SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
For the year ended December 31, 2014
of
ATLANTICUS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
a Georgia Corporation
IRS Employer Identification No. 58-2336689
SEC File Number 0-53717
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 400
Atlanta, Georgia 30328
(770) 828-2000
Atlanticus’ common stock, no par value per share, is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”).
Atlanticus is not a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Atlanticus (1) is required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 of the Act, (2) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 of the Act during the preceding 12 months and (3) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Atlanticus has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months.
Atlanticus believes that its executive officers, directors and 10% beneficial owners subject to Section 16(a) of the Act complied with all applicable filing requirements during 2014, except as set forth under the caption “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in Atlanticus’ Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Atlanticus is a smaller reporting company and is not a shell company.
The aggregate market value of Atlanticus’ common stock (based upon the closing sales price quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market) held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2014 was $15.3 million. (For this purpose, directors and officers have been assumed to be affiliates, and we also have excluded 1,459,233 loaned shares at June 30, 2014.)
As of February 20, 2015, 13,926,379 shares of common stock, no par value, of Atlanticus were outstanding. This excludes 1,459,233 loaned shares to be returned.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of Atlanticus’ Proxy Statement for its 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference into Part III.
Table of Contents
Page | ||||
Part I | ||||
Item 1. | Business | |||
Item 1A. | Risk Factors | |||
Item 1B. | Unresolved Staff Comments | |||
Item 2. | Properties | |||
Item 3. | Legal Proceedings | |||
Item 4. | Mine Safety Disclosures | |||
Part II | ||||
Item 5. | Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities | |||
Item 6. | Selected Financial Data | |||
Item 7. | Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | |||
Item 7A. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | |||
Item 8. | Financial Statements and Supplementary Data | |||
Item 9. | Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure | |||
Item 9A. | Controls and Procedures | |||
Item 9B. | Other Information | |||
Part III | ||||
Item 10. | Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance | |||
Item 11. | Executive Compensation | |||
Item 12. | Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters | |||
Item 13. | Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence | |||
Item 14. | Principal Accountant Fees and Services | |||
Part IV | ||||
Item 15. | Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules | |||
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In this Report, except as the context suggests otherwise, the words “Company,” “Atlanticus Holdings Corporation,” “Atlanticus,” “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” refer to Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and its subsidiaries and predecessors. Atlanticus owns Aspire®, Emerge®, Imagine®, Majestic®, Monument®, Salute®, Tribute®, Fortiva® and other trademarks and service marks in the U.S. and the U.K.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
We make forward-looking statements in this Report and in other materials we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or otherwise make public. In this Report, both Item 1, “Business,” and Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations,” contain forward-looking statements. In addition, our senior management might make forward-looking statements to analysts, investors, the media and others. Statements with respect to expected revenue, income, receivables, income ratios, net interest margins, long-term shareholder returns, acquisitions and other growth opportunities, divestitures and discontinuations of businesses, loss exposure and loss provisions, delinquency and charge-off rates, the effects of account actions we may take or have taken, changes in collection programs and practices, changes in the credit quality and fair value of our credit card loans and fees receivable and the fair value of their underlying structured financing facilities, the impact of actions by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) and other regulators on both us, banks that issue credit cards and other credit products on our behalf, and merchants that participate in our point-of-sale finance operations, account growth, the performance of investments that we have made, operating expenses, the impact of bankruptcy law changes, marketing plans and expenses, the performance of our Auto Finance segment, our plans in the United Kingdom (“U.K.”), the impact of our U.K. credit card receivables on our financial performance, the sufficiency of available capital, the prospect for improvements in the capital and finance markets, future interest costs, sources of funding operations and acquisitions, growth and profitability of our point-of-sale finance operations, our entry into international markets, our ability to raise funds or renew financing facilities, share repurchases, debt retirement, the results associated with our equity-method investees, our servicing income levels, gains and losses from investments in securities, experimentation with new products and other statements of our plans, beliefs or expectations are forward-looking statements. These and other statements using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “target,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions also are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. The forward-looking statements we make are not guarantees of future performance, and we have based these statements on our assumptions and analyses in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. Forward-looking statements by their nature involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results, and actual future results could differ materially from those described in such statements. Management cautions against putting undue reliance on forward-looking statements or projecting any future results based on such statements or present or historical earnings levels.
Although it is not possible to identify all factors, we continue to face many risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from our expectations are the risks and uncertainties described under “Risk Factors” set forth in Part I, Item 1A, and the risk factors and other cautionary statements in other documents we file with the SEC, including the following:
• | the availability of adequate financing to support growth; |
• | the extent to which federal, state, local and foreign governmental regulation of our various business lines and products limits or prohibits the operation of our businesses; |
• | current and future litigation and regulatory proceedings against us; |
• | the effect of adverse economic conditions on our revenues, loss rates and cash flows; |
• | competition from various sources providing similar financial products, or other alternative sources of credit, to consumers; |
• | the adequacy of our allowances for uncollectible loans and fees receivable and estimates of loan losses used within our underwriting and analyses; |
• | the possible impairment of assets; |
• | our ability to manage costs in line with the expansion or contraction of our various business lines; |
• | our relationship with the merchants that participate in our point-of-sale finance operations and the banks that provide certain services that are needed to operate our business lines; and |
• | theft and employee errors. |
Most of these factors are beyond our ability to predict or control. Any of these factors, or a combination of these factors, could materially affect our future financial condition or results of operations and the ultimate accuracy of our forward-looking statements. There also are other factors that we may not describe (generally because we currently do not perceive them to be material) that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations.
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We expressly disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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PART I
ITEM 1. | BUSINESS |
General
A general discussion of our business follows. For additional information about our business, please visit our website at www.Atlanticus.com. Information contained on or available through our website is not incorporated by reference in this Report.
We are a Georgia corporation formed in 2009, as successor to an entity that commenced operations in 1996. We provide various credit and related financial services and products primarily to or associated with the financially underserved consumer credit market—a market largely represented by credit risks that regulators classify as sub-prime.
Currently, within our Credit and Other Investments segment, we are applying the experiences and infrastructure from our 18-year operating history to originate consumer loans through multiple channels, including retail point-of-sale and direct solicitation. In our point-of-sale channel, we partner with retailers and service providers in various industries across the United States ("U.S.") to provide credit to their customers for the purchase of goods and services or the rental of merchandise to their customers under rent-to-own arrangements. These products are often extended to customers who may have been declined under traditional financing options. We specialize in providing this "second-look" credit service. Using our infrastructure and technology platform, we also provide loan servicing, including underwriting, marketing, customer service and collections operations for third parties. Also through our Credit and Other Investments segment, we engage in testing and limited investment in consumer finance technology platforms as we seek to capitalize on our expertise and infrastructure.
