Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Note 1 –Basis of Presentation These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements include the accounts of Heritage Global Inc. (“HGI”) together with its subsidiaries, including Heritage Global Partners, Inc. (“HGP”), Heritage Global LLC (“HG LLC”), Equity Partners HG LLC (“Equity Partners”), National Loan Exchange, Inc. (“NLEX”) and Heritage Global Capital LLC (“HGC”). These entities, collectively, are referred to as the “Company” in these financial statements. The Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements were prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), as outlined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”), and include the assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses of all subsidiaries over which HGI exercises control. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. The Company’s sole operating segment is its asset liquidation business. The Company provides an array of value-added financial and capital asset solutions: auction and appraisal services, traditional asset disposition sales, and specialty financing solutions. The Company has prepared the condensed consolidated interim financial statements included herein pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments that are necessary to present fairly the results for the interim periods included herein. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations; however, the Company believes that the disclosures are appropriate. These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 9, 2020 (the “Form 10-K”). The results of operations for the nine month period ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of those operating results to be expected for any subsequent interim period or for the entire year ending December 31, 2020. The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2019 has been derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2019, contained in the Company’s Form 10-K. COVID-19 The spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) had a minor negative impact on the Company’s performance through September 30, 2020 resulting from evolving travel and work restrictions as well as a delay in the sale of certain assets. Going forward, the Company does not believe COVID-19 and the recent developments surrounding the global pandemic will have material negative impacts on the Company’s financial performance as its asset liquidation business is highly concentrated in distressed and surplus assets and the Company expects that there will be an increased supply of distressed and surplus assets as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and any downward trends in the overall economy, resulting in more potential for principal deals. The Company believes that the continuing disruptions to the global supply chain, particularly those involving industrial assets, will further increase demand for U.S.-based surplus assets. Further, the Company expects that the COVID-19 pandemic will have the following positive impacts: •ongoing social distancing requirements in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic will result in increased demand for HGP’s online auctions; •rising charged-off consumer loan sales will result in expanding volumes for the Company’s Financial Assets division; •tightening underwriting standards at conventional lenders will result in more funding opportunities for HGC; and •greater focus on collateral on bank balance sheets will result in incremental valuation opportunities for the Company’s valuation business. However, positive expected impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business could be offset, at least in part, by negative impacts on certain business units relying on travel and field work. Any continuation of travel and work restrictions may result in decreased revenues depending on the scope and duration of such restrictions.

Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Note 1 –Basis of Presentation

These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements include the accounts of Heritage Global Inc. (“HGI”) together with its subsidiaries, including Heritage Global Partners, Inc. (“HGP”), Heritage Global LLC (“HG LLC”), Equity Partners HG LLC (“Equity Partners”), National Loan Exchange, Inc. (“NLEX”) and Heritage Global Capital LLC (“HGC”). These entities, collectively, are referred to as the “Company” in these financial statements. The Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements were prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), as outlined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”), and include the assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses of all subsidiaries over which HGI exercises control. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. The Company’s sole operating segment is its asset liquidation business. The Company provides an array of value-added financial and capital asset solutions: auction and appraisal services, traditional asset disposition sales, and specialty financing solutions.

The Company has prepared the condensed consolidated interim financial statements included herein pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments that are necessary to present fairly the results for the interim periods included herein. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations; however, the Company believes that the disclosures are appropriate. These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 9, 2020 (the “Form 10-K”).

The results of operations for the nine month period ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of those operating results to be expected for any subsequent interim period or for the entire year ending December 31, 2020. The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2019 has been derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2019, contained in the Company’s Form 10-K.

COVID-19

The spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) had a minor negative impact on the Company’s performance through September 30, 2020 resulting from evolving travel and work restrictions as well as a delay in the sale of certain assets.

Going forward, the Company does not believe COVID-19 and the recent developments surrounding the global pandemic will have material negative impacts on the Company’s financial performance as its asset liquidation business is highly concentrated in distressed and surplus assets and the Company expects that there will be an increased supply of distressed and surplus assets as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and any downward trends in the overall economy, resulting in more potential for principal deals. The Company believes that the continuing disruptions to the global supply chain, particularly those involving industrial assets, will further increase demand for U.S.-based surplus assets. Further, the Company expects that the COVID-19 pandemic will have the following positive impacts:

•ongoing social distancing requirements in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic will result in increased demand for HGP’s online auctions;

•rising charged-off consumer loan sales will result in expanding volumes for the Company’s Financial Assets division;

•tightening underwriting standards at conventional lenders will result in more funding opportunities for HGC; and

•greater focus on collateral on bank balance sheets will result in incremental valuation opportunities for the Company’s valuation business.

However, positive expected impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business could be offset, at least in part, by negative impacts on certain business units relying on travel and field work. Any continuation of travel and work restrictions may result in decreased revenues depending on the scope and duration of such restrictions.