trucking 
Association  (“CTA”)  moves  forward  with  its  suit  seeking  to 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

TFI International 

loss of drivers, key employees, customers or contracts; 

in  or 

inconsistencies 

conflicts  between 
possible 
standards,  controls,  procedures  and  policies  among  the 
implement 
combined  companies  and  the  need  to 
company-wide 
information 
financial, 
technology and other systems; 

accounting, 

failure  to  maintain  or  improve  the  safety  or  quality  of 
services that have historically been provided; 

inability  to  retain,  integrate,  hire  or  recruit  qualified 
employees; 

unanticipated environmental or other liabilities; 

failure 
organizations; and 

to 

coordinate 

geographically 

dispersed 

 
• 

the  diversion  of  management’s  attention  from  the 
Company’s day-to-day business as a result of the need to 
manage any disruptions and difficulties and the need to 
add management resources to do so. 

Anticipated cost savings, synergies, revenue enhancements or 
other  benefits  from  any  acquisitions  that  the  Company 
undertakes may not materialize in the expected timeframe or 
at  all.  The  Company’s  estimated  cost  savings,  synergies, 
revenue  enhancements  and  other  benefits  from  acquisitions 
are  subject  to  a  number  of  assumptions  about  the  timing, 
execution and costs associated with realizing such synergies. 
Such assumptions are inherently uncertain and are subject to 
a  wide  variety  of  significant  business,  economic  and 
competition  risks.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  such 
assumptions  will  turn  out  to  be  correct  and,  as  a  result,  the 
amount  of  cost  savings,  synergies,  revenue  enhancements 
and  other  benefits  the  Company  actually  realizes  and/or  the 
timing of such realization may differ significantly (and may be 
significantly  lower)  from  the  ones  the  Company  estimated, 
and the Company may incur significant costs in reaching the 
estimated  cost  savings,  synergies,  revenue  enhancements  or 
other  benefits.  Further,  management  of  acquired  operations 
through a decentralized approach may create inefficiencies or 
inconsistencies. 

Many of the Company’s recent acquisitions have involved the 
purchase  of  stock  of  existing  companies.  These  acquisitions, 
as  well  as  acquisitions  of  substantially  all  of  the  assets  of  a 
company,  may  expose  the  Company  to  liability  for  actions 
taken  by  an  acquired  business  and  its  management  before 
the  Company’s  acquisition.  The  due  diligence  the  Company 
conducts 
in  connection  with  an  acquisition  and  any 
contractual  guarantees  or  indemnities  that  the  Company 
receives  from  the  sellers  of  acquired  companies  may  not  be 
sufficient  to  protect  the  Company  from,  or  compensate  the 
Company  for,  actual  liabilities.  The  representations  made  by 
the  sellers  expire  at  varying  periods  after  the  closing.  A 
material  liability  associated  with  an  acquisition,  especially 
where  there  is  no  right  to  indemnification,  could  adversely 
affect 
financial 
condition and liquidity. 

results  of  operations, 

the  Company’s 

The Company continues to review acquisition and investment 
opportunities  in  order  to  acquire  companies  and  assets  that 
meet the Company’s investment criteria, some of which may 
be significant. Depending on the number of acquisitions and 
investments  and  funding  requirements,  the  Company  may 
need  to  raise  substantial  additional  capital  and  increase  the 
Company’s  indebtedness.  Instability  or  disruptions  in  the 
capital markets, including credit markets, or the deterioration 
of  the  Company’s  financial  condition  due  to  internal  or 
external factors, could restrict or prohibit access to the capital 
markets  and  could  also  increase  the  Company’s  cost  of 
capital.  To  the  extent  the  Company  raises  additional  capital 
through  the  sale  of  equity,  equity-linked  or  convertible  debt 
securities,  the  issuance  of  such  securities  could  result  in 
dilution  to  the  Company’s  existing  shareholders.  If  the 
Company  raises  additional  funds  through  the  issuance  of 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  37 

restrictions  and  costs  on 

debt  securities,  the  terms  of  such  debt  could  impose 
additional 
the  Company’s 
operations.  Additional  capital,  if  required,  may  not  be 
available  on  acceptable  terms  or  at  all.  If  the  Company  is 
unable  to  obtain  additional  capital  at  a  reasonable  cost,  the 
Company  may  be  required  to  forego  potential  acquisitions, 
which  could  impair  the  execution  of  the  Company’s  growth 
strategy. 

In  addition,  the  Company  routinely  evaluates  its  operations 
and  considers  opportunities  to  divest  certain  of  its  assets.  In 
addition,  The  Company  faces  competition  for  acquisition 
opportunities.  This  external  competition  may  hinder  the 
Company’s  ability  to  identify  and/or  consummate  future 
acquisitions successfully. There is also a risk of impairment of 
acquired  goodwill  and 
intangible  assets.  This  risk  of 
impairment  to  goodwill  and  intangible  assets  exists  because 
the assumptions used in the initial valuation, such as interest 
rates or forecasted cash flows, may change when testing for 
impairment is required. 

There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in 
identifying,  negotiating,  consummating  or  integrating  any 
future acquisitions. If the Company does not make any future 
acquisitions,  or  divests  certain  of 
its  operations,  the 
Company’s  growth  rate  could  be  materially  and  adversely 
affected.  Any 
the  Company  does 
undertake  could  involve  the  dilutive  issuance  of  equity 
securities or the incurring of additional indebtedness. 

future  acquisitions 

Growth.  There  is  no  assurance  that  in  the  future,  the 
Company’s  business  will  grow  substantially  or  without 
volatility, nor is there any assurance that the Company will be 
able to effectively adapt its management, administrative and 
operational  systems  to  respond  to  any  future  growth. 
Furthermore,  there  is  no  assurance  that  the  Company’s 
operating  margins  will  not  be  adversely  affected  by  future 
changes  in  and  expansion  of  its  business  or  by  changes  in 
economic  conditions  or  that  it  will  be  able  to  sustain  or 
improve its profitability in the future. 

Environmental  Matters.  The  Company  uses  storage  tanks  at 
certain  of  its  Canadian  and  U.S.  transportation  terminals. 
Canadian  and  U.S.  laws  and  regulations  generally  impose 
potential  liability  on  the  present  and  former  owners  or 
occupants  or 
custodians  of  properties  on  which 
contamination  has  occurred,  as  well  as  on  parties  who 
arranged  for  the  disposal  of  waste  at  such  properties. 
Although  the  Company  is  not  aware  of  any  contamination 
which, if remediation or clean-up were required, would have 
a  material  adverse  effect  on  it,  certain  of  the  Company’s 
current  or  former  facilities  have  been  in  operation  for  many 
years and over such time, the Company or the prior owners, 
operators or custodians of the properties may have generated 
and  disposed  of  wastes  which  are  or  may  be  considered 
hazardous.  Liability  under  certain  of  these 
laws  and 
regulations may be imposed on a joint and several basis and 
without  regard  to  whether  the  Company  knew  of,  or  was 
responsible for, the presence or disposal of these materials or 
whether  the  activities  giving  rise  to  the  contamination  was 

2020 Annual Report 

 
38  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

legal  when  it  occurred.  In  addition,  the  presence  of  those 
substances,  or  the  failure  to  properly  dispose  of  or  remove 
those substances, may adversely affect the Company’s ability 
to  sell  or  rent  that  property.  If  the  Company  incurs  liability 
under  these  laws  and  regulations  and  if  it  cannot  identify 
other  parties  which  it  can  compel  to  contribute  to  its 
expenses and who are financially able to do so, it could have 
a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  financial 
condition  and  results  of  operations.  There  can  be  no 
assurance  that  the  Company  will  not  be  required  at  some 
future date to incur significant costs or liabilities pursuant to 
environmental  laws,  or  that  the  Company’s  operations, 
business or assets will not be materially affected by current or 
future environmental laws. 

The  Company’s  transportation  operations  and  its  properties 
are  subject  to  extensive  and  frequently-changing  federal, 
provincial,  state,  municipal  and  local  environmental  laws, 
regulations  and  requirements  in  Canada,  the  United  States 
and  Mexico  relating  to,  among  other  things,  air  emissions, 
the  management  of  contaminants,  including  hazardous 
substances  and  other  materials  (including  the  generation, 
handling,  storage,  transportation  and  disposal  thereof), 
discharges  and  the  remediation  of  environmental  impacts 
(such  as  the  contamination  of  soil  and  water,  including 
ground water). A risk of environmental liabilities is inherent in 
transportation  operations,  historic  activities  associated  with 
such operations and the ownership, management and control 
of real estate. 

Environmental  laws  may  authorize,  among  other  things, 
federal,  provincial,  state  and  local  environmental  regulatory 
agencies  to  issue  orders,  bring  administrative  or  judicial 
actions  for  violations  of  environmental  laws  and  regulations 
or  to  revoke  or  deny  the  renewal  of  a  permit.  Potential 
penalties  for  such  violations  may  include,  among  other 
things,  civil  and  criminal  monetary  penalties,  imprisonment, 
permit  suspension  or  revocation  and  injunctive  relief.  These 
agencies  may  also,  among  other  things,  revoke  or  deny 
renewal  of  the  Company’s  operating  permits,  franchises  or 
licenses  for  violations  or  alleged  violations  of  environmental 
laws  or  regulations  and  impose  environmental  assessment, 
removal of contamination, follow up or control procedures. 

Environmental  Contamination.  The  Company  could  be 
subject  to  orders  and  other  legal  actions  and  procedures 
brought  by  governmental  or  private  parties  in  connection 
with environmental contamination, emissions or discharges. If 
the Company is involved in a spill or other accident involving 
hazardous  substances,  if  there  are  releases  of  hazardous 
substances  the  Company  transports,  if  soil  or  groundwater 
contamination  is  found  at  the  Company’s  current  or  former 
facilities  or  results  from  the  Company’s  operations,  or  if  the 
Company  is  found  to  be  in  violation  of  applicable  laws  or 
regulations,  the  Company  could  be  subject  to  cleanup  costs 
and  liabilities,  including  substantial  fines  or  penalties  or  civil 
and  criminal  liability,  any  of  which  could  have  a  materially 
adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business  and  operating 
results. 

TFI International 

and 

Key  Personnel.  The  future  success  of  the  Company  will  be 
based  in  large  part  on  the  quality  of  the  Company’s 
management 
The  Company’s 
key  personnel. 
management  and  key  personal  possess  valuable  knowledge 
about  the  transportation  and  logistics  industry  and  their 
knowledge  of  and  relationships  with  the  Company’s  key 
customers and vendors would be difficult to replace. The loss 
of  key  personnel  could  have  a  negative  effect  on  the 
Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will 
be able to retain its current key personnel or, in the event of 
their departure, to develop or attract new personnel of equal 
quality. 

Dependence  on  Third  Parties.  Certain  portions  of  the 
Company’s  business  are  dependent  upon  the  services  of 
third-party  capacity  providers,  including  other  transportation 
companies.  For  that  portion  of  the  Company’s  business,  the 
Company  does  not  own  or  control  the  transportation  assets 
that  deliver  the  customers’  freight,  and  the  Company  does 
not  employ  the  people  directly  involved  in  delivering  the 
freight.  This  reliance  could  cause  delays  in  reporting  certain 
events,  including  recognizing  revenue  and  claims.  These 
third-party providers seek other freight opportunities and may 
require  increased compensation in times of  improved  freight 
demand or tight trucking capacity. The Company’s inability to 
secure  the  services  of  these  third  parties  could  significantly 
limit  the  Company’s  ability  to  serve  its  customers  on 
competitive terms. Additionally, if  the  Company is  unable to 
secure  sufficient  equipment  or  other  transportation  services 
to  meet  the  Company’s  commitments  to  its  customers  or 
provide  the  Company’s  services  on  competitive  terms,  the 
Company’s  operating 
results  could  be  materially  and 
adversely affected. The Company’s ability to secure sufficient 
equipment  or  other  transportation  services  is  affected  by 
including 
many 
equipment 
industry, 
the 
particularly among contracted carriers, interruptions in service 
due  to  labour  disputes,  changes  in  regulations  impacting 
transportation and changes in transportation rates. 

the  Company’s  control, 
transportation 

risks  beyond 

shortages 

in 

Loan  Default.  The  agreements  governing  the  Company’s 
indebtedness, including the Credit Facility and the Term Loan, 
contain  certain  restrictions  and  other  covenants  relating  to, 
liens, 
among  other  things,  funded  debt,  distributions, 
investments,  acquisitions  and  dispositions  outside 
the 
ordinary  course  of  business  and  affiliate  transactions.  If  the 
its  financing 
Company  fails  to  comply  with  any  of 
arrangement  covenants,  restrictions  and  requirements,  the 
Company could be in default under the relevant agreement, 
which  could  cause  cross-defaults  under  other  financing 
arrangements.  In  the  event  of  any  such  default,  if  the 
Company 
financing  or 
amendments  to  or  waivers  under  the  applicable  financing 
arrangement, the Company may  be unable  to  pay dividends 
to its shareholders, and its lenders could cease making further 
advances, declare the Company’s debt to be immediately due 
and payable, fail to renew letters of credit, impose significant 
restrictions  and  requirements  on  the  Company’s  operations, 
institute  foreclosure  procedures  against  their  collateral,  or 

replacement 

to  obtain 

failed 

 
If  debt 
impose  significant  fees  and  transaction  costs. 
acceleration  occurs,  economic  conditions  may  make 
it 
difficult or expensive to refinance the accelerated debt or the 
Company  may  have  to  issue  equity  securities,  which  would 
dilute  share  ownership.  Even  if  new  financing  is  made 
available to the Company, credit may not be available to the 
Company  on  acceptable  terms.  A  default  under  the 
Company’s 
in  a 
financing  arrangements  could 
materially  adverse  effect  on  its  liquidity,  financial  condition 
and  results  of  operations.  As  at  the  date  hereof,  the 
Company is in compliance with all of its debt covenants and 
obligations. 

result 

Credit Facilities. The Company has significant ongoing capital 
requirements  that  could  affect  the  Company’s  profitability  if 
the  Company  is  unable  to  generate  sufficient  cash  from 
operations and/or obtain financing on favourable terms. The 
trucking industry and the Company’s trucking operations are 
capital  intensive,  and  require  significant  capital  expenditures 
annually. The amount and timing of such capital expenditures 
depend  on  various  factors,  including  anticipated  freight 
demand and the price and availability of assets. If anticipated 
demand differs materially from actual usage, the Company’s 
trucking  operations  may  have  too  many  or  too  few  assets. 
Moreover,  resource  requirements  vary  based  on  customer 
demand,  which  may  be  subject  to  seasonal  or  general 
economic  conditions.  During  periods  of  decreased  customer 
demand,  the  Company’s  asset  utilization  may  suffer,  and  it 
may be forced to sell equipment on the open market or turn 
in equipment under certain equipment leases in order to right 
size its fleet. This could cause the Company to incur losses on 
such sales or require payments in connection with such turn 
ins,  particularly  during  times  of  a  softer  used  equipment 
market, either of which could have a materially adverse effect 
on the Company’s profitability. 

The Company’s indebtedness may increase from time to time 
in  the  future  for  various  reasons,  including  fluctuations  in 
results  of  operations,  capital  expenditures  and  potential 
acquisitions.  The  agreements  governing  the  Company’s 
indebtedness, including the Credit Facility and the Term Loan, 
mature on various dates, ranging from 2021 to 2026. There 
can  be  no  assurance  that  such  agreements  governing  the 
Company’s indebtedness will be renewed or refinanced, or if 
renewed  or  refinanced,  that  the  renewal  or  refinancing  will 
occur  on  equally  favourable  terms  to  the  Company.  The 
Company’s ability to pay dividends to shareholders and ability 
to  purchase  new  revenue  equipment  may  be  adversely 
affected  if  the  Company  is  not  able  to  renew  the  Credit 
Facility  or  the  Term  Loan  or  arrange  refinancing  of  any 
indebtedness,  or  if  such  renewal  or  refinancing,  as  the  case 
may  be,  occurs  on  terms  materially  less  favourable  to  the 
Company  than  at  present.  If  the  Company  is  unable  to 
generate  sufficient  cash  flow  from  operations  and  obtain 
financing on terms favourable to the Company in the future, 
the  Company  may  have  to  limit  the  Company’s  fleet  size, 
enter into less favourable financing arrangements or operate 
the Company’s revenue equipment for longer periods, any of 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  39 

which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s 
operations. 

Increased prices for new revenue equipment, design changes 
of  new  engines,  decreased  availability  of  new  revenue 
equipment and future use of autonomous tractors could have 
a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business, 
financial condition, operations, and profitability. 

in  commodity  prices; 

to  newly-manufactured 

the  Company’s  costs  and 

The Company  is  subject to risk with  respect to higher  prices 
for new equipment for its trucking operations. The Company 
has  experienced  an  increase  in  prices  for  new  tractors  in 
recent  years,  and  the  resale  value  of  the  tractors  has  not 
increased to the same extent. Prices have increased and may 
increase,  due  to,  among  other  reasons, 
continue  to 
(ii)  U.S.  government 
(i) increases 
regulations  applicable 
tractors, 
trailers  and  diesel  engines;  and  (iii)  the  pricing  discretion  of 
equipment manufacturers. Increased regulation has increased 
the  cost  of  the  Company’s  new  tractors  and  could  impair 
equipment productivity, in some cases, resulting in lower fuel 
mileage,  and  increasing  the  Company’s  operating  expenses. 
Further  regulations  with  stricter  emissions  and  efficiency 
requirements  have  been  proposed  that  would  further 
increase 
impair  equipment 
productivity.  These  adverse  effects,  combined  with  the 
uncertainty as to the reliability of the vehicles equipped with 
the  newly  designed  diesel  engines  and  the  residual  values 
realized from the disposition of these vehicles could increase 
the  Company’s  costs  or  otherwise  adversely  affect  the 
Company’s business or operations as the regulations become 
effective.  Over  the  past  several  years,  some  manufacturers 
have significantly increased new equipment prices, in part to 
meet  new  engine  design  and  operations  requirements. 
Furthermore,  future  use  of  autonomous  tractors  could 
increase the price of new tractors and decrease the value of 
used  non-autonomous  tractors.  The  Company’s  business 
could  be  harmed  if  it  is  unable  to  continue  to  obtain  an 
adequate  supply  of  new  tractors  and  trailers  for  these  or 
other reasons. As a result, the Company expects to continue 
to  pay  increased  prices  for  equipment  and  incur  additional 
expenses for the foreseeable future. 

Tractor  and  trailer  vendors  may  reduce  their  manufacturing 
output  in  response  to  lower  demand  for  their  products  in 
economic  downturns  or  shortages  of  component  parts.  A 
decrease  in  vendor  output  may  have  a  materially  adverse 
effect  on  the  Company’s  ability  to  purchase  a  quantity  of 
new revenue equipment that is sufficient to sustain its desired 
growth rate and to maintain a late model fleet. Moreover, an 
inability  to  obtain  an  adequate  supply  of  new  tractors  or 
trailers  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the 
Company’s  business,  financial  condition,  and  results  of 
operation. 

The  Company  has  certain  revenue  equipment  leases  and 
financing arrangements with balloon payments at the end of 
the  lease  term  equal  to  the  residual  value  the  Company  is 
contracted to receive from certain equipment manufacturers 
upon  sale  or  trade  back  to  the  manufacturers.  If  the 

2020 Annual Report 

 
40  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

Company does not purchase new equipment that triggers the 
trade-back  obligation,  or  the  equipment  manufacturers  do 
not pay the contracted value at the end of the lease term, the 
Company  could  be  exposed  to  losses  equal  to  the  excess  of 
the  balloon  payment  owed  to  the  lease  or  finance  company 
over  the  proceeds  from  selling  the  equipment  on  the  open 
market.  

The Company has trade-in and repurchase commitments that 
specify,  among  other  things,  what  its  primary  equipment 
vendors  will  pay  it  for  disposal  of  a  certain  portion  of  the 
Company’s  revenue  equipment.  The  prices  the  Company 
expects  to  receive  under  these  arrangements  may  be  higher 
than  the  prices  it  would  receive  in  the  open  market.  The 
Company  may  suffer  a  financial  loss  upon  disposition  of  its 
equipment if these vendors refuse or are unable to meet their 
financial  obligations  under  these  agreements,  it  does  not 
enter 
into  definitive  agreements  that  reflect  favorable 
equipment  replacement  or  trade-in  terms,  it  fails  to  or  is 
unable to enter into similar arrangements in the future, or it 
does  not  purchase  the  number  of  new  replacement  units 
from the vendors required for such trade-ins.  

Used equipment prices are subject to substantial fluctuations 
based  on  freight  demand,  supply  of  used  trucks,  availability 
of  financing,  presence  of  buyers  for  export  and  commodity 
prices for scrap metal. These and any impacts of a depressed 
market  for  used  equipment  could  require  the  Company  to 
dispose  of  its  revenue  equipment  below  the  carrying  value. 
This  leads  to  losses  on  disposal  or  impairments  of  revenue 
equipment,  when  not  otherwise  protected  by  residual  value 
arrangements.  Deteriorations  of  resale  prices  or  trades  at 
depressed  values  could  cause 
losses  on  disposal  or 
impairment charges in future periods. 

Difficulty 
the 
in  obtaining  goods  and  services 
Company’s  vendors  and  suppliers  could  adversely  affect  its 
business. 

from 

The  Company  is  dependent  upon  its  vendors  and  suppliers 
for  certain  products  and  materials.  The  Company  believes 
that it has positive vendor and supplier relationships and it is 
generally  able  to  obtain  acceptable  pricing  and  other  terms 
from  such  parties.  If  the  Company  fails  to  maintain  positive 
relationships  with  its  vendors  and  suppliers,  or  if  its  vendors 
and  suppliers  are  unable  to  provide  the  products  and 
it  needs  or  undergo  financial  hardship,  the 
materials 
Company  could  experience  difficulty  in  obtaining  needed 
goods  and  services  because  of  production  interruptions, 
limited  material  availability  or  other 
reasons.  As  a 
consequence,  the  Company’s  business  and  operations  could 
be adversely affected. 

Customer and Credit Risks. The Company provides services to 
clients  primarily  in  Canada,  the  United  States  and  Mexico. 
The  concentration  of  credit  risk  to  which  the  Company  is 
exposed is limited due to the significant number of customers 
that  make  up  its  client  base  and  their  distribution  across 
different geographic areas. Furthermore, no client accounted 
for  more  than  5%  of  the  Company’s  total  accounts 

TFI International 

receivable for the year ended December 31, 2020. Generally, 
the  Company  does  not  have  long-term  contracts  with  its 
major  customers.  Accordingly,  in  response  to  economic 
conditions,  supply  and  demand  factors  in  the  industry,  the 
Company’s performance, the Company’s customers’  internal 
initiatives  or  other  factors,  the  Company’s  customers  may 
reduce  or  eliminate  their  use  of  the  Company’s  services,  or 
may  threaten  to  do  so  in  order  to  gain  pricing  and  other 
concessions from the Company. 

Economic conditions and capital markets may adversely affect 
the Company’s customers and their ability to remain solvent. 
The customers’ financial difficulties can negatively impact the 
Company’s  results  of  operations  and  financial  condition, 
especially  if  those  customers  were  to  delay  or  default  in 
payment  to  the  Company.  For  certain  customers,  the 
Company has entered into multi-year contracts, and the rates 
the Company charges may not remain advantageous. 

Availability  of  Capital.  If  the  economic  and/or  the  credit 
markets  weaken,  or  the  Company  is  unable  to  enter  into 
acceptable  financing  arrangements  to  acquire  revenue 
equipment,  make  investments  and  fund  working  capital  on 
terms  favourable  to  it,  the  Company’s  business,  financial 
results  and  results  of  operations  could  be  materially  and 
incur 
adversely  affected.  The  Company  may  need  to 
additional  indebtedness,  reduce  dividends  or  sell  additional 
shares in order to accommodate these items. A decline in the 
credit  or  equity  markets  and  any  increase  in  volatility  could 
make  it  more  difficult  for  the  Company  to  obtain  financing 
and  may  lead  to  an  adverse  impact  on  the  Company’s 
profitability and operations. 

