Business Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of reportable segments

	Year Ended December 31,
	2019			2018			2017
Capital Markets segment:
Revenues - Services and fees	$	408,637		$	236,789		$	169,967
Interest income - Loans and securities lending		77,221			38,277			19,756
Total revenues		485,858			275,066			189,723
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(269,494	)		(227,774	)		(150,092	)
Restructuring recovery (charge)		4			(8,378	)		(7,855	)
Interest expense - Securities lending and loan participations sold		(32,144	)		(23,039	)		(12,051	)
Depreciation and amortization		(4,974	)		(5,723	)		(3,794	)
Segment income		179,250			10,152			15,931
Auction and Liquidation segment:
Revenues - Services and fees		18,296			54,923			47,376
Revenues - Sale of goods		4,220			63			3
Total revenues		22,516			54,986			47,379
Direct cost of services		(33,296	)		(19,627	)		(27,841	)
Cost of goods sold		(4,016	)		(41	)		(2	)
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(10,730	)		(8,274	)		(8,329	)
Depreciation and amortization		(7	)		(31	)		(21	)
Segment income		(25,533	)		27,013			11,186
Valuation and Appraisal segment:
Revenues - Services and fees		38,821			38,705			33,331
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(28,448	)		(27,403	)		(23,437	)
Depreciation and amortization		(136	)		(205	)		(181	)
Segment income		10,237			11,097			9,713
Principal Investments - United Online and magicJack segment:
Revenues - Services and fees		97,147			53,659			51,439
Revenues - Sale of goods		3,715			575			304
Total revenues		100,862			54,234			51,743
Direct cost of services		(25,529	)		(15,127	)		(12,784	)
Cost of goods sold		(3,559	)		(759	)		(396	)
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(24,256	)		(10,962	)		(11,304	)
Depreciation and amortization		(12,658	)		(7,600	)		(7,033	)
Restructuring charge		(1,703	)		(338	)		(723	)
Segment income		33,157			19,448			19,503
Brands segment:
Revenues - Services and fees		4,055			—			—
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(881	)		—			—
Depreciation and amortization		(507	)		—			—
Segment income		2,667			—			—
Consolidated operating income from reportable segments		199,778			67,710			56,333
Corporate and other expenses (including restructuring recovery of $210 during the year ended December 31, 2018)		(33,127	)		(22,326	)		(27,489	)
Interest income		1,577			1,326			420
(Loss) income on equity investments		(1,431	)		7,986			(437	)
Interest expense		(50,205	)		(33,393	)		(8,382	)
Income before income taxes		116,592			21,303			20,445
Provision for income taxes		(34,644	)		(4,903	)		(8,510	)
Net income		81,948			16,400			11,935
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		337			891			379
Net income attributable to B. Riley Financial, Inc.		81,611			15,509			11,556
Preferred stock dividends		264			—			—
Net income available to common shareholders	$	81,347		$	15,509		$	11,556

Schedule of revenues by geographical area

	Year Ended December 31,
	2019		2018		2017
Revenues:
Revenues - Services and fees:
North America	$	566,837	$	389,207	$	301,881
Australia		58		19		940
Europe		61		1,329		2,020
Total Revenues - Services and fees	$	566,956	$	390,555	$	304,841
Revenues - Sale of goods
North America	$	7,935	$	638	$	307
Revenues - Interest income - Loans and securities lending:
North America	$	77,221	$	31,798	$	17,028
Total Revenues:
North America	$	651,993	$	421,643	$	319,216
Australia		58		19		940
Europe		61		1,329		2,020
Total Revenues	$	652,112	$	422,991	$	322,176

Schedule of long-lived assets of property and equipment and other assets, by geographical area

The following table presents long-lived assets, which consists of property and equipment and other assets, by geographical area:

	As of		As of
	December 31,		December 31,
	2019		2018
Property and equipment, net:
North America	$	12,727	$	15,489
Europe		—		34
Total	$	12,727	$	15,523