Note 2 - Ownership Interests and Advances (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Notes Tables

Schedule of Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Schedule of Investments [Table Text Block]

	December 31, 2021		December 31, 2020
	(In thousands)
Equity Method:
Companies	$	21,091	$	27,550
Private equity funds		117		271
		21,208		27,821
Other Method:
Companies, fair value		4,549		—
Companies, fair value measurement alternative		514		19,683
Private equity funds, fair value measurement alternative		250		268
		5,313		19,951
Advances to companies		—		2,626
	$	26,521	$	50,398

Schedule of Other Ownership Interests [Table Text Block]

	Safeguard Primary Ownership as of December 31,
Company Name	2021	2020	Accounting Method
Aktana, Inc.	13.4%	15.1%	Equity
Clutch Holdings, Inc.	41.7%	42.3%	Equity
InfoBionic, Inc.	25.2%	25.2%	Equity
Lumesis, Inc.	43.2%	43.4%	Equity
MediaMath, Inc.	13.2%	13.3%	Other
meQuilibrium	31.9%	32.0%	Equity
Moxe Health Corporation	27.6%	27.6%	Equity
Prognos Health Inc.	28.5%	28.5%	Equity
Syapse, Inc.	11.1%	18.9%	Equity
Trice Medical, Inc.	12.6%	16.6%	Equity

Equity Method Investment Partner Company Results Of Operation [Table Text Block]

	As of December 31,
	2021			2020
	(In thousands)
Balance Sheets:
Current assets	$	127,651		$	104,024
Non-current assets		53,220			26,352
Total assets	$	180,871		$	130,376
Current liabilities	$	62,538		$	72,972
Non-current liabilities		158,975			105,506
Shareholders’ deficit		(40,642	)		(48,102	)
Total liabilities and shareholders’ deficit	$	180,871		$	130,376
Number of equity method ownership interests		9			12

Equity Method Investments [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
	2021			2020
	(In thousands)
Results of Operations:
Revenue	$	140,670		$	153,875
Gross profit	$	90,388		$	92,039
Net loss	$	(106,363	)	$	(82,216	)