Information  Systems.  The  Company  depends  heavily  on  the 
proper functioning, availability and security of the Company’s 
information  and  communication  systems,  including  financial 
reporting and operating systems, in operating the Company’s 
business.  The  Company’s  operating  system  is  critical  to 
understanding  customer  demands,  accepting  and  planning 
loads,  dispatching  equipment  and  drivers  and  billing  and 
collecting  for  the  Company’s  services.  The  Company’s 
financial reporting system is critical to producing accurate and 
analyzing  business 
timely 
information  to  help  the  Company  manage  its  business 
effectively.  The  Company  receives  and  transmits  confidential 
data  with  and  among  its  customers,  drivers,  vendors, 
employees  and  service  providers  in  the  normal  course  of 
business.  

statements 

financial 

and 

vulnerable 

The  Company’s  operations  and  those  of  its  technology  and 
to 
service  providers  are 
communications 
interruption  by  natural  and  man-made  disasters  and  other 
events beyond the Company’s control, including cybersecurity 
breaches and  threats,  such as  hackers, malware and  viruses, 
fire,  earthquake,  power  loss,  telecommunications  failure, 
terrorist attacks and Internet failures. The Company’s systems 
are  also  vulnerable  to  unauthorized  access  and  viewing, 
misappropriation,  altering  or  deleting  of 
information, 
including  customer,  driver,  vendor,  employee  and  service 
provider information and its proprietary business information. 

 
If any of the Company’s critical information systems fail, are 
breached  or  become  otherwise  unavailable,  the  Company’s 
ability to manage its fleet efficiently, to respond to customers’ 
requests  effectively,  to  maintain  billing  and  other  records 
reliably,  to  maintain  the  confidentiality  of  the  Company’s 
data and to bill for services and prepare financial statements 
accurately  or  in  a  timely  manner  would  be  challenged.  Any 
significant system failure, upgrade complication, cybersecurity 
breach or other system disruption could interrupt or delay the 
Company’s  operations,  damage  its  reputation,  cause  the 
Company  to  lose  customers,  cause  the  Company  to  incur 
costs to repair its systems, pay fines or in respect of litigation 
or impact the Company’s ability to manage its operations and 
report  its  financial  performance,  any  of  which  could  have  a 
material adverse effect on the Company’s business. 

Litigation.  The  Company’s  business  is  subject  to  the  risk  of 
litigation  by  employees,  customers,  vendors,  government 
agencies,  shareholders  and  other  parties.  The  outcome  of 
litigation is difficult to assess or quantify, and the magnitude 
of  the  potential  loss  relating  to  such  lawsuits  may  remain 
unknown for substantial periods of time. The cost to defend 
litigation may also be significant. Not all claims are covered by 
the Company’s insurance, and there can be no assurance that 
the  Company’s  coverage  limits  will  be  adequate  to  cover  all 
amounts  in  dispute.  For  example,  during  the  year  ended 
December  31,  2019,  the  Company  recognized a net  loss  on 
an  accident  claim  of  CAD  $14.2  million  (CAD  $16.6  million 
net of CAD $2.4 million of tax recovery). In the United States, 
where the Company has growing operations, many  trucking 
companies have been subject to class-action lawsuits alleging 
violations  of  various  federal  and  state  wage  laws  regarding, 
among  other  things,  employee  classification,  employee  meal 
breaks, rest periods, overtime eligibility, and failure to pay for 
all hours worked. A number of these lawsuits have resulted in 
the  payment  of  substantial  settlements  or  damages  by  the 
defendants.  The  Company  may  at  some  future  date  be 
subject  to  such  a  class-action  lawsuit.  In  addition,  the 
Company  may  be subject, and has been subject  in the past, 
to  litigation  resulting  from  trucking  accidents.  The  number 
and  severity  of  litigation  claims  may  be  worsened  by 
distracted  driving  by  both  truck  drivers  and  other  motorists. 
To  the  extent  the  Company  experiences  claims  that  are 
uninsured,  exceed  the  Company’s  coverage  limits,  involve 
significant  aggregate  use  of  the  Company’s  self-insured 
retention  amounts  or  cause  increases  in  future  funded 
premiums,  the  resulting  expenses  could  have  a  material 
adverse  effect  on  the  Company’s  business,  results  of 
operations, financial condition and cash flows. 

Internal  Control.  Effective  internal  controls  over  financial 
reporting  are  necessary  for  the  Company  to  provide  reliable 
financial  reports  and,  together  with  adequate  disclosure 
controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Any 
failure  to  implement  required  new  or  improved  controls,  or 
difficulties  encountered  in  their  implementation  could  cause 
the  Company  to  fail  to  meet  its  reporting  obligations.  In 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  41 

addition  and  when  required,  any  testing  by  the  Company 
conducted  in  connection  with  section  404  of  the  U.S. 
Sarbanes-Oxley  Act,  or  the  subsequent  testing  by  the 
Company’s  independent  registered  public  accounting  firm, 
may  reveal  deficiencies  in  the  Company’s  internal  controls 
over  financial  reporting  that  are  deemed  to  be  material 
weaknesses  or  that  may  require  prospective  or  retrospective 
changes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements 
or identify other areas for further attention or improvement. 
Inferior  internal  controls  could  also  cause  investors  to  lose 
confidence in the  Company’s reported  financial  information, 
which could have a negative effect on the trading price of the 
Common Shares. 

Material Transactions. The Company  has acquired  numerous 
companies  pursuant  to  its  acquisition  strategy  and,  in 
addition,  has  sold  business  units,  including  the  sale  in 
February  2016  of  its  then-Waste  Management  segment  for 
CAD $800 million. The Company buys and sells business units 
in the normal course of its business. Accordingly, at any given 
time,  the  Company  may  consider,  or  be  in  the  process  of 
negotiating,  a  number  of  potential  acquisitions  and 
dispositions,  some  of  which  may  be  material  in  size.  In 
connection  with  such  potential  transactions,  the  Company 
regularly  enters 
into  non-disclosure  or  confidentiality 
agreements,  indicative  term  sheets,  non-binding  letters  of 
intent and other similar agreements with potential sellers and 
buyers,  and  conducts  extensive  due  diligence  as  applicable. 
These potential transactions may relate to some or all of the 
Company’s  four  reportable  segments,  that  is,  TL,  Logistics, 
LTL,  and  Package  and  Courier.  The  Company’s  active 
acquisition  and  disposition  strategy  requires  a  significant 
amount  of  management  time  and  resources.  Although  the 
Company  complies  with  its  disclosure  obligations  under 
applicable securities laws, the announcement of any material 
transaction  by  the  Company  (or  rumours  thereof,  even  if 
unfounded)  could  result  in  volatility  in  the  market  price  and 
trading  volume  of  the  Common  Shares.  Further,  the 
Company cannot predict the reaction of the market, or of the 
Company’s  stakeholders,  customers  or  competitors,  to  the 
announcement  of  any  such  material  transaction  or  to 
rumours thereof.  

Dividends  and  Share  Repurchases.  The  payment  of  future 
dividends  and  the  amount  thereof  is  uncertain  and  is  at  the 
sole discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company and 
is  considered  each  quarter.  The  payment  of  dividends  is 
dependent  upon,  among  other  things,  operating  cash  flow 
generated  by  the  Company,  its  financial  requirements  for 
operations,  the  execution  of  its  growth  strategy  and  the 
satisfaction of solvency tests imposed by the Canada Business 
Corporations  Act  for  the  declaration  and  payment  of 
dividends.  Similarly,  any  future  repurchase  of  shares  by  the 
Company  is  at  the  sole  discretion  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
and is dependent on the factors described above. Any future 
repurchase of shares by the Company is uncertain. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
42  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES 

IFRS 

to  make 

requires  management 

The  preparation  of  the  financial  statements  in  conformity 
judgments, 
with 
estimates  and  assumptions  about  future  events.  These 
estimates and the underlying assumptions affect the reported 
amounts  of  assets  and  liabilities,  the  disclosures  about 
contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts of 
revenues  and  expenses.  Such  estimates  include  establishing 
the  fair  value  of  intangible  assets  related  to  business 
combinations, determining estimates and assumptions related 
to  impairment  tests  for  goodwill,  and  determining  estimates 
and  assumptions  related  to  the  evaluation  of  provisions  for 
self-insurance 
and 
assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and 
judgments. Key drivers in critical estimates are as follows: 

litigations. 

estimates 

These 

and 

Fair  value  of 
combinations 

intangible  assets 

related 

to  business 

• 

Projected future cashflows 

•  Acquisition specific discount rate 

•  Attrition rate established from historical trends 

CHANGES IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

Impairment tests for goodwill 

•  Discount rates 

• 

Forecasted  revenue  growth,  operating  margin,  EBITDA 
margin as well as capital expenditures 

•  Comparable public company EBITDA multiples 

Self-Insurance and litigations 

•  Historical claim experience, severity factors affecting the 
amounts ultimately paid, and current and expected levels 
of cost per claims 

• 

Third party evaluations 

Management  evaluates  its  estimates  and  assumptions  on  an 
ongoing  basis  using  historical  experience  and  other  factors, 
the  current  economic  environment,  which 
including 
management  believes 
the 
to  be 
circumstances.  Management  adjusts  such  estimates  and 
assumptions  when  facts  and  circumstances  dictate.  Actual 
results  could  differ  from  these  estimates.  Changes  in  those 
estimates  and  assumptions  resulting  from  changes  in  the 
economic  environment  will  be  reflected  in  the  financial 
statements of future periods. 

reasonable  under 

Adopted during the period 

To be adopted in future periods 

The following new standards, and amendments to standards 
and interpretations, are effective for the first time for interim 
periods beginning on or after January 1, 2020 and have been 
applied  in  preparing  the  audited  consolidated  financial 
statements: 

Definition of a business (Amendments to IFRS 3) 

The  following  new  standards  and  amendments  to  standards 
are not yet effective for the year ended December 31, 2020, 
and  have  not  been  applied  in  preparing  the  audited 
consolidated financial statements:  

Classification  of  Liabilities  as  Current  or  Non-current 
(Amendments to IAS 1) 

Amendments to Hedge Accounting Requirements – IBOR 
Reform and its Effects on Financial Reporting (Phase 1) 

Onerous  Contracts  –  Cost  of  fulfilling  a  Contract 
(Amendments to IAS 37) 

These  new  standards  did  not  have  a  material  impact  on  the 
Company’s audited consolidated financial statements. 

Interest Rate Benchmark Reform – Phase 2  

(Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16) 

Further information can be found in note 3 of the December 
31, 2020 audited consolidated financial statements. 

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES 

In  compliance  with  the  provisions  of  Canadian  Securities 
Administrators’ National Instrument 52-109 and as defined in 
Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e)  Act,  the 
Company  has  filed  certificates  signed  by  the  President  and 
Chief  Executive  Officer  (“CEO”)  and  by  the  Chief  Financial 
Officer (“CFO”) that, among other things, report on: 

• 

• 

their  responsibility  for  establishing  and  maintaining 
disclosure  controls  and  procedures  and  internal  control 
over financial reporting for the Company; and 

the  design  and  effectiveness  of  disclosure  controls  and 
procedures  and  the  design  and  effectiveness  of  internal 
controls over financial reporting. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
Disclosure controls and procedures (“DC&P”) 

Internal controls over financial reporting (“ICFR”) 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS  43 

The  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  (“CEO”)  and  the 
Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), have designed DC&P, or have 
caused them to be designed under their supervision, in order 
to provide reasonable assurance that: 

•  material  information  relating  to  the  Company  is  made 
known  to  the  CEO  and  CFO  by  others,  particularly 
during the period in which the interim and annual filings 
are being prepared; and 

• 

information required to be disclosed by the Company in 
its annual filings, interim filings or other reports filed  or 
submitted  by  it  under  securities  legislation  is  recorded, 
processed,  summarized  and  reported  within  the  time 
periods specified in securities legislation. 

As  at  December  31,  2020,  an  evaluation  was  carried  out, 
under the supervision of the CEO and the CFO, of the design 
and  operating  effectiveness  of  the  Company’s  DC&P.  Based 
on this evaluation, the CEO and the CFO concluded that the 
Company’s  DC&P  were  appropriately  designed  and  were 
operating effectively as at December 31, 2020. 

The  CEO  and  CFO  have  also  designed  ICFR,  or  have  caused 
them  to  be  designed  under  their  supervision,  in  order  to 
provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of 
financial 
financial 
statements for external purposes in accordance with IFRS. 

the  preparation  of 

reporting  and 

As  at  December  31,  2020,  an  evaluation  was  carried  out, 
under the supervision of the CEO and the CFO, of the design 
and operating effectiveness of the Company’s ICFR. Based on 
this  evaluation,  the  CEO  and  the  CFO  concluded  that  the 
ICFR  were  appropriately  designed  and  were  operating 
effectively  as  at  December  31,  2020,  using  the  criteria  set 
forth  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the 
Treadway  Commission 
Internal  Control  – 
Integrated Framework (2013 framework). 

(COSO)  on 

Changes in internal controls over financial reporting 

No  changes  were  made  to  the  Company’s  ICFR  during  the 
quarter  ended  December  31,  2020  that  have  materially 
affected,  or  are  reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect,  the 
Company’s ICFR. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
44 

MANAGEMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY 

The  consolidated  financial  statements  of  TFI  International  Inc.  and  all  information  in  this  annual  report  are  the  responsibility  of 
management and have been approved by the Board of Directors. 

The financial statements  have been  prepared by management  in conformity  with  International Financial Reporting  Standards.  They 
include some amounts that are based on management’s best estimates and judgement. Financial information included elsewhere in 
the annual report is consistent with that in the financial statements. 

The management of TFI International Inc. has developed and maintains an internal accounting system and administrative controls in 
order  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  that  the  financial  transactions  are  properly  recorded  and  carried  out  with  the  necessary 
approval, and that the consolidated financial statements are properly prepared and the assets properly safeguarded. 

The  Board  of  Directors  carries  out  its  responsibility  for  the  financial  statements  in  this  annual  report  principally  through  its  Audit 
Committee. The Audit Committee reviews the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements and recommends their approval 
by the Board of Directors. 

These financial statements have been audited by the independent auditors, KPMG LLP, whose report follows. 

Alain Bédard, FCPA, FCA  
Chairman of the Board, 
President and Chief Executive Officer  
February 18, 2021 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT 

   45 

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of TFI International Inc. 

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements 

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  statement  of  financial  position  of  TFI  International Inc.  (the  Company)  as  of 
December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  related  consolidated  statements  of  income,  comprehensive  income,  changes  in  equity, 
and  cash  flows  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020  and  2019  and  the  related  notes  (collectively,  the  consolidated 
financial  statements).  In  our  opinion,  the  consolidated  financial  statements  present  fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the  financial 
position of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the financial performance and its cash flows for the years ended 
December  31,  2020  and  2019,  in  conformity  with  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards  as  issued  by  the  International 
Accounting  Standards Board. 

Change in Presentation Currency 

As  discussed  in  Note  2(c)  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  the  Company  has  elected  to  change  its  presentation 
currency  from  Canadian  dollars  to  United  States  dollars  effective December 31,  2020  and  it  has  been  applied  retrospectively. 
The  Company  has  included  the presentation of the statement of financial position as of January 1, 2019. 

Basis for Opinion 

These  consolidated  financial  statements  are  the  responsibility  of  the  Company’s  management.  Our responsibility  is  to  express  an 
opinion  on  these  consolidated  financial  statements  based  on  our audits.  We  are  a  public  accounting  firm  registered  with  the 
Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board  (United  States)  (PCAOB)  and  are  required  to  be  independent  with  respect  to  the 
Company  in accordance  with  the  U.S.  federal  securities  laws  and  the  applicable  rules  and  regulations  of  the Securities and 
Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that  we  plan  and  perform  the 
audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  the  consolidated  financial  statements  are  free  of  material  misstatement, 
whether due to error or fraud. 

Our  audits  included  performing  procedures  to  assess  the  risks  of  material  misstatement  of  the  consolidated  financial 
statements,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing  procedures  that respond  to  those  risks.  Such  procedures  included 
examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also 
included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall 
presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

Critical Audit Matter 

The  critical  audit  matter  communicated  below  is  a  matter  arising  from  the  current  period  audit  of  the  consolidated  financial 
statements  that  was  communicated  or  required  to  be  communicated  to  the audit  committee  and  that:  (1)  relates  to  accounts 
or  disclosures  that are material to the consolidated financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging,  subjective,  or 
complex  judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial 
statements,  taken  as  a  whole,  and  we  are  not,  by  communicating  the  critical  audit  matter below,  providing  a  separate  opinion 
on  the critical audit  matter or  on the accounts or disclosures  to which it relates. 

Assessment of the self-insurance provisions 

As discussed in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has $47.7 million of self-insurance provisions as of 
December  31,  2020.  As  discussed  in  Note  3(l),  self-insurance provisions  represent  the  uninsured  portion  of  outstanding  claims  at 
year-end,  related  to  cargo  loss, bodily  injury,  worker’s  compensation  and  property  damages.  The  Company  records  an  estimate 
of  the  provisions  for  estimated  future  disbursements  associated  with  the  self-insured  portion  for  claims  filed  at  year-end  and 
incurred but not reported. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
46 

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT (continued) 

We  identified  the  assessment  of  the  self-insurance  provisions  as  a  critical  audit  matter.  Significant  auditor  judgment  was 
required  to  evaluate  the  amounts  that  will  ultimately  be  paid  to  settle  these claims.  Significant  assumptions  that  affected  the 
estimated  provisions  included  the  consideration  of  historical  claim  experience,  severity  factors  affecting  the  amounts  ultimately 
paid  which  are  used  to determine the loss development pattern, and current and expected levels of cost per claims which are used 
to  determine  expected  loss  ratios.  Additionally,  the  provisions  included  estimates  for  claims  that have been incurred but  have not 
been reported, and specialized skills and knowledge were needed to evaluate the actuarial methods and assumptions used to assess 
these estimates. 

The  following  are  the  primary  procedures  we  performed  to  address  this  critical  audit  matter.  For  claims  for  which  the 
estimate  is  determined  using  actuarial  methods,  which  included  all  claims  incurred  but  not  reported,  we  involved  actuarial 
professionals with specialized skills and knowledge, who assisted in: 

• 

• 

• 

comparing the Company’s actuarial reserving methods with generally accepted actuarial standards 

evaluating assumptions used in determining the provisions, including the loss development pattern and the expected loss ratios 

developing an expected range of the provisions, including for claims incurred but not reported, by applying actuarial methods 
and assumptions to the Company’s data and comparing to the Company’s estimated provisions. 

For  claims  for  which  the  estimate  is  not  determined  using  actuarial  methods,  for  a  selection  of  claims,  we  confirmed  with  the 
Company’s external counsel regarding the Company’s evaluation of claims and any excluded claims. 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2003. 

Montréal, Canada  
February 18, 2021 

*  CPA auditor, CA, public accountancy permit No. A123145 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 AND JANUARY 1, 2019 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION  47 

As at 
December 31,  
2020  

As at 
December 31,  
2019*  

Note  

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) 
Assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Trade and other receivables 
Inventoried supplies 
Current taxes recoverable 
Prepaid expenses 
Derivative financial instruments 
Assets held for sale 
Other assets 
Current assets 

Property and equipment 
Right-of-use assets 
Intangible assets 
Other assets 
Deferred tax assets 
Derivative financial instruments 

Non-current assets 
Total assets 

Liabilities 

Bank indebtedness 
Trade and other payables 
Current taxes payable 
Provisions 
Other financial liabilities 
Derivative financial instruments 
Long-term debt 
Lease liabilities 
Current liabilities 

Long-term debt 
Lease liabilities 
Employee benefits 
Provisions 
Other financial liabilities 
Derivative financial instruments 
Deferred tax liabilities 

Non-current liabilities 
Total liabilities 
Equity 

7  

26  

12  

9  
10  
11  
12  
18  
26  

13  

17  

26  
14  
15  

14  
15  
16  
17  

26  
18  

4,297  
597,873  
8,761  
7,606  
29,904  
—  
4,331  
—  
652,772  
1,074,428  
337,285  
1,749,773  
23,899  
11,207  
—  
3,196,592  
3,849,364  

—  
468,238  
33,220  
17,452  
4,031  
—  
42,997  
88,522  
654,460  
829,547  
267,464  
15,502  
36,803  
22,699  
—  
232,712  
1,404,727  
2,059,187  

1,120,049  
19,783  
(154,723 ) 
805,068  
1,790,177  

—  
452,241  
10,659  
13,211  
27,777  
30  
3,561  
19,105  
526,584  
1,125,429  
334,168  
1,505,160  
8,655  
8,824  
—  
2,982,236  
3,508,820  

2,927  
341,443  
4,658  
18,264  
2,043  
649  
41,305  
76,326  
487,615  
1,302,002  
279,265  
14,310  
22,522  
2,810  
684  
240,320  
1,861,913  
2,349,528  

678,915  
19,549  
(173,398 ) 
634,226  
1,159,292  

As at 
January 1,  
2019**  

—  
463,075  
9,350  
9,541  
28,256  
3,980  
5,551  
—  
519,753  
1,023,595  
—  
1,393,854  
24,685  
4,698  
2,159  
2,448,991  
2,968,744  

9,041  
348,618  
13,892  
18,372  
1,446  
—  
89,679  
—  
481,048  
1,071,751  
—  
11,824  
31,375  
4,329  
—  
212,535  
1,331,814  
1,812,862  

697,232  
19,082  
(200,029 ) 
639,597  
1,155,882  

Share capital 
Contributed surplus 
Accumulated other comprehensive income 
Retained earnings 

Equity attributable to owners of the Company 
Contingencies, letters of credit and other commitments 
Subsequent events 
Total liabilities and equity 

19  
19, 21  

27  
29  

Recasted for change in presentation currency (see note 2c)) 

* 
**  Recasted for change in presentation currency (see note 2c)) prior to the adoption of IFRS 16 

3,849,364  

3,508,820  

2,968,744  

The notes on pages 52 to 98 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. 

