Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of PDL Biopharma, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “PDL”) have been prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (United States) (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. The financial statements include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments), that management of the Company believes are necessary for a fair presentation of the periods presented. These interim financial results are not necessarily indicative of results expected for the full fiscal year or for any subsequent interim period. The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related financial information should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2016, included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 1, 2017. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2016, has been derived from the audited Consolidated Financial Statements at that date, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. During the quarter ended September 30, 2017, the Company corrected errors in its deferred tax assets and equity accounts, which decreased deferred tax assets by $20.4 million, decreased retained earnings by $29.9 million and increased additional paid-in capital by $9.5 million. The Company concluded that these errors are not material to the previously issued financial statements. Significant Accounting Policies There have been no material changes to the significant accounting policies discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, that are of significance, or potential significance to the Company. Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, intended to improve the accounting for share-based payment transactions as part of its simplification initiative. The ASU requires entities to record all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as an income tax benefit or expense in the statement of income. The recognition of excess tax benefits and deficiencies and changes to diluted earnings per share are to be applied prospectively. For tax benefits that were not previously recognized because the related tax deduction had not reduced taxes payable, the Company recorded a $7.7 million cumulative-effect adjustment in retained earnings as of the beginning of 2017, the year of adoption. The Company applied the presentation changes for excess tax benefits from financing activities to operating activities in the statement of cash flows using a prospective transition method. The guidance allows for an election to recognize forfeitures as they occur rather than on an estimated basis. The Company will continue to account for forfeitures on an estimated basis. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, there were $0.2 million excess tax benefits recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Income and classified as an operating activity in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business, included in ASC 805, Business Combinations, which revises the definition of a business. The revised definition clarifies that outputs must be the result of inputs and substantive processes that provide goods or services to customers, other revenue, or investment income. The guidance will be effective for the Company's annual and interim reporting periods beginning January 1, 2018, and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted the new definition of a business during the first quarter of 2017, and it did not have a material impact on its business practices, financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The new standard can be applied either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented (i.e., full retrospective adoption) or with the cumulative effect of initially applying the update recognized at the date of the initial application (i.e., modified retrospective adoption) along with additional disclosures. Revenue from financial instruments which are valued under Subtopic 825 will not be subject to the application of ASU 2014-09. As a result, the Company believes that Royalty Rights - At Fair Value are financial instruments within the scope of Subtopic 825 and will be specifically exempted from applying the new revenue standard. This new standard will replace most of the existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP when it becomes effective. The new standard, as amended, becomes effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018. The Company currently anticipates adopting this standard using the full retrospective method to restate each prior period presented. The new revenue standard is principle based and interpretation of those principles may vary from company to company based on their unique circumstances. It is possible that interpretation, industry practice, and guidance may evolve as companies and the accounting profession work to implement this new standard. The Company is still in the process of evaluating the effect of the new standard on the Company’s historical financial statements and disclosures. While the Company has not completed its evaluation, the Company currently believes that the impact to revenue and expense recognized will not be material to any of the years presented. As the Company completes its evaluation of this new standard, new information may arise that could change the Company’s current understanding of the impact to revenue and expense recognized. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which seeks to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by, among other things, recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. ASU No. 2016-02 becomes effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the provisions of ASU No. 2016-02 and assessing the impact, if any, it may have on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The new guidance amends the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the currently used incurred loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of losses. ASU No. 2016-13 has an effective date of the fiscal years beginning December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating ASU 2016-13 and assessing the impact, if any, it may have to the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position and cash flows. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The new standard provides for specific guidance how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods with those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating ASU 2016-15 and assessing the impact, if any, it may have to the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which requires companies to account for the income tax effects of intercompany sales and transfers of assets other than inventory in the period in which the transfer occurs. The new standard is effective for public business entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (i.e. 2018 for a calendar-year entity). Early adoption is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an annual period. The guidance is to be applied using a modified retrospective approach with a cumulative catch-up adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company is currently analyzing the impact of ASU No. 2016-16 on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Restricted Cash, which requires entities to show the changes in total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. As a result, entities will no longer present transfers between cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. When cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents are presented in more than one line item on the balance sheet, the new guidance requires a reconciliation of the totals in the statement of cash flows to the related captions on the balance sheet. The reconciliation can either be presented either on the face of the statement of cash flows or in the notes to the financial statements. The new standard is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods therein and is to be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently analyzing the impact of ASU No. 2016-18 on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of PDL Biopharma, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “PDL”) have been prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (United States) (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. The financial statements include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments), that management of the Company believes are necessary for a fair presentation of the periods presented. These interim financial results are not necessarily indicative of results expected for the full fiscal year or for any subsequent interim period.

