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Reserves for Losses
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Reserves For Losses Card Member Receivables And Loans Disclosure [Abstract]  
Reserve for Losses

4. Reserves for Losses

Reserves for losses relating to Card Member receivables and loans represent management’s best estimate of the probable inherent losses in the Company’s outstanding portfolio of loans and receivables, as of the balance sheet date. Management’s evaluation process requires certain estimates and judgments.

Changes in Card Member Receivables Reserve for Losses

The following table presents changes in the Card Member receivables reserve for losses for the nine months ended September 30:

(Millions)  20152014
Balance, January 1  $465$386
Provisions(a)  542594
Net write-offs(b)  (544)(527)
Other(c)  (22)(21)
Balance, September 30  $441$432

  • Provisions for principal and fee reserve components.
  • Consists of principal and fee components, less recoveries of $302 million and $269 million, including net write-offs from TDRs of $49 million and $14 million, for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
  • For the nine months ended September 30, 2015, includes foreign currency translation adjustments of $(13) million, and other adjustments of $(9) million. For the nine months ended September 30, 2014, includes foreign currency translation adjustments of $(6) million, other adjustments of $(8) million, and an adjustment related to reserves for card-related fraud losses of $(7) million, which were reclassified to Other liabilities in the first quarter of 2014.

Card Member Receivables Evaluated Individually and Collectively for Impairment

The following table presents Card Member receivables evaluated individually and collectively for impairment, and related reserves, as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014:

(Millions)  20152014
Card Member receivables evaluated individually for impairment(a)$30$48
Related reserves (a)$18$35
Card Member receivables evaluated collectively for impairment$44,301$44,803
Related reserves (b)$423$430

  • Represents receivables modified as a TDR and related reserves.
  • The reserves include the quantitative results of analytical models that are specific to individual pools of receivables, and reserves for internal and external qualitative risk factors that apply to receivables that are collectively evaluated for impairment.

Changes in Card Member Loans Reserve for Losses

The following table presents changes in the Card Member loans reserve for losses for the nine months ended September 30:

(Millions)  20152014
Balance, January 1  $1,201$1,261
Provisions(a)  829797
Net write-offs
Principal(b)(733)(786)
Interest and fees(b)  (122)(124)
Other(c)  (11)(2)
Balance, September 30  $1,164$1,146

  • Provisions for principal, interest and fee reserve components.
  • Consists of principal write-offs, less recoveries of $320 million and $324 million, including net write-offs/(recoveries) from TDRs of $30 million and $(5) million, for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Recoveries of interest and fees were de minimis.
  • For the nine months ended September 30, 2015, includes foreign currency translation adjustments of $(18) million, and other adjustments of $7 million. For the nine months ended September 30, 2014, includes foreign currency translation adjustments of $(7) million, other adjustments of $11 million, and an adjustment related to reserves for card-related fraud losses of $(6) million, which were reclassified to Other liabilities in the first quarter of 2014.

Card Member Loans Evaluated Individually and Collectively for Impairment

The following table presents Card Member loans evaluated individually and collectively for impairment, and related reserves, as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014:

(Millions)  20152014
Card Member loans evaluated individually for impairment(a)$333$286
Related reserves (a)$66$67
Card Member loans evaluated collectively for impairment(b)$68,562$70,099
Related reserves (b)$1,098$1,134

  • Represents loans modified as a TDR and related reserves.
  • Represents current loans and loans less than 90 days past due, loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest, and non-accrual loans. The reserves include the quantitative results of analytical models that are specific to individual pools of loans and reserves for internal and external qualitative risk factors that apply to loans that are collectively evaluated for impairment.