Stock-Based Compensation Plans	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Stock-Based Compensation Plans	Stock-Based Compensation Plans Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Restricted stock and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) may be granted to new employees as “sign-on” awards, to existing employees as “retention” awards and to certain executive officers as awards for multiple years. Sign-on and retention awards are generally subject to annual ratable vesting over a four-year service period and are amortized as compensation expense on a straight line basis over the related four years. Restricted stock and RSUs are granted to certain senior executives with market, performance and service conditions. Market conditions are incorporated into the grant-date fair value of senior executives awards using a Monte Carlo valuation model. Compensation expense for awards with market conditions is recognized over the service period and is not reversed if the market condition is not met. Awards with performance conditions are amortized over the service period if it is determined that it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved. Senior Executive Compensation Plan. In January 2017, the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors approved an executive compensation plan for our CEO and our President (together, our "Senior Executives") in respect of 2017 that will be based on performance metrics achieved over a three-year period from 2017 through 2019. This executive compensation plan is identical to the 2016 executive compensation plan where cash incentive bonuses were eliminated. 100% of each of our CEO and President's compensation beyond their base salaries will be composed entirely of performance based RSUs that will vest at the end of 2019 if certain performance criteria are met. Any vested RSUs will be subject to a post-vesting, three-year holding period such that no vested RSUs can be sold or transferred until the first quarter of 2023. Performance-vesting of the award will be based equally on the compound annual growth rates of Leucadia's Total Shareholder Return ("TSR"), which will be measured from the December 30, 2016 stock price of $23.25, and Leucadia's Return on Tangible Deployable Equity ("ROTDE"), the annual, two- and three-year results of which will be used to determine vesting. TSR is based on annualized rate of return reflecting price appreciation plus reinvestment of dividends and distributions to shareholders. ROTDE is net income adjusted for amortization of intangible assets divided by tangible book value at the beginning of year adjusted for intangible assets and deferred tax assets. If Leucadia's TSR and ROTDE annual compound growth rates are less than 4%, our Senior Executives will not receive any incentive compensation. If Leucadia's TSR and ROTDE grow between 4% and 8% on a compounded basis over the three-year measurement period, each of our Senior Executives will be eligible to receive between 537,634 and 1,075,268 RSUs. If TSR and ROTDE growth rates are greater than 8%, our Senior Executives are eligible to receive up to 50% additional incentive compensation on a pro rata basis up to 12% growth rates. When determining whether RSUs will vest, the calculation will be weighted equally between TSR and ROTDE. If TSR growth was below minimum thresholds, but ROTDE growth was above minimum thresholds, our Senior Executives would still be eligible to receive some number of vested RSUs based on ROTDE growth. The TSR award contains a market condition and compensation expense is recognized over the service period and will not be reversed if the market condition is not met. The ROTDE award contains a performance condition and compensation expense is recognized over the service period if it is determined that it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved. Former Stock-Based Compensation Plans. Prior to the acquisition of Jefferies, we had a fixed stock option plan, which provided for the issuance of stock options and stock appreciation rights to non-employee directors and certain employees at not less than the fair market value of the underlying stock at the date of grant. Options granted to employees under this plan were intended to qualify as incentive stock options to the extent permitted under the Internal Revenue Code and became exercisable in five equal annual installments starting one year from date of grant. Options granted to non-employee directors became exercisable in four equal annual installments starting one year from date of grant. No stock appreciation rights have been granted. In March 2014, we ceased issuing options and rights under our option plan. No shares remain available for future issuances under this plan. At March 31, 2017, 341,462 of our common shares were reserved for stock options. Stock-Based Compensation Expense. Compensation and benefits expense included $10.0 million and $6.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, for share-based compensation expense relating to grants made under our share-based compensation plans. Total compensation cost includes the amortization of sign-on, retention and senior executive awards, less forfeitures and clawbacks. The total tax benefit recognized in results of operations related to share-based compensation expenses was $3.6 million and $2.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. As of March 31, 2017, total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested share-based compensation plans was $89.8 million; this cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.1 years. At March 31, 2017, there were 1,442,000 shares of restricted stock outstanding with future service required, 5,666,000 RSUs outstanding with future service required (including target RSUs issuable under the senior executive compensation plan), 10,364,000 RSUs outstanding with no future service required and 689,000 shares issuable under other plans. Excluding shares issuable pursuant to outstanding stock options, the maximum potential increase to common shares outstanding resulting from these outstanding awards is 16,719,000.

