(1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

Our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, with the instructions to Form 10-Q and with Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and include all adjustments that are, in management’s opinion, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods presented. All such adjustments are, in the opinion of management, of a normal recurring nature. Results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results to be expected for the full year.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted from these Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. These Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reported periods.

Finance Receivables Measured at Fair Value

Finance Receivables Measured at Fair Value

Effective January 1, 2018, we adopted the fair value method of accounting for finance receivables acquired on or after that date. For each finance receivable acquired after 2017, we consider the price paid on the purchase date as the fair value for such receivable.  We estimate the cash to be received in the future with respect to such receivables, based on our experience with similar receivables acquired in the past.  We then compute the internal rate of return that results in the present value of those estimated cash receipts being equal to the purchase date fair value. Thereafter, we recognize interest income on such receivables on a level yield basis using that internal rate of return as the applicable interest rate. Cash received with respect to such receivables is applied first against such interest income, and then to reduce the recorded value of the receivables.

We re-evaluate the fair value of such receivables at the close of each measurement period. If the reevaluation were to yield a value materially different from the recorded value, an adjustment would be required. Results for the first quarter include a $2.4 million mark down reversal to the carrying value of the portion of the receivables portfolio accounted for at fair value. Results for the first quarter of 2021 include a $4.4 million mark down, and the mark down is reflected as a reduction in revenue.

Anticipated credit losses are included in our estimation of cash to be received with respect to receivables.  Because such credit losses are included in our computation of the appropriate level yield, we do not thereafter make periodic provision for credit losses, as our best estimate of the lifetime aggregate of credit losses is included in that initial computation. Also, because we include anticipated credit losses in our computation of the level yield, the computed level yield is materially lower than the average contractual rate applicable to the receivables. Because our initial recorded value is fixed as the price we pay for the receivable, rather than as the contractual principal balance, we do not record acquisition fees as an amortizing asset related to the receivables, nor do we capitalize costs of acquiring the receivables. Rather we recognize the costs of acquisition as expenses in the period incurred.

Other Income

Other Income

The following table presents the primary components of Other Income for the three-month periods ending March 31, 2022 and 2021: 

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
	(In thousands)
Direct mail revenues	$	774	$	979
Convenience fee revenue		80		240
Recoveries on previously charged-off contracts		20		15
Sales tax refunds		144		171
Other		888		31
Other income for the period	$	1,906	$	1,436

Leases

Leases

The Company has operating leases for corporate offices, equipment, software and hardware. The Company has entered into operating leases for the majority of its real estate locations, primarily office space. These leases are generally for periods of three to seven years with various renewal options. The depreciable life of leased assets is limited by the expected lease term. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet and the related lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

The following table presents the supplemental balance sheet information related to leases: 

	March 31,			December 31,
	2022			2021
	(In thousands)
Operating Leases
Operating lease right-of-use assets	$	25,820		$	25,819
Less: Accumulated amortization right-of-use assets		(18,972	)		(17,624	)
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	$	6,848		$	8,195
Operating lease liabilities	$	(7,684	)	$	(9,058	)
Finance Leases
Property and equipment, at cost	$	3,407		$	3,407
Less: Accumulated depreciation		(2,620	)		(2,348	)
Property and equipment, net	$	787		$	1,059
Finance lease liabilities	$	(842	)	$	(1,124	)
Weighted Average Discount Rate
Operating lease		5.0%			5.0%
Finance lease		6.5%			6.5%

Maturities of lease liabilities were as follows:
(In thousands)		Operating			Finance
Year Ending March 31,		Lease			Lease
2022	$	4,644		$	752
2023		1,888			84
2024		920			26
2025		795			9
2026		501			–
Thereafter		1,160			–
Total undiscounted lease payments		9,908			871
Less amounts representing interest		(2,224	)		(29	)
Lease Liability	$	7,684		$	842

The following table presents the lease expense included in General and administrative and Occupancy expense on our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations: 

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
	(In thousands)
Operating lease cost	$	1,761	$	1,837
Finance lease cost		298		308
Total lease cost	$	2,059	$	2,145

The following table presents the supplemental cash flow information related to leases: 

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:	(In thousands)
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$	1,788	$	1,930
Operating cash flows from finance leases		282		274
Financing cash flows from finance leases		16		35

Stock-based Compensation

Stock-based Compensation

We recognize compensation costs in the financial statements for all share-based payments based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718 “Stock Compensation”.