Also within our Credit and Other Investments segment, we continue to collect on portfolios of credit card receivables. These receivables include both receivables we originated through third-party financial institutions and portfolios of receivables we purchased from third-party financial institutions.
The recurring cash flows we receive within our Credit and Other Investments segment principally include those associated with (1) our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance activities, (2) servicing compensation and (3) credit card receivables portfolios that are unencumbered or where we own a portion of the underlying structured financing facility.
Within our Auto Finance segment, our CAR subsidiary operations principally purchase and/or service loans secured by automobiles from or for, and also provide floor plan financing for, a pre-qualified network of independent automotive dealers and automotive finance companies in the buy-here, pay-here, used car business. We purchase auto loans at a discount and with dealer retentions or holdbacks that provide risk protection. Also within our Auto Finance segment, we are collecting on portfolios of auto finance receivables that we previously originated through franchised and independent auto dealers in connection with prior business activities, as well as providing certain lending products in addition to our traditional loans secured by automobiles.
Currently we no longer market or maintain open credit card accounts in the U.S. other than as part of servicing agreements with third parties. We do believe, however, that our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance activities are generating and will continue to generate attractive returns on assets, thereby allowing us to secure debt financing under terms and conditions (including advance rates and pricing) that will allow us to achieve our desired returns on equity, and we continue to pursue growth in this area.
Although we closely monitor and manage our expenses based on current product offerings (and in recent years have significantly reduced our overhead infrastructure which was built to accommodate higher account originations and managed receivables levels), we are maintaining our infrastructure and incurring increased overhead and other costs in order to expand point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance solutions and new product offerings that we believe have the potential to grow into our infrastructure and allow for long-term shareholder returns.
Subject to the availability of capital at attractive terms and pricing, we plan to continue to evaluate and pursue a variety of activities, including: (1) the expansion of our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance products; (2) the acquisition of additional financial assets associated with our point-of-sale finance activities as well as the acquisition of receivables portfolios; (3) investments in other assets or businesses that are not necessarily financial services assets or businesses; (4) the repurchase of our convertible senior notes and other debt or our outstanding common stock; and (5) the servicing of receivables and related financial assets for third parties (and in which we have limited or no equity interests) to allow us to leverage our expertise and infrastructure.
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Credit and Other Investments Segment. Our Credit and Other Investments segment includes our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance operations, investments in and servicing of our various credit card receivables portfolios and other testing and limited investment in consumer finance technology platforms that generally capitalize on our credit infrastructure.
As previously discussed, our point-of-sale finance operations allow retail partners to offer installment lending or revolving credit options as well as rent-to-own arrangements to their customer base. With many potential customers currently declined under traditional financing terms offered by other lenders, we are able to increase a business' customer base by approving certain of these overlooked consumers for various payment arrangements. We currently provide this service by (i) allowing retail partners access to our proprietary online application processing and (ii) offering competitively priced payment options to consumers and other offerings unique to the industry. We believe that our ability to offer customers flexibility in their payment arrangements (from installment loans and revolving credit to rent-to-own options) affords us a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Currently our installment and revolving credit loans cover a variety of goods and services including consumer electronics, furniture, elective medical procedures and home-improvements. Alternatively, our rent-to-own options allow consumers to obtain and use brand name products (in the aforementioned categories) with flexible rental purchase agreements and no long-term obligations. Our growing portfolio of point-of-sale finance assets are generating and we believe will continue to generate attractive returns on assets, thereby allowing us to secure debt financing under terms and conditions (including advance rates and pricing) that will allow us to achieve our desired returns on equity, and we continue to pursue growth in this area.
Substantially all of the credit card accounts underlying our credit card receivables and portfolios have been closed to new cardholder purchases since 2009. We continue to service our credit card portfolios as they continue to liquidate. Our credit and other operations are heavily regulated, which may cause us to change how we conduct our operations either in response to regulation or in keeping with our goal of leading the industry in adherence to consumer-friendly practices. We have made several significant changes to our practices over the past several years, and because our account management practices are evolutionary and dynamic, it is possible that we may make further changes to these practices, some of which may produce positive, and others of which may produce adverse, effects on our operating results and financial position. Customers at the lower end of the credit score range intrinsically have higher loss rates than do customers at the higher end of the credit score range. As a result, we price our products to reflect this higher loss rate. As such, our products are subject to greater regulatory scrutiny than the products of prime lenders who are able to price their credit products at much lower levels than we can. See “Consumer and Debtor Protection Laws and Regulations—Credit and Other Investments Segment” and Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”
Auto Finance Segment. The operations of our Auto Finance segment are principally conducted through our CAR platform, which we acquired in April 2005. CAR primarily purchases and/or services loans secured by automobiles from or for a pre-qualified network of independent automotive dealers and automotive finance companies in the buy-here, pay-here used car business. In 2010, we started offering floor-plan financing to this same group of dealers and finance companies. In 2013 we also started offering certain installment lending products in addition to our traditional loans secured by automobiles. While this product represented less than 15% of CAR's net outstanding receivables as of December 31, 2014, we seek to grow the volume of these loans in the coming quarters.
Through our CAR operations, we generate revenues on purchased loans through interest earned on the face value of the installment agreements combined with discounts on loans purchased. We generally earn discount income over the life of the applicable loan. Additionally, we generate revenues from servicing loans on behalf of dealers for a portion of actual collections and by providing back-up servicing for similar quality assets owned by unrelated third parties. We offer a number of other products to our network of buy-here, pay-here dealers (including our floor-plan financing offering), but the majority of our activities are represented by our purchases of auto loans at discounts and our servicing of auto loans for a fee. As of December 31, 2014, our CAR operations served more than 570 dealers in 36 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories. These operations continue to perform well in the current environment (achieving consistent profitability and generating positive cash flows with modest growth).
How Do We Manage the Accounts and Mitigate Our Risks?
Credit and Other Investments Segment. We manage accounts using credit behavioral scoring, credit file data and our proprietary risk evaluation systems. These strategies include the management of transaction authorizations, account renewals, over-limit accounts, credit line modifications and collection programs. We use an adaptive control system to translate our strategies into account management processes. The system enables us to develop and test multiple strategies simultaneously, which allows us to continually refine our account management activities. We have incorporated our proprietary risk scores into the control system, in addition to standard credit behavior scores used widely in the industry, in order to segment, evaluate and
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manage the accounts. We believe that by combining external credit file data along with historical and current customer activity, we are able to better predict the true risk associated with current and delinquent accounts.