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related financial information should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2016, included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 1, 2017. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2016, has been derived from the audited Consolidated Financial Statements at that date, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP.

During the quarter ended September 30, 2017, the Company corrected errors in its deferred tax assets and equity accounts, which decreased deferred tax assets by $20.4 million, decreased retained earnings by $29.9 million and increased additional paid-in capital by $9.5 million. The Company concluded that these errors are not material to the previously issued financial statements.

Significant Accounting Policies

There have been no material changes to the significant accounting policies discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, that are of significance, or potential significance to the Company.

Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, intended to improve the accounting for share-based payment transactions as part of its simplification initiative. The ASU requires entities to record all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as an income tax benefit or expense in the statement of income. The recognition of excess tax benefits and deficiencies and changes to diluted earnings per share are to be applied prospectively. For tax benefits that were not previously recognized because the related tax deduction had not reduced taxes payable, the Company recorded a $7.7 million cumulative-effect adjustment in retained earnings as of the beginning of 2017, the year of adoption. The Company applied the presentation changes for excess tax benefits from financing activities to operating activities in the statement of cash flows using a prospective transition method. The guidance allows for an election to recognize forfeitures as they occur rather than on an estimated basis. The Company will continue to account for forfeitures on an estimated basis. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, there were $0.2 million excess tax benefits recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Income and classified as an operating activity in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business, included in ASC 805, Business Combinations, which revises the definition of a business. The revised definition clarifies that outputs must be the result of inputs and substantive processes that provide goods or services to customers, other revenue, or investment income. The guidance will be effective for the Company's annual and interim reporting periods beginning January 1, 2018, and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted the new definition of a business during the first quarter of 2017, and it did not have a material impact on its business practices, financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The new standard can be applied either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented (i.e., full retrospective adoption) or with the cumulative effect of initially applying the update recognized at the date of the initial application (i.e., modified retrospective adoption) along with additional disclosures. Revenue from financial instruments which are valued under Subtopic 825 will not be subject to the application of ASU 2014-09. As a result, the Company believes that Royalty Rights - At Fair Value are financial instruments within the scope of Subtopic 825 and will be specifically exempted from applying the new revenue standard.

This new standard will replace most of the existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP when it becomes effective. The new standard, as amended, becomes effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018. The Company currently anticipates adopting this standard using the full retrospective method to restate each prior period presented.

The new revenue standard is principle based and interpretation of those principles may vary from company to company based on their unique circumstances. It is possible that interpretation, industry practice, and guidance may evolve as companies and the accounting profession work to implement this new standard. The Company is still in the process of evaluating the effect of the new standard on the Company’s historical financial statements and disclosures. While the Company has not completed its evaluation, the Company currently believes that the impact to revenue and expense recognized will not be material to any of the years presented. As the Company completes its evaluation of this new standard, new information may arise that could change the Company’s current understanding of the impact to revenue and expense recognized.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which seeks to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by, among other things, recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. ASU No. 2016-02 becomes effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the provisions of ASU No. 2016-02 and assessing the impact, if any, it may have on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The new guidance amends the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the currently used incurred loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of losses. ASU No. 2016-13 has an effective date of the fiscal years beginning December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating ASU 2016-13 and assessing the impact, if any, it may have to the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The new standard provides for specific guidance how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods with those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating ASU 2016-15 and assessing the impact, if any, it may have to the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which requires companies to account for the income tax effects of intercompany sales and transfers of assets other than inventory in the period in which the transfer occurs. The new standard is effective for public business entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (i.e. 2018 for a calendar-year entity). Early adoption is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an annual period. The guidance is to be applied using a modified retrospective approach with a cumulative catch-up adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company is currently analyzing the impact of ASU No. 2016-16 on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Restricted Cash, which requires entities to show the changes in total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. As a result, entities will no longer present transfers between cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. When cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents are presented in more than one line item on the balance sheet, the new guidance requires a reconciliation of the totals in the statement of cash flows to the related captions on the balance sheet. The reconciliation can either be presented either on the face of the statement of cash flows or in the notes to the financial statements. The new standard is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods therein and is to be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently analyzing the impact of ASU No. 2016-18 on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.