On behalf of the Board: 

Alain Bédard 

André Bérard 

 Director 

 Director 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
48 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(In thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts) 

Note  

2020  

2019*  

Revenue 

Fuel surcharge 

Total revenue 

Materials and services expenses 

Personnel expenses 

Other operating expenses 

Depreciation of property and equipment 

Depreciation of right-of-use assets 

Amortization of intangible assets 

Gain on sale of business 

Bargain purchase gain 

Gain on sale of rolling stock and equipment 

Gain on derecognition of right-of-use assets 

Loss (gain) on sale of land and buildings 

Gain on sale of assets held for sale 

Total operating expenses 

Operating income 

Finance (income) costs 

Finance income 

Finance costs 

Net finance costs 

Income before income tax 

Income tax expense 

Net income from continuing operations 

Net loss from discontinued operations 

Net income for the year attributable to owners of the Company 

Earnings per share attributable to owners of the Company 

Basic earnings per share 

Diluted earnings per share 

Earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to owners of the 

Company 

Basic earnings per share 

Diluted earnings per share 

3,484,303  

3,477,576  

296,831  

425,969  

3,781,134  

3,903,545  

2,051,835  

2,134,720  

888,185  

150,572  

170,520  

80,496  

48,213  

(306 ) 

(4,008 ) 

(7,888 ) 

(1,159 ) 

6  

980,785  

156,121  

168,720  

77,326  

49,701  

—  

(8,014 ) 

(15,386 ) 

(1,716 ) 

(9 ) 

(11,899 ) 

(21,571 ) 

3,364,567  

3,520,677  

416,567  

382,868  

(2,776 ) 

56,686  

53,910  

362,657  

86,982  

275,675  

(2,285 ) 

64,392  

62,107  

320,761  

76,536  

244,225  

—  

(10,548 ) 

275,675  

233,677  

3.09  

3.03  

3.09  

3.03  

2.80  

2.74  

2.93  

2.86  

22  

23  

9  

10  

11  

5  

24  

24  

25  

20  

20  

20  

20  

* 

Recasted for changes in presentation currency (see note 2c)) and mark-to-market gain (loss) on deferred share units presentation (see note 24) 

The notes on pages 52 to 98 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME    49 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(In thousands of U.S. dollars) 

2020  

2019*  

Net income for the year attributable to owners of the Company 

275,675  

233,677  

Other comprehensive income (loss) 

Items that may be reclassified to income or loss in future years: 

Foreign currency translation differences 

Net investment hedge, net of tax 

Changes in fair value of cash flow hedge, net of tax 

Employee benefits, net of tax 

Items that may never be reclassified to income 

Defined benefit plan remeasurement 

Items directly reclassified to retained earnings: 

Unrealized gain on investment in equity securities measured at fair value through OCI, 

net of tax 

Other comprehensive income for the year, net of tax 

21,182  

(2,010 ) 

(487 ) 

(10 ) 

17,476  

12,158  

(7,394 ) 

32  

(1,623 ) 

(1,228 ) 

—  

970  

17,052  

22,014  

Total comprehensive income for the year attributable to owners of the Company 

292,727  

255,691  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency (see note 2c)) 

The notes on pages 52 to 98 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
50 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 

(In thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Note  

Share  
capital  

Contributed  
surplus  

Accumulated 
unrealized 
loss on 
employee 
benefit  
plans  

Accumulated 
cash flow 
hedge 
gain (loss)  

Accumulated 
foreign 
currency 
translation 
differences 
& net 
 investment 
hedge  

Accumulated 
unrealized 
loss on 
investment in 
equity 
securities  

Total equity 
attributable 
to owners 
of the 
 Company  

Retained  
earnings  

Balance as at December 31, 2019* 

678,915  

19,549    

(369 )   

487    

(173,516 )  

—     634,226    

1,159,292  

Net income for the year 

Other comprehensive income (loss) 

for the year, net of tax 

Total comprehensive income (loss) 

for the year 

Share-based payment transactions 

21    

—  

—  

—  

—  

Stock options exercised 

    19, 21    

25,915  

Issuance of shares, net of expenses 

19    

425,350  

Dividends to owners of the Company    

Repurchase of own shares 

Net settlement of restricted share 

19    

19    

—  

(12,025 )   

—    

—    

—    

—    

—     275,675    

275,675  

—    

(10 )   

(487 )  

19,172    

—    

(1,623 )   

17,052  

—    

(10 )   

(487 )  

19,172    

—     274,052    

292,727  

7,046    

(4,554 )   

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

(72,735 )   

—    

(25,996 )   

7,046  

21,361  

425,350  

(72,735 ) 

(38,021 ) 

—    

(4,479 )   

(4,843 ) 

—     (103,210 )   

338,158  

units 

    19, 21    

1,894  

(2,258 )   

—    

Total transactions with owners, 

recorded directly in equity 

441,134  

234    

—    

—    

Balance as at December 31, 2020 

     1,120,049  

19,783    

(379 )   

—    

(154,344 )  

—     805,068    

1,790,177  

Balance as at January 1, 2019* 

697,232  

19,082    

(401 )   

7,881    

(203,150 )  

(4,359 )   639,597    

1,155,882  

Adjustment on initial application of 

IFRS 16 

Net income for the year 

Other comprehensive income (loss) 

for the year, net of tax 

Realized loss on equity securities, net 

of tax 

Total comprehensive income (loss) 

for the year 

Share-based payment transactions 

21    

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

Stock options exercised 

    19, 21    

20,580  

Dividends to owners of the Company    

Repurchase of own shares 

Net settlement of restricted share 

19    

19    

—  

(39,621 )   

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

(18,880 )   

(18,880 ) 

—     233,677    

233,677  

—    

32    

(7,394 )  

29,634    

970    

(1,228 )   

22,014  

—    

—    

—    

—    

3,389    

(3,389 )   

—  

—    

32    

(7,394 )  

29,634    

4,359     229,060    

255,691  

6,227    

(4,233 )   

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

6,227  

16,347  

—    

(61,631 )   

(61,631 ) 

—     (152,835 )   

(192,456 ) 

—    

(1,085 )   

(1,888 ) 

—     (215,551 )   

(233,401 ) 

units 

    19, 21    

724  

(1,527 )   

—    

Total transactions with owners, 

recorded directly in equity 

(18,317 )   

467    

—    

Balance as at December 31, 2019* 

678,915  

19,549    

(369 )   

487    

(173,516 )  

—     634,226    

1,159,292  

* 

Recasted for change in presentation currency (see note 2c)) 

The notes on pages 52 to 98 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
 
   
    
 
   
    
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
 
 
   
 
 
   
 
   
    
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
 
   
    
 
   
    
 
   
    
 
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
 
 
 
   
 
   
    
 
   
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 

(In thousands of U.S. dollars) 

Cash flows from operating activities 

Net income for the year 
Net loss from discontinued operations 
Net income from continuing operations 
Adjustments for 

Depreciation of property and equipment 
Depreciation of right-of-use assets 
Amortization of intangible assets 
Share-based payment transactions 
Net finance costs 
Income tax expense 
Gain on sale of business 
Bargain purchase gain 
Gain on sale of property and equipment 
Gain on derecognition of right-of-use assets 
Gain on sale of assets held for sale 
Provisions and employee benefits 

Net change in non-cash operating working capital 
Cash generated from operating activities before the following 
Interest paid 
Income tax paid 
Settlement of derivative contract 

Net cash from continuing operating activities 
Net cash used in discontinued operating activities 
Net cash from operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities 

Purchases of property and equipment 
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale 
Purchases of intangible assets 
Proceeds from sale of business 
Business combinations, net of cash acquired 
Proceeds from sale of intangible assets 
Purchases of investments 
Proceeds from sale of investments 
Proceeds from collection of promissory notes 
Others 

Net cash used in continuing investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities 
Decrease in bank indebtedness 
Proceeds from long-term debt 
Repayment of long-term debt 
Net decrease in revolving facilities 
Repayment of lease liabilities 
Increase (decrease) in other financial liabilities 
Dividends paid 
Repurchase of own shares 
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares, net of expenses 
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 
Repurchase of own shares for restricted share unit settlement 

Net cash used in continuing financing activities 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year 
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS    51 

Note  

2020  

2019*  

9  
10  
11  
21  
24  
25  

5  

8  

9  

11  

5  

12  

14  
14  
14  
15  

19  
19  
19  
19  

275,675  
—  
275,675  

170,520  
80,496  
48,213  
7,046  
53,910  
86,982  
(306 ) 
(4,008 ) 
(7,882 ) 
(1,159 ) 
(11,899 ) 
6,274  
703,862  
33,661  
737,523  
(50,366 ) 
(73,256 ) 
(3,039 ) 
610,862  
—  
610,862  

(142,710 ) 
52,116  
24,480  
(1,665 ) 
2,351  
(327,650 ) 
—  
(7,446 ) 
—  
18,892  
3,151  
(378,481 ) 

(2,231 ) 
33,175  
(191,221 ) 
(326,201 ) 
(82,587 ) 
4,738  
(67,604 ) 
(38,021 ) 
425,350  
21,361  
(4,843 ) 
(228,084 ) 

4,297  
—  
4,297  

233,677  
(10,548 ) 
244,225  

168,720  
77,326  
49,701  
6,227  
62,107  
76,536  
—  
(8,014 ) 
(15,395 ) 
(1,716 ) 
(21,571 ) 
(3,696 ) 
634,450  
16,337  
650,787  
(65,075 ) 
(85,216 ) 
—  
500,496  
(12,022 ) 
488,474  

(261,295 ) 
71,754  
39,146  
(3,636 ) 
—  
(150,912 ) 
201  
(600 ) 
1,814  
—  
(329 ) 
(303,857 ) 

(6,083 ) 
328,045  
(103,247 ) 
(88,229 ) 
(75,072 ) 
(1,556 ) 
(60,478 ) 
(192,455 ) 
—  
16,347  
(1,889 ) 
(184,617 ) 

—  
—  
—  

* 

Recasted for changes in presentation currency (see notes 2c) and mark-to-market gain (loss) on deferred share units presentation (see note 24) 

The notes on pages 52 to 98 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
52 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

1.  Reporting entity 

TFI International Inc. (the “Company”) is incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act, and is a company domiciled in 
Canada. The address of the Company’s registered office is 8801 Trans-Canada Highway, Suite 500, Montreal, Quebec, H4S 1Z6. 

The consolidated financial statements of the Company as at and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 comprise 
the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the “Group” and individually as “Group entities”). 

The Group is involved in the provision of transportation and logistics services across the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

2.  Basis of preparation 

a)  Statement of compliance 

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards 
(“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”).  

These consolidated financial statements were authorized for issue by the Board of Directors on February 18, 2021. 

b)  Basis of measurement 

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis except for the following material 
items in the statements of financial position: 

• 

• 

• 

investment  in  equity  securities,  derivative  financial  instruments  and  contingent  considerations  are  measured  at  fair 
value; 

liabilities for cash-settled share-based payment arrangements are measured at fair value in accordance with IFRS 2; 

the  defined  benefit  pension  plan  liability  is  recognized  as  the  net  total  of  the  present  value  of  the  defined  benefit 
obligation less the fair value of the plan assets; and 

• 

assets and liabilities acquired in business combinations are measured at fair value at acquisition date. 

These consolidated financial statements are expressed in U.S. dollars, except where otherwise indicated. 

c) 

Functional and presentation currency 

The Company has elected to change its presentation currency from Canadian dollars (“CAD” or “CDN$”) to United States 
dollars (“U.S. dollars” or “USD”) effective December 31, 2020. Management is of the view that financial reporting in USD 
provides  a  more  relevant  presentation  of  the  group’s  financial  position  in  comparison  to  its  peers.  The  change  in 
presentation currency is a voluntary change which is accounted for retrospectively. For comparative purposes, the historical 
consolidated financial statements have been recast to U.S. dollars using the procedures outlined below: 

•  Consolidated  Statements  of  Income,  Comprehensive  Income,  and  Cash  Flows  have  been  translated  into  U.S.  dollars 

using average foreign currency rates prevailing for the relevant periods. 

•  Assets and liabilities in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position have been translated into U.S. dollars at the 

closing foreign currency rates on the relevant balance sheet dates. 

• 

Equity in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position and Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity, including 
foreign  currency  translation  reserve  and  net  investment  hedge,  retained  earnings,  share  capital,  contributed  surplus 
and other reserves, have been translated into U.S. dollars using historical rates. 

•  Consolidated  Earnings  per  share  and  dividend  disclosures  have  also  been  translated  to  U.S.  dollars  to  reflect  the 

change in presentation currency. 

The  Company  has  also  presented  an  opening  consolidated  statement  of  financial  position  as  at  January  1,  2019  in  USD 
which  does  not  reflect  adjustments  related  to  the  adoption  of  IFRS  16,  which  has  been  derived  from  the  consolidated 
financial  statements as at and for the year ended December 31, 2018. The Company’s consolidated financial statements 
are  now  presented  in  U.S.  dollars.  All  information  in  these  consolidated  financial  statements  is  presented  in  USD  unless 
otherwise specified. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

53 

2.  Basis of preparation (continued) 

c) 

Functional and presentation currency (continued) 

The Company’s functional currency remains Canadian dollar. Translation gains and losses from the application of the U.S. 
dollar  as  the  presentation  currency  while  the  Canadian  dollar  is  the  functional  currency  are  included  as  part  of  the 
cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment. 

All financial information presented in U.S. dollars has been rounded to the nearest thousand. 

d)  Use of estimates and judgments 

The  preparation  of  the  accompanying  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  IFRS  requires  management  to  make 
judgments,  estimates  and  assumptions  about  future  events.  These  estimates  and  the  underlying  assumptions  affect  the 
reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts 
of  revenues  and  expenses.  Such  estimates  include  the  valuation  of  goodwill  and  intangible  assets,  the  measurement  of 
identified  assets  and  liabilities  acquired  in  business  combinations,  income  tax  provisions  and  the  self-insurance  and  other 
provisions and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and judgments. 

Management  evaluates  its  estimates  and  assumptions  on  an  ongoing  basis  using  historical  experience  and  other  factors, 
including  the  current  economic  environment,  which  management  believes  to  be  reasonable  under  the  circumstances. 
Management  adjusts  such  estimates  and  assumptions  when  facts  and  circumstances  dictate.  Actual  results  could  differ 
from these estimates. Changes in those estimates and assumptions resulting from changes in the economic environment 
will be reflected in the financial statements of future periods. 

Information about critical judgments, assumptions and estimation uncertainties that have a significant risk of resulting in a 
material adjustment within the next financial year is included in the following notes: 

Note 5 – Establishing the fair value of intangible assets related to business combinations; 

Note  11  –  Determining  estimates  and  assumptions  related  to  the  determination  of  the  recoverable  amount  of  goodwill 
when it is tested for impairment; and 

Note 17 – Determining estimates and assumptions related to the evaluation of provisions for self-insurance and litigations. 

3.  Significant accounting policies 

The  accounting  policies  set  out  below  have  been  applied  consistently  to  all  periods  presented  in  these  consolidated  financial 
statements, unless otherwise indicated. The accounting policies have been applied consistently by Group entities. 

a)  Basis of consolidation 

i) 

Business combinations 

The  Group  measures  goodwill  as  the  fair  value  of  the  consideration  transferred  including  the  fair  value  of  liabilities 
resulting  from  contingent  consideration  arrangements,  less  the  net  recognized  amount  of  the  identifiable  assets 
acquired and liabilities assumed, all measured at fair value as of the acquisition date. When the excess is negative, a 
bargain purchase gain is recognized immediately in income or loss. 

Transaction  costs,  other  than  those  associated  with  the  issue  of  debt  or  equity  securities,  that  the  Group  incurs  in 
connection with a business combination, are expensed as incurred. 

ii)  Subsidiaries 

Subsidiaries are entities controlled by the Group. The Group controls an entity when it is exposed to, or has the right 
to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those through its power over the 
entity. The financial statements of subsidiaries are included in the consolidated financial statements from the date that 
control commences until the date that control ceases. 

iii)  Transactions eliminated on consolidation 

Intra-group balances and transactions, and any unrealized income and expenses arising from intra-group transactions, 
are eliminated in preparing the consolidated financial statements. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
54 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

b)  Foreign currency translation 

i) 

Foreign currency transactions 

Transactions  in  foreign  currencies  are  translated  to  the  respective  functional  currencies  of  the  Group’s  entities  at 
exchange rates at the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are 
translated to the functional currency at the exchange rate in effect at the reporting date. The foreign currency gain or 
loss  on  monetary  items  is  the  difference  between  amortized  cost  in  the  functional  currency  at  the  beginning  of  the 
period,  adjusted  for  effective  interest  and  payments  during  the  period,  and  the  amortized  cost  in  foreign  currency 
translated  at  the  exchange  rate  at  the  end  of  the  reporting  period.  Non-monetary  assets  and  liabilities  that  are 
measured in terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are translated at the rate in effect on the transaction date. 
Income and expense items denominated in foreign currency are translated at the date of the transactions. Gains and 
losses are included in income or loss. 

ii) 

Foreign operations 

The  assets  and  liabilities  of  foreign  operations,  including  goodwill  and  fair  value  adjustments  arising  on  business 
combinations,  are  translated  to  Canadian  dollars  at  exchange  rates  in  effect  at  the  reporting  date.  The  income  and 
expenses  of  foreign  operations  are  translated  to  Canadian  dollars  at  the  average  exchange  rate  in  effect  during  the 
reporting period. 

Foreign  currency  differences  are  recognized  in  other  comprehensive  income  (“OCI”)  in  the  accumulated  foreign 
currency translation differences account. 

When a foreign operation is disposed of, the relevant amount in the cumulative amount of foreign currency translation 
differences  is  transferred  to  income  or  loss  as  part  of  the  income  or  loss  on  disposal.  On  the  partial  disposal  of  a 
subsidiary while retaining control, the relevant proportion of such cumulative amount is reattributed to non-controlling 
interest. In any other partial disposal of a foreign operation, the relevant proportion is reclassified to income or loss. 

Foreign exchange gains or losses arising from a monetary item receivable from or payable to a foreign operation, the 
settlement  of  which  is  neither  planned  nor  likely  to  occur  in  the  foreseeable  future  and  which  in  substance  is 
considered to form part of the net investment in the foreign operation, are recognized in other comprehensive income 
in the accumulated foreign currency translation differences account. 

Translation gains and losses from the application of U.S dollars as the presentation currency while the Canadian dollar 
is the functional currency are included as part of the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment. 

c) 

Financial instruments 

i)  Non-derivative financial assets  

The Group initially recognizes financial assets on the trade date at which the Group becomes a party to the contractual 
provisions of the instrument. Financial assets are initially measured at fair value, except for trade receivables which are 
initially  measured  at  their  transaction  price  when  the  trade  receivables  do  not  contain  a  significant  financing 
component. If the financial asset is not subsequently accounted for at fair value through profit or loss, then the initial 
measurement includes transaction costs that are directly attributable to the asset’s acquisition or origination. On initial 
recognition,  the  Group  classifies  its  financial  assets  as  subsequently  measured  at  either  amortized  cost  or  fair  value, 
depending on its business model for managing the financial assets and the contractual cash flow characteristics of the 
financial assets and depending on the purpose for which the financial assets were acquired.  

The  Group  derecognizes  a  financial  asset  when  the  contractual  rights  to  the  cash  flows  from  the  asset  expire,  or  it 
transfers the rights to receive the contractual cash flows on the financial asset in a transaction in which substantially all 
the  risks  and  rewards  of  ownership  of  the  financial  asset  are  transferred.  Any  interest  in  transferred  financial  assets 
that is created or retained by the Group is recognized as a separate asset or liability. 

Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amount is presented in the statement of financial position when, 
and  only  when,  the  Group  has  a  legal  right  to  offset  the  amounts  and  intends  either  to  settle  on  a  net  basis  or  to 
realize the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.  

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

55 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

c) 

Financial instruments (continued) 

i)  Non-derivative financial assets (continued) 

Financial assets measured at amortized cost  

A  financial  asset  is  subsequently  measured  at  amortized  cost,  using  the  effective  interest  method  and  net  of  any 
impairment loss, if:  

• 

• 

The  asset  is  held  within  a  business  model  whose  objective  is  to  hold  assets  in  order  to  collect  contractual  cash 
flows; and  

The contractual terms of the financial asset give rise, on specified dates, to cash flows that are solely payments of 
principal and/or interest.  

The  Group  currently  classifies  its  cash  equivalents,  trade  and  other  receivables  and  long-term  non-trade  receivables 
included in other non-current assets as financial assets measured at amortized cost. 

The Group recognizes loss allowances for expected credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost. The 
Group has a portfolio of trade receivables at the reporting date. The Group uses a provision matrix to determine the 
lifetime expected credit losses for the portfolio.  

The Group uses historical trends of the probability of default, the timing of recoveries and the amount of loss incurred, 
adjusted for management’s judgement as to whether current economic and credit conditions are such that the actual 
losses are likely to be greater or less than suggested by historical trends.  

An impairment loss in respect of a financial asset measured at amortized cost is calculated as the difference between 
its carrying amount and the present value of the estimated future cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective 
interest rate. Losses are recognized in income or loss and reflected in an allowance account against trade and other 
receivables.  

Financial assets measured at fair value  

These assets are measured at fair value and changes therein, including any interest or dividend income, are recognized 
in income or loss. However, for investments in equity instruments that are not held for trading, the Group may elect at 
initial recognition to present gains and losses in other comprehensive income. For such investments measured at fair 
value through other comprehensive income, gains and losses are never reclassified to profit or loss, and no impairment 
is  recognized  in  profit  or  loss.  Dividends  earned  from  such  investments  are  recognized  in  profit  or  loss,  unless  the 
dividend clearly represents a repayment of part of the cost of the investment.  

Financial assets measured at fair value through other comprehensive income  

On initial recognition of an equity investment that is not held for trading, the Group may irrevocably elect to present 
subsequent changes in the investment’s fair value in OCI. This election is made on an investment-by-investment basis.  

ii)  Non-derivative financial liabilities  

The Group initially  recognizes debt issued and subordinated liabilities  on the date that they are originated.  All  other 
financial  liabilities  are  recognized  initially  on  the  trade  date  at  which  the  Group  becomes  a  party  to  the  contractual 
provisions of the instrument. 

A financial liability is derecognized when its contractual obligations are discharged or cancelled or expire. 

Financial liabilities are classified into financial liabilities measured at amortized cost and financial liabilities measured at 
fair value.  

Financial liabilities measured at amortized cost  

A  financial  liability  is  subsequently  measured  at  amortized  cost,  using  the  effective  interest  method.  The  Group 
currently classifies bank indebtedness, trade and other payables and long-term debt as financial liabilities measured at 
amortized cost.  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
56 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

c) 

Financial instruments (continued) 

ii)  Non-derivative financial liabilities (continued) 

Financial liabilities measured at fair value  

Financial liabilities at fair value are initially recognized at fair value and are re-measured at each reporting date with any 
changes  therein  recognized  in  net  earnings.  The  Group  currently  classifies  its  contingent  consideration  liability  in 
connection with a business acquisition as a financial liability measured at fair value. 

iii)  Share capital 

Common shares 

Common  shares  are  classified  as  equity.  Incremental  costs  directly  attributable  to  the  issue  of  common  shares  and 
stock options are recognized as a deduction to share capital, net of any tax effects. 

When  share  capital  recognized  as  equity  is  repurchased,  share  capital  is  reduced  by  the  amount  equal  to  weighted 
average  historical  cost  of  repurchased  equity.  The  excess  amount  of  the  consideration  paid,  which  includes  directly 
attributable costs, net of any tax effects, is recognized as a deduction from retained earnings. 

iv)  Derivative financial instruments 

The  Group  uses  derivative  financial  instruments  to  manage  its  foreign  currency  and  interest  rate  risk  exposures. 
Embedded  derivatives  are  separated  from  the  host  contract  and  accounted  for  separately  if  the  economic 
characteristics  and  risks  of  the  host  contract  and  the  embedded  derivative  are  not  closely  related,  a  separate 
instrument  with  the  same  terms  as  the  embedded  derivative  would  meet  the  definition  of  a  derivative,  and  the 
combined instrument is not measured at fair value through income or loss. 

Derivatives and embedded derivatives are recognized initially at fair value; related transaction costs are recognized in 
income or loss as incurred. Subsequent to initial recognition, derivatives and embedded derivatives are measured at fair 
value, and changes therein are recognized in net change in fair value of foreign exchange derivatives in income or loss 
with the exception of net change in fair value of cross currency interest rate swap contracts recognized in net foreign 
exchange gain or loss in income or loss. 

d)  Hedge accounting 

Management’s risk strategy is focused on reducing the variability in profit or losses and cash flows associated with exposure 
to  market  risks.  Hedge  accounting  is  used  to  reduce  this  variability  to  an  acceptable  level.  The  hedges  employed  by  the 
Group reduce the currency and interest rate fluctuation exposures. 

On the initial designation of a hedging relationship, the Group formally documents the relationship between the hedging 
instrument  and  the  hedged  items,  including  the  risk  management  objectives  and  strategy  in  undertaking  the  hedge 
transaction, together with the methods that will be used to assess the effectiveness of the hedging relationship. The Group 
makes an assessment, both at the inception of the hedge relationship as well as on an ongoing basis, whether the hedging 
instruments are expected to be effective in offsetting the changes in the fair value or cash flows of the respective hedged 
items throughout the period for which the hedge is designated.  

Net investment hedge 

The  Group  designates  a  portion  of  its  U.S.  dollar  denominated  debt  as  a  hedging  item  in  a  net  investment  hedge.  The 
Group  applies  hedge  accounting  to  foreign  currency  differences  arising  between  the  functional  currency  of  the  foreign 
operation  and  the  Company’s  functional  currency  (CAD),  regardless  of  whether  the  net  investment  is  held  directly  or 
through an intermediate parent.  

Foreign currency differences arising on the translation of a financial liability designated as a hedge of a net investment in 
foreign  operations  are  recognized  in  other  comprehensive  income  to  the  extent  that  the  hedge  is  effective,  and  are 
presented  in  the currency  translation  differences  account  within  equity.  To  the  extent  that  the  hedge  is  ineffective,  such 
differences are recognized in income or loss. When the hedged net investment is disposed of, the relevant amount in the 
translation reserve is transferred to income or loss as part of the gain or loss on disposal. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

d)  Hedge accounting (continued) 

Cash flow hedges 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

57 

When  a  derivative  is  designated  as  the  hedging  instrument  in  a  hedge  of  the  variability  in  cash  flows  attributable  to  a 
particular  risk  associated  with  a  recognized  asset  or  liability  or  a  highly  probable  forecasted  transaction  that  could  affect 
income or  loss, the effective portion of  changes in  the fair  value of  the  derivatives is recognized  in other  comprehensive 
income  and  presented  in  accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  as  part  of  equity.  The  amount  recognized  in  other 
comprehensive income is removed and included in net earnings under the same line item in the consolidated statement of 
earnings and comprehensive income as the hedged item, in the same period that the hedged cash flows affect income or 
loss. If the hedging instrument no longer meets the criteria for hedge accounting, expires or is sold, terminated, exercised, 
or the designation is revoked, then hedge accounting is discontinued prospectively. The cumulative gain or loss previously 
recognized  in  other  comprehensive  income  remains  in  accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  until  the  forecasted 
transaction  affects  income  or  loss.  If  the  forecasted  transaction  is  no  longer  expected  to  occur,  then  the  balance  in 
accumulated other comprehensive income is recognized immediately in income or loss.  

e)  Property and equipment 

Property and equipment are accounted for at cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. 