For our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance activities as well as the accounts that are open to purchases, we generally seek to manage credit lines to reward financially underserved customers who are performing well and to mitigate losses from delinquent customer segments. We also employ strategies to reduce otherwise open credit lines for customers demonstrating indicators of increased credit or bankruptcy risk. Data relating to account performance are captured and loaded into our proprietary database for ongoing analysis. We adjust account management strategies as necessary, based on the results of such analyses. Additionally, we use industry-standard fraud detection software to manage the portfolio. We route accounts to manual work queues and suspend charging privileges if the transaction-based fraud models indicate a probability of fraudulent use.
Auto Finance Segment. Our CAR operations manage credit quality and loss mitigation at the dealer portfolio level through the implementation of dealer-specific loss reserve accounts. In most instances, the reserve accounts are cross-collateralized across all accounts presented by any single dealer. CAR monitors performance at the dealer portfolio level (by product type) to adjust pricing or the reserve account or to determine whether to terminate future account purchases from such dealer.
CAR provides dealers with specific purchase guidelines based upon each product offering and delegates approval authority to assist in the monitoring of transactions during the loan acquisition process. Dealers are subject to specific approval criteria, and individual accounts typically are verified for accuracy before, during and after the acquisition process. Dealer portfolios across the business segment are monitored and compared against expected collections and peer dealer performance. Monitoring of dealer pool vintages, delinquencies and loss ratios helps determine past performance and expected future results, which are used to adjust pricing and reserve requirements. Our CAR operations also manage risk through diversifying their receivables among multiple dealers.
How Do We Collect from Our Customers?
Credit and Other Investments Segment. The goal of the collections process is to collect as much of the money that is owed to us in the most cost-effective and customer-friendly manner possible. To this end, we employ the traditional cross-section of letters and telephone calls to encourage payment. However, recognizing that our objective is to maximize the amount collected, we also sometimes offer customers flexibility with respect to the application of payments in order to encourage larger or prompter payments. For instance, in certain cases we may vary from our general payment application priority (i.e., of applying payments first to finance charges, then to fees, and then to principal) by agreeing to apply payments first to principal and then to finance charges and fees or by agreeing to provide payments or credits of finance charges and principal to induce or in exchange for an appropriate customer payment. Application of payments in this manner also permits our collectors to assess real time the degree to which a customer’s payments over the life of an account have covered the principal credit extensions to the customer. This allows our collectors to readily identify our potential economic loss associated with the charge off of a particular account (i.e., the excess of principal loaned to the customer over payments received back from the customer throughout the life of the account). With this information, our collectors work cooperatively with our customers in a way intended to best protect us from economic loss on the customer relationship. Our selection of collection techniques, including, for example, the order in which we apply payments or the provision of payments or credits to induce or in exchange for customer payment, impacts the statistical performance of our portfolios that we reflect under the “Credit and Other Investments Segment” caption within Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
We consider management’s experience in operating professional collection agencies, coupled with our proprietary systems, to be a competitive advantage in minimizing delinquencies and charge offs. Our collectors employ various and evolving tools when engaging with our customers, and they routinely test and evaluate new tools in their drive toward improving our collections with a greater degree of efficiency. These tools include programs under which we may reduce or eliminate a customer’s annual percentage rate (“APR”) or waive a certain amount of accrued fees, provided the customer makes a minimum number or amount of payments. In some instances, we may agree to match a customer’s payments, for example, with commensurate payments or reductions of finance charges or waivers of fees. In other situations, we may actually settle with customers and adjust their finance charges and fees, for example, based on their commitment and their follow through on their commitment to pay certain portions of the balances they owe. Our collectors may also decrease a customer’s minimum payment under certain collection programs. Additionally, we employ re-aging techniques as discussed below. We also may occasionally use our marketing group to assist in determining various programs to assist in the collection process. Moreover, we voluntarily participate in the Consumer Credit Counseling Service (“CCCS”) program by waiving a certain percentage of a customer’s debt that is considered our “fair share” under the CCCS program. All of our programs are utilized based on the degree of economic success they achieve.
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We regularly monitor and adapt our collection strategies, techniques, technology and training to optimize our efforts to reduce delinquencies and charge offs. We use our operations systems to develop these proprietary collection strategies and techniques, and we analyze the output from these systems to identify the strategies and techniques that we believe are most likely to result in curing a delinquent account in the most cost-effective manner, rather than treating all accounts the same based on the mere passage of time.
As in all aspects of our risk management strategies, we compare the results of each of the above strategies with other collection strategies and devote resources to those strategies that yield the best results. Results are measured based on delinquency rates, expected losses and costs to collect. Existing strategies are then adjusted based on these results. We believe that routinely testing, measuring and adjusting collection strategies results in lower bad debt losses and operating expenses.
We discontinue charging interest and fees for most of our credit products when loans and fees receivable become contractually 90 or more days past due (and in certain circumstances where it is necessary in order to avoid so-called “negative amortization”), and we charge off loans and fees receivable when they become contractually more than 180 days past due or 120 days past due for the point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance products. For our rent-to-own products, we charge off receivables and impair associated rental merchandise if the customer has not made a payment within the previous 90 days. However, if a customer makes a payment greater than or equal to two minimum payments within a month of the charge-off date, we may reconsider whether charge-off status remains appropriate. For all of our products, we charge off receivables within 30 days of notification and confirmation of a customer’s bankruptcy or death. However, in some cases of death, we do not charge off receivables if there is a surviving, contractually liable individual or an estate large enough to pay the debt in full.
Our determination of whether an account is contractually past due is relevant to our delinquency and charge-off data included under the “Credit and Other Investments Segment” caption within Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Various factors are relevant in analyzing whether an account is contractually past due (e.g., whether an account has not satisfied its minimum payment due requirement), which for us is the trigger for moving receivables through our various delinquency stages and ultimately to charge-off status. For our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance accounts, we consider an account to be delinquent if the customer has not made any required payment in full as of the payment due date. Accounts under our rent-to-own program are considered delinquent if the customer has not made full payment of any rental amount by the due date and has not returned the rental equipment to us. For credit card accounts, we consider a cardholder’s receivable to be delinquent if the cardholder has failed to pay a minimum amount, computed as the greater of a stated minimum payment or a fixed percentage of the statement balance (for example 3% to 10% of the outstanding balance in some cases or in other cases 1% of the outstanding balance plus any finance charges and late fees billed in the current cycle).
