NOTE 18 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company leases retail store space, certain distribution and warehouse facilities, office space, equipment and other non-real estate assets under operating leases expiring from 1 to 24 years after May 31, 2019. Rent expense, excluding executory costs, was $829 million, $820 million and $731 million for the years ended May 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Amounts of minimum future annual commitments under non-cancelable operating and capital leases are as follows:



	YEAR ENDING MAY 31,
(Dollars in millions)	2020		2021		2022		2023		2024		THEREAFTER		TOTAL
Operating leases	$	553	$	513	$	441	$	386	$	345	$	1,494	$	3,732
Capital leases and other financing obligations⁽¹⁾	32		34		40		37		34		197		374


(1)	Capital leases and other financing obligations include payments related to build-to-suit lease arrangements.

As of May 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company had bank guarantees and letters of credit outstanding totaling $215 million and $165 million, respectively, issued primarily for real estate agreements, self-insurance programs and other general business obligations.

In connection with various contracts and agreements, the Company provides routine indemnification relating to the enforceability of intellectual property rights, coverage for legal issues that arise and other items where the Company is acting as the guarantor. Currently, the Company has several such agreements in place. However, based on the Company's historical experience and the estimated probability of future loss, the Company has determined the fair value of such indemnification is not material to the Company's financial position or results of operations.

In the ordinary course of its business, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings involving contractual and employment relationships, product liability claims, trademark rights and a variety of other matters. While the Company cannot predict the outcome of its pending legal matters with certainty, the Company does not believe any currently identified claim, proceeding or litigation, either individually or in aggregate, will have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial position or cash flows.