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Organization and Business
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Organization and Business Organization and Business:
As used herein, the terms "PRA Group," the "Company," or similar terms refer to PRA Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
PRA Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is a global financial and business services company with operations in the Americas, Europe and Australia. The Company's primary business is the purchase, collection and management of portfolios of nonperforming loans. The Company also provides fee-based services on class action claims recoveries and by servicing consumer bankruptcy accounts in the United States ("U.S.").
On March 11, 2020, due to the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19"), the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. Since the initial outbreak was reported, COVID-19 has continued to adversely impact all countries in which the Company operates. As a result, the Company continues to operate in business continuity mode globally. The Company's business continuity plans have allowed the Company to operate its business while minimizing disruption and complying with country-specific, federal, state and local laws, regulations and governmental actions related to the pandemic.
Basis of presentation: The consolidated financial statements of the Company are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). The accompanying interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not include all information and Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income/(loss) and cash flows in conformity with GAAP. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal and recurring items, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2020, its Consolidated Income Statements, and its Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income/(Loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, and its Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, have been included. The Consolidated Income Statements of the Company for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 may not be indicative of future results.
These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the "2019 Form 10-K").
Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PRA Group and other entities in which the Company has a controlling interest. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Entities in which the Company has a controlling financial interest, through ownership of the majority of the entities’ voting equity interests, or through other contractual rights that give the Company control, consist of entities which purchase and collect on portfolios of nonperforming loans.
Investments in companies in which the Company has significant influence over operating and financing decisions, but does not own a majority of the voting equity interests, are accounted for in accordance with the equity method of accounting, which requires the Company to recognize its proportionate share of the entity’s net earnings. These investments are included in other assets, with income or loss included in other revenue.
The Company performs on-going reassessments whether changes in the facts and circumstances regarding the Company’s involvement with an entity cause the Company’s consolidation conclusion to change.
Restricted cash: Cash that is subject to legal restrictions or is unavailable for general operating purposes is classified as restricted cash and is included within other assets on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Segments: Under the guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") ASC Topic 280 "Segment Reporting" ("ASC 280"), the Company has determined that it has several operating segments that meet the aggregation criteria of ASC 280, and, therefore, it has one reportable segment, accounts receivable management. This conclusion is based on similarities among the operating units, including economic characteristics, the nature of the products and services, the nature of the production processes, the types or class of customer for their products and services, the methods used to distribute their products and services and the nature of the regulatory environment.
The following table shows the amount of revenue generated for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, and long-lived assets held at September 30, 2020 and 2019, both for the U.S., the Company's country of domicile, and outside of the U.S. (amounts in thousands):
As of and for theAs of and for the
Three Months Ended September 30, 2020Three Months Ended September 30, 2019
Revenues (2)
Long-Lived Assets
Revenues (2)
Long-Lived Assets
United States$172,286 $98,049 $166,284 $114,595 
United Kingdom34,387 2,578 28,446 3,586 
Other (1)
61,191 8,805 55,284 9,389 
Total$267,864 $109,432 $250,014 $127,570 
As of and for theAs of and for the
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019
Revenues (2)
Long-Lived Assets
Revenues (2)
Long-Lived Assets
United States$517,914 $98,049 $501,783 $114,595 
United Kingdom98,768 2,578 86,494 3,586 
Other (1)
174,876 8,805 159,671 9,389 
Total$791,558 $109,432 $747,948 $127,570 
(1) None of the countries included in "Other" comprise greater than 10% of the Company's consolidated revenues or long-lived assets.
(2) Based on the Company’s financial statement information used to produce the Company's general-purpose financial statements, it is impracticable to report further breakdowns of revenues from external customers by product or service.
Revenues are attributed to countries based on the location of the related operations. Long-lived assets consist of net property and equipment and right-of-use assets. The Company reports revenues earned from collection activities on nonperforming loans, fee-based services and investments. For additional information on the Company's investments, see Note 4.
Beginning January 1, 2020, the Company implemented Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") ASU 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses" ("Topic 326") ("ASU 2016-13") and ASU 2019-11, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses” (“ASU 2019-11”), collectively referred to as "ASC 326", on a prospective basis. Prior to January 1, 2020, the vast majority of the Company's investment in finance receivables were accounted for under ASC 310-30 "Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality" ("ASC 310-30"). Refer to Note 2.
Finance receivables and income recognition: The Company accounts for its investment in finance receivables at amortized cost under the guidance of ASC Topic 310 “Receivables” (“ASC 310”) and ASC Topic 326-20 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses - Measured at Amortized Cost” (“ASC 326-20”). ASC 326-20 requires a financial asset (or a group of financial assets) measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected.
Credit quality information: The Company acquires portfolios of accounts that have experienced deterioration of credit quality between origination and the Company's acquisition of the accounts. The amount paid for a portfolio reflects the Company's determination that it is probable the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to an account's contractual terms. The Company accounts for the portfolios in accordance with the guidance for purchased credit deteriorated ("PCD") assets. The initial allowance for credit losses is added to the purchase price rather than recorded as a credit loss expense. The Company has established a policy to write off the amortized cost of individual assets when it deems probable that it will not collect on an individual asset. Due to the deteriorated credit quality of the individual accounts, the Company may write off the unpaid principal balance of all accounts in a portfolio at the time of acquisition. However, when the Company has an expectation of collecting cash flows at the portfolio level, a negative allowance is established for expected recoveries at an amount not to exceed the amount paid for the financial portfolios.
Portfolio segments: The Company develops systematic methodologies to determine its allowance for credit losses at the portfolio segment level. The Company’s nonperforming loan portfolio segments consist of two broad categories: Core and Insolvency. The Company’s Core portfolios contain loan accounts that are in default, which were purchased at a substantial discount to face value because either the credit grantor and/or other third-party collection agencies have been unsuccessful in collecting the full balance owed. The Company’s Insolvency portfolios contain loan accounts that are in default where the customer is involved in a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and were purchased at a substantial discount to face value. Each of the two broad portfolio segments of purchased nonperforming loan portfolios consist of large numbers of homogeneous receivables with similar risk characteristics.
Effective interest rate and accounting pools: Within each portfolio segment, the Company pools accounts with similar risk characteristics that are acquired in the same year. Similar risk characteristics generally include portfolio segment and geographic region. The initial effective interest rate of the pool is established based on the purchase price and expected recoveries of each individual purchase at the purchase date. During the year of acquisition, the annual pool is aggregated, and the blended effective interest rate will change to reflect new acquisitions and new cash flow estimates until the end of the year. The effective interest rate for a pool is fixed for the remaining life of the pool once the year has ended.

