XML 29 R19.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.23.3
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation

Nicholas Financial, Inc. (“Nicholas Financial – Canada” or the Company) is a Canadian holding company incorporated under the laws of British Columbia with several wholly-owned United States subsidiaries, including Nicholas Financial, Inc., a Florida corporation (“NFI”). The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2023, and the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Nicholas Financial – Canada, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information, with the instructions to Form 10-Q pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and with Article 8 of Regulation S-X thereunder. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes to the consolidated financial statements required by U.S. GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements, although the Company believes that the disclosures made are adequate to ensure the information is not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending March 31, 2024. It is suggested that these condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 27, 2023. The March 31, 2023 consolidated balance sheet included herein has been derived from the March 31, 2023 audited consolidated balance sheet included in the aforementioned Form 10-K.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate to the determination of the allowance for credit losses on finance receivables.

Reclassifications

In certain instances, amounts reported in the prior year financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on previously reported net income (loss).

Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL)

Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL)

The ACL reflects the difference between the amortized cost basis and the present value of the expected cash flows of finance receivables. Provisions for credit losses are recorded in amounts sufficient to maintain an ACL at an adequate level to provide for estimated losses over the lives of the finance receivables. Portfolio segments are comprised of homogeneous loans sharing common risk factors. Accordingly, loans are not individually evaluated for collectability. Consistent with the application during prior reporting years, the Company continues charging credit losses against the allowance when the account reaches 120 days contractually delinquent and any recoveries on finance receivables previously charged to the ACL are credited to the ACL when collected.

The Company uses a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model to forecast expected credit losses. Historical information about losses generally provides a basis for the estimate of expected credit losses. The Company has utilized its own historical data as well as its peer group companies' data from FFIEC Call Report filings. This data has been used to produce regression analyses designed to quantify the impact of reasonable and supportable forecasts in projective models.

The Company also considers the need to adjust historical information to reflect the extent to which current conditions differ from the conditions that existed for the period over which historical information was evaluated. These adjustments to historical loss information may be qualitative or quantitative in nature. The Company considers changes in international, national, regional and local conditions, changes in the volume and severity of past due loans, portfolio bankruptcy trends, maturity terms extensions, changes in the value of underlying collateral for collateral dependent loans, the effect of other external factors, such as competition, legal and regulatory requirements on the level of estimated credit losses, the existence and effect of any concentrations of credit and changes in the levels of such concentrations, changes in the nature and volume of the portfolio and terms of loans, changes in the quality of the loan review system, changes in the experience, depth, and ability of lending management, and reasonable and supportable economic forecasts, which cover the lives of the finance receivables.

The Company discounts expected cash flows at the financial asset’s effective interest rate. The effective interest rate is defined in the ASC 326 as the contractual interest rate adjusted for any net deferred fees or costs, premium, or discount existing at the origination or acquisition of the financial assets. For the Company, this is calculated using adjusted contractual cash flows relative to the amortized cost. The Company also considers prepayment and curtailment effects in calculation of its effective interest rate.

According to ASC 326-20-30-9, estimating expected credit losses is highly judgmental and requires to produce reasonable and supportable forecasts of expected credit losses. The Company has elected to forecast the first four quarters of the credit loss estimate and revert to a long-run average of each considered economic factor as permitted in ASC 326-20-30-9. Based on the final values in the forecast and the uncertainty of a post-pandemic recovery, management has elected to revert over four quarters. The Company also uses information provided by the FOMC to obtain various forecasts for unemployment rate and gross domestic product, as well as other economic factors that are considered as part of its ACL calculations.

The Company elected not to measure an allowance on accrued interest which is included as a component of amortized cost and limited to performing accounts, defined as an account that is less than 61 days past due. Accrual of interest income on finance receivables is suspended when a loan is contractually delinquent for 61 days or more, or the collateral is repossessed, whichever is earlier. Consistent with the application in the prior reporting periods, the Company continue timely reversing the accrual of interest income when the loan is contractually delinquent 61 days or more. All of these such accounts are accounted for in the calculation for allowance for credit losses.

The Company defines a non-performing asset as one that is 61 or more days past due, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy account, or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy account that has not been confirmed by the courts, for which the accrual of interest income is suspended. Upon confirmation of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy account (BK13), the account is immediately charged-off. Upon notification of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, an account is monitored for collectability. In the event the debtors’ balance is reduced by the bankruptcy court, the Company records a loss equal to the amount of principal balance reduction. The remaining balance is reduced as payments are received. In the event an account is dismissed from bankruptcy, the Company will decide whether to begin repossession proceedings or to allow the customer to make regularly scheduled payments.

Prior to adoption of ASU 2016-13 the Company was periodically evaluating composition of the portfolio, current economic conditions, the estimated net realizable value of the underlying collateral, historical loan loss experience, delinquency, non-performing assets, and bankrupt accounts when determining management’s estimate of probable credit losses and the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses. Management utilized significant judgment in determining probable incurred losses and in identifying and evaluating qualitative factors. This approach aligned with the Company’s lending policies and underwriting standards. If the allowance for credit losses is determined to be inadequate, then an additional charge to the provision is recorded to maintain adequate reserves based on management’s evaluation of the risk inherent in the loan portfolio.

The Company used a trailing twelve-month net charge-off as a percentage of average finance receivables, and applied this percentage to ending finance receivables to estimate probable credit losses. This approach reflected the current trends of incurred losses within the portfolio and closely aligns the allowance for credit losses with the portfolio’s performance indicators. Estimating the allowance for credit losses using the trailing twelve-month charge-off analysis reflected portfolio performance adjusted for seasonality. Management evaluated qualitative factors to support its allowance for credit losses. The Company examined the impact of macro-economic factors, such as year-over-year inflation, as well as portfolio performance characteristics, such as changes in the value of underlying collateral, level of nonperforming accounts, delinquency trends, and accounts with extended terms.