Description of Business and Principles of Consolidation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business and Principles of Consolidation	Note 1 – Description of Business and Principles of Consolidation These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Heritage Global Inc. together with its subsidiaries, including Heritage Global Partners, Inc. (“HGP”), Equity Partners HG LLC (“Equity Partners”), National Loan Exchange Inc. (“NLEX”), Heritage Global LLC (“HG LLC”), and Heritage Global Capital LLC (“HGC”). These entities, collectively, are referred to as “HGI,” the “Company,” “we” or “our” in these consolidated financial statements. These consolidated 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 began its asset liquidation operations in 2009 with the establishment of HG LLC. The business was subsequently expanded by the acquisitions of Equity Partners, HGP and NLEX in 2011, 2012 and 2014, respectively, and the creation of HGC in 2019. As a result, HGI is positioned to provide an array of value-added capital and financial asset solutions: auction and appraisal services, traditional asset disposition sales, and specialty financing solutions. The Company’s reportable segments consist of the Industrial Assets Division and Financial Assets Division. COVID-19 The spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic had a minor negative impact on the Company’s performance for the year ended December 31, 2020 due to 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 our asset liquidation business is highly concentrated in distressed and surplus assets and we expect 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 and fee based 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: • continued increase in demand for HGP’s online auctions as a result of ongoing social distancing requirements in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic; • increased activity for NLEX and HGC due to expanding volumes of nonperforming and charged-off consumer loans; • increased funding opportunities for HGC due to tightening underwriting standards at conventional lenders; and • incremental valuation opportunities for our valuation business as a result of greater focus on collateral on bank balance sheets. 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. Public Offering On October 6, 2020, the Company completed a public offering (the “2020 Public Offering”) of 5,462,500 shares of its common stock, at a public offering price of $1.75 per share, which included a full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase 712,500 additional shares of common stock from the Company. The Company received approximately $8.7 million of net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, but before offering expenses. We intend to use the net proceeds to provide additional funds for general corporate purposes, which may include, without limitation, the expansion of the businesses of HGC and HGP, working capital and growth capital.

Description of Business and Principles of Consolidation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Description of Business and Principles of Consolidation

Note 1 – Description of Business and Principles of Consolidation

These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Heritage Global Inc. together with its subsidiaries, including Heritage Global Partners, Inc. (“HGP”), Equity Partners HG LLC (“Equity Partners”), National Loan Exchange Inc. (“NLEX”), Heritage Global LLC (“HG LLC”), and Heritage Global Capital LLC (“HGC”). These entities, collectively, are referred to as “HGI,” the “Company,” “we” or “our” in these consolidated financial statements. These consolidated 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 began its asset liquidation operations in 2009 with the establishment of HG LLC. The business was subsequently expanded by the acquisitions of Equity Partners, HGP and NLEX in 2011, 2012 and 2014, respectively, and the creation of HGC in 2019. As a result, HGI is positioned to provide an array of value-added capital and financial asset solutions: auction and appraisal services, traditional asset disposition sales, and specialty financing solutions. The Company’s reportable segments consist of the Industrial Assets Division and Financial Assets Division.

COVID-19

The spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic had a minor negative impact on the Company’s performance for the year ended December 31, 2020 due to 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 our asset liquidation business is highly concentrated in distressed and surplus assets and we expect 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 and fee based 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:

• continued increase in demand for HGP’s online auctions as a result of ongoing social distancing requirements in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic;

• increased activity for NLEX and HGC due to expanding volumes of nonperforming and charged-off consumer loans;

• increased funding opportunities for HGC due to tightening underwriting standards at conventional lenders; and

• incremental valuation opportunities for our valuation business as a result of greater focus on collateral on bank balance sheets.

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.

Public Offering

On October 6, 2020, the Company completed a public offering (the “2020 Public Offering”) of 5,462,500 shares of its common stock, at a public offering price of $1.75 per share, which included a full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase 712,500 additional shares of common stock from the Company. The Company received approximately $8.7 million of net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, but before offering expenses. We intend to use the net proceeds to provide additional funds for general corporate purposes, which may include, without limitation, the expansion of the businesses of HGC and HGP, working capital and growth capital.