Cost includes expenditures that are directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset and borrowing costs on qualifying assets. 

When  parts  of  an  item  of  property  and  equipment  have  different  useful  lives,  they  are  accounted  for  as  separate  items 
(major components) of property and equipment. 

Gains  and  losses  on  disposal  of  an  item  of  property  and  equipment  are  determined  by  comparing  the  proceeds  from 
disposal with the carrying amount of property and equipment, and are recognized in net income or loss. 

Depreciation is based on the cost of an asset less its residual value and is recognized in income or loss over the estimated 
useful life of each component of an item of property and equipment. 

The depreciation method and useful lives are as follows: 

Categories 

Buildings 

Rolling stock 

Equipment 

Basis 

Straight-line 

Useful lives 

15 – 40 years 

Primarily straight-line 

3 – 20 years 

Primarily straight-line 

5 – 12 years 

Depreciation methods, useful lives and residual values are reviewed at each financial year-end and adjusted prospectively, if 
appropriate. 

Property  and  equipment  are  reviewed  for  impairment  in  accordance  with  IAS  36  Impairment  of  Assets  when  there  are 
indicators that the carrying value may not be recoverable. 

f) 

Intangible assets 

i)  Goodwill 

Goodwill that arises upon business combinations is included in intangible assets.  

Goodwill is not amortized and is measured at cost less accumulated impairment losses. 

ii)  Other intangible assets 

Intangible assets consist of customer relationships, trademarks, non-compete agreements and information technology. 

The  Group  determines  the  fair  value  of  the  customer  relationship  intangible  assets  using  the  discounted  cash  flow 
model and internally developed assumptions including:  

1.  Forecasted revenue attributable to existing customer contracts and relationships; 

2.  Estimated annual attrition rate; 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
58 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

f) 

Intangible assets (continued) 

ii)  Other intangible assets (continued) 

3.  Forecasted operating margins; and 

4.  Discount rates 

The internally developed assumptions are based on limited observable market information which cause measurement 
uncertainty, and the fair value of the customer related intangible assets are sensitive to changes to these assumptions. 

Intangible  assets  that  are  acquired  by  the  Group  and  have  finite  lives  are  measured  at  cost  less  accumulated 
amortization and accumulated impairment losses. 

Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives: 

Categories 

Customer relationships 

Trademarks* 

Non-compete agreements 

Information technology 

Useful lives 

5 – 20 years 

5 – 20 years 

3 – 10 years 

5 – 7 years 

* 

Includes indefinite useful life assets. They are reviewed at least annually for impairment (see note 11). 

Useful lives are reviewed at each financial year-end and adjusted prospectively, if appropriate. 

g)  Leases 

At inception of a contract, the Group assesses whether a contract is, or contains, a lease. A contract is, or contains, a lease 
if the contract conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. 
To assess whether a contract conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset, the Group assesses whether: 

• 

• 

• 

the contract involves the use of an identified asset – this may be specific explicitly or implicitly, and should be physically 
distinct  or  represent  substantially  all  of  the  capacity  of  a  physically  distinct  asset.  If  the  supplier  has  a  substantive 
substitution right, the asset is not identified; 

the  Group  has  the  right  to  obtain  substantially  all  of  the  economic  benefits  from  use  of  the  asset  throughout  the 
period of use; and 

the Group has the right to direct the use of the asset. The Group has this right when it has the decision-making rights 
that are most relevant to changing how and for what purpose the asset is used.  

At inception or on reassessment of a contract that contains a lease component, the Group allocates the consideration in 
the contract to each lease component on the basis of their relative stand-alone prices.  

The Group recognizes a right-of-use asset and a lease liability at the lease commencement date. The right-of-use asset is 
initially measured at cost, which comprises the initial amount of the lease liability adjusted for any lease payments made at 
or before the commencement date, plus any initial direct costs incurred, less any lease incentives received.  

The assets are depreciated to the earlier of the end of the useful life of the right-of-use asset or the lease term using the 
straight-line method as this most closely reflects the expected pattern consumption of the future economic benefits. The 
lease  term  includes  periods  covered  by  an  option  to  extend  if  the Group  is  reasonably  certain  to exercise  that  option.  In 
addition,  the  right-of-use  asset  is  periodically  reduced  by  impairment  losses,  if  any,  and  adjusted  for  certain 
remeasurements of the lease liability. 

The lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the lease payments that are not paid at the commencement 
date,  discounted  using  the  interest  rate  implicit  in  the  lease  or,  if  that  cannot  be  readily  determined,  the  Group's 
incremental borrowing rate. The incremental borrowing rate is a function of the Group’s incremental borrowing rate, the 
nature  of  the  underlying  asset,  the  location  of  the  asset  and  the  length  of  the  lease.  Generally,  the  Group  uses  its 
incremental borrowing rate as the discount rate. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

59 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

g)  Leases (continued) 

The  lease  liability  is  measured  at  amortized  cost  using  the  effective  interest  method.  It  is  remeasured  when  there  is  a 
change in the future lease payments arising from a change in an index or rate, if there is a change in the Group's estimate 
of the amount expected to be payable under a residual value guarantee, or if the Group changes its assessment of whether 
it will exercise a purchase, extension or termination option.  

When the lease liability is remeasured in this way, a corresponding adjustment is made to the carrying amount of the right-
of-use asset, or is recorded in profit or loss if the carrying amount of the right-of-use asset has been reduced to zero. 

The Group has elected not to recognise right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for short-term leases that have a lease term 
of  12  months  or  leases  and  leases  of  low-value  assets.  The  Group  recognises  these  lease  payments  as  an  expense  on  a 
straight-line basis over the lease term. 

Prior  to  adoption  of  IFRS  16,  the  Company  applied  IAS  17  and  IFRIC  4  and  leases  with  terms  which  indicated  that  the 
Group  assumed  substantially  all  the  risks  and  rewards  of  ownership  were  classified  as  finance  leases.  Upon  initial 
recognition the leased asset was measured at an amount equal to the lower of its fair value and the present value of the 
minimum lease payments. Subsequent to initial recognition, the asset was accounted for in accordance with the accounting 
policy applicable to that asset. 

Other  leases  were  operating  leases  and  the  leased  assets  were  not  recognized  in  the  Group’s  statements  of  financial 
position. 

On the initial application, a right-of-use asset and a lease liability were recorded as of January 1, 2019, for all outstanding 
lease contracts that met the definition of a lease, with any difference recorded in retained earnings, being recognized. An 
additional impact of $6.1 million on provisions and retained earnings was recognized for previously recorded straight-line 
rental  costs  under  IAS  17.  The  Group  also  recognized  a  deferred  tax  liability  which  was  recorded  directly  to  retained 
earnings, and reclassed any assets recorded as finance lease from property and equipment to right-of-use assets, and the 
corresponding finance lease liability from long-term debt to the new lease liability presentation. 

Property and equipment 

Right-of-use assets 

Provisions (including current portion) 

Long-term debt (including current portion) 

Lease liabilities (including current portion) 

Deferred tax liabilities 

Retained earnings 

As reported as at 
December 31, 2018  

  Adjustments  

Restated balance as at 
January 1, 2019  

1,023,595  

—  

(49,747 ) 

(1,161,430 ) 

(19,406 ) 

341,505  

6,092  

6,718  

—  

(361,107 ) 

(212,535 ) 

(639,597 ) 

7,376  

18,880  

1,004,189  

341,505  

(43,655 ) 

(1,154,712 ) 

(361,107 ) 

(205,159 ) 

(620,717 ) 

The following table reconciles the Group’s operating lease obligations at December 31, 2018, as previously disclosed in the 
Group’s audited annual consolidated financial statements, to the lease obligation recognized on initial application of IFRS 
16 at January 1, 2019: 

Operating lease commitment as at December 31, 2018 

Finance lease liability as at December 31, 2018 

Discounted using the incremental borrowing rate at January 1, 2019 

Recognition exemption for short-term leases 

Extension options reasonably certain to be exercised 

Lease liabilities recognized at January 1, 2019 

370,995  

6,717  

(53,249 ) 

(11,469 ) 

48,113  

361,107  

h) 

Inventoried supplies 

Inventoried supplies consist primarily of repair parts and fuel and are measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

i) 

Impairment 

Non-financial assets 

The  carrying  amounts  of  the  Group’s  non-financial  assets  other  than  inventoried  supplies  and  deferred  tax  assets  are 
reviewed at each reporting date to determine whether there is any indication of impairment. If any such indication exists, 
then the asset’s recoverable amount is estimated. For goodwill, the recoverable amount is estimated on December 31 of 
each year. 

For  the  purpose  of  impairment  testing,  assets  that  cannot  be  tested  individually  are  grouped  together  into  the  smallest 
group of assets that generates cash inflows from continuing use that are largely independent of the cash inflows of other 
assets  or  groups  of  assets  (the  “cash-generating  unit”,  or  “CGU”).  For  the  purposes  of  goodwill  impairment  testing, 
goodwill acquired in a business combination is allocated to the group of CGUs (usually a Group’s operating segment), that 
is expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination. This allocation is subject to an operating segment ceiling test 
and reflects the lowest level at which that goodwill is monitored for internal reporting purposes. The Company performs 
goodwill impairment testing annually, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of a CGU, 
which  is  a  Group’s  operating  segment,  may  exceed  the  recoverable  amount  of  the  CGU.  The  recoverable  amount  of  an 
asset or CGU is the greater of its value in use and its fair value less costs to sell. In assessing value in use, the estimated 
future  cash  flows  are  discounted  to  their  present  value  using  a  pre-tax  discount  rate  that  reflects  current  market 
assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset or group of assets. The fair value less cost to sell 
is  based  on  market  comparable  multiples  applied  to  forecasted  earnings  before  financial  expenses,  income  taxes, 
depreciation and amortization (“adjusted EBITDA”) for the next year, which takes into account financial forecasts approved 
by senior management. 

The Group’s corporate assets do not generate separate cash inflows. If there is an indication that a corporate asset may be 
impaired, then the recoverable amount is determined for the CGU to which the corporate asset belongs. 

An impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of an asset or its CGU exceeds its estimated recoverable amount. 
Impairment losses recognized in respect of CGUs are allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of any goodwill allocated 
to the units, if any, and then to reduce the carrying amounts of the other assets in the unit (group of units) on a prorata 
basis. 

An impairment loss in respect of goodwill is not reversed. In respect of other assets, impairment losses recognized in prior 
periods  are  assessed  at  each  reporting  date  for  any  indications  that  the  loss  has  decreased  or  no  longer  exists.  An 
impairment  loss  is  reversed  if  there  has  been  a  change  in  the  estimates  used  to  determine  the  recoverable  amount.  An 
impairment loss is reversed only to the extent that the asset’s carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that 
would have been determined, net of depreciation or amortization, if no impairment loss had been recognized. Impairment 
losses and impairment reversals are recognized in income or loss. 

j)  Assets held for sale 

Non-current  assets  are classified as held-for-sale if it is highly probable that  they will be recovered  primarily  through  sale 
rather than through continuing use.  

Such assets are generally measured at the lower of their carrying amount and fair value less costs to sell. Impairment losses 
on  initial  classification  as  held-for-sale  or  held-for-distribution  and  subsequent  gains  and  losses  on  remeasurement  are 
recognized in income or loss. 

Once classified as held-for-sale, intangible assets and property and equipment are no longer amortized or depreciated. 

k)  Employee benefits 

i)  Defined contribution plans 

A defined contribution plan is a post-employment benefit plan under which an entity pays fixed contributions into a 
separate entity and will have no legal or constructive obligation to pay further amounts. Obligations for contributions 
to defined contribution pension plans are recognized as an employee benefit expense in income or loss in the periods 
during which services are rendered by employees. Prepaid contributions are recognized as an asset to the extent that a 
cash refund or a reduction in future payments is available. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

61 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

k)  Employee benefits (continued) 

ii)  Defined benefit plans 

The  Group’s  net  obligation  in  respect  of  defined  benefit  pension  plans  is  calculated  separately  for  each  plan  by 
estimating the amount of future benefit that employees have earned in return for their services in the current and prior 
periods discounting that amount and deducting the fair value of any plan assets. The discount rate is the yield at the 
reporting date on AA credit-rated bonds that have maturity dates approximating the terms of the Group’s obligations 
and  that  are  denominated  in  the  same  currency  in  which  the  benefits  are  expected  to  be  paid.  The  calculation  is 
performed  annually  by  a  qualified  actuary  using  the  projected  unit  credit  method.  When  the  calculation  results  in  a 
benefit to the Group, the recognized asset is limited to the present value of economic benefits available in the form of 
any future refunds from the plan or  reductions  in future contributions  to the  plan. In order  to calculate  the present 
value of economic benefits, consideration is given to any minimum funding requirements that apply to any plan in the 
Group.  

Remeasurements  of  the  net  defined  benefit  liability,  which  comprise  actuarial  gains  and  losses,  the  return  on  plan 
assets (excluding interest) and the effect of the asset ceiling (if any, excluding interest), are recognized immediately in 
other  comprehensive  income.  The  Group  determines  the  net  interest  expense  (income)  on  the  net  defined  benefit 
liability  (asset)  for  the  period  by  applying  the  discount  rate  used  to  measure  the  defined  benefit  obligation  at  the 
beginning of the annual period to the then-net defined benefit liability (asset), taking into account any changes in the 
net  defined  benefit  liability  (asset)  during  the  period  as  a  result  of  contributions  and  benefit  payments.  Net  interest 
expense and other expenses related to defined benefit plans are recognized in profit or loss. 

When the benefits of a plan are changed or when a plan is curtailed, the resulting change in benefit that relates to 
past service or the gain or loss on curtailment is recognized immediately in profit or loss. The Group recognizes gains 
and losses on the settlement of a defined benefit plan when the settlement occurs. 

iii)  Short-term employee benefits 

Short-term  employee  benefit  obligations  are  measured  on  an  undiscounted  basis  and  are  expensed  as  the  related 
service  is  provided.  A  liability  is  recognized  for  the  amount  expected  to  be  paid  under  short-term  cash  bonus  or 
income-sharing plans if the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation to pay this amount as a result of past 
service provided by the employee, and the obligation can be estimated reliably. 

iv)  Share-based payment transactions 

The  grant  date  fair  value  of equity  share-based  payment awards  granted  to employees  is  recognized  as  a  personnel 
expense,  with  a  corresponding  increase  in  contributed  surplus,  over  the  period  that  the  employees  unconditionally 
become entitled to the awards. The amount recognized as an expense is adjusted to reflect the number of awards for 
which the related service conditions are expected to be met, such that the amount ultimately recognized as an expense 
is based on the number of awards that do meet the related service condition at the vesting date. 

The fair value of the amount payable to board members in respect of deferred share unit (“DSU”),  which  are  to  be 
settled in  cash, is recognized  as an expense  with  a corresponding increase in liabilities. The  liability  is remeasured at 
each reporting date until settlement. The Group presents mark-to-market (gain) loss on DSUs in personnel expenses. 

v)  Termination benefits 

Termination benefits are expensed at the earlier of when the Group can no longer withdraw the offer of those benefits 
and  when  the  Group  recognises  costs  for  a  restructuring.  If  benefits  are  not  expected  to  be  fully  settled  within  12 
months of the end of the reporting period, then they are discounted.  

l) 

Provisions 

A provision is recognized if, as a result of a past event, the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation that can be 
estimated reliably, and it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation. If the 
effect of the time value of money is material, provisions are determined by discounting the expected future cash flows at a 
pre-tax rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the liability. Where 
discounting is used, the unwinding of the discount is recognized as finance cost. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
62 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

l) 

Provisions (continued) 

Self-Insurance 

Self-insurance  provisions  represent  the  uninsured  portion  of  outstanding  claims  at  year-end.  The  provision  represents  an 
accrual for estimated future disbursements associated with the self-insured portion for claims filed at year-end and incurred 
but  not  reported,  related  to  cargo  loss,  bodily  injury,  worker’s  compensation  and  property  damages.  The  estimates  are 
based  on  the  Group’s  historical  experience  including  settlement  patterns  and  payment  trends.  The  most  significant 
assumptions in the estimation process include the consideration of historical claim experience, severity factors affecting the 
amounts ultimately paid, and current and expected levels of cost per claims. Changes in assumptions and experience could 
cause these estimates to change significantly in the near term. 

m)  Revenue recognition 

The Group’s normal business operations consist of the provision of transportation and logistics services. All revenue relating 
to normal business operations is recognized over time in the statement of income. The stage of completion of the service is 
determined using the proportion of days completed to date compared to the estimated total days of the service. Revenue is 
presented net of trade discounts and volume rebates. Revenue is recognized as services are rendered, when the control of 
promised services is transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Group expects to be entitled 
to receive in exchange for those services measured based on the consideration specified in a contract with the customers. 
The  Group  considers  the  contract  with  customers  to  include  the  general  transportation  service  agreement  and  the 
individual bill of ladings with customers. 

Based on the evaluation of the control  model, certain  businesses,  mainly  in the Less-Than-Truckload segment,  act as  the 
principal  within  their  revenue  arrangements.  The  affected  businesses  report  transportation  revenue  gross  of  associated 
purchase transportation costs rather than net of such amounts within the consolidated statements of income. 

n)  Finance income and finance costs 

Finance  income  comprises  interest  income  on  funds  invested,  dividend  income  and  interest  and  accretion  on  promissory 
note. Interest income is recognized as it accrues in income or loss, using the effective interest method. 

Finance  costs  comprise  interest  expense  on  bank  indebtedness  and  long-term  debt,  unwinding  of  the  discount  on 
provisions and impairment losses recognized on financial assets (other than trade receivables). 

Fair value gains or losses on derivative financial instruments and on contingent considerations, and foreign currency gains 
and losses are reported on a net basis as either finance income or cost. 

o) 

Income taxes 

Income  tax  expense  comprises  current  and  deferred  tax.  Current  tax  and  deferred  tax  are  recognized  in  income  or  loss 
except  to  the  extent  that  it  relates  to  a  business  combination,  or  items  recognized  directly  in  equity  or  in  other 
comprehensive income. 

Current tax is the expected tax payable or receivable on the taxable income or loss for the year, using tax rates enacted or 
substantively enacted at the reporting date, and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous years. 

Deferred  tax  is  recognized  in  respect  of  temporary  differences  between  the  carrying  amounts  of  assets  and  liabilities  for 
financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes. Deferred tax is not recognized for the following 
temporary differences: the initial recognition of assets or liabilities in a transaction that is not a business combination and 
that affects neither accounting nor taxable income or loss, and differences relating to investments in subsidiaries and jointly 
controlled entities to the extent that it is probable that they will not reverse in the foreseeable future. In addition, deferred 
tax  is  not  recognized  for  taxable  temporary  differences  arising  on  the  initial  recognition  of  goodwill.  Deferred  tax  is 
measured at the tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences when they reverse, based on the laws 
that have been enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset if there is 
a legally enforceable right to offset current tax liabilities and assets, and they relate to income taxes levied by the same tax 
authority on the same taxable entity, or on different tax entities, but they intend to settle current tax liabilities and assets on 
a net basis or their tax assets and liabilities will be realized simultaneously. 

A deferred tax asset is recognized for unused tax losses, tax credits and deductible temporary differences, to the extent that it 
is probable that future taxable income will be available against which they can be utilized. Deferred tax assets are reviewed at 
each reporting date and are reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that the related tax benefit will be realized. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

63 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

p)  Earnings per share 

The  Group  presents  basic  and  diluted  earnings  per  share  (“EPS”)  data  for  its  common  shares.  Basic  EPS  is  calculated  by 
dividing  the  income  or  loss  attributable  to  common  shareholders  of  the  Company  by  the  weighted  average  number  of 
common shares outstanding during the period, adjusted for own shares held, if any. Diluted EPS is determined by adjusting 
the income or loss attributable to common shareholders and the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, 
adjusted  for  own  shares  held,  for  the  effects  of  all  dilutive  potential  common  shares,  which  comprise  convertible 
debentures, warrants, and restricted share units and stock options granted to employees. 

q)  Segment reporting 

An operating segment is a component of the Group that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues 
and incur expenses, including revenues and expenses that relate to transactions with any of the Group’s other components. 
All  operating  segments’  operating  results  are  reviewed  regularly  by  the  Group’s  chief  executive  officer  (“CEO”)  to  make 
decisions  about  resources  to  be  allocated  to  the  segment  and  assess  its  performance,  and  for  which  discrete  financial 
information is available. 

Segment results that are reported to the CEO include items directly attributable to a segment as well as those that can be 
allocated on a reasonable basis. Unallocated items comprise mainly corporate assets (primarily the Group’s headquarters), 
head office expenses, income tax assets, liabilities and expenses, as well as long-term debt and interest expense thereon. 

Sales between the Group’s segments are measured at the exchange amount. Transactions, other than sales, are measured 
at  carrying  value.  Segment  capital  expenditure  is  the  total  cost  incurred  during  the  period  to  acquire  property  and 
equipment, and intangible assets other than goodwill. 

r)   Government grants 

The Group recognizes a government grant when there is reasonable assurance it will comply with the conditions required 
to qualify for the grant, and that the grant will be received. The Group recognizes government grants as a reduction to the 
expense that the grant is intended to offset. 

s)   New standards and interpretations adopted during the year 

Definition of a business (Amendments to IFRS  3):  On October 22,  2018,  the  IASB issued  amendments  to  IFRS  3  Business 
Combinations that seek to clarify whether a transaction results in an asset or a business acquisition. The amendments apply 
to  businesses  acquired  in  annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2020.  The  amendments  include  an 
election to use a concentration test. This is a simplified assessment that results in an asset acquisition if substantially all of 
the fair value of the gross assets is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets. If a 
preparer chooses not to apply the concentration test, or the test fails, then the assessment focuses on the existence of a 
substantive process. The adoption of the amendments did not have a material impact on the Group’s consolidated financial 
statements at the date of adoption. 

Amendments  to  Hedge  Accounting  Requirements  -  IBOR  Reform  and  its  Effects  on  Financial  Reporting  (Phase  1):  On 
September 26, 2019, the IASB issued amendments for some of its requirements for hedge accounting in IFRS 9 Financial 
Instruments  and  IAS  39  Financial  Instruments:  Recognition  and  Measurement,  as  well  as  the  related  Standard  on 
disclosures,  IFRS  7  Financial  Instruments:  Disclosures  in  relation  to  Phase  1  of  IBOR  Reform  and  its  Effects  on  Financial 
Reporting project. The amendments are effective from January 1, 2020. The amendments address issues affecting financial 
reporting in the period leading up to IBOR reform, are mandatory and apply to all hedging relationships directly affected by 
uncertainties  related  to  IBOR  reform.  The  amendments  modify  some  specific  hedge  accounting  requirements  to  provide 
relief from potential effects of the uncertainty caused by the IBOR reform in the following areas: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the ‘highly probable’ requirement, 

prospective assessments, 

retrospective assessments (for IAS 39), and 

eligibility of risk components. 

The adoption of the amendments on January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on the Group’s consolidated financial 
statements. As at December 31, 2020, the Group has no interest rate swaps that hedge variable interest debt. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
64 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

3.  Significant accounting policies (continued) 

s)   New standards and interpretations adopted during the year (continued) 

New standards and interpretations not yet adopted 

The following new standards are not yet effective for the year ended December 31, 2020, and have not been applied in 
preparing these consolidated financial statements: 

Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current (Amendments to IAS 1) 

On January 23, 2020, the IASB issued amendments to IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements, to clarify the classification 
of liabilities as current or non-current. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 
2023.  Early  adoption  is  permitted.  For  the  purposes  of  non-current  classification,  the  amendments  removed  the 
requirement for a right to defer settlement or roll over of a liability for at least twelve months to be unconditional. Instead, 
such a right must have substance and exist at the end of the reporting period. The extent of the impact of adoption of the 
amendments has not yet been determined. 