Additionally, in an effort to increase the value of our account relationships, we sometimes re-age customer accounts that meet our qualifications for re-aging. It is our policy to work cooperatively with customers demonstrating a willingness and ability to repay their indebtedness and who satisfy other criteria, but are unable to pay the entire past due amount. Generally, to qualify for re-aging, an account must have been opened for at least nine months and may not be re-aged more than once in a twelve-month period or twice in a five-year period. In addition, an account on a workout program may qualify for one additional re-age in a five-year period. The customer also must have made three consecutive minimum monthly payments or the equivalent cumulative amount in the last three billing cycles. If a re-aged account subsequently experiences payment defaults, it will again become contractually delinquent and will be charged off according to our regular charge-off policy. The practice of re-aging an account may affect delinquencies and charge offs, potentially delaying or reducing such delinquencies and charge offs.
Auto Finance Segment. Accounts that CAR purchases from approved dealers initially are collected by the originating branch or service center location using a combination of traditional collection practices. Auto Finance segment accounts that have been loaded into our data processing system are centrally serviced to leverage auto dialer processing for early stage collections. The collection process includes contacting the customer by phone or mail, skip tracing and using starter interrupt devices to minimize delinquencies. Uncollectible accounts in our CAR operation generally are returned to the dealer under an agreement with the dealer to charge the balance on the account against the dealer’s reserve account. We generally do not repossess autos in our CAR operation as a result of the agreements that we have with the dealers unless there are insufficient dealer reserves to offset the loss or if a dealer instructs us to.
Consumer and Debtor Protection Laws and Regulations
Credit and Other Investments Segment. Our U.S. business is regulated directly and indirectly under various federal and state consumer protection, collection and other laws, rules and regulations, including the federal Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (the “CARD Act”), the federal Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the federal Truth In Lending Act (“TILA”), the federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the
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federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") Act, the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the federal Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act. These laws, rules and regulations, among other things, impose disclosure requirements when consumer products are advertised, when an account is opened, when monthly billing statements are sent and when consumer obligations are collected. In addition, various statutes limit the liability of consumers for unauthorized use, prohibit discriminatory practices in consumer transactions, impose limitations on the types of charges that may be assessed and restrict the use of consumer credit reports and other account-related information. Many of our products are designed for customers at the lower end of the credit score range. We price our products to reflect the higher credit risk of our customers. Because of the inherently greater credit risks of these customers and the resulting higher interest and fees, we and our finance partners are subject to significant regulatory scrutiny. If regulators, including the FDIC (which regulates bank lenders), the CFPB and the FTC, object to the terms of these products, or to our marketing or collection practices, we could be required to modify or discontinue certain products or practices.
In the U.K., our credit card operations are subject to U.K. regulations that provide similar consumer protections to those provided under the U.S. regulatory framework. We are licensed and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), and we are governed by an extensive legislative and regulatory framework that includes the Consumer Credit Act, the Data Protection Act, Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, Consumer Protection and Unfair Trading regulations, Financial Services (Distance Marketing) Regulations, the Enterprise Act, Money Laundering Regulations, Financial Ombudsman Service and Advertising Standards Authority adjudications. The aforementioned legislation and regulations impose strict rules on the form and content of consumer contracts, the calculation and presentation of annual percentage rates ("APRs"), advertising in all forms, parties who can be contacted and disclosures to consumers, among others. The regulators, such as the FCA, provide guidance on consumer credit practices including collections. The FCA requires a comprehensive licensing process. We are currently undertaking steps to ensure that we continue to remain in compliance with all regulations.
Auto Finance Segment. This segment is regulated directly and indirectly under various federal and state consumer protection and other laws, rules and regulations, including the federal TILA, the federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the federal Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act. In addition, various state statutes limit the interest rates and fees that may be charged, limit the types of interest computations (e.g., interest bearing or pre-computed) and refunding processes, prohibit discriminatory practices in extending credit, impose limitations on fees and other ancillary products and restrict the use of consumer credit reports and other account-related information. Many of the states in which this segment operates have various licensing requirements and impose certain financial or other conditions in connection with these licensing requirements.
Privacy and Data Security Laws and Regulations. We are required to manage, use, and store large amounts of personally identifiable information, principally customers’ confidential personal and financial data, in the course of our business. We depend on our IT networks and systems, and those of third parties, to process, store, and transmit that information. In the past, consumer finance companies have been targeted for sophisticated cyber attacks. A security breach involving our files and infrastructure could lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. We take numerous measures to ensure the security of our hardware and software systems as well as customer information.
We are subject to various U.S. federal and state laws and regulations designed to protect confidential personal and financial data. For example, we must comply with guidelines under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that require each financial institution to develop, implement and maintain a written, comprehensive information security program containing safeguards that are appropriate to the financial institution’s size and complexity, the nature and scope of the financial institution’s activities and the sensitivity of any customer information at issue. Additionally, various federal banking regulatory agencies, and at least 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, have enacted data security regulations and laws requiring customer notification in the event of a security breach.
Competition
Credit and Other Investments Segment. We face substantial competition from other consumer lenders, the intensity of which varies depending upon economic and liquidity cycles. Our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance activities, rent-to-own and credit card businesses compete with national, regional and local bankcard and consumer credit issuers, other general-purpose credit card issuers and retail credit card and merchant credit issuers. Many of these competitors are substantially larger than we are, have significantly greater financial resources than we do and have significantly lower costs of funds than we have.
Auto Finance Segment. Competition within the auto finance sector is widespread and fragmented. Our auto finance operations target automobile dealers that oftentimes are not capable of accessing indirect lending from major financial
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institutions or captive finance companies. We compete mainly with a handful of national and regional companies focused on this credit segment (e.g., Credit Acceptance Corporation, Westlake Financial, Mid-Atlantic Finance, General Motors Financial Company, Inc. (formerly AmeriCredit Corp.), Drive Financial, Western Funding Inc., and America’s Car-Mart) and a large number of smaller, regional private companies with a narrow geographic focus. Individual dealers with access to capital may also compete in this segment through the purchase of receivables from peer dealers in their markets.
