Investment in Receivable Portfolios, Net

In accordance with the authoritative guidance for loans and debt securities acquired with deteriorated credit quality, discrete receivable portfolio purchases during the same fiscal quarter are aggregated into pools based on common risk characteristics. Common risk characteristics include risk ratings (e.g. FICO or similar scores), financial asset type, collateral type, size, interest rate, date of origination, term, and geographic location. The Company’s static pools are typically grouped into credit card and telecom, purchased consumer bankruptcy, and mortgage portfolios. We further group these static pools by geographic region or location. Once a static pool is established, the portfolios are permanently assigned to the pool. The discount (i.e., the difference between the cost of each static pool and the related aggregate contractual receivable balance) is not recorded because the Company expects to collect a relatively small percentage of each static pool’s contractual receivable balance. As a result, receivable portfolios are recorded at cost at the time of acquisition. The purchase cost of the portfolios includes certain fees paid to third parties incurred in connection with the direct acquisition of the receivable portfolios.

In compliance with the authoritative guidance, the Company accounts for its investments in receivable portfolios using either the interest method or the cost recovery method. The interest method applies an IRR to the cost basis of the pool, which remains unchanged throughout the life of the pool, unless there is an increase in subsequent expected cash flows. Subsequent increases in expected cash flows are recognized prospectively through an upward adjustment of the pool’s IRR over its remaining life. Subsequent decreases in expected cash flows do not change the IRR, but are recognized as an allowance to the cost basis of the pool, and are reflected in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income as a reduction in revenue, with a corresponding valuation allowance, offsetting the investment in receivable portfolios in the consolidated statements of financial condition.

The Company utilizes its proprietary forecasting models to continuously evaluate the economic life of each pool. For purposes of calculating its IRRs, the collection forecast of each pool is estimated to be up to 120 months.

The Company accounts for each static pool as a unit for the economic life of the pool (similar to one loan) for recognition of revenue from receivable portfolios, for collections applied to the cost basis of receivable portfolios, and for provision for loss or allowance. Revenue from receivable portfolios is accrued based on each pool’s IRR applied to each pool’s adjusted cost basis. The cost basis of each pool is increased by revenue earned and portfolio allowance reversals and decreased by gross collections and portfolio allowances.

If the amount and timing of future cash collections on a pool of receivables are not reasonably estimable, the Company accounts for such portfolios on the cost recovery method as Cost Recovery Portfolios. The accounts in these portfolios have different risk characteristics than those included in other portfolios acquired during the same quarter, or the necessary information was not available to estimate future cash flows and, accordingly, they were not aggregated with other portfolios. Under the cost recovery method of accounting, no revenue is recognized until the purchase price of a Cost Recovery Portfolio has been fully recovered.

Accretable yield represents the amount of revenue the Company expects to generate over the remaining life of its existing investment in receivable portfolios based on estimated future cash flows. Total accretable yield is the difference between future estimated collections and the current carrying value of a portfolio. All estimated cash flows on portfolios where the cost basis has been fully recovered are classified as zero basis cash flows.

The following table summarizes the Company’s accretable yield and an estimate of zero basis future cash flows at the beginning and end of the period presented (in thousands):



	Accretable Yield			Estimate of Zero Basis Cash Flows			Total
Balance at December 31, 2013	$	2,391,471		$	8,465		$	2,399,936
Revenue recognized, net	(958,332		)	(34,500		)	(992,832		)
Net additions on existing portfolios	340,152			92,427			432,579
Additions for current purchases	1,332,121			—			1,332,121
Effect of foreign currency translation	(112,091		)	—			(112,091		)
Balance at December 31, 2014	2,993,321			66,392			3,059,713
Revenue recognized, net	(964,225		)	(108,211		)	(1,072,436		)
Net additions on existing portfolios	263,713			266,252			529,965
Additions for current purchases	846,632			—			846,632
Effect of foreign currency translation	(91,801		)	(1,402		)	(93,203		)
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	3,047,640		$	223,031		$	3,270,671

During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company purchased receivable portfolios with a face value of $12.7 billion for $1.0 billion, or a purchase cost of 8.0% of face value. Purchases of charged-off credit card portfolios include $216.0 million of receivables acquired in connection with the dlc Acquisition and $60.3 million acquired in connection with the acquisition of Baycorp. The estimated future collections at acquisition for all portfolios purchased during the year amounted to $2.5 billion.

