Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Revenues
Investment banking	$ 36,722	$ 53,012	$ 98,156	$ 186,763
Brokerage	49,605	41,085	147,640	111,496
Management fees	10,272	10,519	31,951	31,169
Incentive income	1,284	93	2,823	365
Interest and dividends	3,906	3,604	11,664	9,846
Reimbursement from affiliates	2,140	3,355	8,268	10,499
Aircraft lease revenue	1,089	0	3,071	0
Other revenue	25,112	1,312	41,183	2,684
Consolidated Funds
Interest and dividends	904	245	3,518	685
Other revenues	(7)	29	1,023	449
Total revenues	131,027	113,254	349,297	353,956
Expenses
Employee compensation and benefits	98,501	56,401	217,309	227,593
Floor brokerage and trade execution	8,224	6,415	23,887	18,418
Interest and dividends	7,612	7,367	21,866	19,241
Professional, advisory and other fees	5,305	6,392	16,585	16,874
Service fees	2,075	1,778	6,334	5,338
Communications	4,619	3,478	13,287	10,313
Occupancy and equipment	8,033	7,286	23,911	21,024
Depreciation and amortization	3,174	2,301	9,654	6,584
Client services and business development	6,349	5,132	20,335	18,316
Other Expenses	11,898	3,783	32,328	11,442
Consolidated Funds
Interest and dividends	1,665	366	4,292	858
Professional, advisory and other fees	337	174	959	476
Floor brokerage and trade execution	173	(20)	306	46
Other expenses	294	114	871	246
Total expenses	158,259	100,967	391,924	356,769
Other income (loss)
Net gains (losses) on securities, derivatives and other investments	26,153	(23,612)	9,123	24,449
Consolidated Funds
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments and other transactions	19,755	333	(6,543)	8,073
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives	5,368	(78)	13,525	(404)
Net gains (losses) on foreign currency transactions	(26)	(13)	72	(45)
Total other income (loss)	51,250	(23,370)	16,177	32,073
Income (loss) before income taxes	24,018	(11,083)	(26,450)	29,260
Income tax expense (benefit)	8,759	(5,081)	(6,553)	5,212
Net income (loss)	15,259	(6,002)	(19,897)	24,048
Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable non-controlling interests in consolidated subsidiaries and funds	(18,478)	(4,344)	2,524	(10,980)
Net income (loss) attributable to Cowen Group, Inc.	(3,219)	(10,346)	(17,373)	13,068
Preferred stock dividends	1,698	1,603	5,094	2,358
Net income (loss) attributable to Cowen Group, Inc. common stockholders	$ (4,917)	$ (11,949)	$ (22,467)	$ 10,710
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	107,974	109,191	107,272	111,050
Diluted (in shares)	107,974	109,191	107,272	117,249
Earnings (loss) per share:
Earnings Per Share, Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.21)	$ 0.10
Earnings Per Share, Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.21)	$ 0.09