Business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Business
Business	1. Business CPI Card Group Inc. (which, together with its subsidiary companies, is referred to herein as “CPI” or the “Company”) is a payment technology company and leading provider of comprehensive Financial Payment Card solutions in the United States. CPI is engaged in the design, production, data personalization, packaging and fulfillment of Financial Payment Cards, which the Company defines as credit, debit and Prepaid Debit Cards issued on the networks of the Payment Card Brands (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover in the United States and Interac, in Canada). CPI also offers an instant card issuance solution, which provides card issuing bank customers the ability to issue a personalized debit or credit card within the bank branch to individual cardholders. CPI serves its customers through a network of high-security production and card services facilities in the United States, each of which is audited for compliance with the standards of the PCI Security Standards Council by one or more of the Payment Card Brands. CPI’s leading network of high-security production facilities allows the Company to optimize its solutions offerings and to serve its customers. The Company’s business consists of the following reportable segments: Debit and Credit, Prepaid Debit and Other. The Debit and Credit segment primarily produces Financial Payment Cards and provides integrated card services to card-issuing banks primarily in the United States. The Prepaid Debit segment primarily provides integrated card services to Prepaid Debit Card program managers primarily in the United States. The Company’s “Other” segment includes corporate expenses. In the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Canadian subsidiary. The sale agreement did not include the portions of the business relating to Financial Payment Cards, as that business migrated to the Company’s operations in the U.S. or to other service providers in 2019. The transaction closed on April 1, 2019, and the Company received cash proceeds of $1,451. After the payment of liabilities and transaction costs, including employee termination costs, the sale did not have a significant impact on cash, and no significant loss on sale. In connection with the disposition of the foreign entity, the Company released the related cumulative translation adjustment from “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss” on the Balance Sheet into income from continuing operations during the year ended December 31, 2019. This adjustment was $1,329 and is included in “Foreign Currency Loss” on the Statement of Operations. The Canadian subsidiary was not a significant operating segment and was part of the Other reportable segment. COVID-19 Update The ongoing adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to impact the locations where CPI, its customers and its suppliers conduct business. Overall, CPI believes that COVID-19 had a net negative impact relative to its full year expectations for 2020. The broader and long-term implications of COVID-19 on the Company’s results of operations and overall financial performance remain uncertain. The health and safety of CPI employees remain paramount, and the Company continues to follow response protocols based on precautions and other appropriate measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as various state and local executive orders, health orders and guidelines.  All of CPI’s operations have remained open and continue to provide direct and essential support to the financial services industry. CPI’s net sales in 2020 increased over the prior year; however, in certain areas of the business, the Company experienced lower customer demand than expected which it believes is primarily attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. CPI may experience constrained supply, curtailed customer demand, impacts on its workforce and other effects that could materially adversely impact the Company’s business, results of operations and overall financial condition in future periods. CPI’s strategies may not be successful in effectively managing its resources and mitigating the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business, operating results and financial condition. See Item 1A, Risk Factors, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion of the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company. On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer social security payments, changes in net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitation and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. Refer to Note 12 “Income Taxes” for a discussion of the CARES Act income tax impacts on the Company. In addition, CPI has deferred employer social security payments starting with the second quarter of 2020 in accordance with the CARES Act. While the Company is participating in certain programs under the CARES Act, the Act and its guidance are subject to change.

1. Business

CPI Card Group Inc. (which, together with its subsidiary companies, is referred to herein as “CPI” or the “Company”) is a payment technology company and leading provider of comprehensive Financial Payment Card solutions in the United States. CPI is engaged in the design, production, data personalization, packaging and fulfillment of Financial Payment Cards, which the Company defines as credit, debit and Prepaid Debit Cards issued on the networks of the Payment Card Brands (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover in the United States and Interac, in Canada). CPI also offers an instant card issuance solution, which provides card issuing bank customers the ability to issue a personalized debit or credit card within the bank branch to individual cardholders.

CPI serves its customers through a network of high-security production and card services facilities in the United States, each of which is audited for compliance with the standards of the PCI Security Standards Council by one or more of the Payment Card Brands. CPI’s leading network of high-security production facilities allows the Company to optimize its solutions offerings and to serve its customers.

The Company’s business consists of the following reportable segments: Debit and Credit, Prepaid Debit and Other. The Debit and Credit segment primarily produces Financial Payment Cards and provides integrated card services to card-issuing banks primarily in the United States. The Prepaid Debit segment primarily provides integrated card services to Prepaid Debit Card program managers primarily in the United States. The Company’s “Other” segment includes corporate expenses.

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Canadian subsidiary. The sale agreement did not include the portions of the business relating to Financial Payment Cards, as that business migrated to the Company’s operations in the U.S. or to other service providers in 2019. The transaction closed on April 1, 2019, and the Company received cash proceeds of $1,451. After the payment of liabilities and transaction costs, including employee termination costs, the sale did not have a significant impact on cash, and no significant loss on sale. In connection with the disposition of the foreign entity, the Company released the related cumulative translation adjustment from “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss” on the Balance Sheet into income from continuing operations during the year ended December 31, 2019. This adjustment was $1,329 and is included in “Foreign Currency Loss” on the Statement of Operations. The Canadian subsidiary was not a significant operating segment and was part of the Other reportable segment.

COVID-19 Update

The ongoing adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to impact the locations where CPI, its customers and its suppliers conduct business. Overall, CPI believes that COVID-19 had a net negative impact relative to its full year expectations for 2020. The broader and long-term implications of COVID-19 on the Company’s results of operations and overall financial performance remain uncertain. The health and safety of CPI employees remain paramount, and the Company continues to follow response protocols based on precautions and other appropriate measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as various state and local executive orders, health orders and guidelines.  All of CPI’s operations have remained open and continue to provide direct and essential support to the financial services industry. CPI’s net sales in 2020 increased over the prior year; however, in certain areas of the business, the Company experienced lower customer demand than expected which it believes is primarily attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. CPI may experience constrained supply, curtailed customer demand, impacts on its workforce and other effects that could materially adversely impact the Company’s business, results of operations and overall financial condition in future periods. CPI’s strategies may not be successful in effectively managing its resources and mitigating the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business, operating results and financial condition. See Item 1A, Risk Factors, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion of the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer social security payments, changes in net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitation and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. Refer to Note 12 “Income Taxes” for a discussion of the CARES Act income tax impacts on the Company. In addition, CPI has deferred employer social security payments starting with the second quarter of 2020 in accordance with the CARES Act. While the Company is participating in certain programs under the CARES Act, the Act and its guidance are subject to change.