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Investment in Receivable Portfolios, Net (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Receivables [Abstract] |
Summary of Accretable Yield and an Estimate of Zero Basis Future Cash Flows | The following table summarizes the Company’s accretable yield and an estimate of zero basis future cash flows at the beginning and end of the period presented (in thousands):
| Accretable Yield |  | Estimate of Zero Basis Cash Flows |  | Total
Balance at December 31, 2015 | $ | 3,047,640 |  |  | $ | 223,031 |  |  | $ | 3,270,671 |
Revenue recognized, net | (801,736 | ) |  | (144,879 | ) |  | (946,615 | )
Net additions on existing portfolios | 441,632 |  |  | 287,116 |  |  | 728,748 |
Additions for current purchases, net | 861,698 |  |  | — |  |  | 861,698 |
Effect of foreign currency translation | (457,230 | ) |  | 236 |  |  | (456,994 | )
Balance at December 31, 2016 | 3,092,004 |  |  | 365,504 |  |  | 3,457,508 |
Revenue recognized, net | (943,533 | ) |  | (151,076 | ) |  | (1,094,609 | )
Net additions on existing portfolios | 365,357 |  |  | 155,160 |  |  | 520,517 |
Additions for current purchases, net | 1,019,856 |  |  | — |  |  | 1,019,856 |
Effect of foreign currency translation | 161,385 |  |  | 44 |  |  | 161,429 |
Balance at December 31, 2017 | $ | 3,695,069 |  |  | $ | 369,632 |  |  | $ | 4,064,701 |
Summary of Changes in Balance of the Investment in Receivable Portfolios | The following tables summarize the changes in the balance of the investment in receivable portfolios during the following periods (in thousands, except percentages):
| Year Ended December 31, 2017
| Accrual Basis Portfolios |  | Cost Recovery Portfolios |  | Zero Basis Portfolios |  | Total
Balance, beginning of period | $ | 2,368,366 |  |  | $ | 14,443 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,382,809 |
Purchases of receivable portfolios | 1,057,066 |  |  | 1,169 |  |  | — |  |  | 1,058,235 |
Disposals or transfers to held for sale | (12,695 | ) |  | (493 | ) |  | — |  |  | (13,188 | )
Gross collections(1) | (1,613,351 | ) |  | (3,511 | ) |  | (150,782 | ) |  | (1,767,644 | )
Put-backs and Recalls(2) | (2,577 | ) |  | — |  |  | (294 | ) |  | (2,871 | )
Foreign currency adjustments | 138,828 |  |  | (165 | ) |  | — |  |  | 138,663 |
Revenue recognized | 909,239 |  |  | — |  |  | 144,134 |  |  | 1,053,373 |
Portfolio allowance reversals, net | 34,294 |  |  | — |  |  | 6,942 |  |  | 41,236 |
Balance, end of period | $ | 2,879,170 |  |  | $ | 11,443 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,890,613 |
Revenue as a percentage of collections(3) | 56.4 | % |  | 0.0 | % |  | 95.6 | % |  | 59.6 | %
| Year Ended December 31, 2016
| Accrual Basis Portfolios |  | Cost Recovery Portfolios |  | Zero Basis Portfolios |  | Total
Balance, beginning of period | $ | 2,436,054 |  |  | $ | 4,615 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,440,669 |
Purchases of receivable portfolios | 906,719 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 906,719 |
Transfer of portfolios | (13,076 | ) |  | 13,076 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Gross collections(1) | (1,538,663 | ) |  | (2,102 | ) |  | (144,839 | ) |  | (1,685,604 | )
Put-backs and Recalls(2) | (27,561 | ) |  | (1,019 | ) |  | (33 | ) |  | (28,613 | )
Foreign currency adjustments | (196,842 | ) |  | (127 | ) |  | (8 | ) |  | (196,977 | )
Revenue recognized | 892,732 |  |  | — |  |  | 138,060 |  |  | 1,030,792 |
Portfolio (allowance) reversals, net | (90,997 | ) |  | — |  |  | 6,820 |  |  | (84,177 | )
Balance, end of period | $ | 2,368,366 |  |  | $ | 14,443 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,382,809 |
Revenue as a percentage of collections(3) | 58.0 | % |  | 0.0 | % |  | 95.3 | % |  | 61.2 | %
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(1) | Does not include amounts collected on behalf of others.
(2) | Put-backs represent accounts that are returned to the seller in accordance with the respective purchase agreement (“Put-Backs”). Recalls represent accounts that are recalled by the seller in accordance with the respective purchase agreement (“Recalls”).
(3) | Revenue as a percentage of collections excludes the effects of net portfolio allowances or net portfolio allowance reversals.
| Year Ended December 31, 2015
| Accrual Basis Portfolios |  | Cost Recovery Portfolios |  | Zero Basis Portfolios |  | Total
Balance, beginning of period | $ | 2,131,084 |  |  | $ | 12,476 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,143,560 |
Purchases of receivable portfolios | 1,023,722 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1,023,722 |
Gross collections(1) | (1,587,525 | ) |  | (5,237 | ) |  | (107,963 | ) |  | (1,700,725 | )
Put-backs and Recalls(2) | (13,009 | ) |  | (20 | ) |  | (268 | ) |  | (13,297 | )
Foreign currency adjustments | (82,443 | ) |  | (2,604 | ) |  | 20 |  |  | (85,027 | )
Revenue recognized | 969,227 |  |  | — |  |  | 96,446 |  |  | 1,065,673 |
Portfolio (allowance) reversals, net | (5,002 | ) |  | — |  |  | 11,765 |  |  | 6,763 |
Balance, end of period | $ | 2,436,054 |  |  | $ | 4,615 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 2,440,669 |
Revenue as a percentage of collections(3) | 61.1 | % |  | 0.0 | % |  | 89.3 | % |  | 62.7 | %
________________________
(1) | Does not include amounts collected on behalf of others.
(2) | Put-backs represent accounts that are returned to the seller in accordance with the respective purchase agreement (“Put-Backs”). Recalls represent accounts that are recalled by the seller in accordance with the respective purchase agreement (“Recalls”).
(3) | Revenue as a percentage of collections excludes the effects of net portfolio allowances or net portfolio allowance reversals.
Summary of Change in the Valuation Allowance for Investment in Receivable Portfolios | The following table summarizes the change in the valuation allowance for investment in receivable portfolios during the periods presented (in thousands):
| Valuation Allowance
Balance at December 31, 2014 | $ | 75,673 |
Provision for portfolio allowances | 8,322 |
Reversal of prior allowances | (15,085 | )
Allowance charged off to investment in receivable portfolios | (8,322 | )
Balance at December 31, 2015 | 60,588 |
Provision for portfolio allowances | 94,011 |
Reversal of prior allowances | (9,834 | )
Effect of foreign currency translation | (7,728 | )
Balance at December 31, 2016 | 137,037 |
Provision for portfolio allowances | 12,047 |
Reversal of prior allowances | (53,283 | )
Effect of foreign currency translation | 6,775 |
Balance at December 31, 2017 | $ | 102,576 |

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