Stock-Based Compensation Plans

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Restricted stock and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) may be granted to new employees as “sign-on” awards, to existing employees as “retention” awards and to certain executive officers as awards for multiple years. Sign-on and retention awards are generally subject to annual ratable vesting over a four-year service period and are amortized as compensation expense on a straight line basis over the related four years. Restricted stock and RSUs are granted to certain senior executives with market, performance and service conditions. Market conditions are incorporated into the grant-date fair value of senior executives awards using a Monte Carlo valuation model. Compensation expense for awards with market conditions is recognized over the service period and is not reversed if the market condition is not met. Awards with performance conditions are amortized over the service period if it is determined that it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved.

Senior Executive Compensation Plan. In January 2017, the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors approved an executive compensation plan for our CEO and our President (together, our "Senior Executives") in respect of 2017 that will be based on performance metrics achieved over a three-year period from 2017 through 2019. This executive compensation plan is identical to the 2016 executive compensation plan where cash incentive bonuses were eliminated. 100% of each of our CEO and President's compensation beyond their base salaries will be composed entirely of performance based RSUs that will vest at the end of 2019 if certain performance criteria are met. Any vested RSUs will be subject to a post-vesting, three-year holding period such that no vested RSUs can be sold or transferred until the first quarter of 2023.

Performance-vesting of the award will be based equally on the compound annual growth rates of Leucadia's Total Shareholder Return ("TSR"), which will be measured from the December 30, 2016 stock price of $23.25, and Leucadia's Return on Tangible Deployable Equity ("ROTDE"), the annual, two- and three-year results of which will be used to determine vesting. TSR is based on annualized rate of return reflecting price appreciation plus reinvestment of dividends and distributions to shareholders. ROTDE is net income adjusted for amortization of intangible assets divided by tangible book value at the beginning of year adjusted for intangible assets and deferred tax assets.

If Leucadia's TSR and ROTDE annual compound growth rates are less than 4%, our Senior Executives will not receive any incentive compensation. If Leucadia's TSR and ROTDE grow between 4% and 8% on a compounded basis over the three-year measurement period, each of our Senior Executives will be eligible to receive between 537,634 and 1,075,268 RSUs. If TSR and ROTDE growth rates are greater than 8%, our Senior Executives are eligible to receive up to 50% additional incentive compensation on a pro rata basis up to 12% growth rates. When determining whether RSUs will vest, the calculation will be weighted equally between TSR and ROTDE. If TSR growth was below minimum thresholds, but ROTDE growth was above minimum thresholds, our Senior Executives would still be eligible to receive some number of vested RSUs based on ROTDE growth. The TSR award contains a market condition and compensation expense is recognized over the service period and will not be reversed if the market condition is not met. The ROTDE award contains a performance condition and compensation expense is recognized over the service period if it is determined that it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved.

Former Stock-Based Compensation Plans. Prior to the acquisition of Jefferies, we had a fixed stock option plan, which provided for the issuance of stock options and stock appreciation rights to non-employee directors and certain employees at not less than the fair market value of the underlying stock at the date of grant. Options granted to employees under this plan were intended to qualify as incentive stock options to the extent permitted under the Internal Revenue Code and became exercisable in five equal annual installments starting one year from date of grant. Options granted to non-employee directors became exercisable in four equal annual installments starting one year from date of grant. No stock appreciation rights have been granted. In March 2014, we ceased issuing options and rights under our option plan. No shares remain available for future issuances under this plan. At March 31, 2017, 341,462 of our common shares were reserved for stock options.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense. Compensation and benefits expense included $10.0 million and $6.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, for share-based compensation expense relating to grants made under our share-based compensation plans. Total compensation cost includes the amortization of sign-on, retention and senior executive awards, less forfeitures and clawbacks. The total tax benefit recognized in results of operations related to share-based compensation expenses was $3.6 million and $2.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. As of March 31, 2017, total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested share-based compensation plans was $89.8 million; this cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.1 years.

At March 31, 2017, there were 1,442,000 shares of restricted stock outstanding with future service required, 5,666,000 RSUs outstanding with future service required (including target RSUs issuable under the senior executive compensation plan), 10,364,000 RSUs outstanding with no future service required and 689,000 shares issuable under other plans. Excluding shares issuable pursuant to outstanding stock options, the maximum potential increase to common shares outstanding resulting from these outstanding awards is 16,719,000.