Organization and Nature of Operations	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization and Nature of Operations	Note 1. Organization and Nature of Operations: Organization FBR & Co., (the “Company”), a Virginia corporation, is a holding company of which the principal operating companies are FBR Capital Markets & Co. (“FBRCM”), FBR Capital Markets LT, Inc. (“FBRLT”), MLV & Co. LLC (“MLV”), and FBR Capital Markets PT, Inc. (“FBRPT”). FBRCM is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (“FINRA”). FBRCM acts as an introducing broker and forwards all transactions to clearing brokers on a fully disclosed basis. FBRCM does not hold funds or securities for, nor owe funds or securities to, customers. In addition, FBRCM provides capital raising and advisory services. The Company conducts its syndicated loan trading activity at FBRLT. On September 1, 2015, the Company completed the purchase of MLV, an investment banking and brokerage firm focused on equity capital markets and a leading provider of at-the-market (“ATM”) offerings. Similar to FBRCM, MLV is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA that acts as an introducing broker and forwards all transactions to a clearing broker on a fully disclosed basis. See Note 5 Acquisitions. FBRPT holds and manages the Company’s investment positions which include investments in non-registered investment funds that are managed by third parties, merchant banking, marketable equity securities, non-public equity securities, corporate debt investments and U.S. Treasury securities. In October 2013, the Company received the final payment related to its 2012 agreement to sell the assets related to the management of the FBR Funds, a family of mutual funds. The FBR Funds were managed by a subsidiary of the Company, FBR Fund Advisers, Inc. See Note 16 Discontinued Operations. Nature of Operations The Company’s principal business activities, including capital raising, financial advisory, institutional sales and trading, differentiated securities research and securities lending are all linked to the capital markets. The Company’s investment banking and institutional brokerage business activities are primarily focused on small- and mid-cap stocks in the following industry sectors: consumer, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, healthcare, industrials, insurance, real estate, and technology, media and telecommunications. Additionally, beginning in August 2014 the Company provides securities lending services to a broad group of banks and broker-dealers. These services include facilitating the sourcing, borrowing and lending of equity and fixed income securities (see Note 4 Securities Lending). By their nature, the Company’s business activities are conducted in markets which are highly competitive and are subject to general market conditions, volatile trading markets and fluctuations in the volume of market activity, as well as conditions affecting the companies and markets in the Company’s areas of focus. The Company’s revenues from investment banking are subject to substantial fluctuations due to a variety of factors that cannot be predicted with great certainty, including the overall condition of the economy and the securities markets as a whole and of the sectors on which the Company focuses. Fluctuations also occur due to the level of market activity, which, among other things, affects the flow of investment dollars and the size, number and timing of transactions. As a result, net income (loss) and revenues may vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year. Concentration of Revenue A substantial portion of the Company’s revenues may be derived from investment banking and these revenues may be concentrated in a small number of transactions. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 investment banking revenue accounted for 59%, 63%, and 76%, respectively, of the Company’s revenues, net of interest expense. In addition, 56% of 2015 investment banking revenues were derived from four transactions, 70% of 2014 investment banking revenues were derived from six transactions, and 68% of 2013 investment banking revenues were derived from six transactions.

Note 1. Organization and Nature of Operations:

Organization

FBR & Co., (the “Company”), a Virginia corporation, is a holding company of which the principal operating companies are FBR Capital Markets & Co. (“FBRCM”), FBR Capital Markets LT, Inc. (“FBRLT”), MLV & Co. LLC (“MLV”), and FBR Capital Markets PT, Inc. (“FBRPT”).

FBRCM is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (“FINRA”). FBRCM acts as an introducing broker and forwards all transactions to clearing brokers on a fully disclosed basis. FBRCM does not hold funds or securities for, nor owe funds or securities to, customers. In addition, FBRCM provides capital raising and advisory services. The Company conducts its syndicated loan trading activity at FBRLT.

On September 1, 2015, the Company completed the purchase of MLV, an investment banking and brokerage firm focused on equity capital markets and a leading provider of at-the-market (“ATM”) offerings. Similar to FBRCM, MLV is an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA that acts as an introducing broker and forwards all transactions to a clearing broker on a fully disclosed basis. See Note 5 Acquisitions.

FBRPT holds and manages the Company’s investment positions which include investments in non-registered investment funds that are managed by third parties, merchant banking, marketable equity securities, non-public equity securities, corporate debt investments and U.S. Treasury securities.

In October 2013, the Company received the final payment related to its 2012 agreement to sell the assets related to the management of the FBR Funds, a family of mutual funds. The FBR Funds were managed by a subsidiary of the Company, FBR Fund Advisers, Inc. See Note 16 Discontinued Operations.

Nature of Operations

The Company’s principal business activities, including capital raising, financial advisory, institutional sales and trading, differentiated securities research and securities lending are all linked to the capital markets.

The Company’s investment banking and institutional brokerage business activities are primarily focused on small- and mid-cap stocks in the following industry sectors: consumer, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, healthcare, industrials, insurance, real estate, and technology, media and telecommunications. Additionally, beginning in August 2014 the Company provides securities lending services to a broad group of banks and broker-dealers. These services include facilitating the sourcing, borrowing and lending of equity and fixed income securities (see Note 4 Securities Lending). By their nature, the Company’s business activities are conducted in markets which are highly competitive and are subject to general market conditions, volatile trading markets and fluctuations in the volume of market activity, as well as conditions affecting the companies and markets in the Company’s areas of focus.

The Company’s revenues from investment banking are subject to substantial fluctuations due to a variety of factors that cannot be predicted with great certainty, including the overall condition of the economy and the securities markets as a whole and of the sectors on which the Company focuses. Fluctuations also occur due to the level of market activity, which, among other things, affects the flow of investment dollars and the size, number and timing of transactions. As a result, net income (loss) and revenues may vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year.

Concentration of Revenue

A substantial portion of the Company’s revenues may be derived from investment banking and these revenues may be concentrated in a small number of transactions. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 investment banking revenue accounted for 59%, 63%, and 76%, respectively, of the Company’s revenues, net of interest expense. In addition, 56% of 2015 investment banking revenues were derived from four transactions, 70% of 2014 investment banking revenues were derived from six transactions, and 68% of 2013 investment banking revenues were derived from six transactions.