Methodology: The Company develops its estimates of expected recoveries in the Consolidated Balance Sheets by applying discounted cash flow methodologies to its estimated remaining collections (“ERC”) and recognizes income over the estimated life of the pool at the constant effective interest rate of the pool. Subsequent changes (favorable and unfavorable) in expected cash flows are recognized within changes in expected recoveries in the Consolidated Income Statements by adjusting the present value of increases or decreases in ERC at a constant effective interest rate. Amounts included in the estimate of recoveries do not exceed the aggregate amount of the amortized cost basis previously written off or expected to be written off.

The measurement of expected recoveries is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. Factors that may contribute to the changes in estimated cash flows include both external and internal factors. External factors that may have an impact on the collectability, and subsequently on the overall profitability of acquired pools of nonperforming loans, would include new laws or regulations relating to collections, new interpretations of existing laws or regulations, and the overall condition of the economy. Internal factors that may have an impact on the collectability, and subsequently the overall profitability of acquired pools of nonperforming loans, would include necessary revisions to initial and post-acquisition scoring and modeling estimates, operational activities, expected impact of operational strategies and changes in productivity related to turnover and tenure of the Company's collection staff.

Portfolio income: The recognition of income on expected recoveries is based on the constant effective interest rate established for a pool.

Changes in expected recoveries: The activity consists of differences between actual recoveries compared to expected recoveries for the reporting period, as well as the net present value of increases or decreases in ERC at the constant effective interest rate.

Agreements to acquire the aforementioned receivables include general representations and warranties from the sellers covering matters such as account holder death or insolvency and accounts settled or disputed prior to sale. The representation and warranty period permitting the return of these accounts from the Company to the seller is typically 90 to 180 days, with certain international agreements extending as long as 24 months.  Any funds received from the seller as a return of purchase price are referred to as buybacks. Buyback funds are included in changes in expected recoveries when received.
Fees paid to third parties other than the seller related to the direct acquisition of a portfolio of accounts are expensed when incurred.
Goodwill and intangible assets: Goodwill, in accordance with ASC Topic 350, "Intangibles-Goodwill and Other" ("ASC 350"), is not amortized but rather is reviewed for impairment annually or more frequently if indicators of potential impairment exist. On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2017-04, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment" ("ASU 2017-04"). The Company performs its annual assessment of goodwill as of October 1. The Company may first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill. If management concludes that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, an impairment loss is recognized. The loss will be recorded at the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the respective reporting unit.