Onerous Contracts – Cost of Fulfilling a Contract (Amendments to IAS 37) 

On  May  14,  2020,  the  IASB  issued  Onerous  Contracts  –  Cost  of  Fulfilling  a  Contract  (Amendments  to  IAS  37).  The 
amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2022 and apply to contracts existing at the 
date when the amendments are first applied. Early adoption is permitted. IAS 37 does not specify which costs are included 
as a cost of fulfilling a contract when determining whether a contract is onerous. The IASB’s amendments address this issue 
by clarifying that the “costs of fulfilling a contract” comprise both: 

• 

• 

the incremental costs – e.g. direct labour and materials; and 

an  allocation  of  other  direct  costs  –  e.g.  an  allocation  of  the  depreciation  charge  for  an  item  of  property  and 
equipment used in fulfilling the contract. 

The extent of the impact of adoption of the amendments has not yet been determined. 

Interest Rate Benchmark Reform—Phase 2 (Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16) 

On August 27, 2020, the IASB finalized its response to the ongoing reform of inter-bank offered rates and other interest 
rate benchmarks by issuing a package of amendments to IFRS Standards. The amendments are effective for annual periods 
beginning on or after January 1, 2021. Earlier application is permitted. 

The amendments complement those issued in 2019 as part of Phase 1 amendments and mainly relate to: 

• 

• 

• 

changes  to  contractual  cash  flows—a  company  will  not  have  to  derecognise  the  carrying  amount  of  financial 
instruments for changes required by the reform, but will instead update the effective interest rate to reflect the change 
to the alternative benchmark rate; 

hedge  accounting—a  company  will  not  have  to  discontinue  its  hedge  accounting  solely  because  it  makes  changes 
required by the reform, if the hedge meets other hedge accounting criteria; and 

disclosures—a company will be required to disclose information about new risks arising from the reform and how it 
manages the transition to alternative benchmark rates. 

The  extent  of  the  impact  of  the  adoption  of  the  amendments  depends  upon  debt  and  hedge  transactions  impacted  by 
reference rate reform in future periods. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

65 

4.  Segment reporting 

The  Group  operates  within  the  transportation  and  logistics  industry  in  the  United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico  in  different 
reportable  segments,  as  described  below.  The  reportable  segments  are  managed  independently  as  they  require  different 
technology and capital resources. For each of the operating segments, the Group’s CEO reviews internal management reports. 
The following summary describes the operations in each of the Group’s reportable segments: 

Package and Courier: 

Pickup, transport and delivery of items across North America. 

Less-Than-Truckload: 

Pickup, consolidation, transport and delivery of smaller loads. 

Truckload(a): 

Logistics: 

Full  loads  carried  directly  from  the  customer  to  the  destination  using  a  closed  van  or  specialized 
equipment  to  meet  customers’  specific  needs.  Includes  expedited  transportation,  flatbed,  tank, 
container and dedicated services. 

Asset-light logistics services, including brokerage, freight forwarding and transportation management, 
as well as small package parcel delivery. 

(a)  The Truckload reporting segment represents the aggregation of the Canadian Conventional Truckload, U.S. Conventional Truckload, and Specialized Truckload 
operating segments. The aggregation of the segment was analyzed using management’s judgment in accordance with IFRS 8. The operating segments were 
determined to be similar with respect to the nature of services offered and the methods used to distribute their services, additionally, they have similar economic 
characteristics with respect to long-term expected gross margin, levels of capital invested and market place trends. 

Information regarding the results  of each reportable segment is included below. Performance  is measured based  on  segment 
operating income or loss. This measure is included in the internal management reports that are reviewed by the Group’s CEO 
and refers to “Operating income (loss)” in the consolidated statements of income. Segment’s operating income or loss is used 
to measure performance as management believes that such information is the most relevant in evaluating the results of certain 
segments relative to other entities that operate within these industries. 

Package 
and 
Courier    

Less- 
Than- 
Truckload  

Truckload     Logistics     Corporate     Eliminations    

Total  

2020 

External revenue 

External fuel surcharge 

  478,707     516,720  

  1,569,835     919,041    

47,393    

66,144  

161,680    

21,614    

Inter-segment revenue and fuel surcharge  

3,055    

6,371  

16,844    

4,475    

  529,155     589,235  

  1,748,359     945,130    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—     3,484,303  

—    

296,831  

(30,745 )   

—  

(30,745 )    3,781,134  

78,753    

87,950  

206,346    

84,459    

(40,941 )   

—    

416,567  

Total revenue 

Operating income (loss) 

Selected items: 

Depreciation and amortization 

25,357    

50,354  

188,979    

33,429    

1,110    

Loss on sale of land and buildings 

Gain (loss) on sale of assets held for sale  

Gain on sale of business 

Bargain purchase gain 

Intangible assets 

Total assets 

Total liabilities 

—    

91    

—    

—    

(1 )   

(56 )   

—  

—  

—    

11,864    

306    

(5 )   

—    

—    

—    

4,008    

—    

—    

—    

—    

  193,288     189,579  

907,170     457,098    

2,638    

  387,919     593,653  

  2,100,900     729,690    

37,202    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

299,229  

(6 ) 

11,899  

306  

4,008  

—     1,749,773  

—     3,849,364  

Additions to property and equipment 

17,304    

22,829  

101,477    

760    

444    

—    

142,814  

  123,970     219,234  

478,630     226,218     1,011,268    

(133 )    2,059,187  

2019 

External revenue 

External fuel surcharge 

  470,192     619,949  

1,645,025     742,410    

65,515    

99,538  

231,470    

29,446    

Inter-segment revenue and fuel surcharge  

3,903    

7,761  

15,060    

2,977    

  539,610     727,248  

1,891,555     774,833    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—     3,477,576  

—    

425,969  

(29,701 )   

—  

(29,701 )    3,903,545  

82,228    

82,230  

192,172    

57,447    

(31,209 )   

—    

382,868  

Total revenue 

Operating income (loss) 

Selected items: 

Depreciation and amortization 

24,893    

52,920  

182,817    

33,597    

1,520    

Gain on sale of land and buildings 

Gain (loss) on sale of assets held for sale  

—    

843    

—  

8,509  

9    

12,339    

—    

—    

Intangible assets 

Total assets 

Total liabilities 

  190,135     188,448  

860,671     262,691    

  371,037     595,806  

2,067,191     421,843    

52,943    

  119,642     230,282  

417,545     128,013     1,454,047    

—    

(120 )   

3,215    

Additions to property and equipment 

13,404    

49,553  

192,820    

2,224    

5,697    

—    

—    

—    

295,747  

9  

21,571  

—     1,505,160  

—     3,508,820  

—     2,349,528  

—    

263,698  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
  
 
 
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
 
    
    
    
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
66 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

4.  Segment reporting (continued) 

Geographical information 

Revenue is attributed to geographical locations based on the origin of service’s location.  

Total revenue 

2020 

Canada 

United States 

Mexico 

Total 

2019 

Canada 

United States 

Mexico 

Total 

Package 
and 
Courier  

Less- 
Than- 
Truckload  

  Truckload  

Logistics  

  Eliminations  

Total  

529,155  

517,199  

725,347  

—  

—  

72,036  

  1,023,012  

—  

—  

239,413  

686,811  

18,906  

(26,019 ) 

  1,985,095  

(4,726 ) 

  1,777,133  

—  

18,906  

529,155  

589,235  

  1,748,359  

945,130  

(30,745 ) 

  3,781,134  

539,610  

607,086  

799,396  

—  

—  

120,162  

  1,092,159  

—  

—  

216,232  

542,911  

15,690  

(28,352 ) 

  2,133,972  

(1,349 ) 

  1,753,883  

—  

15,690  

539,610  

727,248  

  1,891,555  

774,833  

(29,701 ) 

  3,903,545  

Segment assets are based on the geographical location of the assets. 

Property and equipment, right-of-use assets and intangible assets   

Canada 

United States 

Mexico 

5.  Business combinations 

a)  Business combinations 

  December 31,  

  December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

2019  

2019  

1,802,417  

1,342,720  

16,349  

1,777,333  

  1,412,726  

1,169,446  

17,978  

987,813  

16,910  

3,161,486  

2,964,757  

  2,417,449  

In  line  with  the Group’s  growth  strategy,  the  Group  acquired  thirteen  businesses  during  2020,  of  which  DLS  Worldwide 
(“DLS”),  which  was  renamed  “TForce  Worldwide”  in  November  2020,  was  considered  material.  All  other  acquisitions, 
including R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, were not considered to be material. These transactions were concluded in order 
to add density in the Group’s current network and further expand value-added services.  

On November 2, 2020, the Group completed the acquisition of DLS, a business unit of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company. 
DLS  provides  logistics  services  through  a  third-party  logistics  network  of  internal  sales  personnel,  commissioned  sales 
agents,  and  approximately  140  agent-stations.  The  purchase  price  for  this  business  acquisition  totalled  $225.0  million, 
which  has  been  paid  in  cash.  During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  DLS  contributed  revenue  and  net  income  of 
$98.3 million and $1.5 million, respectively since the acquisition.  

On March 2, 2020, the Group completed the acquisition of the courier service business of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company. 
The purchase price for this business acquisition totalled $10.6 million, which has been paid in cash. The estimated fair value 
of  the  identifiable  net  assets  acquired,  including  the  fair  value  of  the  customer  relationships  acquired,  exceeded  the 
purchase price, resulting in an estimated bargain purchase gain of $4.0 million in the logistics segment. 

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the thirteen businesses, in aggregate, contributed revenue and net income of 
$213.2 million and $4.6 million respectively since the acquisitions. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

67 

5.  Business combinations (continued) 

a)  Business combinations (continued) 

Had the Group acquired these thirteen businesses on January 1, 2020, as per management’s best estimates, the revenue 
and  net  income  for  these  entities  would  have  been  $807.2  million  and  $31.9  million,  respectively.  In  determining  these 
estimated amounts, management assumed that the fair value adjustments that arose on the date of acquisition would have 
been the same had the acquisitions occurred on January 1, 2020. 

During  2020,  transaction  costs  of  $0.8  million  have  been  expensed  in  other  operating  expenses  in  the  consolidated 
statements of income in relation to the above-mentioned business acquisitions. 

As of the reporting date, the Group had not completed the purchase price allocation over the identifiable net assets and 
goodwill of the 2020 acquisitions. Information to confirm fair value of certain assets and liabilities is still to be obtained for 
these  acquisitions.  As  the  Group  obtains  more  information,  the  allocation  will  be  completed.  The  information  that  was 
available  to  the  Group  regarding  DLS  was  affected  by  the  proximity  of  the  acquisition  to  its  year-end.  The  table  below 
presents the purchase price allocation based on the best information available to the Group to date. 

  December 31,  

  December 31,  

Identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed   

  Note  

DLS  

  Others*  

Cash and cash equivalents 

Trade and other receivables 

Inventoried supplies and prepaid expenses 

Property and equipment 

Right-of-use assets 

Intangible assets 

Other assets 

Trade and other payables 

Income tax payable 

Provisions 

Other non-current liabilities 

Long-term debt 

Lease liabilities 

Deferred tax liabilities 

Total identifiable net assets 

Total consideration transferred 

Goodwill 

Bargain purchase gain 

Cash 

Contingent consideration 

Total consideration transferred 

(54,845 )   

(9,149 )   

(63,994 )   

(24,778 ) 

9  

10  

11  

17  

14  

15  

2020  

3,332  

—  

3,332  

93,520  

  29,373  

122,893  

824  

1,509  

262  

  23,741  

285  

  39,928  

65,404  

  31,125  

4,630  

—  

2,333  

24,003  

40,213  

96,529  

4,630  

—  

—  

(445 )   

(338 )   

(14,374 )   

—  

—  

(5,365 )   

(445 )   

(338 )   

(14,374 )   

(5,365 )   

(285 )   

(40,192 )   

(40,477 )   

—  

(6,653 )   

(6,653 )   

95,421  

  66,866  

  225,007  

  106,595  

11  

  129,586  

  43,737  

162,287  

331,602  

173,323  

—  

(4,008 )   

(4,008 )   

2019  

15,339  

34,260  

5,774  

66,703  

11,039  

47,088  

79  

(4,636 ) 

(1,424 ) 

(370 ) 

(8,655 ) 

(11,039 ) 

(16,541 ) 

112,839  

166,941  

62,116  

(8,014 ) 

  225,007  

  105,975  

330,982  

166,251  

—  

620  

620  

690  

  225,007  

  106,595  

331,602  

166,941  

* 

Includes non-material adjustments to prior year's acquisitions 

The  trade  receivables  comprise  gross  amounts  due  of  $127.4  million,  of  which  $4.5  million  was  expected  to  be 
uncollectible at the acquisition date. 

Of the goodwill and intangible assets acquired through business combinations in 2020, $21.2 million is deductible for tax 
purposes (2019 - $19.2 million). 

During 2019, the Group acquired eight businesses, of which Schilli Corporation (“Schilli”), which was renamed BTC East in 
September 2019, was considered material. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
68 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

5.  Business combinations (continued) 

a)  Business combinations (continued) 

On  February  22,  2019,  the  Group  completed  the  acquisition  of  Schilli.  Based  in  St.  Louis,  Schilli  specializes  in  the 
transportation  of  dry  and  liquid  bulk  and  offers  dedicated  fleet  solutions  and  other  value-add  services  throughout  the 
Midwest, Southeast and Gulf Coast regions of the United States. The purchase price for this business acquisition totalled 
$58.2 million, which had been paid in cash. During the year ended December 31, 2019, Schilli contributed revenue and net 
income of $53.2 million and $2.3 million, respectively since the acquisition. 

On  April  29,  2019,  the  Group  completed  the  acquisition  of  certain  assets  of  BeavEx  Incorporated  Inc.  and  its  affiliates 
Guardian Medical Logistics, JNJW Enterprises Inc. and USXP LLC (collectively “BeavEx”). The purchase price for this business 
acquisition  totalled  $7.2  million,  which  had  been  paid  in  cash.  The  fair  value  of  the  identifiable  net  assets  acquired, 
including the fair value of the customer relationships acquired, exceeded the purchase price, resulting in a bargain purchase 
gain of $8.0 million in the logistics segment. 

During  2019,  transaction  costs  of  $0.1  million  have  been  expensed  in  other  operating  expenses  in  the  consolidated 
statements of income in relation to the above-mentioned business acquisitions. 

b)  Goodwill 

The  goodwill  is  attributable  mainly  to  the  premium  of  an  established  business  operation  with  a  good  reputation  in  the 
transportation  industry, and the synergies expected to be achieved from integrating the  acquired  entity  into the Group’s 
existing business. 

The  goodwill  arising  in  the  business  combinations  has  been  allocated  to  operating  segments  as  indicated  in  the  table 
below, which represents the lowest level at which goodwill is monitored internally. 

Operating segment 

Less-Than-Truckload 

U.S. Truckload 

Specialized Truckload 

Logistics 

  Reportable segment 

  December 31, 2020*  

  December 31, 2019  

  Less-Than-Truckload 

  Truckload 

  Truckload 

  Logistics 

3,872  

330  

33,718  

135,403  

173,323  

—  

—  

50,692  

11,424  

62,116  

* 

Includes non-material adjustments to prior year's acquisitions 

c)  Adjustment to the provisional amounts of prior year’s business combinations 

The  2019  annual  consolidated  financial  statements  included  details  of  the  Group’s  business  combinations  and  set  out 
provisional  fair  values relating to the consideration paid  and net assets acquired of Schilli  and various other non-material 
acquisitions. These acquisitions were accounted for under the provisions of IFRS 3.  

As  required  by  IFRS  3,  the  provisional  fair  values  have  been  reassessed  in  light  of  information  obtained  during  the 
measurement  period  following  the  acquisition.  Consequently,  the  fair  value  of  certain  assets  acquired,  and  liabilities 
assumed  of  Schilli  and  the  other  non-material  acquisitions  in  fiscal  2019  have  been  adjusted  and  finalized  in  2020.  No 
material adjustments were required to the provisional fair values for these prior period’s business combinations, and have 
been included with the acquisitions of 2020. 

6.  Discontinued operations 

In 2019, the Group received an unfavorable ruling on an accident claim, resulting in a loss of $10.6 million ($12.4 million, net of 
tax of $1.8 million). The incident occurred in an operating division which was part of the discontinued rig moving segment. The 
rig moving segment was classified as discontinued on September 30, 2015. 

The net cash outflows from discontinued operations was $12.0 million during the second quarter of 2019 ($13.8 million, net of 
tax of $1.8 million).  

The basic and diluted loss per share for the year ended December 31, 2019 from discontinued operations is $0.13 and $0.12, 
respectively. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

69 

7.  Trade and other receivables 

Trade receivables 

Other receivables 

  December 31,  

December 31,  

  January 1,  

2020  

570,609  

27,264  

597,873  

2019  

2019  

442,148  

443,718  

10,093  

19,357  

452,241  

463,075  

The Group’s exposure to credit and currency risks related to trade and other receivables is disclosed in note 26 a) and d). 

Trade receivables at December 31, 2020 include $13.5 million of in-transit revenue balances (December 31, 2019 – $7.6 million; 
January 1, 2019 - $7.9 million). Due to the short-term nature of the transportation and logistics services provided by the Group, 
these services are expected to be completed within the week following the year-end. 

8.  Additional cash flow information 

Net change in non-cash operating working capital 

Trade and other receivables 

Inventoried supplies 

Prepaid expenses 

Trade and other payables 

* 

Recasted for changes in presentation (see note 24) 

2020  

(16,399 ) 

2,200  

192  

47,668  

33,661  

2019*  

58,763  

2,292  

3,839  

(48,557 ) 

16,337  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
70 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

9.  Property and equipment 

Cost 

Note  

Land and 
buildings  

Rolling 
stock  

  Equipment  

Total  

Balance at January 1, 2019 

276,144  

  1,119,520  

114,972  

  1,510,636  

Additions through business combinations 

5  

Other additions 

Disposals 

Reclassification to assets held for sale 

Transfer to right-of-use assets 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

4,816  

39,733  

59,684  

211,796  

2,203  

12,169  

66,703  

263,698  

(2,617 ) 

(126,388 ) 

(9,747 ) 

(138,752 ) 

(21,226 ) 

—  

11,827  

(2,684 ) 

(29,316 ) 

34,701  

—  

—  

5,699  

(23,910 ) 

(29,316 ) 

52,227  

Balance at December 31, 2019 

308,677  

  1,267,313  

125,296  

  1,701,286  

Additions through business combinations 

5  

Other additions 

Disposals 

Reclassification to assets held for sale 

Sale of business 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

1,771  

19,331  

21,634  

112,645  

598  

10,838  

24,003  

142,814  

(731 ) 

(133,149 ) 

(5,134 ) 

(139,014 ) 

(19,201 ) 

(484 ) 

5,441  

(9,971 ) 

(3,395 ) 

12,540  

—  

(283 ) 

2,919  

(29,172 ) 

(4,162 ) 

20,900  

Balance at December 31, 2020 

314,804  

  1,267,617  

134,234  

  1,716,655  

Depreciation 

Balance at January 1, 2019 

Depreciation for the year 

Disposals 

Reclassification to assets held for sale 

Transfer to right-of-use assets 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Balance at December 31, 2019 

Depreciation for the year 

Disposals 

Reclassification to assets held for sale 

Sale of business 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

56,093  

8,886  

(2,419 ) 

(6,321 ) 

—  

2,370  

58,609  

8,462  

(657 ) 

(7,326 ) 

(329 ) 

1,058  

356,377  

149,622  

(71,325 ) 

(2,244 ) 

(9,910 ) 

14,643  

437,163  

151,369  

(89,676 ) 

(8,488 ) 

(2,494 ) 

6,448  

74,571  

10,212  

487,041  

168,720  

(8,649 ) 

(82,393 ) 

—  

—  

3,951  

80,085  

10,689  

(4,447 ) 

—  

(253 ) 

2,014  

(8,565 ) 

(9,910 ) 

20,964  

575,857  

170,520  

(94,780 ) 

(15,814 ) 

(3,076 ) 

9,520  

Balance at December 31, 2020 

59,817  

494,322  

88,088  

642,227  

Net carrying amounts 

At January 1, 2019 

At December 31, 2019 

At December 31, 2020 

220,051  

763,143  

40,401  

  1,023,595  

250,068  

830,150  

45,211  

  1,125,429  

254,987  

773,295  

46,146  

  1,074,428  

As at December 31, 2020, $2.5 million is included in trade and other payables for  the purchases of property  and equipment 
(December 31, 2019 – 2.4, January 1, 2019 - nil). 

Security 

At December 31 2020, certain rolling stock are pledged as security for conditional sales contracts, with a carrying amount of 
$140.7 million (December 31, 2019 - $138.6 million, January 1, 2019 - $131.2 million) (see note 14). 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

71 

10.  Right-of-use assets 

Note  

Land and 
buildings  

Cost 

Initial recognition of IFRS 16 

Transfer from property and equipment 

Other additions 

Additions through business combinations 

Derecognition* 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Balance at December 31, 2019 

Other additions 

Additions through business combinations 

Derecognition* 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

5  

5  

Rolling 
stock  

95,884  

29,316  

41,041  

2,123  

414,866  

—  

22,287  

8,916  

(35,299 ) 

(10,388 ) 

19,327  

6,114  

430,097  

164,090  

18,869  

13,716  

30,353  

26,497  

(18,524 ) 

(32,111 ) 

7,948  

2,335  

  Equipment  

Total  

1,422  

512,172  

—  

351  

—  

(10 ) 

70  

1,833  

1,003  

—  

(589 ) 

43  

29,316  

63,679  

11,039  

(45,697 ) 

25,511  

596,020  

50,225  

40,213  

(51,224 ) 

10,326  

Balance at December 31, 2020 

452,106  

191,164  

2,290  

645,560  

Depreciation 

Initial recognition of IFRS 16 

Transfer from property and equipment 

Depreciation 

Derecognition* 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Balance at December 31, 2019 

Depreciation 

Derecognition* 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Balance at December 31, 2020 

Net carrying amounts 

At December 31, 2019 

At December 31, 2020 

152,052  

—  

50,697  

(16,953 ) 

7,888  

193,684  

48,628  

37,493  

9,910  

26,128  

(8,817 ) 

2,439  

67,153  

31,247  

(14,573 ) 

(25,371 ) 

4,802  

232,541  

1,474  

74,503  

528  

—  

501  

(1 ) 

(13 ) 

1,015  

621  

(428 ) 

23  

190,073  

9,910  

77,326  

(25,771 ) 

10,314  

261,852  

80,496  

(40,372 ) 

6,299  

1,231  

308,275  

236,413  

96,937  

219,565  

116,661  

818  

1,059  

334,168  

337,285  

*  Derecognized  right-of-use  assets  include  negotiated  asset  purchases  and  extinguishments  resulting  from  accidents  as  well  as  fully  amortized  or  end  of  term 

right-of-use assets. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
72 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

11.  Intangible assets 

Cost 

Other intangible assets 

Non- 

Note  

Goodwill  

relationships  

Trademarks  

agreements  

technology  

Total  

Customer 

compete 

Information 

Balance at January 1, 2019 

     1,227,671    

427,307  

81,303  

8,521  

18,124  

  1,762,926  

Additions through business 

combinations* 

Other additions 

Disposals 

Extinguishments 

5    

62,116    

41,237  

2,541  

3,272  

38  

109,204  

—    

—    

—    

—  

(205 )   

(1,110 )   

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

3,636  

3,636  

—  

(205 ) 

(167 )   

(1,768 )   

(3,045 ) 

Effect of movements in exchange rates   

41,343    

14,199  

1,911  

307  

814  

58,574  

Balance at December 31, 2019 

     1,331,130    

481,428  

85,755  

11,933  

20,844  

  1,931,090  

Additions through business 

combinations* 

Other additions 

Sale of business 

Extinguishments 

5    

173,323    

88,692  

—    

(715 )   

—  

—  

627  

—  

—  

3,984  

3,226  

269,852  

—  

—  

1,665  

1,665  

(30 )   

(745 ) 

—    

(1,397 )   

(1,014 )   

(1,456 )   

(440 )   

(4,307 ) 

Effect of movements in exchange rates   

19,888    

6,219  

1,034  

227  

483  

27,851  

Balance at December 31, 2020 

     1,523,626    

574,942  

86,402  

14,688  

25,748  

  2,225,406  

2,649  

1,875  

—  

14,053  

369,072  

1,746  

49,701  

—  

(4 ) 

(167 )   

(1,768 )   

(3,045 ) 

113  

4,470  

2,160  

—  

594  

10,206  

14,625  

425,930  

2,576  

48,213  

(28 )   

(28 ) 

Amortization and impairment losses 

Balance at January 1, 2019 

Amortization for the year 

Disposals 

Extinguishments 

143,982    

174,228  

34,160  

41,058  

5,022  

—    

—    

—    

(4 )   

(1,110 )   

—  

—  

999  

Effect of movements in exchange rates   

2,908    

5,592  

Balance at December 31, 2019 

146,890    

219,764  

40,181  

Amortization for the year 

Sale of business 

Extinguishments 

—    

—    

—    

39,580  

3,897  

—  

—  

(1,397 )   

(1,014 )   

(1,456 )   

(440 )   

(4,307 ) 

Effect of movements in exchange rates   

1,126    

3,652  

572  

130  

345  

5,825  

Balance at December 31, 2020 

148,016    

261,599  

43,636  

5,304  

17,078  

475,633  

Net carrying amounts 

At January 1, 2019 

     1,083,689    

253,079  

47,143  

At December 31, 2019 

     1,184,240    

261,664  

45,574  

At December 31, 2020 

     1,375,610    

313,343  

42,766  

* 

Includes non-material adjustments to prior year's acquisitions 

5,872  

7,463  

9,384  

4,071  

  1,393,854  

6,219  

  1,505,160  

8,670  

  1,749,773  

In 2020, the Group reassessed useful lives of some operational trademarks from finite to indefinite representing a carrying value 
of $6.3 million. Brand recognition as well as management intent to keep the brands indefinitely were decisive factors leading to 
this  conclusion.  At  the  time  of  change  in  estimate,  which  is  applied  prospectively,  the  Group  tested  these  trademarks  for 
impairment, resulting in no impairment charge. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
    
    
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
    
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
    
    
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
    
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
    
    
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

73 

11.  Intangible assets (continued) 

At December 31, 2020, the Group performed its annual impairment testing for indefinite life trademarks. The Group estimated 
the value in use to be $42.6 million (2019 - $26.7 million) compared to its carrying value of $31.6 million (2019 - $25.3 million), 
resulting  in  no  impairment  charge.  Management  used  the  relief-from-royalty  method  and  discount  rates  between  6.6%  and 
9.7% (2019 – between 8.5% and 9.7%) in its analysis. 