During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company purchased receivable portfolios with a face value of $13.8 billion for $1.3 billion, or a purchase cost of 9.1% of face value. Purchases of charged-off credit card portfolios include $105.4 million of portfolio acquired in connection with the Atlantic Acquisition and $208.5 million of portfolios acquired in connection with the Marlin Acquisition. The estimated future collections at acquisition for all portfolios purchased during the year amounted to $2.8 billion.

All collections realized after the net book value of a portfolio has been fully recovered (“Zero Basis Portfolios”) are recorded as revenue (“Zero Basis Revenue”). During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, Zero Basis Revenue was approximately $96.4 million, $22.3 million, and $17.2 million, respectively.

The following tables summarize the changes in the balance of the investment in receivable portfolios during the following periods (in thousands, except percentages):



	Year Ended December 31, 2015
	Accrual Basis Portfolios			Cost Recovery Portfolios			Zero Basis Portfolios			Total
Balance, beginning of period	$	2,131,084		$	12,476		$	—		$	2,143,560
Purchases of receivable portfolios	1,023,722			—			—			1,023,722
Gross collections⁽¹⁾	(1,587,525		)	(5,237		)	(107,963		)	(1,700,725		)
Put-backs and Recalls⁽²⁾	(13,009		)	(20		)	(268		)	(13,297		)
Foreign currency adjustments	(82,443		)	(2,604		)	20			(85,027		)
Revenue recognized	969,227			—			96,446			1,065,673
Portfolio (allowance) reversals, net	(5,002		)	—			11,765			6,763
Balance, end of period	$	2,436,054		$	4,615		$	—		$	2,440,669
Revenue as a percentage of collections⁽³⁾	61.1		%	0.0		%	89.3		%	62.7		%



	Year Ended December 31, 2014
	Accrual Basis Portfolios			Cost Recovery Portfolios			Zero Basis Portfolios			Total
Balance, beginning of period	$	1,585,587		$	4,662		$	—		$	1,590,249
Purchases of receivable portfolios	1,249,651			1,709			—			1,251,360
Transfer of portfolios	(18,682		)	18,682			—			—
Gross collections⁽¹⁾	(1,563,996		)	(9,010		)	(34,491		)	(1,607,497		)
Put-backs and Recalls⁽²⁾	(15,162		)	(536		)	(9		)	(15,707		)
Foreign currency adjustments	(64,646		)	(3,031		)	—			(67,677		)
Revenue recognized	953,154			—			22,271			975,425
Portfolio allowance reversals, net	5,178			—			12,229			17,407
Balance, end of period	$	2,131,084		$	12,476		$	—		$	2,143,560
Revenue as a percentage of collections⁽³⁾	60.9		%	0.0		%	64.6		%	60.7		%



	Year Ended December 31, 2013
	Accrual Basis Portfolios			Cost Recovery Portfolios			Zero Basis Portfolios			Total
Balance, beginning of period	$	873,119		$	—		$	—		$	873,119
Purchases of receivable portfolios	1,203,706			1,073			—			1,204,779
Transfer of portfolios	(6,649		)	6,649			—			—
Gross collections⁽¹⁾	(1,249,625		)	(2,764		)	(27,117		)	(1,279,506		)
Put-backs and Recalls⁽²⁾	(2,331		)	(296		)	(2		)	(2,629		)
Foreign currency adjustments	49,634			—			—			49,634
Revenue recognized	715,458			—			17,201			732,659
Portfolio allowance reversals, net	2,275			—			9,918			12,193
Balance, end of period	$	1,585,587		$	4,662		$	—		$	1,590,249
Revenue as a percentage of collections⁽³⁾	57.3		%	0.0		%	63.4		%	57.3		%

________________________


(1)	Does not include amounts collected on behalf of others.


(2)	Put-backs represent accounts that are returned to the seller in accordance with the respective purchase agreement (“Put-Backs”). Recalls represent accounts that are recalled by the seller in accordance with the respective purchase agreement (“Recalls”).


(3)	Revenue as a percentage of collections excludes the effects of net portfolio allowances or net portfolio allowance reversals.

The following table summarizes the change in the valuation allowance for investment in receivable portfolios during the periods presented (in thousands):



	Valuation Allowance
Balance at December 31, 2012	$	105,273
Provision for portfolio allowances	479
Reversal of prior allowances	(12,672		)
Balance at December 31, 2013	93,080
Provision for portfolio allowances	—
Reversal of prior allowances	(17,407		)
Balance at December 31, 2014	75,673
Provision for portfolio allowances	8,322
Reversal of prior allowances	(15,085		)
Allowance charged off to investment in receivable portfolios	(8,322		)
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	60,588