Note 4 - Accounts Receivable and Accounts Receivable Allowance

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Notes to Financial Statements

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Text Block]

4. Accounts Receivable and Accounts Receivable Allowance

The Company’s accounts receivable, net, consisted of the following

(in thousands)

:

	June 30,  2018			December 31, 2017
Accounts receivable	$	207,436		$204,259
Allowance		(14,322	)	(14,799)
Accounts receivable, net	$	193,114		$189,460

We record an accounts receivable allowance, based on historical patterns of billing adjustments, length of operating and collection cycle and customer negotiations, behaviors and payment patterns. Changes in these estimates are recorded to revenue in the period of change. A summary of the activity in the accounts receivable allowance was as follows

(in thousands)

:

	June 30,  2018			December 31, 2017
Balance--beginning of period	$	14,799		$	10,772
Provision		10,332			20,233
Charge-offs		(10,809	)		(16,206	)
Balance--end of period	$	14,322		$	14,799