At December 31, 2020, the Group performed its annual goodwill impairment tests for operating segments which represent the 
lowest level within the Group at which the goodwill is monitored for internal management purposes. The aggregate carrying 
amounts of goodwill allocated to each unit are as follows: 

Reportable segment / operating segment 

  December 31,  

December 31,  

January 1,  

Package and Courier 

Less-Than-Truckload 

Truckload 

Canadian Truckload 

U.S. Truckload 

Specialized Truckload 

Logistics 

2020  

189,533  

136,914  

86,416  

244,824  

394,303  

323,620  

2019  

185,695  

130,389  

84,666  

243,914  

353,516  

186,060  

2019  

176,793  

124,138  

80,607  

242,236  

288,903  

171,012  

1,375,610  

1,184,240  

1,083,689  

The results as at December 31, 2020 determined that  the recoverable amounts of the  Group’s operating segments  exceeded 
their respective carrying amounts. 

The recoverable amounts of the Group’s operating segments were determined using the value in use approach. The value in use 
methodology is based on discounted future cash flows. Management believes that the discounted future cash flows method is 
appropriate as it allows more precise valuation of specific future cash flows. 

In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using pre-tax discount rates as 
follows:  

Reportable segment / operating segment 

Package and Courier 

Less-Than-Truckload 

Truckload 

Canadian Truckload 

U.S. Truckload 

Specialized Truckload 

Logistics 

2020  

9.1%  

9.1%  

11.5%  

10.3%  

10.3%  

8.5%  

2019  

9.7%  

9.2%  

11.7%  

10.7%  

11.2%  

9.7%  

The discount rates were estimated based on past experience, and industry average weighted average cost of capital, which were 
based on a possible range of debt leveraging of 40.0% (2019 – 50.0%) at a market interest rate of 5.9% (2019 – 7.7%). 

First year cash flows were projected based on forecasted cash flows which are based on previous operating results adjusted to 
reflect current economic conditions. For a further 4-year period, cash flows were extrapolated using an average growth rate of 
2.0% (2019 – 2.0%) in revenues and margins were adjusted where deemed appropriate. The terminal value growth rate was 
2.0% (2019 – 2.0%). The values assigned to the key assumptions represent management’s assessment of future trends in the 
transportation industry and were based on both external and internal sources (historical data). 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
74 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

12.  Other assets 

Restricted cash 

Security deposits 

Investments in equity securities 

Indemnification asset 

Other 

Promissory note 

Presented as: 

Current other assets 

Non-current other assets 

  December 31,  

December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

—  

3,143  

9,727  

4,736  

6,293  

—  

23,899  

—  

23,899  

2019  

3,309  

3,164  

1,071  

—  

1,111  

19,105  

27,760  

19,105  

8,655  

2019  

3,128  

2,525  

1,098  

—  

1,304  

16,630  

24,685  

—  

24,685  

Restricted  cash  consisted  of  cash  held  as  potential  claims  collateral  pursuant  to  re-insurance  agreements  under  the  Group’s 
insurance program. The restrictions on cash are no longer required as at December 31, 2020. 

On February 1, 2016, the Company sold the Waste Management segment (“Waste”) to GFL Environmental Inc. (“GFL”) for a 
total consideration of $575 million (CAD $800 million), which included an unsecured promissory note of $18 million (CAD $25 
million)  yielding  3%  interest  with  a  term  of  4  years.  On  February  1,  2020,  the  promissory  note  was  collected  in  full  by  the 
Company. 

13.  Trade and other payables 

Trade payables and accrued expenses 

Personnel accrued expenses 

Dividend payable 

  December 31,  

December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

327,619  

119,334  

21,285  

468,238  

2019  

238,405  

86,733  

16,305  

341,443  

2019  

247,376  

86,043  

15,199  

348,618  

The Group’s exposure to currency and liquidity risk related to trade and other payables is disclosed in note 26. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

75 

14.  Long-term debt 

This note provides information about the contractual terms of the Group’s interest-bearing long-term debt, which are measured 
at amortized cost. For more information about the Group’s exposure to interest rate, foreign exchange currency and liquidity, 
see note 26. 

Non-current liabilities 

Unsecured revolving facilities 

Unsecured term loan 

Unsecured debenture 

Unsecured senior notes 

Conditional sales contracts 

Finance lease liabilities 

Current liabilities 

Current portion of unsecured revolving facilities 

Current portion of conditional sales contracts 

Current portion of unsecured term loan 

Current portion of finance lease liabilities 

  December 31,  

December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

2019  

2019  

123,666  

321,852  

156,479  

150,000  

77,550  

—  

454,465  

469,008  

153,141  

150,000  

75,388  

—  

542,849  

365,639  

91,501  

—  

69,068  

2,694  

829,547  

1,302,002  

1,071,751  

7,461  

35,536  

—  

—  

9,216  

32,089  

—  

—  

42,997  

41,305  

—  

30,728  

54,927  

4,024  

89,679  

Terms and conditions of outstanding long-term debt are as follows: 

Nominal 

Year of 

Face 

Carrying 

Face 

Carrying 

Currency    

interest rate  

maturity    

value    

amount  

value    

amount  

2020 

2019 

Unsecured revolving facility 

Unsecured revolving facility 

a     

a     

CAD    

BA + 1.45%  

2023     41,700    

32,279  

  140,600    

106,114  

USD    

Libor + 1.45%  

2023     92,634    

91,387  

  349,906    

348,351  

Unsecured revolving facility 

    b     

USD    

Libor + 1.45%  

2021    

7,461    

7,461  

9,216    

9,216  

Unsecured term loan 

Unsecured debenture 

a     

c     

CAD    

BA + 1.45%  

2022     410,000     321,852  

  610,000    

469,008  

CAD   3.32% - 4.22%  

2024     200,000     156,479  

  200,000    

153,141  

Unsecured senior notes 

    d     

USD    

3.85%  

2026     150,000     150,000  

  150,000    

150,000  

Conditional sales contracts 

e      Mainly CAD   1.49% - 4.72%  

  2021-2027     143,796     113,086  

  139,591    

107,477  

The table below summarizes changes to the long-term debt: 

Balance at beginning of year 
Transfer to lease liabilities 
Proceeds from long-term debt 
Business combinations 
Repayment of long-term debt 
Net decrease in revolving facilities 
Accretion of deferred financing fees 
Effect of movements in exchange rates 
Effect of movements in exchange rates – OCI hedge 
Balance at end of year 

     872,544  

     1,343,307  

Note  

5  

2020  
  1,343,307  
—  
33,175  
5,365  
(191,221 ) 
(326,201 ) 
1,214  
4,588  
2,317  
872,544  

2019  
  1,161,430  
(6,718 ) 
328,045  
8,655  
(103,247 ) 
(88,229 ) 
1,705  
55,697  
(14,031 ) 
  1,343,307  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
    
    
  
 
  
 
 
 
   
    
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
   
 
   
    
    
  
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
76 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

14.  Long-term debt (continued) 

a)  Unsecured revolving credit facility and term loans 

On December 18, 2020, the Group repaid, without penalty, the first tranche of CAD $200 million of its term loan which 
was due in June 2021.  

The  revolving  credit  facility  is  unsecured  and  can  be  extended  annually.  The  total  available  amount  under  this  revolving 
facility  is  CAD  $1,200  million.  The  agreement  provides,  under  certain  conditions,  an  additional  $196.5  million  of  credit 
availability  (CAD  $245  million  and  USD  $5  million).  Based  on  certain  ratios,  the  interest  rate  will  vary  between  banker's 
acceptance rate (or Libor rate on USD denominated debt) plus applicable margin, which can vary between 120 basis points 
and  200  basis  points.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  credit  facility’s  interest  rate  on  CAD  denominated  debt  was  2.9% 
(2019  –  3.8%)  and  on  USD  denominated  debt  was  1.6%  (2019  –  3.4%).  The  Group  is  subject  to  certain  covenants 
regarding the maintenance of financial ratios and was in compliance with these covenants at year-end (see note 26 (f)). 

The remaining second tranche of term loan of CAD $410 million is unsecured and is due in June 2022. Early repayment, in 
part or whole, is permitted, without penalty, and will permanently reduce the amount borrowed. The terms and conditions 
of this unsecured term loan are the same as the unsecured revolving credit facility and are subject to the same covenants. 
As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  term  loan’s  interest  rate  was  1.9%  (2019  –  3.3%  on  the  first  tranche  and  3.5%  on  the 
second tranche). 

On February 1, 2019, the CAD $500 million unsecured term loan was amended to increase the indebtedness to CAD $575 
million.  On  February  11,  2019,  the  related  incremental  funds  were  used  to  reimburse  a  separate  CAD  $75  million 
unsecured term loan that was due to mature in August 2019. Deferred financing fees of $0.1 million were recognized on 
the increase. 

On February 1, 2019, the Group renegotiated the pricing grid of both its revolving credit facility and CAD $575 million term 
loan. The CAD $575 million term loan remained within the confines of the credit facility, but has a pricing grid different 
than the revolving credit facility and each of the two tranches have their own pricing grid. Deferred financing fees of $0.2 
million were recognized on the pricing grid revision. 

On June 27, 2019, the Group extended its existing revolving credit facility by one year, to June 2023. Deferred financing 
fees of $0.7 million were recognized on the extension. 

On June 27, 2019, the Group extended the maturity of the CAD $575 million unsecured term loan by one year for each 
tranche,  CAD  $200  million  due  in  June  2021  and  CAD  $375  million  due  in  June  2022.  Deferred  financing  fees  of  $0.4 
million were recognized on the extension. 

On December 27, 2019, the CAD $575 million unsecured term loan was amended to increase the indebtedness  to CAD 
$610 million. Deferred financing fees of $0.1 million were recognized on the increase. 

b)  Unsecured revolving facility 

On November 21, 2020, the Group renewed its credit facility for one year. The credit facility is unsecured and provides an 
availability  of  $25  million  maturing  in  November  2021.  Interest  rate  is  following  the  same  pricing  grid  applicable  for  the 
USD denominated debt  in the CAD $1,200 million revolving credit facility. As of  December 31, 2020, the credit  facility’s 
interest rate was 1.6% (2019 – 3.4%). The Group is subject to certain covenants regarding the maintenance of financial 
ratios and was in compliance with these covenants at year-end (see note 26 (f)). 

On November 22, 2019, the Group entered into a new revolving credit facility agreement. The credit facility is unsecured 
and  provides  an  availability  of  $25  million  maturing  in  November  2020.  Interest  rate  is  following  the  same  pricing  grid 
applicable for the USD denominated debt in the CAD $1,200 million revolving credit facility.  

c)  Unsecured debenture 

The unsecured debenture is maturing in December 2024 and is carrying an interest rate between 3.32% and 4.22% (2019 
–  3.32%  to  4.22%)  depending  on  certain  ratios.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  debenture’s  effective  rate  was  3.57% 
(2019 – 3.77%). The debenture may be repaid, without penalty, after December 20, 2022, subject to the approval of the 
Group’s syndicate of bank lenders.  

On December 20, 2019, the unsecured debenture was amended to increase the indebtedness by CAD $75 million, to CAD 
$200 million, and to extend maturity date by four years, to December 2024.  

TFI International 

 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

77 

14.  Long-term debt (continued) 

d)  Unsecured senior notes 

This loan takes the form of senior notes each carrying an interest rate of 3.85% and with a December 2026 maturity date. 
These notes may be prepaid at any time prior to maturity date, in part or in total, at 100% of the principal amount and the 
make-whole amount determined at the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount. 

e)   Conditional sales contracts 

Conditional  sales  contracts  are  secured  by  rolling  stock  having  a  carrying  value  of  $140.7  million  (December  31,  2019  - 
$138.6 million, January 1, 2019 - $131.2 million) (see note 9).  

f) 

Principal installments of other long-term debt payable during the subsequent years are as follows: 

Unsecured revolving facilities 

Unsecured term loan 

Unsecured debenture 

Unsecured senior notes 

Conditional sales contracts 

15.  Lease liabilities 

Current portion of lease liabilities 

Long-term portion of lease liabilities 

The table below summarizes changes to the lease liabilities: 

Balance at beginning of year 

Business combinations 

Additions 

Derecognition* 

Repayment 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Initial recognition on transition to IFRS 16 on January 1, 2019 

Transfer of finance leases from long-term debt 

Less than 
1 year  

7,461  

—  

—  

—  

35,536  

42,997  

1 to 5 years  

125,428  

322,200  

157,171  

More than 
5 years  

—  

—  

—  

—  

150,000  

77,093  

681,892  

457  

150,457  

Total  

132,889  

322,200  

157,171  

150,000  

113,086  

875,346  

  December 31, 2020  

  December 31, 2019  

88,522  

267,464  

355,986  

Note  

5  

76,326  

279,265  

355,591  

2019  

—  

11,039  

63,679  

(21,642 ) 

(75,072 ) 

16,480  

354,389  

6,718  

2020  

355,591  

40,477  

50,225  

(12,011 ) 

(82,587 ) 

4,291  

—  

—  

Balance at end of year 

355,986  

355,591  

*  Derecognized lease liabilities include negotiated asset purchases and extinguishments resulting from accidents. 

The incremental borrowing rate used on average for 2020 is 3.56% (2019 – 2.66%). 

Extension options  

Some  real  estate  leases  contain  extension  options  exercisable  by  the  Group.  Where  practicable,  the  Group  seeks  to  include 
extension options in new leases to provide operational flexibility. The Group assesses at the lease commencement date whether 
it is reasonably certain to exercise the extension options. The Group reassesses whether it is reasonably certain to exercise the 
options if there are significant events or significant changes in circumstances within its control.  

The lease liabilities include future lease payments of $21.1 million (2019 – $38.8 million) related to extension options that the 
Group is reasonably certain to exercise. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
78 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

15.  Lease liabilities (continued) 

Extension options (continued) 

The Group has estimated that the potential future lease payments, should it exercise the remaining extension options, would 
result in an increase in lease liabilities of $352.1 million (2019 - $357.1 million). 

The Group does not have a significant exposure to termination options and penalties. 

Variable lease payments 

Some leases contain variable lease payments which are not included in the measurement of the lease liability. These payments 
include, amongst others, common area maintenance fees, municipal taxes and vehicle maintenance fees. The expense related to 
variable lease payments for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $17.4 million (2019 - $18.1 million). 

Sub-leases 

The Group sub-leases some of its properties. Income from sub-leasing right-of-use assets for the year ended December 31, 2020 
was $13.8 million (2019 - $12.3 million), presented in “Other operating expenses”. 

Contractual cash flows 

The total contractual cash flow maturities of the Group’s lease liabilities are as follows: 

Less than 1 year 

Between 1 and 5 years 

More than 5 years 

2020  

99,570  

222,140  

75,510  

397,220  

For the year ended December 31, 2020, operating lease expenses of $26.1 million (2019 – $33.3 million) were recognized in 
the  consolidated  statement  of  income  for  leases  that  either  did  not  meet  the  definition  of  a  lease  under  IFRS  16,  which  was 
adopted on January 1, 2019, or were excluded based on practical expedients applied at transition. 

16.  Employee benefits 

The Group sponsors defined benefit pension plans for 161 of its employees (2019 – 165). 

These  plans  are  all  within  Canada  and  include  one  unregistered  plan.  All  the  defined  benefit  plans  are  no  longer  offered  to 
employees  and  two  defined  benefits  plan  in  the  past  have  been  converted  prospectively  to  defined  contribution  plans. 
Therefore, the future obligation will only vary by actuarial re-measurements. 

With the exception of one plan, all other plans do not have recurring contributions for employees. These plans are still required 
to fund past service costs. The remaining plan is fully funded by the Group.  

The Group measures its accrued benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets for accounting purposes as at December 31 
of each year. The most recent actuarial valuation of the pension plans for funding purposes was as of December 31, 2019 and 
the next required valuation will be as of December 31, 2020. 

In  addition  to  the  above-mentioned  defined  benefit  plans,  the  Group  sponsors  an  employee  severance  plan  in  Mexico.  At 
December 31, 2020, total obligation under this arrangement amounted to $1.1 million ($1.0 million in 2019 and $0.8 million in 
2018). 

Information about the Group’s defined benefit pension plans is as follows: 

Accrued benefit obligation 

Fair value of plan assets 

Plan deficit – employee benefit liability 

TFI International 

  December 31,  

  December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

35,529  

(21,147 ) 

14,382  

2019  

31,449  

(18,108 ) 

13,341  

2019  

27,579  

(16,581 ) 

10,998  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

79 

16.  Employee benefits (continued) 

Plan assets comprise: 

Equity securities 

Debt securities 

Other 

December 31,  

  December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

6%  

91%  

3%  

2019  

16%  

81%  

3%  

2019  

31%  

57%  

12%  

All equity and debt securities have quoted prices in active markets. Debt securities are held through mutual funds and primarily 
hold investments with ratings of AAA or AA, based on Moody’s ratings.  

The other asset categories are real estate investment trusts. 

Movement in the present value of the accrued benefit obligation for defined benefit plans: 

Accrued benefit obligation, beginning of year 

Current service cost 

Interest cost 

Benefits paid 

Remeasurement (gain) loss arising from: 

- Financial assumptions 

- Experience 

Settlement 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Accrued benefit obligation, end of year 

Movement in the fair value of plan assets for defined benefit plans: 

Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year 

Interest income 

Employer contributions 

Benefits paid 

Fair value remeasurement 

Plan administration expenses 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Fair value of plan assets, end of year 

Expense recognized in income or loss: 

Current service cost 

Net interest cost 

Plan administration expenses 

Settlement 

Pension expense 

Actual return on plan assets 

2020  

31,449  

528  

948  

2019  

27,579  

496  

1,105  

(1,539 ) 

(1,277 ) 

3,563  

(343 ) 

113  

810  

35,529  

2020  

18,108  

544  

2,519  

(1,539 ) 

1,129  

(124 ) 

510  

2,267  

(152 ) 

—  

1,431  

31,449  

2019  

16,581  

665  

970  

(1,277 ) 

467  

(145 ) 

847  

21,147  

18,108  

2020  

2019  

528  

404  

124  

113  

1,169  

1,673  

496  

440  

145  

—  

1,081  

1,132  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
80 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

16.  Employee benefits (continued) 

Actuarial losses recognized in other comprehensive income: 

Amount accumulated in retained earnings, beginning of year 

Recognized during the year 

Amount accumulated in retained earnings, end of year 

Recognized during the year, net of tax 

The significant actuarial assumptions used (expressed as weighted average): 

2020  

11,100  

2,204  

13,304  

1,623  

2019  

9,451  

1,649  

11,100  

1,228  

Accrued benefit obligation: 

Discount rate at 

Future salary increases 

Employee benefit expense: 

Discount rate at 

Rate of return on plan assets at 

Future salary increases 

  December 31,  

  December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

2019  

2019  

2.4%  

1.2%  

3.3%  

3.3%  

1.2%  

3.3%  

1.5%  

4.0%  

4.0%  

1.5%  

4.0%  

1.5%  

3.5%  

3.5%  

1.2%  

Assumptions regarding future mortality are based on published statistics and mortality tables. The current longevities underlying 
the value of the liabilities in the defined benefit plans are as follows: 

Longevity at age 65 for current pensioners 

Males 

Females 

Longevity at age 65 for current members aged 45 

Males 

Females 

  December 31,  

  December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

2019  

2019  

22.1  

24.7  

23.5  

26.1  

22.0  

24.7  

23.5  

26.0  

21.9  

24.6  

23.4  

26.0  

At December 31, 2020 the weighted-average duration of the defined benefit obligation was 12.5 years. 

The following table presents the impact of changes of major assumptions on the defined benefit obligation for the years ended: 

Discount rate (1% movement) 

Life expectancy (1-year movement) 

Historical information: 

2020  

2019  

Increase  

  Decrease  

Increase  

  Decrease  

(3,022 ) 

138  

3,650  

(246 ) 

(3,186 ) 

755  

3,884  

(845 ) 

Present value of the accrued benefit obligation 

35,529  

31,449  

27,579  

38,811  

34,216  

Fair value of plan assets 

Deficit in the plan 

(21,147 )   

(18,108 )   

(16,581 )   

(25,366 )   

(23,579 ) 

14,382  

13,341  

10,998  

13,445  

10,637  

2020  

2019  

2018  

2017  

2016  

Experience adjustments arising on plan obligations 

Experience adjustments arising on plan assets 

3,220  

1,129  

2,116  

467  

(2,427 )   

2,378  

(815 )   

351  

393  

813  

The Group expects approximately $0.3 million in contributions to be paid to its defined benefit plans in 2021. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

81 

17.  Provisions 

Balance at January 1, 2019 

Additions through business combinations 

Provisions made during the year 

Provisions used during the year 

Provisions reversed during the year 

Unwind of discount on long-term provisions 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Balance at January 1, 2020 

Additions through business combinations 

Provisions made during the year 

Provisions used during the year 

Provisions reversed during the year 

Unwind of discount on long-term provisions 

Sale of business 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Balance at December 31, 2020 

December 31, 2020 

Current provisions 

Non-current provisions 

December 31, 2019 

Current provisions 

Non-current provisions 

January 1, 2019 

Current provisions 

Non-current provisions 

5  

5  

Self insurance  

36,757  

508  

58,030  

(47,977 ) 

(9,127 ) 

326  

671  

39,188  

—  

48,534  

(32,439 ) 

(8,795 ) 

1,012  

(47 ) 

280  

47,733  

14,040  

33,693  

16,909  

22,279  

Other  

12,990  

916  

5,200  

(17,228 ) 

(421 ) 

—  

141  

1,598  

338  

9,685  

(4,060 ) 

(1,177 ) 

—  

—  

138  

6,522  

3,412  

3,110  

1,355  

243  

Total  

49,747  

1,424  

63,230  

(65,205 ) 

(9,548 ) 

326  

812  

40,786  

338  

58,219  

(36,499 ) 

(9,972 ) 

1,012  

(47 ) 

418  

54,255  

17,452  

36,803  

18,264  

22,522  

15,951  

20,805  

2,421  

10,570  

18,372  

31,375  

Self-insurance  provisions  represent  the  uninsured  portion  of  outstanding  claims  at  year-end.  The  current  portion  reflects  the 
amount expected to be paid in the following year. Due to the long-term nature of the liability, the provision has been calculated 
using a discount rate of 0.7% (2019 - 2.2%). Other provisions include mainly litigation provisions. 