Employees
As of December 31, 2014, we had 319 employees, including 5 part-time employees, most of which are employed within the U.S., principally in Florida and Georgia. Also included in this employee count are 35 employees in the U.K. We consider our relations with our employees to be good. Our employees are not covered by a collective-bargaining agreement, and we have never experienced any organized work stoppage, strike or labor dispute.
Trademarks, Trade Names and Service Marks
We have registered and continue to register, when appropriate, various trademarks, trade names and service marks used in connection with our businesses and for private-label marketing of certain of our products. We consider these trademarks and service marks to be readily identifiable with, and valuable to, our business. This Annual Report on Form 10-K also contains trade names and trademarks of other companies that are the property of their respective owners.
Additional Information
We are headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and our principal executive offices are located at Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 400, Atlanta, Georgia 30328. Our headquarters telephone number is (770) 828-2000, and our website is www.Atlanticus.com. We make available free of charge on our website certain of our recent SEC filings, including our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and amendments to those filings as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.
Certain corporate governance materials, including our Board of Directors committee charters and our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, are posted on our website under the heading “For Investors.” From time to time, the corporate governance materials on our website may be updated as necessary to comply with rules issued by the SEC or NASDAQ, or as desirable to further the continued effective and efficient governance of our company.
ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS |
An investment in our common stock or other securities involves a number of risks. You should carefully consider each of the risks described below before deciding to invest in our common stock or other securities. If any of the following risks develops into actual events, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be negatively affected, the market price of our common stock or other securities could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Investors should be particularly cautious regarding investments in our common stock or other securities at the present time in light of the net contraction of our receivables levels over the last few years, uncertainties as to our business model going forward and our inability to achieve consistent earnings from our operations in recent years.
Our Cash Flows and Net Income Are Dependent Upon Payments from Our Loans and Fees Receivable and Other Credit Products
The collectibility of our loans and fees receivable is a function of many factors including the criteria used to select who is issued credit, the pricing of the credit products, the lengths of the relationships, general economic conditions, the rate at which customers repay their accounts or become delinquent, and the rate at which customers borrow funds from us. Deterioration in these factors, which we have experienced over the past few years, adversely impacts our business. In addition, to the extent we have over-estimated collectibility, in all likelihood we have over-estimated our financial performance. Some of these concerns are discussed more fully below.
Our portfolio of receivables is not diversified and originates from customers whose creditworthiness is considered sub-prime. Historically, we have obtained receivables in one of two ways—we have either solicited for the origination of the receivables or purchased pools of receivables from other issuers. In either case, substantially all of our receivables are from financially underserved borrowers—borrowers represented by credit risks that regulators classify as “sub-prime.” Our reliance on sub-prime receivables has negatively impacted and may in the future negatively impact, our performance. Our various past and current losses might have been mitigated had our portfolios consisted of higher-grade receivables in addition to our sub-prime receivables.
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We may not successfully evaluate the creditworthiness of our customers and may not price our credit products in a profitable manner. The creditworthiness of our target market generally is considered “sub-prime” based on guidance issued by the agencies that regulate the banking industry. Thus, our customers generally have a higher frequency of delinquencies, higher risks of nonpayment and, ultimately, higher credit losses than consumers who are served by more traditional providers of consumer credit. Some of the consumers included in our target market are consumers who are dependent upon finance companies, consumers with only retail store credit cards and/or lacking general purpose credit cards, consumers who are establishing or expanding their credit, and consumers who may have had a delinquency, a default or, in some instances, a bankruptcy in their credit histories, but who, in our view, have demonstrated creditworthiness. We price our credit products taking into account the perceived risk level of our customers. If our estimates are incorrect, customer default rates will be higher, we will receive less cash from the receivables and the value of our loans and fees receivable will decline, all of which will have a negative impact on performance. It also is unclear whether our current payment rates can be sustained given weakness in the employment outlook and economic environment at large.
Economic slowdowns increase our credit losses. During periods of economic slowdown or recession, we experience an increase in rates of delinquencies and frequency and severity of credit losses. Our actual rates of delinquencies and frequency and severity of credit losses may be comparatively higher during periods of economic slowdown or recession than those experienced by more traditional providers of consumer credit because of our focus on the financially underserved consumer market, which may be disproportionately impacted.
We are subject to foreign economic and exchange risks. Because of our operations in the U.K., we have exposure to fluctuations in the U.K. economy, and such fluctuations recently have been negative. We also have exposure to fluctuations in the relative values of the U.S. dollar and the British pound. Because the British pound has experienced a net decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar since we commenced our most significant operations in the U.K., we have experienced significant transaction and translation losses within our financial statements.
Because a significant portion of our reported income is based on management’s estimates of the future performance of our loans and fees receivable, differences between actual and expected performance of the receivables may cause fluctuations in net income. Significant portions of our reported income (or losses) are based on management’s estimates of cash flows we expect to receive on our loans and fees receivable, particularly for such assets that we report based on fair value. The expected cash flows are based on management’s estimates of interest rates, default rates, payment rates, cardholder purchases, servicing costs, and discount rates. These estimates are based on a variety of factors, many of which are not within our control. Substantial differences between actual and expected performance of the receivables will occur and cause fluctuations in our net income. For instance, higher than expected rates of delinquencies and losses could cause our net income to be lower than expected. Similarly, as we have experienced for our credit card receivables portfolios with respect to financing agreements secured by our loans and fees receivable, levels of loss and delinquency can result in our being required to repay our lenders earlier than expected, thereby reducing funds available to us for future growth. Because all of our credit card receivables structured financing facilities are now in amortization status—which for us generally means that the only meaningful cash flows that we are receiving with respect to the credit card receivables that are encumbered by such structured financing facilities are those associated with our contractually specified fee for servicing the receivables—recent payment and default trends have substantially reduced the cash flows that we receive from these receivables.
Due to our relative lack of historical experience with Internet customers, we may not be able to target successfully these customers or evaluate their creditworthiness. We have less historical experience with respect to the credit risk and performance of customers acquired over the Internet. As a result, we may not be able to target and evaluate successfully the creditworthiness of these potential customers should we engage in marketing efforts to acquire these customers. Therefore, we may encounter difficulties managing the expected delinquencies and losses and appropriately pricing our products.
We Are Substantially Dependent Upon Borrowed Funds to Fund the Receivables We Originate or Purchase
We finance our receivables in large part through financing facilities. All of our financing facilities are of finite duration (and ultimately will need to be extended or replaced) and contain financial covenants and other conditions that must be fulfilled in order for funding to be available. Moreover, some of our facilities currently are in amortization stages (and are not allowing for the funding of any new loans) based on their original terms. The cost and availability of equity and borrowed funds is dependent upon our financial performance, the performance of our industry generally and general economic and market conditions, and at times equity and borrowed funds have been both expensive and difficult to obtain.
