Concentrations of Credit Risk

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, investment securities, foreign government obligations and receivables from clients. The Company has placed substantially all of its Cash and Cash Equivalents in interest-bearing deposits in U.S. commercial banks and U.S. investment banks that meet certain rating and capital requirements, as well as treasury bills. The Company's foreign subsidiaries maintain substantially all of their Cash and Cash Equivalents in interest bearing accounts at large commercial banking institutions domiciled in their respective countries of operation. Concentrations of credit risk are limited due to the quality of the Company's clients.

Credit Risks

The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents, as well as certificates of deposit, with financial institutions with high credit ratings. At times, the Company may maintain deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured ("FDIC") limits or enter into sweep arrangements where banks will periodically transfer a portion of the Company's excess cash position to a money market fund. However, the Company believes that it is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial position of the depository institutions or investment vehicles in which those deposits are held.

Accounts Receivable consists primarily of advisory fees and expense reimbursements billed to clients. Other Assets includes long-term receivables from fees related to private funds capital raising and certain fees related to the private capital businesses. Receivables are reported net of any allowance for credit losses. The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses to provide coverage for probable losses from customer receivables and determines the adequacy of the allowance by estimating the probability of loss based on the Company's analysis of historical credit loss experience of the Company's client receivables, and taking into consideration current market conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. The Investment Banking and Investment Management receivables collection periods generally are within 90 days of invoice, with the exception of placement fees, which are generally collected within 180 days of invoice, and fees related to private funds capital raising and certain fees related to the private capital businesses, which are collected in a period exceeding one year. The collection period for restructuring transaction receivables may exceed 90 days. Receivables that are collected in a period exceeding one year are reflected in Other Assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

At December 31, 2021 and 2020, total receivables recorded in Accounts Receivable amounted to $351,668 and $368,346, respectively, net of an allowance, and total receivables recorded in Other Assets amounted to $87,764 and $70,975, respectively. The Company reversed bad debt expense of $60 for the year ended December 31, 2021 and recorded bad debt expense of $6,878 and $10,451 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Other Current Assets and Other Assets include arrangements in which an estimate of variable consideration has been included in the transaction price and thereby recognized as revenue that precedes the contractual due date (contract assets). As of December 31, 2021, total contract assets recorded in Other Current Assets and Other Assets amounted to $14,092 and $12,945, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, total contract assets recorded in Other Current Assets and Other Assets amounted to $29,327 and $5,283, respectively.

With respect to the Company's Investment Securities portfolio, which is comprised of treasury bills, exchange-traded funds and securities investments, the Company manages its credit risk exposure by limiting concentration risk and maintaining investment grade credit quality. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had Investment Securities of $1,643,421, of which 91% were U.S. treasury bills and 9% were equity securities and exchange-traded funds, and Certificates of Deposit of $141,218 with financial institutions with high credit ratings.

Periodically, the Company provides compensation to new and existing employees in the form of loans and/or other cash awards, which include a requirement of either full or partial repayment of these awards based on the terms of their employment agreements with the Company. See Note 18 for further information.