18.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities 

Property and equipment 
Intangible assets 
Derivative financial instruments and investment in equity securities   
Long-term debt 
Employee benefits 
Provisions 
Tax losses 
Other 
Net deferred tax liabilities 

Presented as: 

Deferred tax assets 
Deferred tax liabilities 

  December 31,  
2020  
(178,087 ) 
(74,041 ) 
—  
4,852  
10,634  
15,151  
94  
(108 ) 
(221,505 ) 

  December 31,  
2019  
(188,604 ) 
(79,346 ) 
443  
5,886  
7,449  
9,874  
14,603  
(1,801 ) 
(231,496 ) 

January 1,  
2019  
(156,310 ) 
(76,682 ) 
(923 ) 
1,684  
5,460  
12,580  
7,294  
(940 ) 
(207,837 ) 

11,207  
(232,712 ) 

8,824  
(240,320 ) 

4,698  
(212,535 ) 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
82 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

18.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities (continued) 

Movement in temporary differences during the year: 

Property and equipment 

Intangible assets 

Long-term debt 

Employee benefits 

Provisions 

Tax losses 

Other 

Balance 
January 1 
2019  

(156,310 ) 

(76,682 ) 

1,684  

5,460  

12,580  

7,294  

(1,863 ) 

Net deferred tax liabilities 

(207,837 ) 

(11,171 ) 

Recognized 

Acquired 

Balance 

Recognized in 
income or loss  

directly in 
equity  

in business 
combinations  

December 31, 
2019  

(20,699 ) 

8,584  

(3,445 ) 

1,279  

(2,912 ) 

7,384  

(1,362 ) 

(3,633 ) 

(2,669 ) 

7,647  

710  

206  

(75 ) 

1,867  

4,053  

(7,962 ) 

(8,579 ) 

(188,604 ) 

(79,346 ) 

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

5,886  

7,449  

9,874  

14,603  

(1,358 ) 

(16,541 ) 

(231,496 ) 

Property and equipment 

Intangible assets 

Long-term debt 

Employee benefits 

Provisions 

Tax losses 

Other 

Net deferred tax liabilities 

Balance 
December 31, 
2019  

(188,604 ) 

(79,346 ) 

5,886  

7,449  

9,874  

14,603  

(1,358 ) 

(231,496 ) 

Recognized 

Acquired 

Balance 

Recognized in 
income or loss  

directly in 
equity  

in business 
combinations  

December 31, 
2020  

12,981  

11,396  

(1,104 ) 

2,387  

5,191  

(14,396 ) 

735  

17,190  

(1,206 ) 

(880 ) 

70  

798  

86  

(113 ) 

545  

(701 ) 

(1,411 ) 

(5,211 ) 

(178,087 ) 

(74,041 ) 

—  

—  

—  

—  

(30 ) 

4,852  

10,634  

15,151  

94  

(108 ) 

(6,653 ) 

(221,505 ) 

19.  Share capital and other components of equity 

The  Company  is  authorized  to  issue  an  unlimited  number  of  common  shares  and  preferred  shares,  issuable  in  series.  Both 
common and preferred shares are without par value. All issued shares are fully paid. 

The common shares entitle the holders thereof to one vote per share. The holders of the common shares are entitled to receive 
dividends as declared from time to time. Subject to the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions attached to any other class 
of shares of the Company, the holders of the common shares are entitled to receive the remaining property of the Company 
upon its dissolution, liquidation or winding-up. 

The preferred shares may be issued in one or more series, with such rights and conditions as may be determined by resolution of 
the Directors who shall determine the designation, rights, privileges, conditions and restrictions to be attached to the preferred 
shares of such series. There are no voting rights attached to the preferred shares except as prescribed by law. In the event of the 
liquidation,  dissolution  or  winding-up  of  the  Company,  or  any  other  distribution  of  assets  of  the  Company  among  its 
shareholders, the holders of the preferred shares of each series are entitled to receive, with priority over the common shares and 
any  other  shares  ranking  junior  to  the  preferred  shares  of  the  Company,  an  amount  equal  to  the  redemption  price  for  such 
shares, plus an amount equal to any dividends declared thereon but unpaid and not more. The preferred shares for each series 
are also entitled to such other preferences over the common shares and any other shares ranking junior to the preferred shares 
as  may  be  determined  as  to  their  respective  series  authorized  to  be  issued.  The  preferred  shares  of  each  series  shall  be  on  a 
parity basis with the preferred shares of every other series with respect to payment of dividends and return of capital. There are 
no preferred shares currently issued and outstanding. 

During the first quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company completed an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. The 
Company issued a total of 6,900,000 common shares, that were issued at a price of $33.35 per share for gross proceeds to the 
Company of $230,115,000. The Company incurred share issuance costs of approximately $13.2 million of which $12.6 million 
were recorded to share capital and $0.6 million were recognized in the consolidated statement of income. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

83 

19.  Share capital and other components of equity (continued) 

During the third quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company completed a common share offering in the United States and Canada. The 
Company issued a total of 5,060,000 common shares, that were issued at a price of $43.25 per share for gross proceeds to the 
Company  of  $218,845,000.  The  Company  incurred  share  issuance  costs  of  approximately  $11.0  million  which  were  fully 
recorded to share capital. 

The following table summarizes the number of common shares issued: 

(in number of shares) 

Balance, beginning of year 

Repurchase and cancellation of own shares 

Issuance of shares 

Stock options exercised 

Balance, end of year 

The following table summarizes the share capital issued and fully paid: 

Balance, beginning of year 

Issuance of shares, net of expenses 

Repurchase and cancellation of own shares 

Cash consideration of stock options exercised 

Ascribed value credited to share capital on stock options exercised 

Issuance of shares on settlement of RSUs 

Balance, end of year 

Note  

2020  

2019  

  81,450,326  

  86,397,588  

(1,542,155 ) 

(6,409,446 ) 

  11,960,000  

—  

21  

1,529,814  

1,462,184  

  93,397,985  

  81,450,326  

2020  

678,915  

425,350  

(12,025 ) 

21,361  

4,554  

1,894  

2019  

697,232  

—  

(39,621 ) 

16,347  

4,233  

724  

1,120,049  

678,915  

Pursuant  to  the  normal  course  issuer  bid  (“NCIB”)  which  began  on  October  14,  2020  and  ending  on  October  13,  2021,  the 
Company  is  authorized  to  repurchase  for  cancellation  up  to  a  maximum  of  7,000,000  of  its  common  shares  under  certain 
conditions. As at December 31, 2020, and since the inception of this NCIB, the Company has not repurchased and cancelled 
any shares. 

During 2020, the Company repurchased 1,542,155 common shares at a weighted average price of $24.64 (CAD $34.13) per 
share  for  a  total  purchase  price  of  $38.0  million  relating  to  the  NCIB.  During  2019,  the  Company  repurchased  6,409,446 
common  shares  at  a  weighted  average  price  of  30.03  (CAD  $39.89)  per  share  for  a  total  purchase  price  of  $192.5  million 
relating  to  a  previous  NCIB.  The  excess  of  the  purchase  price  paid  over  the  carrying  value  of  the  shares  repurchased  in  the 
amount of $26.0 million (2019 – $152.8 million) was charged to retained earnings as share repurchase premium. 

Contributed surplus 

The contributed surplus account is used to record amounts arising on the issue of equity-settled share-based payment awards 
(see note 21). 

Accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) 

At  December  31,  2020  and  2019  and  January  1,  2019,  AOCI  is  comprised  of  accumulated  foreign  currency  translation 
differences arising from the translation of the financial statements of foreign operations, financial assets measured at fair value 
through OCI, gain or loss on net investment hedge, realized gains on investments, cash flow hedges and defined benefit plan 
remeasurement gain or loss.  

Dividends 

In 2020, the Company declared quarterly dividends amounting to a total of $0.80 (CAD $1.07) per outstanding common share 
when the dividend was declared (2019 – $0.74 (CAD $0.98)) for a total of $72.7 million (2019 - $61.6 million). The Board of 
Directors  approved  a  quarterly  dividend  of  $0.23  per  outstanding  common  share  of  the  Company’s  capital,  for  an  expected 
aggregate payment of $21.5 million to be paid on April 15, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 
31, 2021. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
84 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

20.  Earnings per share 

Basic earnings per share 

The basic earnings per share and the weighted average number of common shares outstanding have been calculated as follows: 

(in thousands of dollars and number of shares) 

Net income attributable to owners of the Company 

Issued common shares, beginning of period 

Effect of stock options exercised 

Effect of repurchase of own shares 

Effect of share issuance 

Weighted average number of common shares 

2020  

275,675  

2019  

233,677  

  81,450,326  

86,397,588  

858,488  

846,690  

(1,204,210 ) 

(3,854,133 ) 

8,008,750  

—  

  89,113,354  

83,390,145  

Earnings per share – basic (in dollars) 

Earnings per share from continuing operations – basic (in dollars) 

3.09  

3.09  

2.80  

2.93  

Diluted earnings per share 

The  diluted  earnings  per  share  and  the  weighted  average  number  of  common  shares  outstanding  after  adjustment  for  the 
effects of all dilutive common shares have been calculated as follows: 

(in thousands of dollars and number of shares) 

Net income attributable to owners of the Company 

Weighted average number of common shares 

Dilutive effect: 

Stock options and restricted share units 

Weighted average number of diluted common shares 

2020  

2019  

275,675  

233,677  

  89,113,354  

  83,390,145  

1,821,452  

1,974,038  

  90,934,806  

  85,364,183  

Earnings per share – diluted (in dollars) 

Earnings per share from continuing operations – diluted (in dollars) 

3.03  

3.03  

2.74  

2.86  

As  at  December  31,  2020,  99,485  stock  options  were  excluded  from  the  calculation  of  diluted  earnings  per  share  (2019  – 
900,545) as these options were deemed to be anti-dilutive. 

The average market value of the Company’s shares for purposes of calculating the dilutive effect of stock options was based on 
quoted market prices for the period during which the options were outstanding. 

21.  Share-based payment arrangements 

Stock option plan (equity-settled) 

The Company offers a stock option plan for the benefit of certain of its employees. The maximum number of shares that can be 
issued upon the exercise of options granted under the current 2012 stock option plan is 5,979,201. Each stock option entitles 
its holder to receive one common share upon exercise. The exercise price payable for each option is determined by the Board of 
Directors at the date of grant, and may not be less than the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s shares for 
the last five trading days immediately preceding the grant date. The options vest in equal installments over three years and the 
expense  is  recognized  following  the  accelerated  method  as  each  installment  is  fair  valued  separately  and  recorded  over  the 
respective vesting periods. The table below summarizes the changes in the outstanding stock options: 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

85 

21.  Share-based payment arrangements (continued) 

Stock option plan (equity-settled) (continued) 

(in thousands of options and in dollars) 

Balance, beginning of year 

Granted 

Exercised 

Forfeited 

Balance, end of year 

Options exercisable, end of year 

2020  

Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price  

21.56  

40.41  

16.73  

27.87  

24.65  

22.34  

Number 
of  
options  

4,422  

99  

(1,530 ) 

(9 ) 

2,982  

2,111  

2019  

Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price  

17.66  

30.71  

13.58  

28.14  

21.56  

18.45  

Number 
of 
options  

5,031  

909  

(1,462 ) 

(56 ) 

4,422  

3,040  

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2020: 

(in thousands of options and in dollars) 

Exercise prices 
23.40 
19.12 
18.83 
26.82 
23.70 
30.71 
40.41 

Options outstanding  

Options 
exercisable  

Weighted 
average 
remaining 
contractual life 
(in years)  
0.6  
1.6  
2.6  
3.1  
4.1  
5.2  
6.6  
3.4  

Number of 
options  
241  
517  
598  
227  
470  
830  
99  
2,982  

Number of 
options  
241  
517  
598  
227  
276  
252  
—  
2,111  

Of  the  options  outstanding  at  December  31,  2020,  a  total  of  2,502,339  (2019  –  3,463,098)  are  held  by  key  management 
personnel. 

The weighted average share price at the date of exercise for stock options exercised in 2020 was $33.78 (2019 – $32.02).  

In 2020, the Group recognized a compensation expense of $1.7 million (2019 - $3.3 million) with a corresponding increase to 
contributed surplus. 

On July 27, 2020, the Board of Directors approved the grant of 99,485 stock options under the Company’s stock option plan of 
which 99,485 were granted to key management personnel. The options vest in equal installments over three years and have a 
life of seven years. The fair value of the stock options granted was estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model using 
the following weighted average assumptions: 

Exercise price 

Average expected option life 

Risk-free interest rate 

Expected stock price volatility* 

Average dividend yield 

Weighted average fair value per option of options granted 

  July 27, 2020  

February 27, 2019  

40.41  

4.5 years  

0.71%  

26.29%  

2.62%  

6.73  

30.71  

4.5 years  

1.88%  

24.30%  

2.72%  

6.74  

* 

Expected stock price volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Group’s stock over a period commensurate with the expected term of the award. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
86 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

21.  Share-based payment arrangements (continued) 

Deferred share unit plan for board members (cash-settled) 

The Company offers a deferred share unit (“DSU”) plan for its board members. Under this plan, board members may elect to 
receive cash, DSUs or a combination of both for their compensation. The following table provides the number of DSUs related 
to this plan: 

(in units) 

Balance, beginning of year 

Board members compensation 

Paid 

Dividends paid in units 

Balance, end of year 

2020  

2019  

348,031  

306,042  

29,168  

(11,512 ) 

8,239  

34,144  

—  

7,845  

373,926  

348,031  

In  2020,  the  Group  recognized,  as  a  result  of  DSUs,  a  compensation  expense  of  $1.1  million  (2019  -  $1.1  million)  with  a 
corresponding increase to trade and other payables. In addition, in personnel expenses, the Group recognized a mark-to-market 
loss on DSUs of $6.5 million (2019 – $2.5 million).  

As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  total  carrying  amount  of  liabilities  for  cash-settled  arrangements  recorded  in  trade  and  other 
payables amounted to $19.2 million (2019 - $11.9 million, 2018- $7.9 million). 

Performance contingent restricted share unit and performance share unit plans (equity-settled) 

The  Company  offers  an  equity  incentive  plan  for  the  benefit  of  senior  employees  of  the  Group.  In  February  2020,  upon  the 
recommendation  of  the  Human  Resources  and  Compensation  Committee,  the  Board  approved  the  following  changes  to  the 
long-term incentive plan (“LTIP”) policy for designated eligible participants in 2020 and future years. Each participant’s annual 
LTIP allocation will  be split  in two equally  weighted  awards of  performance  share units (“PSUs”) and of  restricted  share  units 
(‘’RSUs’’).  The  PSUs  are  subject  to  both  performance  and  time  cliff  vesting  conditions  on  the  third  anniversary  of  the  award 
whereas the RSUs will only be subject to a time cliff vesting condition on the third anniversary of the award. The performance 
conditions attached to the PSUs will be equally weighted between absolute earnings before interest and income tax and relative 
total shareholder return (“TSR”). For purposes of the relative TSR portion, there are two equally weighted comparisons: the first 
portion is compared against the TSR of a group of transportation industry peers and the second portion is compared against the 
S&P/TSX60 index. 

RSUs awarded under the equity incentive plan prior to 2020 will vest in December of the second year from the grant date. Upon 
satisfaction of the required service period, the plan provides for settlement of the award through shares.  

Restricted share units 

On  February  7,  2020,  the  Company  granted  a  total  of  145,218  RSUs  under  the  Company’s  equity  incentive  plan  of  which 
95,358 were granted to key management personnel, at that date. The fair value of the RSUs is determined to be the share price 
fair value at the date of the grant and is recognized as a share-based compensation expense, through contributed surplus, over 
the vesting period. The fair value of the RSUs granted was $32.41 per unit.  

The table below summarizes changes to the outstanding RSUs: 

2020  

Weighted 
average 
grant date 
fair value  

28.08  

32.41  

29.74  

23.75  

31.06  

31.54  

Number 
of 
RSUs  

239  

145  

8  

(92 ) 

(1 ) 

299  

2019  

Weighted 
average 
grant date 
fair value  

24.87  

30.70  

27.45  

26.73  

28.66  

28.08  

Number 
of 
RSUs  

147  

153  

7  

(59 ) 

(9 ) 

239  

(in thousands of RSUs and in dollars) 

Balance, beginning of year 

Granted 

Reinvested 

Settled 

Forfeited 

Balance, end of year 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

21.  Share-based payment arrangements (continued) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

87 

Performance contingent restricted share unit and performance share unit plans (equity-settled) (continued) 

The following table summarizes information about RSUs outstanding and exercisable as at December 31, 2020: 

(in thousands of RSUs and in dollars) 

Grant date fair value 

30.70 

32.41 

RSUs outstanding  

Number 
of 
RSUs  

Remaining 
contractual life 
(in years)  

152  

147  

299  

1.0  

2.1  

1.5  

The weighted average share price at the date of settlement of RSUs vested in 2020 was $53.10 (2019 – $32.80). The excess of 
the purchase price paid over the carrying value of shares repurchased for settlement of the award, in the amount of $4.5 million 
(2019 – $1.1 million), was charged to retained earnings as share repurchase premium. 

In  2020,  the  Group  recognized,  as  a  result  of  RSUs,  a  compensation  expense  of  $3.7  million  (2019  -  $2.9  million)  with  a 
corresponding increase to contributed surplus. 

Of the RSUs outstanding at December 31, 2020, a total of 196,343 (2019 – 155,974) are held by key management personnel. 

Performance share units 

On  February  7,  2020,  the  Company  granted  a  total  of  145,218  PSUs  under  the  Company’s  equity  incentive  plan  of  which 
95,358  were  granted  to  key  management  personnel,  at  that  date.  The  fair  value  of  the  PSUs  is  determined  using  the  share 
market price at the date of the grant and reflects the impact of satisfying the market conditions. The share-based compensation 
expense is recognized, through contributed surplus, over the vesting period. The fair value of the PSUs granted was $32.41 per 
unit.  

The table below summarizes changes to the outstanding PSUs: 

(in thousands of PSUs and in dollars) 

Balance, beginning of period 
Granted 
Reinvested 
Balance, end of period 

2020  

Weighted 
average 
grant date 
fair value  

—  
32.41  
32.41  
32.41  

Number 
of 
PSUs  

—  
145  
2  
147  

The following table summarizes information about PSUs outstanding and exercisable as at December 31, 2020: 

(in thousands of PSUs and in dollars) 

Grant date fair value 

32.41 

PSUs outstanding  

Remaining 
contractual 
life 
(in years)  

2.1  

Number 
of 
PSUs  

147  

In 2020, the Group recognized, as a result of PSUs, a compensation expense of $1.6 million with a corresponding increase to 
contributed surplus. 

Of the PSUs outstanding at December 31, 2020, a total of 96,984 are held by key management personnel. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
88 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

22.  Materials and services expenses 

The  Group’s  materials  and  services  expenses  are  primarily  costs  related  to  independent  contractors  and  vehicle  operation 
expenses. Vehicle operation expenses consists primarily of fuel costs, repairs and maintenance, insurance, permits and operating 
supplies. 

Independent contractors 
Vehicle operation expenses 

23.  Personnel expenses 

Short-term employee benefits 

Contributions to defined contribution plans 

Current and past service costs related to defined benefit plans 

Termination benefits 

Equity-settled share-based payment transactions 

Cash-settled share-based payment transactions 

2020  
  1,535,394  
516,441  
  2,051,835  

2019  
  1,521,388  
613,332  
  2,134,720  

Note  

2020  

2019  

857,217  

958,619  

16  

21  

21  

7,925  

528  

7,863  

7,046  

7,606  

6,153  

496  

5,702  

6,227  

3,588  

888,185  

980,785  

In  2020,  the  Canada  Emergency  Wage  Subsidy  (“CEWS”)  was  established  to  enable  Canadian  employers  to  re-hire  workers 
previously laid off, help prevent further job losses, and to better position themselves to resume normal operations following the 
COVID-19 pandemic declaration and crisis.  

The  program  has  been  separated  in  4-week  claim  periods  spanning  from  March  15,  2020  to  June  30,  2021.  The  CEWS  for 
periods prior to July 5, 2020 provides a subsidy of 75% of employee wages to a maximum of CAD $847 (approximately USD 
$631) per employee per week for eligible Canadian employers. The subsidy available for periods after July 5, 2020 is determined 
on a sliding scale that is capped at specific rates per period. 

To be eligible to receive the wage subsidy, a Canadian employer needs to have sustained a 30% decrease in revenues (15% for 
the  first  claim  period)  as  compared  to  the  same  period  in  the  previous  year  or  to  the  average  monthly  sales  recognized  in 
January  and  February  2020  for  the  periods  prior  to  July  5,  2020.  For  the  following  periods,  any  drop  in  qualifying  revenues 
makes an employer entitled to the subsidy, in an amount determined on a sliding scale and in proportion to the decrease in the 
qualifying revenues.  

During  2020,  certain  legal  entities  within  the  Company  qualified  for  the  CEWS  resulting  in  a  $52.3  million  subsidy  that  is 
recorded and offset  against personnel  expenses, presented  in short-term employee benefits,  in the consolidated statement  of 
income. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

89 

24.  Finance income and finance costs 

Recognized in income or loss: 

Costs (income) 

Interest expense on long-term debt and accretion of deferred financing fees 

Interest expense on lease liabilities 

Interest income and accretion on promissory note 

Net change in fair value and accretion expense 

of contingent considerations 

Net foreign exchange (gain) loss 

Net change in fair value of interest rate derivatives 

Other financial expenses 

Net finance costs 

Presented as: 

Finance income 

Finance costs 

2020  

34,967  

12,443  

2019*  

43,949  

13,983  

(1,051 ) 

(2,285 ) 

224  

(1,237 ) 

(488 ) 

9,052  

53,910  

199  

220  

—  

6,041  

62,107  

(2,776 ) 

56,686  

(2,285 ) 

64,392  

* 

Effective January 1, 2020, the Group presents mark-to-market (gain) loss  on DSUs in personnel expenses. Therefore, $2.5 million  loss on mark-to-market on 
DSUs for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been recast to adhere to the newly adopted presentation. 

25.  Income tax expense 

Income tax recognized in income or loss: 

Current tax expense 

Current year 

Adjustment for prior years 

Deferred tax expense (recovery) 

Origination and reversal of temporary differences 

Variation in tax rate 

Adjustment for prior years 

Income tax expense 

Income tax recognized in other comprehensive income: 

2020  

2019  

103,080  

1,092  

104,172  

(7,536 ) 

70  

(9,724 ) 

(17,190 ) 

86,982  

66,905  

(2,204 ) 

64,701  

8,345  

(2,370 ) 

5,860  

11,835  

76,536  

2020  

Tax 

2019  

Tax 

Before 
tax  

(benefit) 
expense  

Net of 
tax  

Before 
tax  

(benefit) 
expense    

Net of  
tax  

Foreign currency translation differences 

  21,182  

—  

  21,182  

17,476  

—     17,476  

Defined benefit plan remeasurement gains (losses) 

(2,204 )   

(581 )   

(1,623 )   

(1,649 )   

(421 )   

(1,228 ) 

Employee benefit 

(14 )   

(4 )   

(10 )   

45  

14    

32  

Gain (loss) on net investment hedge 

(2,317 )   

(307 )   

(2,010 )   

14,031  

1,873     12,158  

Loss on cash flow hedge 

(488 )   

(1 )   

(487 )   

(10,007 )   

(2,613 )   

(7,394 ) 

Change in fair value of investment in equity securities  

Reclassification to retained earnings of accumulated 
unrealized loss on investment in equity securities 

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

5,039  

679    

4,360  

—  

(3,936 )   

(546 )   

(3,390 ) 

  16,159  

(893 )    17,052  

20,999  

(1,014 )    22,014  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
90 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

25.  Income tax expense (continued) 

Reconciliation of effective tax rate: 

Income before income tax 

2020  

362,657  

2019  

320,761  

Income tax using the Company’s statutory tax rate 

26.5%  

96,104  

26.6%  

85,322  

Increase (decrease) resulting from: 

Rate differential between jurisdictions 

Variation in tax rate 

Non deductible expenses 

Tax deductions and tax exempt income 

Adjustment for prior years 

Multi-jurisdiction tax 

Treasury Regulations, interpretive guidance clarifying the 

U.S. Tax Reform Bill 

-1.2%  

0.0%  

2.4%  

-2.8%  

-2.4%  

0.3%  

1.2%  

24.0%  

(4,452 ) 

70  

8,704  

(10,176 ) 

(8,632 ) 

913  

4,451  

86,982  

-3.0%  

-0.7%  

1.1%  

-2.2%  

1.1%  

1.0%  

0.0%  

23.9%  

(9,623 ) 

(2,370 ) 

3,528  

(7,057 ) 

3,528  

3,208  

—  

76,536  

On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“U.S. Tax Reform”). The 
U.S. Tax Reform reduces the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective as of January 1, 2018. The U.S. 
Tax Reform also allows for immediate capital expensing of new investments in certain qualified depreciable assets made after 
September 27, 2017, which will be phased down starting in year 2023. 