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If additional financing facilities are not available in the future on terms we consider acceptable—an issue that has been made even more acute in the U.S. given recent regulatory changes that have reduced asset-level returns on credit card lending—we will not be able to grow our credit card operations and it will continue to contract in size.
Our Financial Performance Is, in Part, a Function of the Aggregate Amount of Receivables That Are Outstanding
The aggregate amount of outstanding receivables is a function of many factors including purchase rates, payment rates, interest rates, seasonality, general economic conditions, competition from credit card issuers and other sources of consumer financing, access to funding, and the timing, extent and success of our marketing efforts.
Our credit card operation currently is contracting. Growth is a product of a combination of factors, many of which are not in our control. Factors include:
• | the availability of funding on favorable terms; |
• | the level and success of our marketing efforts; |
• | the degree to which we lose business to competitors; |
• | the level of usage of our credit products by our customers; |
• | the availability of portfolios for purchase on attractive terms; |
• | levels of delinquencies and charge offs; |
• | the level of costs of soliciting new customers; |
• | our ability to employ and train new personnel; |
• | our ability to maintain adequate management systems, collection procedures, internal controls and automated systems; and |
• | general economic and other factors beyond our control. |
We have curtailed our U.S. credit card marketing efforts and have aggressively reduced credit lines and closed credit card accounts. In addition, the general economic downturn experienced in 2008 and 2009 significantly impacted not just the level of usage of our credit products by our customers but also levels of payments and delinquencies and other performance metrics. As a result, our credit card operation currently is contracting.
Reliance upon relationships with a few large retailers in our point-of-sale finance operations may adversely affect our revenues and operating results from these operations. Our three largest retail partners accounted for over 78.0% of our point-of-sale finance and rental revenues in 2014. Although we are adding new retail partners on a regular basis, it is likely that we will continue to derive a significant portion of this operations’ revenue from a relatively small number of partners in the future. If a significant partner reduces or terminates its relationship with us, these operations’ revenue could decline significantly and our operating results and financial condition could be harmed.
We Operate in a Heavily Regulated Industry
Changes in bankruptcy, privacy or other consumer protection laws, or to the prevailing interpretation thereof, may expose us to litigation, adversely affect our ability to collect our loans and fees receivable, or otherwise adversely affect our operations. Similarly, regulatory changes could adversely affect our ability or willingness to market credit cards and other products and services to our customers. Also, the accounting rules that govern our business are exceedingly complex, difficult to apply and in a state of flux. As a result, how we value our receivables and otherwise account for our business is subject to change depending upon the changes in, and, interpretation of, those rules. Some of these issues are discussed more fully below.
Reviews and enforcement actions by regulatory authorities under banking and consumer protection laws and regulations may result in changes to our business practices, may make collection of account balances more difficult or may expose us to the risk of fines, restitution and litigation. Our operations and the operations of the issuing banks through which we originate some of our credit products are subject to the jurisdiction of federal, state and local government authorities, including the CFPB, the SEC, the FDIC, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the FTC, U.K. banking authorities, state regulators having jurisdiction over financial institutions and debt origination and collection and state attorneys general. Our business practices, including the terms of our products and our marketing, servicing and collection practices, are subject to both periodic and special reviews by these regulatory and enforcement authorities. These reviews can range from investigations of specific consumer complaints or concerns to broader inquiries into our practices generally. If as part of these reviews the regulatory authorities conclude that we are not complying with applicable law, they could request or impose a wide range of remedies including requiring changes in advertising and collection practices, changes in the terms of our products (such as decreases in interest rates or fees), the imposition of fines or penalties, or the paying of restitution or the taking of other
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remedial action with respect to affected customers. They also could require us to stop offering some of our products, either nationally or in selected states. To the extent that these remedies are imposed on the issuing banks through which we originate credit products, under certain circumstances we are responsible for the remedies as a result of our indemnification obligations with those banks. We also may elect to change practices or products that we believe are compliant with law in order to respond to regulatory concerns. Furthermore, negative publicity relating to any specific inquiry or investigation could hurt our ability to conduct business with various industry participants or to attract new accounts and could negatively affect our stock price, which would adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital and would raise our costs of doing business.
If any deficiencies or violations of law or regulations are identified by us or asserted by any regulator, or if the CFPB, the FDIC, the FTC or any other regulator requires us to change any of our practices, the correction of such deficiencies or violations, or the making of such changes, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or business. In addition, whether or not we modify our practices when a regulatory or enforcement authority requests or requires that we do so, there is a risk that we or other industry participants may be named as defendants in litigation involving alleged violations of federal and state laws and regulations, including consumer protection laws. Any failure to comply with legal requirements by us or the issuing banks through which we originate credit products in connection with the issuance of those products, or by us or our agents as the servicer of our accounts, could significantly impair our ability to collect the full amount of the account balances. The institution of any litigation of this nature, or any judgment against us or any other industry participant in any litigation of this nature, could adversely affect our business and financial condition in a variety of ways.
Our rent-to-own operations are regulated by and subject to the requirements of various federal and state laws and regulations. These laws and regulations which may be amended or supplemented or interpreted by the courts from time to time, could expose us to significant compliance costs or burdens or force us to change our business practices in a manner that may be materially adverse to our operations, prospects or financial condition. Currently, 47 states and the District of Columbia specifically regulate rent-to-own transactions such as those conducted in our rent-to-own programs. At the present time, no federal law specifically regulates the rent-to-own industry, although federal legislation to regulate the industry has been proposed from time to time. Any adverse changes in existing laws, or the passage of new adverse legislation by states or the federal government could materially increase both our costs of complying with laws and the risk that we could be sued or be subject to government sanctions if we are not in compliance. In addition, new burdensome legislation might force us to change our business model and might reduce the economic potential of our rent-to-own product offerings.
Most of the states that regulate rent-to-own transactions have enacted disclosure laws that require rent-to-own companies to disclose to their customers the total number of payments, total amount and timing of all payments to acquire ownership of any item, any other charges that may be imposed by them and miscellaneous other items. The more restrictive state lease purchase laws limit the total amount that a customer may be charged for an item, or regulate the amount of deemed “interest” that rent-to-own companies may charge on rent-to-own transactions, generally defining “interest” as lease fees paid in excess of the “retail” price of the goods.
