HDFS provides retail financial services to customers of the Company's independent dealers in the United States and Canada. The origination of retail loans is a separate and distinct transaction between HDFS and the retail customer, unrelated to the Company's sale of product to its dealers. Retail finance receivables consist of secured promissory notes and installment loans. HDFS holds either titles or liens on titles to vehicles financed by promissory notes and installment loans.

HDFS offers wholesale financing to the Company's independent dealers. Wholesale loans to dealers are generally secured by financed inventory or property and are originated in the U.S. and Canada.

Finance receivables, net, including finance receivables held by VIEs, consisted of the following (in thousands):

At September 25, 2011, December 31, 2010 and September 26, 2010, the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet included finance receivables, net of $2.71 billion, $3.38 billion and $3.10 billion, respectively, which were restricted as collateral for the payment of debt held by VIEs and other related obligations as discussed in Note 7. These receivables are included in retail finance receivables in the table above.

A provision for credit losses on finance receivables is charged to earnings in amounts sufficient to maintain the allowance for credit losses on finance receivables at a level that is adequate to cover losses of principal inherent in the existing portfolio. The allowance for credit losses on finance receivables represents management's estimate of probable losses inherent in the finance receivable portfolio as of the balance sheet date. However, due to the use of projections and assumptions in estimating the losses, the amount of losses actually incurred by the Company could differ from the amounts estimated.

Changes in the allowance for credit losses on finance receivables by portfolio were as follows (in thousands):


	Three months ended September 25, 2011
	Retail			Wholesale			Total
Balance, beginning of period	$	130,948		$	13,456		$	144,404
Provision for finance credit losses		11,833			(5,644	)		6,189
Charge-offs		(28,636	)		(173	)		(28,809	)
Recoveries		10,835			—			10,835

Balance, end of period	$	124,980		$	7,639		$	132,619


	Nine months ended September 25, 2011
	Retail			Wholesale			Total
Balance, beginning of period	$	157,791		$	15,798		$	173,589
Provision for finance credit losses		12,676			(7,671	)		5,005
Charge-offs		(86,730	)		(503	)		(87,233	)
Recoveries		41,243			15			41,258

Balance, end of period	$	124,980		$	7,639		$	132,619

Included in the $125.0 million retail allowance for credit losses on finance receivables is $64.7 million related to finance receivables held by VIEs.

Portions of the allowance for credit losses on finance receivables are specified to cover estimated losses on finance receivables specifically identified for impairment. The unspecified portion of the allowance for credit losses on finance receivables covers estimated losses on finance receivables which are collectively reviewed for impairment. Finance receivables are considered impaired when management determines it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the terms of the loan agreement.

The retail portfolio primarily consists of a large number of small balance, homogeneous finance receivables. HDFS performs a periodic and systematic collective evaluation of the adequacy of the retail allowance for credit losses. HDFS utilizes loss forecast models which consider a variety of factors including, but not limited to, historical loss trends, origination or vintage analysis, known and inherent risks in the portfolio, the value of the underlying collateral, recovery rates and current economic conditions including items such as unemployment rates. As retail finance receivables are collectively and not individually reviewed for impairment, this portfolio does not have finance receivables specifically impaired.

The wholesale portfolio is primarily composed of large balance, non-homogeneous loans. HDFS' evaluation for the wholesale allowance for credit losses is first based on a loan-by-loan review. A specific allowance for credit losses is established for wholesale finance receivables determined to be individually impaired when management concludes that the borrower will not be able to make full payment of the contractual amounts due based on the original terms of the loan agreements. The impairment is determined based on the cash that HDFS expects to receive discounted at the loan's original interest rate or the fair value of the collateral, if the loan is collateral-dependent. In establishing the allowance for credit losses, management considers a number of factors including the specific borrower's financial performance as well as ability to repay. Finance receivables in the wholesale portfolio that are not considered impaired on an individual basis are segregated, based on similar risk characteristics, according to HDFS' internal risk rating system and collectively evaluated for impairment.

