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Note C - Finance Receivables, Net
9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements  
Financing Receivables [Text Block]
C – Finance Receivables, Net
 
The Company originates installment sale contracts from the sale of used vehicles at its dealerships. These installment sale contracts, which carry an interest rate of
15%
or
16.5%
per annum (based on the Company’s contract interest rate as of the contract origination date), are collateralized by the vehicle sold and typically provide for payments over periods ranging from
18
to
42
months. The weighted average interest rate for the portfolio was approximately
15.7%
at
January
31,
2017.
The Company’s finance receivables are defined as
one
segment and
one
class of loans in sub-prime consumer automobile contracts. The level of risks inherent in the Company’s financing receivables is managed as
one
homogeneous pool.
 
 
The components of finance receivables are as follows:
 
(In thousands)   January 31, 2017   April 30, 2016
         
Gross contract amount   $
549,329
    $
504,149
 
Less unearned finance charges    
(73,975
)    
(66,871
)
Principal balance    
475,354
     
437,278
 
Less allowance for credit losses    
(111,818
)    
(102,485
)
                 
Finance receivables, net   $
363,536
    $
334,793
 
 
Changes in the finance receivables, net are as follows:
 
    Nine Months Ended
January 31,
(In thousands)   2017   2016
                 
Balance at beginning of period   $
334,793
    $
324,144
 
Finance receivable originations    
356,776
     
336,508
 
Finance receivable collections    
(175,696
)    
(173,949
)
Provision for credit losses    
(110,467
)    
(106,225
)
Losses on claims for payment protection plan    
(11,260
)    
(9,815
)
Inventory acquired in repossession and payment protection plan claims    
(30,610
)    
(31,594
)
                 
Balance at end of period   $
363,536
    $
339,069
 
 
Changes in the finance receivables allowance for credit losses are as follows:
 
    Nine Months Ended
January 31,
(In thousands)   2017   2016
     
Balance at beginning of period   $
102,485
    $
93,224
 
Provision for credit losses    
110,467
     
106,225
 
Charge-offs, net of recovered collateral    
(101,134
)    
(95,221
)
                 
Balance at end of period   $
111,818
    $
104,228
 
 
The factors which influenced management’s judgment in determining the amount of the current period provision for credit losses are described below.
 
The level of charge-offs, net of recovered collateral, is the most important factor in determining the provision for credit losses. This is due to the fact that once a contract becomes delinquent the account is either made current by the customer, the vehicle is repossessed or the account is written off if the collateral cannot be recovered. Net charge-offs as a percentage of average finance receivables decreased to
21.8%
for the
nine
months ended
January
31,
2017
compared to
22.2%
for the same period in the prior year. This improvement in net charge-offs is primarily due to a decrease in the frequency of losses as a result of the low delinquencies greater than
30
days at
April
30,
2016
of
3.0%,
significantly lower than
5.8%
at
April
30,
2015.
 
Collections and delinquency levels can have a significant effect on additions to the allowance and are reviewed frequently. Collections as a percentage of average finance receivables were
37.9%
for the
nine
months ended
January
31,
2017
compared to
40.6%
for the prior year period. The decrease in collections as a percentage of average finance receivables resulted primarily from the longer average term, higher levels of contract modifications, higher delinquencies and, to a lesser extent, the increase in the contract interest rate. Delinquencies greater than
30
days were
4.7%
for
January
31,
2017
and
5.0%
at
January
31,
2016.
 
Macro-economic factors, the competitive environment on the funding side, and more importantly, proper execution of operational policies and procedures have a significant effect on additions to the allowance charged to the provision. Higher unemployment levels, higher gasoline prices and higher prices for staple items can potentially have a significant effect. The Company continues to focus on operational improvements within the collections area.
 
 
Credit quality information for finance receivables is as follows:
 
(Dollars in thousands)   January 31, 2017   April 30, 2016   January 31, 2016
                         
    Principal   Percent of   Principal   Percent of   Principal   Percent of
    Balance   Portfolio   Balance   Portfolio   Balance   Portfolio
Current   $
371,078
     
78.06
%   $
378,631
     
86.59
%   $
364,453
     
82.22
%
 3 - 29 days past due    
81,887
     
17.23
%    
45,631
     
10.43
%    
56,835
     
12.82
%
30 - 60 days past due    
15,957
     
3.36
%    
8,429
     
1.93
%    
15,087
     
3.40
%
61 - 90 days past due    
4,395
     
0.92
%    
3,498
     
0.80
%    
4,790
     
1.08
%
> 90 days past due    
2,037
     
0.43
%    
1,089
     
0.25
%    
2,131
     
0.48
%
Total   $
475,354
     
100.00
%   $
437,278
     
100.00
%   $
443,296
     
100.00
%
 
Accounts
one
and
two
days past due are considered current for this analysis, due to the varying payment dates and variation in the day of the week at each period end. Delinquencies
may
vary from period to period based on the average age of the portfolio, seasonality within the calendar year, the day of the week and overall economic factors. The above categories are consistent with internal operational measures used by the Company to monitor credit results. The
third
quarter of fiscal
2017
ended on a Tuesday, which is believed to contribute to the decrease in current receivables at quarter end.
 
Substantially all of the Company’s automobile contracts involve contracts made to individuals with impaired or limited credit histories, or higher debt-to-income ratios than permitted by traditional lenders; such contracts generally entail a higher risk of delinquency, default, repossession, and losses than contracts made with buyers with better credit. The Company monitors contract term length, down payment percentages, and collections as credit quality indicators.
 
    Nine Months Ended
January 31,
    2017   2016
         
Principal collected as a percent of average finance receivables    
37.9
%    
40.6
%
Average down-payment percentage    
5.3
%    
6.1
%
Average originating contract term
(in months
)
   
29.3
     
28.6
 
 
    2017   2016
Portfolio weighted average contract term, including modifications
(in months
)
   
31.9
     
30.9
 
 
The decrease in collections as a percentage of average finance receivables resulted primarily from the longer average term, higher levels of contract modifications, higher delinquencies and, to a lesser extent, the increase in the contract interest rate. The increases in contract term are primarily related to efforts to keep payments affordable, for competitive reasons and to continue to work with our customers when they experience financial difficulties. In order to remain competitive, term lengths
may
continue to increase.