There has been increased attention in the United States, at both the state and federal levels, on consumer debt transactions in general, which may result in an increase in legislative and regulatory efforts directed at the rent-to-own industry. The federal government or states may enact additional or different legislation or regulation that would be disadvantageous or otherwise materially adverse to us.
In addition to the risk of lawsuits related to the laws that regulate rent-to-own and consumer lease transactions, we or our rent-to-own partners could be subject to lawsuits alleging violations of federal and state laws and regulations and consumer tort law, including fraud, consumer protection, information security and privacy laws, because of the consumer-oriented nature of the rent-to-own industry. A large judgment against us could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, an adverse outcome from a lawsuit, even one against one of our competitors, could result in changes in the way we and others in the industry do business, possibly leading to significant costs or decreased revenues or profitability.
We are dependent upon banks to issue credit cards and provide certain other credit products. Our credit card and some of our other credit product programs are dependent on our issuing bank relationships, and their regulators could at any time limit their ability to issue some or all products on our behalf, or that we service on their behalf, or to modify those products significantly. Any significant interruption of those relationships would result in our being unable to originate new receivables and other credit products. It is possible that a regulatory position or action taken with respect to any of the issuing banks through which we have originated credit products or for whom we service receivables might result in the bank’s inability or unwillingness to originate future credit products on our behalf or in partnership with us. In the current state, such a disruption of our issuing bank relationships principally would adversely affect our ability to grow our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance products and other consumer credit offerings and underlying receivables.
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Changes to consumer protection laws or changes in their interpretation may impede collection efforts or otherwise adversely impact our business practices. Federal and state consumer protection laws regulate the creation and enforcement of consumer credit card receivables and other loans. Many of these laws (and the related regulations) are focused on sub-prime lenders and are intended to prohibit or curtail industry-standard practices as well as non-standard practices. For instance, Congress enacted legislation that regulates loans to military personnel through imposing interest rate and other limitations and requiring new disclosures, all as regulated by the Department of Defense. Similarly, in 2009 Congress enacted legislation that required changes to a variety of marketing, billing and collection practices, and the Federal Reserve recently adopted significant changes to a number of practices through its issuance of regulations. Additionally, the CFPB is expected to be an active issuer of credit-related regulations in the near-term, and the scope and nature of those potential regulations are unknown. While our practices are in compliance with these changes, some of the changes (e.g., limitations on the ability to assess up-front fees) have significantly affected the viability of certain of our prior product offerings within the U.S. Changes in the consumer protection laws could result in the following:
• | receivables not originated in compliance with law (or revised interpretations) could become unenforceable and uncollectible under their terms against the obligors; |
• | we may be required to credit or refund previously collected amounts; |
• | certain fees and finance charges could be limited, prohibited or restricted, which would reduce the profitability of certain accounts; |
• | certain of our collection methods could be prohibited, forcing us to revise our practices or adopt more costly or less effective practices; |
• | limitations on the content of marketing materials could be imposed that would result in reduced success for our marketing efforts; |
• | limitations on our ability to recover on charged-off receivables regardless of any act or omission on our part; |
• | some of our products and services could be banned in certain states or at the federal level; |
• | federal or state bankruptcy or debtor relief laws could offer additional protections to customers seeking bankruptcy protection, providing a court greater leeway to reduce or discharge amounts owed to us; and |
• | a reduction in our ability or willingness to lend to certain individuals, such as military personnel. |
Material regulatory developments are likely to adversely impact our business and results from operations.
Our Automobile Lending Activities Involve Risks in Addition to Others Described Herein
Automobile lending exposes us not only to most of the risks described above but also to additional risks, including the regulatory scheme that governs installment loans and those attendant to relying upon automobiles and their repossession and liquidation value as collateral. In addition, our most significant active Auto Finance segment operation acquires loans on a wholesale basis from used car dealers, for which we rely upon the legal compliance and credit determinations by those dealers.
Declines in automobile sales as we saw through 2012 can cause declines in the overall demand for automobile loans. While currently recovering fairly significantly, sales of both new and used cars declined through 2012. While the unavailability of funding may have had a greater impact on our business, the decline in demand in recent years was consequential as well because it adversely affected the volume of our lending transactions and our recoveries of repossessed vehicles at auction. Any such future declines in demand will adversely impact our business.
Funding for automobile lending may become difficult to obtain and expensive. In the event we are unable to renew or replace any Auto Finance segment facilities that bear refunding or refinancing risks when they become due, our Auto Finance segment could experience significant liquidity constraints and diminution in reported asset values as lenders retain significant cash flows within underlying structured financings or otherwise under security arrangements for repayment of their loans. If we cannot renew or replace future facilities or otherwise are unduly constrained from a liquidity perspective, we may choose to sell part or all of our auto loan portfolios, possibly at less than favorable prices.
Our automobile lending business is dependent upon referrals from dealers. Currently we provide substantially all of our automobile loans only to or through used car dealers. Providers of automobile financing have traditionally competed based on the interest rate charged, the quality of credit accepted and the flexibility of loan terms offered. In order to be successful, we not only need to be competitive in these areas, but also need to establish and maintain good relations with dealers and provide them with a level of service greater than what they can obtain from our competitors.
The financial performance of our automobile loan portfolio is in part dependent upon the liquidation of repossessed automobiles. In the event of certain defaults, we may repossess automobiles and sell repossessed automobiles at wholesale auction markets located throughout the U.S. Auction proceeds from these types of sales and other recoveries rarely
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are sufficient to cover the outstanding balances of the contracts; where we experience these shortfalls, we will experience credit losses. Decreased auction proceeds resulting from depressed prices at which used automobiles may be sold would result in higher credit losses for us. Additionally, higher gasoline prices (like those experienced during 2008) tend to decrease the auction value of certain types of vehicles, such as SUVs.
Repossession of automobiles entails the risk of litigation and other claims. Although we have contracted with reputable repossession firms to repossess automobiles on defaulted loans, it is not uncommon for consumers to assert that we were not entitled to repossess an automobile or that the repossession was not conducted in accordance with applicable law. These claims increase the cost of our collection efforts and, if correct, can result in awards against us.
We Routinely Explore Various Opportunities to Grow Our Business, to Make Investments and to Purchase and Sell Assets
We routinely consider acquisitions of, or investments in, portfolios and other assets as well as the sale of portfolios and portions of our business. There are a number of risks attendant to any acquisition, including the possibility that we will overvalue the assets to be purchased and that we will not be able to produce the expected level of profitability from the acquired business or assets. Similarly, there are a number of risks attendant to sales, including the possibility that we will undervalue the assets to be sold. As a result, the impact of any acquisition or sale on our future performance may not be as favorable as expected and actually may be adverse.
