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Note C - Finance Receivables, Net
9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2018
Notes to Financial Statements  
Financing Receivables [Text Block]
C – Finance Receivables, Net
 
The Company originates installment sale contracts from the sale of used vehicles at its dealerships. These installment sale contracts, which carry an interest rate of
15%
or
16.5%
per annum (based on the Company’s contract interest rate as of the contract origination date), are collateralized by the vehicle sold and typically provide for payments over periods ranging from
18
to
42
months. The weighted average interest rate for the portfolio was approximately
16.2%
at
January 31, 2018.
The Company’s finance receivables are defined as
one
segment and
one
class of loans in sub-prime consumer automobile contracts. The level of risks inherent in the Company’s financing receivables is managed as
one
homogeneous pool.
 
The components of finance receivables are as follows:
 
(In thousands)   January 31, 2018   April 30, 2017
         
Gross contract amount   $
575,536
    $
545,916
 
Less unearned finance charges    
(77,884
)    
(79,062
)
Principal balance    
497,652
     
466,854
 
Less allowance for credit losses    
(117,268
)    
(109,693
)
                 
Finance receivables, net   $
380,384
    $
357,161
 
Changes in the finance receivables, net are as follows:
 
    Nine Months Ended
January 31,
(In thousands)   2018   2017
Balance at beginning of period   $
357,161
    $
334,793
 
Finance receivable originations    
356,489
     
356,776
 
Finance receivable collections    
(180,137
)    
(175,696
)
Provision for credit losses    
(110,778
)    
(110,467
)
Losses on claims for payment protection plan    
(12,039
)    
(11,260
)
Inventory acquired in repossession and payment protection plan claims    
(30,312
)    
(30,610
)
                 
Balance at end of period   $
380,384
    $
363,536
 
 
Changes in the finance receivables allowance for credit losses are as follows:
 
    Nine Months Ended
January 31,
(In thousands)   2018   2017
Balance at beginning of period   $
109,693
    $
102,485
 
Provision for credit losses    
110,778
     
110,467
 
Charge-offs, net of recovered collateral    
(103,203
)    
(101,134
)
                 
Balance at end of period   $
117,268
    $
111,818
 
 
The factors which influenced management’s judgment in determining the amount of the current period provision for credit losses are described below.
 
The level of charge-offs, net of recovered collateral, is the most important factor in determining the provision for credit losses. This is due to the fact that once a contract becomes delinquent the account is either made current by the customer, the vehicle is repossessed or the account is written off if the collateral cannot be recovered. Net charge-offs as a percentage of average finance receivables decreased to
21.2%
for the
nine
months ended
January 31, 2018
compared to
21.8%
for the same period in the prior year.
This decrease in net charge-offs is due to a
decrease in the frequency of the losses, partially offset by an increase in the severity of the losses compared to the same period in the prior year.
 
Collections and delinquency levels can have a significant effect on additions to the allowance and are reviewed frequently. Collections as a percentage of average finance receivables were
37.2%
for the
nine
months ended
January 31, 2018
compared to
37.9%
for the same period in the prior year. The decrease in collections as a percentage of average finance receivables resulted primarily from the longer average term, a lower level of early pay-offs and the increase in the contract interest rate, partially offset by a higher age of receivables. Delinquencies greater than
30
days were
4.1%
for
January 31, 2018
and
4.7%
at
January 31, 2017.
 
Macro-economic factors, the competitive environment on the funding side, and more importantly, proper execution of operational policies and procedures have a significant effect on additions to the allowance charged to the provision. Higher unemployment levels, higher gasoline prices and higher prices for staple items can potentially have a significant effect. The Company continues to focus on operational improvements within the collections area.
 
Credit quality information for finance receivables is as follows:
 
(Dollars in thousands)   January 31, 2018   April 30, 2017   January 31, 2017
                         
    Principal
Balance
  Percent of
Portfolio
  Principal
Balance
  Percent of
Portfolio
  Principal
Balance
  Percent of
Portfolio
Current   $
394,614
     
79.30
%   $
397,341
     
85.12
%   $
371,078
     
78.06
%
 3 - 29 days past due    
82,679
     
16.61
%    
52,869
     
11.32
%    
81,887
     
17.23
%
30 - 60 days past due    
14,918
     
3.00
%    
11,658
     
2.50
%    
15,957
     
3.36
%
61 - 90 days past due    
3,792
     
0.76
%    
3,516
     
0.75
%    
4,395
     
0.92
%
> 90 days past due    
1,649
     
0.33
%    
1,470
     
0.31
%    
2,037
     
0.43
%
Total   $
497,652
     
100.00
%   $
466,854
     
100.00
%   $
475,354
     
100.00
%
 
Accounts
one
and
two
days past due are considered current for this analysis, due to the varying payment dates and variation in the day of the week at each period end. Delinquencies
may
vary from period to period based on the average age of the portfolio, seasonality within the calendar year, the day of the week and overall economic factors. The above categories are consistent with internal operational measures used by the Company to monitor credit results.
 
Substantially all of the Company’s automobile contracts involve contracts made to individuals with impaired or limited credit histories, or higher debt-to-income ratios than permitted by traditional lenders; such contracts generally entail a higher risk of delinquency, default, repossession, and losses than contracts made with buyers with better credit. The Company monitors contract term length, down payment percentages, and collections as credit quality indicators.
 
    Nine Months Ended
January 31,
    2018   2017
Principal collected as a percent of average finance receivables    
37.2
%    
37.9
%
Average down-payment percentage    
5.8
%    
5.3
%
Average originating contract term
(in months
)
   
29.6
     
29.3
 
 
    January 31, 2018   January 31, 2017
Portfolio weighted average contract term, including modifications
(in months
)
   
32.4
     
31.9
 
 
The decrease in collections as a percentage of average finance receivables resulted primarily from the longer average term, a lower level of early pay-offs, and the increase in the contract interest rate, partially offset by a higher average age of receivables. The increases in contract term are primarily related to efforts to keep payments affordable, for competitive reasons and to continue to work with our customers when they experience financial difficulties. In order to remain competitive, term lengths
may
continue to increase.