Impaired wholesale finance receivables also include loans that have been modified in troubled debt restructurings as a concession to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. Generally, it is HDFS' policy not to change the terms and conditions of finance receivables. However, to minimize the economic loss, the Company may modify certain impaired finance receivables in troubled debt restructurings. Total restructured finance receivables are not significant.

The allowance for credit losses and finance receivables by portfolio, segregated by those amounts that are individually evaluated for impairment and those that are collectively evaluated for impairment was as follows (in thousands):

There are no wholesale finance receivables at September 25, 2011 that are individually deemed to be impaired under ASC Topic 310, "Receivables". Additional information related to the wholesale finance receivables that are individually deemed to be impaired under ASC Topic 310, "Receivables," at December 31, 2010 includes (in thousands):

Retail finance receivables are contractually delinquent if the minimum payment is not received by the specified due date. Retail finance receivables are generally charged-off at 120 days contractually past due. Retail finance receivables accrue interest until either collected or charged-off. Accordingly, as of September 25, 2011 and December 31, 2010, all retail finance receivables were accounted for as interest-earning receivables, of which $23.3 million and $34.1 million, respectively, were 90 days or more past due.

Wholesale finance receivables are delinquent if the minimum payment is not received by the contractual due date. Interest continues to accrue on past due wholesale finance receivables until the date the collection of the finance receivables becomes doubtful, at which time the finance receivable is placed on non-accrual status. The Company will resume accruing interest on these wholesale finance receivables when payments are current according to the terms of the loan agreements and future payments are reasonably assured. While on non-accrual status, all cash received is applied to principal or interest as appropriate. Wholesale finance receivables are written down once management determines that the specific borrower does not have the ability to repay the loan in full. There are no wholesale finance receivables on non-accrual status at September 25, 2011. The recorded investment of non-accrual status wholesale finance receivables at December 31, 2010 was $5.4 million. At September 25, 2011 and December 31, 2010, $0.6 million and $1.6 million, respectively, of wholesale finance receivables were 90 days or more past due and accruing interest.

An analysis of the aging of past due finance receivables, which includes non-accrual status finance receivables, was as follows (in thousands):

A significant part of managing HDFS' finance receivable portfolios includes the assessment of credit risk associated with each borrower. As the credit risk varies between the retail and wholesale portfolios, HDFS utilizes different credit risk indicators for each portfolio.

HDFS manages retail credit risk through its credit approval policy and ongoing collection efforts. HDFS uses FICO scores to differentiate the expected default rates of retail credit applicants enabling the Company to better evaluate credit applicants for approval and to tailor pricing according to this assessment. Retail loans with a FICO score of 640 or above at origination are considered prime, and loans with a FICO score below 640 at origination are considered sub-prime. These credit quality indicators are determined at the time of loan origination and are not updated subsequent to the loan origination date.

The recorded investment of retail finance receivables, by credit quality indicator, was as follows (in thousands):

HDFS' credit risk on the wholesale portfolio is different from that of the retail portfolio. Whereas the retail portfolio represents a relatively homogeneous pool of retail finance receivables that exhibit more consistent loss patterns, the wholesale portfolio exposures are less consistent. HDFS utilizes an internal credit risk rating system to manage credit risk exposure consistently across wholesale borrowers and capture credit risk factors for each borrower.

HDFS uses the following internal credit quality indicators, based on the Company's internal risk rating system, listed from highest level of risk to lowest level of risk for the wholesale portfolio: Doubtful, Substandard, Special Mention, Medium Risk and Low Risk. Based upon management's review, the dealers classified in the Doubtful category are the dealers with the greatest likelihood of being charged-off, while the dealers classified as Low Risk are least likely to be charged-off. The internal rating system considers factors such as the specific borrowers' ability to repay and the estimated value of any collateral. Dealer risk rating classifications are reviewed and updated on a quarterly basis.

The recorded investment of wholesale finance receivables, by internal credit quality indicator, was as follows (in thousands):