For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, we recorded stock-based compensation costs in the amount of $790,000 and $408,000, respectively. As of March 31, 2022, unrecognized stock-based compensation costs to be recognized over future periods equaled $8.4 million. This amount will be recognized as expense over a weighted-average period of 2.4 years.

The following represents stock option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2022: 

	Number of Shares (in thousands)		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term
Options outstanding at the beginning of period	13,074		$	4.54	N/A
Granted	750			10.32	N/A
Exercised	(1,366	)		4.29	N/A
Forfeited	(430	)		7.51	N/A
Options outstanding at the end of period	12,028		$	4.82	3.18 years
Options exercisable at the end of period	8,068		$	4.74	2.00 years

The following table presents the price distribution of stock options outstanding and exercisable for the years ended March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021: 

	Number of shares as of		Number of shares as of
	March 31, 2022		December 31, 2021
	Outstanding	Exercisable	Outstanding	Exercisable
Range of exercise prices:	(In thousands)		(In thousands)
$0.95 - $1.99	34	34	577	577
$2.00 - $2.99	1,517	489	1,517	489
$3.00 - $3.99	4,172	3,270	4,285	3,382
$4.00 - $4.99	2,847	1,567	2,870	1,410
$5.00 - $5.99	–	–	–	–
$6.00 - $6.99	1,933	1,933	2,651	2,652
$7.00 - $7.99	775	775	1,175	1,175
$8.00 - $11.00	750	–	–	–
Total shares	12,028	8,068	13,074	9,685

At March 31, 2022 the aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding and exercisable was $64.3 million and $43.7 million, respectively. There were 1,366,000 options exercised for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to 98,000 for the comparable period in 2021. The total intrinsic value of options exercised was $10.2 million and $122,000 for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. There were 3,561,000 shares available for future stock option grants under existing plans as of March 31, 2022.

Purchases of Company Stock

Purchases of Company Stock

The table below describes the purchase of our common stock for the three-month ended March 31, 2022 and 2021: 

	Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2022				March 31, 2021
		Shares		Avg. Price		Shares		Avg. Price
Open market purchases		922,363	$	11.19		138,004	$	4.18
Shares redeemed upon net exercise of stock options		295,088		12.68		40,727		4.36
Total stock purchases		1,217,451	$	11.55		178,731	$	4.22

Reclassifications

Reclassifications

Some items in the prior year financial statements were reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Reclassifications had no effect on net income or shareholders’ equity.

Financial Covenants

Financial Covenants

Certain of our securitization transactions, our warehouse credit facilities and our residual interest financing contain various financial covenants requiring minimum financial ratios and results. Such covenants include maintaining minimum levels of liquidity and net worth and not exceeding maximum leverage levels. As of March 31, 2022, we were in compliance with all such covenants. In addition, certain of our debt agreements other than our term securitizations contain cross-default provisions. Such cross-default provisions would allow the respective creditors to declare a default if an event of default occurred with respect to other indebtedness of ours, but only if such other event of default were to be accompanied by acceleration of such other indebtedness.

Provision for Contingent Liabilities

Provision for Contingent Liabilities

We are routinely involved in various legal proceedings resulting from our consumer finance activities and practices, both continuing and discontinued. Our legal counsel has advised us on such matters where, based on information available at the time of this report, there is an indication that it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably determined.

Coronavirus Pandemic

Coronavirus Pandemic

In December 2019, a new strain of coronavirus (the “COVID-19 virus”) originated in Wuhan, China. Since its discovery, the COVID-19 virus has spread throughout the world, and the outbreak has been declared to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization. We refer from time to time in this report to the outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 virus as “the pandemic.”

We measure our portfolio of finance receivables carried at fair value with consideration for unobservable inputs that reflect our own assumptions about the factors that market participants use in pricing similar receivables and are based on the best information available in the circumstances. They include such inputs as estimates for the magnitude and timing of net charge-offs and the rate of amortization of the portfolio. The pandemic and the adverse effect it may have on the U.S. economy and our obligors may cause us to consider significant changes in any of those inputs, which in turn may have a significant effect on our fair value measurement.