The U.S. Tax Reform introduces important changes to U.S. corporate income tax laws that may significantly affect the Group in 
future  years  including  the  creation  of  a  new  Base  Erosion  Anti-abuse  Tax  (BEAT)  that  subjects  certain  payments  from  U.S. 
corporations to foreign related parties to additional taxes, and limitations to the deduction for net interest expense incurred by 
U.S. corporations. On April 7, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department issued Treasury Regulations, interpretive guidance clarifying 
the U.S. Tax Reform Bill. As anticipated, a tax benefit relating to 2019 and Q1 2020 was disallowed, resulting in a one-time tax 
expense of $7.3 million in the second quarter of 2020. On July 23, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department issued final regulations 
on changes made to the U.S. Tax Reform Bill. It introduces a High-Tax Exception under the Global Intangible Low-taxed Income 
(GILTI) provisions. A tax benefit relating to 2018 and 2019 was recorded, resulting in a one-time tax recovery of $2.0 million in 
2020. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the total impact from these new regulations was $4.5 million following positive 
adjustments recorded in the fourth quarter of 2020. 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management 

Derivative financial instruments designated as effective cash flow hedge instruments' fair values were as follows: 

December 31, 
2020  

December 31, 
2019  

January 1, 
2019  

—  

—  

—  

—  

30  

—  

649  

684  

3,980  

2,159  

—  

—  

Current assets 

Interest rate derivatives 

Non-current assets 

Interest rate derivatives 

Current liabilities 

Interest rate derivatives 

Non-current liabilities 

Interest rate derivatives 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

91 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management (continued) 

As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, the impact to income or loss and other comprehensive income is as follows: 

Derivative financial instruments measured at fair value through 

other comprehensive income: 

Interest rate derivatives 

Finance (loss) income  

Other comprehensive 
(loss) income  

2020  

2019  

2020  

2019  

(488 )   

(488 )   

—  

—  

488  

488  

10,007  

10,007  

Risks 

In the normal course of its operations and through its financial assets and liabilities, the Group is exposed to the following risks: 

• 

• 

credit risk 

liquidity risk 

•  market risk. 

This note presents information about the Group’s exposure to each of the above risks, the Group’s objectives and processes for 
managing  risk,  and  the  Group’s  management  of  capital.  Further  quantitative  disclosures  are  included  throughout  these 
consolidated financial statements. 

Risk management framework 

The  Group’s  management  identifies  and  analyzes  the  risks  faced  by  the  Group,  sets  appropriate  risk  limits  and  controls,  and 
monitors risks and adherence to limits. Risk management is reviewed regularly to reflect changes in market conditions and the 
Group’s activities.  

The Board of Directors has overall responsibility of the Group’s risk management framework. The Board of Directors monitors 
the Group’s risks through its audit committee. The audit committee reports regularly to the Board of Directors on its activities. 

The Group’s audit committee oversees how management monitors and manages the Group’s risks and is assisted in its oversight 
role by the Group’s internal audit. Internal audit undertakes both regular and ad hoc reviews of risk, the results of which are 
reported to the audit committee. 

a)  Credit risk 

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Group if a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet its 
contractual obligation, and arises principally from the Group’s trade receivables. The Group grants credit to its customers in 
the ordinary course of business. Management believes that the credit risk of trade receivables is limited due to the following 
reasons: 

• 

There is a broad base of customers with dispersion across different market segments; 

•  No single customer accounts for more than 5% of the Group’s revenue; 

•  Approximately 94.9% (2019 – 94.2%) of the Group’s trade receivables are not past due or 30 days or less past due; 

• 

Bad debt expense has been less than 0.1% of consolidated revenues for the last 3 years.  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
92 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management (continued) 

Exposure to credit risk 

The Group’s maximum credit exposure corresponds to the carrying amount of the financial assets. The maximum exposure to 
credit risk at the reporting date was: 

Trade and other receivables 

Promissory note 

Derivative financial assets 

Impairment losses 

The aging of trade and other receivables at the reporting date was: 

  December 31,  

December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  

597,873  

—  

—  

597,873  

2019  

452,241  

19,105  

30  

471,376  

2019  

463,075  

16,630  

6,140  

485,844  

Not past due 

Past due 1 – 30 days 

Past due 31 – 60 days 

Past due more than 60 days 

Total  

2020  

447,517  

104,491  

26,601  

30,792  

609,401  

Impairment  

2020  

224  

1,211  

3,439  

6,654  

Total  

2019  

345,953  

80,642  

17,467  

14,871  

11,528  

458,933  

Impairment  

2019  

—  

669  

2,008  

4,015  

6,692  

The movement in the allowance for expected credit loss in respect of trade and other receivables during the year was as follows: 

Balance, beginning of year 

Business combinations 

Bad debt expenses 

Amount written off and recoveries 

Effect of movements in exchange rates 

Balance, end of year 

b)  Liquidity risk 

2020  

6,692  

4,473  

2,749  

2019  

5,095  

398  

2,161  

(2,795 ) 

(1,237 ) 

409  

11,528  

275  

6,692  

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will not be able to meet its financial obligations associated with its financial liabilities 
that are settled by delivering cash or another financial asset. The Group’s approach to managing liquidity is to ensure, as far 
as  possible,  that  it  will  always  have  sufficient  liquidity  to  meet  its  liabilities  when  due,  under  both  normal  and  stressed 
conditions, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking damage to its reputation. 

Cash  inflows  and  cash  outflows  requirements  from  Group’s  entities  are  monitored  closely  and  separately  to  ensure  the 
Group  optimizes  its  cash  return  on  investment.  Typically,  the  Group  ensures  that  it  has  sufficient  cash  to  meet  expected 
operational expenses; this excludes the potential impact of extreme circumstances that cannot reasonably be predicted. The 
Group  monitors  its  short  and  medium-term  liquidity  needs  on  an  ongoing  basis  using  forecasting  tools.  In  addition,  the 
Group maintains revolving facilities, which have $825 million availability at December 31, 2020 (2019 - $466 million) and 
an additional $196.5 million credit available (CAD $245 million and USD $5 million). The additional credit is available under 
certain  conditions  under  the  Group’s  syndicated  bank  agreement  (2019  -  $192.5 million,  CAD  $245 million  and  USD 
$5 million). 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

93 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management (continued) 

b)  Liquidity risk (continued) 

The following are the contractual maturities of the financial liabilities, including estimated interest payment: 

Carrying 

Contractual 

Less than 

amount  

cash flows  

1 year  

1 to 2 

years  

2 to 5 

years  

More than  

5 years  

2020 

Trade and other payables 

468,238  

468,238  

468,238  

—  

—  

—  

Long-term debt 

872,544  

953,425  

65,697  

539,317  

192,087  

156,324  

Other financial liability 

19,793  

11,017  

4,016  

2,395  

1,607  

2,999  

  1,360,575  

  1,432,680  

537,951  

541,712  

193,694  

159,323  

2019 

Bank indebtedness 

2,927  

2,927  

2,927  

Trade and other payables 

341,443  

341,443  

341,443  

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

Long-term debt 

  1,343,307  

  1,508,763  

85,255  

595,574  

666,210  

161,725  

Derivatives financial liabilities 

Other financial liability 

1,333  

3,984  

1,333  

4,158  

649  

2,079  

342  

2,079  

342  

—  

—  

—  

  1,692,994  

  1,858,624  

432,352  

597,995  

666,551  

161,725  

It is not expected that the contractual cash flows could occur significantly earlier, or at significantly different amounts. 

c)  Market risk 

Market  risk  is  the  risk  that  changes  in  market  prices,  such  as  foreign  exchange  rates  and  interest  rates,  will  affect  the 
Group’s income or the value of its holdings of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage 
and control market risk exposure within acceptable parameters, while optimizing the return. 

The  Group  buys  and  sells  derivatives,  and  also  incurs  financial  liabilities,  in  order  to  manage  market  risks.  All  such 
transactions  are  carried  out  within  the  guidelines  set  by  the  Group’s  management  and  it  does  not  use  derivatives  for 
speculative purposes. 

d)  Currency risk 

The  Group  is  exposed  to  currency  risk  on  financial  assets  and  liabilities,  sales  and  purchases  that  are  denominated  in  a 
currency  other than the respective functional currencies  of Group entities. Primarily  the Canadian entities  are exposed to 
U.S.  dollars  and  entities  having  a  functional  currency  other  than  the  Canadian  dollars  (foreign  operations)  are  not 
significantly  exposed  to  currency  risk.  The  Group  mitigates  and  manages  its  future  USD  cash  flow  by  creating  offsetting 
positions through the use of foreign exchange contracts periodically and USD debt. 

To mitigate its financial net liabilities exposure to foreign currency risk related to Canadian entities, the Group designated a 
portion of its U.S. dollar denominated debt as a hedging item in a net investment hedge. 

The  Group’s  financial  assets  and  liabilities  exposure  to  foreign  currency  risk  related  to  Canadian  entities  was  as  follows 
based on notional amounts: 

Trade and other receivables 

Trade and other payables 

Long-term debt 

Balance sheet exposure 

Long-term debt designated as investment hedge 

Net balance sheet exposure 

2020  

36,250  

(2,162 ) 

2019  

30,733  

(2,573 ) 

(225,393 ) 

(478,566 ) 

(191,305 ) 

(450,406 ) 

225,000  

325,000  

33,695  

(125,406 ) 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
94 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management (continued) 

d)  Currency risk (continued) 

The  Group  estimates  its  annual  net  USD  denominated  cash  flow  from  operating  activities  at  approximately  $280 million 
(2019 - $330 million). This cash flow is earned evenly throughout the year. 

The following exchange rates applied during the year: 

Average USD for the year ended 
Closing USD as at 

Sensitivity analysis 

December 31,  

December 31,  

January 1,  

2020  
1.3415  
1.2725  

2019  
1.3269  
1.2988  

2019  
1.2957  
1.3642  

A 1-cent increase in the U.S. dollar at the reporting date, assuming all other variables, in particular interest rates, remain 
constant,  would  have  increased  (decreased)  equity  and  income  or  loss  by  the  amounts  shown  below.  The  analysis  is 
performed on the same basis for 2019. 

Balance sheet exposure 

Long-term debt designated as investment hedge 

Net balance sheet exposure 

1-cent  

2020  

1-cent  

1-cent  

2019  

1-cent  

Increase  

  Decrease  

Increase  

  Decrease  

(1,503 ) 

1,768  

265  

1,503  

(1,768 ) 

(265 ) 

(3,468 ) 

2,502  

(966 ) 

3,468  

(2,502 ) 

966  

Net impact on change in fair value of foreign exchange derivatives is not significant. 

e) 

Interest rate risk 

The Group’s intention is to minimize its exposure to changes in interest rates by maintaining a significant portion of fixed-
rate interest-bearing long-term debt. This is achieved by entering into interest rate swaps.  

The  Group  enters  into  interest  rate  swaps  designated  for  cash  flow  hedges.  During  2020,  three  hedging  relationships 
ended due to the repayment of the hedged items. At December 31, 2020, the Group has no interest rate swaps that hedge 
variable  interest  debt  set  using  the  30-day  Libor  rate  (2019  –  $325  million).  A  $0.5  million  loss,  $0.5  million  net  of  tax, 
(2019 – $10.0 million loss, $7.4 million net of tax) was recorded on the marking-to-market of the interest rate derivative to 
other comprehensive income for these cash flow hedges.  

Ineffectiveness  in  hedging  stems  from  differences  between  the  hedged  item  and  hedging  instruments  with  respect  to 
interest rate characteristics, currency, notional values and term. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the derivatives that 
were designated as cash flow hedges were considered to be fully effective and no ineffectiveness has been recognized in 
net income. 

At  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  interest  rate  profile  of  the  Group’s  carrying  amount  interest-bearing  financial 
instruments excluding the effects of interest rate derivatives was: 

Fixed rate instruments 

Variable rate instruments 

2020  

419,565  

452,979  

2019  

410,618  

932,689  

872,544  

  1,343,307  

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

95 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management (continued) 

e) 

Interest rate risk (continued) 

The Group’s interest rate derivatives are as follows: 

2020  

2019  

     Notional    

     Notional    

     Notional    

     Notional    

    Average     Contract     Average     Contract    

Fair     Average     Contract     Average     Contract    

Fair  

B.A.     Amount    

Libor     Amount    

value    

B.A.     Amount    

Libor     Amount    

value  

rate    

CAD    

rate    

USD    

USD    

rate    

CAD    

rate    

USD    

USD  

Coverage period: 

Less than 1 year 

1 to 2 years 

2 to 3 years 

Liability 

Presented as: 

Current assets 

Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

0.99%    

75,000    

1.90%     293,750    

—    

—    

—    

—    

1.92%     100,000    

1.92%     100,000    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

—    

(619 ) 

(342 ) 

(342 ) 

(1,303 ) 

30  

(649 ) 

(684 ) 

The  fair  value  of  the  interest  rate  swaps  has  been  estimated  using  industry  standard  valuation  models  which  use  rates 
published on financial capital markets, adjusted for credit risk. 

Fair value sensitivity analysis for fixed rate instruments 

The Group does not account for any fixed rate financial liabilities at fair value through income or loss. Therefore a change in 
interest rates at the reporting date would not affect income or loss. 

Cash flow sensitivity analysis for variable rate instruments 

A 1% change in interest rates at the reporting date would have increased (decreased) equity and net income or net loss by 
the  amounts  shown  below.  This  analysis  assumes  that  all  other  variables,  in  particular  foreign  currency  rates,  remain 
constant. The analysis is performed on the same basis for 2019. 

Interest on variable rate instrument 

(3,311 ) 

3,311  

(4,455 ) 

4,455  

  1% increase  

1% decrease  

  1% increase  

  1% decrease  

2020  

2019  

Impact on instruments used in cash flow hedge:  

Interest on variable rate instrument 

Interest on interest rate swaps 

  1% increase  

1% decrease  

  1% increase  

  1% decrease  

2020  

2019  

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

—  

(2,577 ) 

2,577  

—  

2,577  

(2,577 ) 

—  

Net impact on change in fair value of interest rate swaps is not significant. 

f)  Capital management 

For the purposes of capital management, capital consists of share capital and retained earnings of the Group. The Group's 
objectives when managing capital are: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

To ensure proper capital investment in order to provide stability and competitiveness to its operations; 

To ensure sufficient liquidity to pursue its growth strategy and undertake selective acquisitions; 

To maintain an appropriate debt level so that there are no financial constraints on the use of capital; and 

To maintain investors, creditors and market confidence. 

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
   
    
  
 
 
   
 
   
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
   
   
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
96 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management (continued) 

f)  Capital management (continued) 

The Group seeks to maintain a balance between the highest returns that might be possible with higher level of borrowings 
and the advantages and security by a sound capital position.  

The Group monitors its long-term debt using the ratios below to maintain an appropriate debt level. The Group’s debt-to-
equity and debt-to-capitalization ratios are as follows: 

Long-term debt 

Shareholders' equity 

Debt-to-equity ratio 

Debt-to-capitalization ratio1 

2020  

2019  

872,544  

  1,343,307  

  1,790,177  

  1,159,292  

0.49  

0.33  

1.16  

0.54  

1 

Long-term debt divided by the sum of shareholders' equity and long-term debt. 

There were no changes in the Group’s approach to capital management during the year. 

The Group’s credit facility agreement requires monitoring two ratios on a quarterly basis. The first is a ratio of total debt 
plus letters of credit and some other long-term liabilities to net income or loss from continuing operations before finance 
income  and  costs,  income  tax  expense  (recovery),  depreciation,  amortization,  impairment  of  intangible  assets,  bargain 
purchase  gain,  and  gain  or  loss  on  sale  of  land  and  buildings,  assets  held  for  sale  and  intangible  assets  (“Adjusted 
EBITDA”). The second is a ratio of adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization and rent 
expense  (“EBITDAR”),  and,  including  last  twelve  months  adjusted  EBITDAR  from  acquisitions  to  interest  and  net  rent 
expenses.  These  ratios  are  measured  on  a  consolidated  last  twelve-month  basis  and  are  calculated  as  prescribed  by  the 
credit  agreement which, among other  things, requires  the exclusion  of  the impact  of  IFRS 16. These ratios  must  be kept 
below a certain threshold so as not to breach a covenant in the Group’s syndicated bank. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, 
the Group was in compliance with its financial covenants. 

Management  believes  that  the  Group  has  sufficient  liquidity  to  continue  both  its  operations  as  well  as  its  acquisition 
strategy. 

Upon maturity of the Group’s long-term debt, the Group’s management and its Board of Directors will assess if the long-
term debt should be renewed at its original value, increased or decreased based on the then required capital need, credit 
availability and future interest rates. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

97 

26.  Financial instruments and financial risk management (continued) 

g)  Accounting classification and fair values 

The fair values of financial assets and liabilities, together with the carrying amounts shown in the statements of financial 
position, are as follows: 

Financial assets 

Assets carried at fair value 

Derivative financial instruments 

Investment in equity securities 

Assets carried at amortized cost 

Trade and other receivables 

Promissory note 

Financial liabilities 

Liabilities carried at fair value 

Derivative financial instruments 

Other financial liability 

Liabilities carried at amortized cost 

Bank indebtedness 

Trade and other payables 

Long-term debt 

December 31, 2020  

December 31, 2019  

January 1, 2019  

Carrying  

Amount  

Fair  

Value  

Carrying  

Amount  

Fair  

Value  

Carrying  

Amount  

Fair  

Value  

—  

9,727  

—  

9,727  

30  

1,071  

30  

1,071  

6,139  

1,098  

6,139  

1,098  

597,873  

597,873  

452,241  

452,241  

463,075  

463,075  

—  

—  

19,105  

19,105  

16,630  

16,630  

607,600  

607,600  

472,447  

472,447  

486,942  

486,942  

—  

—  

26,730  

26,730  

1,333  

4,853  

1,333  

4,853  

—  

5,775  

—  

5,775  

—  

—  

2,927  

2,927  

9,041  

9,041  

468,238  

468,238  

341,443  

341,443  

348,618  

348,618  

872,544  

876,829  

  1,343,307  

  1,346,286  

  1,161,430  

  1,207,408  

  1,367,512  

  1,371,797  

  1,693,863  

  1,696,842  

  1,524,864  

  1,570,842  

Interest rates used for determining fair value 

The  interest  rates  used  to  discount  estimated  cash  flows,  when  applicable,  are  based  on  the  government  yield  curve  at 
December 31 plus an adequate credit spread, and were as follows: 

Long-term debt 

Fair value hierarchy 

2020  

2.5%  

2019  

3.3%  

Group’s financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis are investment in equity securities and the 
derivative financial instruments discussed above. Investment in equity securities is measured using level-3 inputs of the fair 
value hierarchy and derivative financial instruments are measured using level-2 inputs. 

The fair value of the promissory note represents the present value of the future cash flows, based on the interest rate of the 
note, discounted by the company specific rate of the counterparty of the note. The company specific rate is comprised of a 
risk-free market rate and a company specific  premium  based on their  risk profile. The counterparty  to the note  is  GFL,  a 
private  company,  for  which  limited  publicly  available  information  exists.  At  the  issuance  of  the  promissory  note,  the  fair 
value  was  established  using  public  information  on  the  source  of  funding  to  acquire  the  Waste  Management  segment. 
Subsequent  to  the  initial  measurement,  adjustments  to  the  company  risk  premium  are  made  based  on  the  analysis  of 
published  financial  information  and  on  significant  macro  environmental  factors  impacting  their  segment.  The  risk-free 
market rate is publicly available.  

2020 Annual Report 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
98 

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND 2019 
(Tabular amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.) 

27.  Contingencies, letters of credit and other commitments 

a)  Contingencies 

There are pending operational and personnel related claims against the Group. In the opinion of management, these claims 
are  adequately  provided  for  in  long-term  provisions  on  the  consolidated  statements  of  financial  position  and  settlement 
should not have a significant impact on the Group’s financial position or results of operations. 

b)  Letters of credit 

As at December 31, 2020, the Group had $29.5 million of outstanding letters of credit (2019 - $32.1 million). 

c)  Other commitments 

As  at  December  31,  2020,  the  Group  had  $117.1 million  of  purchase  commitments  (2019  –  $27.1 million)  and 
$44.1 million of purchase orders for leases that the Group intends to enter into and that are expected to materialize within 
a year (2019 – $9.0 million). 

28.  Related parties 

Parent and ultimate controlling party 

There is no single ultimate controlling party. The shares of the Company are widely held. 

Transactions with key management personnel 

Board  members  of  the  Company,  executive  officers  and  top  managers  of  major  Group’s  entities  are  deemed  to  be  key 
management  personnel.  There  were  no  other  transactions  with  key  management  personnel  other  than  their  respective 
compensation. 

Key management personnel compensation 

In addition to their salaries, the Company also provides non-cash benefits to board members and executive officers. 

Executive  officers  also  participate  in  the  Company’s  stock  option  and  performance  contingent  restricted  share  unit  and 
performance share unit plans and board members are entitled to deferred share units, as described in note 21. Costs incurred 
for key management personnel in relation to these plans are detailed below. 

Key management personnel compensation comprised: 

Short-term benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Equity-settled share-based payment transactions 

Cash-settled share-based payment transactions 

2020  

13,906  

704  

4,627  

1,086  

2019  

11,244  

645  

3,700  

1,107  

20,323  

16,696  

29.  Subsequent events 

The  Company  has  signed  a  definitive  agreement  to  acquire  UPS  Freight,  the  Less-Than-Truckload  and  dedicated  truckload 
divisions  of  United  Parcel  Service,  Inc.  for  $800  million  on  a  cash-free,  debt-free  basis  before  working  capital  and  other 
adjustments,  which  is  expected  to  close  in  the  second  quarter  of  2021  subject  to  customary  closing  conditions  including 
regulatory approvals. 

On  January  13,  2021,  the  Company  received  $500  million  in  proceeds  from  the  issuance  of  a  new  debt  taking  the  form  of 
unsecured  senior  notes  consisting  of  four  tranches  maturing  between  January  2029  and  January  2036  and  bearing  interest 
between 3.15% and 3.50%. 

On January 29, 2021, the Company acquired Fleetway Transport Inc. for $21 million. 

TFI International 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

Computershare Trust Company of Canada  
100 University Avenue, 8th floor  
Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1 

Canada and the United States 
Telephone: 1 800 564-6253  
Fax: 1 888 453-0330

International 
Telephone: 514 982-7800 
Fax: 416 263-9394

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. 
Co-Transfer Agent (U.S.)

VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. 
Details to be confirmed at a later date at: 
www.tfiintl.com/en/news/

Si vous désirez recevoir la version française de ce rapport, 
veuillez écrire au secrétaire de la société : 8801, route 
Transcanadienne, bureau 500 Montréal (Québec) H4S 1Z6

CORPORATE
INFORMATION

EXECUTIVE OFFICE
96 Disco Road  
Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 0A3  
Telephone: 647 725-4500

HEAD OFFICE

8801 Trans-Canada Highway, Suite 500  
Montreal, Quebec H4S 1Z6   
Telephone: 514 331-4000  
Fax: 514 337-4200

Web site: www.tfiintl.com  
E-mail: administration@tfiintl.com

AUDITORS

KPMG LLP

STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING

TFI International Inc. shares are listed on the New York  
Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the 
symbol TFII.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

National Bank of Canada

Royal Bank of Canada 

Bank of America, N.A. 

Bank of Montreal

The Bank of Nova Scotia 

Fédération des Caisses Desjardins du Québec

The Toronto Dominion Bank

JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.

MUFG Bank Ltd.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

PNC Bank

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Alberta Treasury Branches

Export Development Canada

Fonds de solidarité FTQ

Prudential Financial, Inc.

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