CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,335,855	$ 1,162,779
Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $1,827 and $1,092, respectively	301,887	275,032
Settlement processing assets	2,459,292	1,546,854
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	206,545	131,341
Total current assets	4,303,579	3,116,006
Goodwill	5,703,992	4,807,594
Other intangible assets, net	2,181,707	2,085,292
Property and equipment, net	588,348	526,370
Deferred income taxes	13,146	15,789
Other noncurrent assets	207,297	113,299
Total assets	12,998,069	10,664,350
Current liabilities:
Settlement lines of credit	635,166	392,072
Current portion of long-term debt	100,308	177,785
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,039,607	804,887
Settlement processing obligations	2,040,509	1,477,212
Total current liabilities	3,815,590	2,851,956
Long-term debt	4,559,408	4,260,827
Deferred income taxes	436,879	676,472
Other noncurrent liabilities	220,961	95,753
Total liabilities	9,032,838	7,885,008
Commitments and contingencies
Equity:
Preferred stock, no par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized and none issued	0	0
Common stock, no par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 159,180,317 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2017 and 152,185,616 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016	0	0
Paid-in capital	2,379,774	1,816,278
Retained earnings	1,597,897	1,137,230
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(183,144)	(322,717)
Total Global Payments shareholders’ equity	3,794,527	2,630,791
Noncontrolling interests	170,704	148,551
Total equity	3,965,231	2,779,342
Total liabilities and equity	$ 12,998,069	$ 10,664,350

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and due within one year (or the operating cycle, if longer), including liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received, taxes, interest, rent and utilities, accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.