Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Revenues
Revenue from receivable portfolios, net	$ 272,236	$ 267,452	$ 524,206	$ 537,546
Other revenues	18,681	21,990	38,652	40,913
Total revenues	290,917	289,442	562,858	578,459
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits	75,786	75,499	144,064	145,141
Cost of legal collections	53,409	46,807	101,366	101,115
Other operating expenses	24,030	24,946	50,390	51,289
Collection agency commissions	11,494	9,274	23,056	19,394
General and administrative expenses	36,932	32,934	70,250	68,173
Depreciation and amortization	8,672	8,235	17,297	18,096
Total operating expenses	210,323	197,695	406,423	403,208
Income from operations	80,594	91,747	156,435	175,251
Other (expense) income
Interest expense	(50,516)	(50,597)	(99,714)	(101,288)
Other income	2,529	3,134	3,131	10,258
Total other expense	(47,987)	(47,463)	(96,583)	(91,030)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	32,607	44,284	59,852	84,221
Provision for income taxes	(13,531)	(13,451)	(25,598)	(23,599)
Income from continuing operations	19,076	30,833	34,254	60,622
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	(199)	(3,182)
Net income	19,076	30,833	34,055	57,440
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,179	(1,245)	8,298	(2,158)
Net income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	20,255	29,588	42,353	55,282
Amounts attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc.:
Income from continuing operations	20,255	29,588	42,552	58,464
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ 0	$ 0	$ (199)	$ (3,182)
Basic earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.78	$ 1.15	$ 1.64	$ 2.28
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	(0.12)
Net basic (loss) earnings per share (in dollars per share)	0.78	1.15	1.63	2.16
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.77	1.14	1.62	2.26
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	(0.12)
Net diluted (loss) earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.77	$ 1.14	$ 1.61	$ 2.14
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	25,983	25,742	25,930	25,646
Diluted (in shares)	26,391	25,874	26,240	25,871