Portfolio purchases may cause fluctuations in our reported Credit and Other Investments segment’s managed receivables data, which may reduce the usefulness of this data in evaluating our business. Our reported Credit and Other Investments segment managed receivables data may fluctuate substantially from quarter to quarter as a result of recent and future credit card portfolio acquisitions. As of December 31, 2014, credit card portfolio acquisitions accounted for 26.8% of our total Credit and Other Investments segment managed receivables portfolio based on our ownership percentages.
Receivables included in purchased portfolios are likely to have been originated using credit criteria different from the criteria of issuing bank partners that have originated accounts on our behalf. Receivables included in any particular purchased portfolio may have significantly different delinquency rates and charge-off rates than the receivables previously originated and purchased by us. These receivables also may earn different interest rates and fees as compared to other similar receivables in our receivables portfolio. These variables could cause our reported managed receivables data to fluctuate substantially in future periods making the evaluation of our business more difficult.
Any acquisition or investment that we make will involve risks different from and in addition to the risks to which our business is currently exposed. These include the risks that we will not be able to integrate and operate successfully new businesses, that we will have to incur substantial indebtedness and increase our leverage in order to pay for the acquisitions, that we will be exposed to, and have to comply with, different regulatory regimes and that we will not be able to apply our traditional analytical framework (which is what we expect to be able to do) in a successful and value-enhancing manner.
Other Risks of Our Business
We are a holding company with no operations of our own. As a result, our cash flow and ability to service our debt is dependent upon distributions from our subsidiaries. The distribution of subsidiary earnings, or advances or other distributions of funds by subsidiaries to us, all of which are subject to statutory and could be subject to contractual restrictions, are contingent upon the subsidiaries’ cash flows and earnings and are subject to various business and debt covenant considerations.
Although our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance offerings are an important part of our strategic plan, we have limited operating history with these offerings. In late 2013, we expanded into our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance offerings, including our rent-to-own offerings. As with many early stage endeavors, these product offerings may experience under-capitalization, delays, lack of funding, and many other problems, delays, and expenses, many of which are beyond our control. These include, but are not limited to:
• | inability to establish profitable strategic relationships with merchants; |
• | inability to raise sufficient capital to fund our anticipated growth in this area; and |
• | competition from larger and more established competitors, such as banks and finance companies. |
Unless we obtain a bank charter, we cannot issue credit cards other than through agreements with banks. Because we do not have a bank charter, we currently cannot issue credit cards other than through agreements with banks. Unless we
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obtain a bank or credit card bank charter, we will continue to rely upon banking relationships to provide for the issuance of credit cards to our customers. Even if we obtain a bank charter, there may be restrictions on the types of credit that the bank may extend. Our various issuing bank agreements have scheduled expiration dates. If we are unable to extend or execute new agreements with our issuing banks at the expirations of our current agreements with them, or if our existing or new agreements with our issuing banks were terminated or otherwise disrupted, there is a risk that we would not be able to enter into agreements with an alternate provider on terms that we consider favorable or in a timely manner without disruption of our business.
We are party to litigation. We are defendants in certain legal proceedings. This includes litigation relating to our former retail micro-loan operations and other litigation customary for a business of our nature. In each case we believe that we have meritorious defenses or that the positions we are asserting otherwise are correct. However, adverse outcomes are possible in these matters, and we could decide to settle one or more of our litigation matters in order to avoid the ongoing cost of litigation or to obtain certainty of outcome. Adverse outcomes or settlements of these matters could require us to pay damages, make restitution, change our business practices or take other actions at a level, or in a manner, that would adversely impact our business.
We face heightened levels of economic risk associated with new investment activities. We recently have made a number of investments in businesses that are not directly allied to our traditional lending activities to, or associated with, the underserved consumer credit market. In addition, some of these investments that we have made and may make in the future are or will be in debt or equity securities of businesses over which we exert little or no control, which likely exposes us to greater risks of loss than investments in activities and operations that we control. While we make only those investments we believe have the potential to provide a favorable return, because some of the investments are outside of our core areas of expertise, they entail risks beyond those described elsewhere in this Report. As occurred with respect to certain such investments in 2012 and 2011, these risks could result in the loss of part or all of our investments.
Because we outsource account-processing functions that are integral to our business, any disruption or termination of that outsourcing relationship could harm our business. We generally outsource account and payment processing, and in 2014, we paid Total System Services, Inc. $7.9 million for these services. If these agreements were not renewed or were terminated or the services provided to us were otherwise disrupted, we would have to obtain these services from an alternative provider. There is a risk that we would not be able to enter into a similar agreement with an alternate provider on terms that we consider favorable or in a timely manner without disruption of our business.
Unauthorized or unintentional disclosure of sensitive or confidential customer data could expose us to protracted and costly litigation, and civil and criminal penalties. To conduct our business, we are required to manage, use, and store large amounts of personally identifiable information, consisting primarily of confidential personal and financial data regarding our customers across all operations areas. We also depend on our IT networks and systems, and those of third parties, to process, store, and transmit this information. As a result, we are subject to numerous U.S. federal and state laws designed to protect this information. Security breaches involving our files and infrastructure could lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
We take a number of measures to ensure the security of our hardware and software systems and customer information. Advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or other developments may result in the technology used by us to protect data being breached or compromised. In the past, consumer finance companies have been the subject of sophisticated and highly targeted attacks on their information technology. An increasing number of websites have reported breaches of their security.
If any person, including our employees or those of third-party vendors, negligently disregards or intentionally breaches our established controls with respect to such data or otherwise mismanages or misappropriates that data, we could be subject to costly litigation, monetary damages, fines, and/or criminal prosecution. We do not maintain cyber-security insurance liability coverage and as such we are exposed to the financial risk and losses associated with such incidents. Any unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information could subject us to liability under data privacy laws. Further, under credit card rules and our contracts with our card processors, if there is a breach of credit card information that we store, we could be liable to the credit card issuing banks for their cost of issuing new cards and related expenses. In addition, if we fail to follow credit card industry security standards, even if there is no compromise of customer information, we could incur significant fines. Security breaches could also harm our reputation with our customers, which could potentially cause decreased revenues, the loss of existing merchant credit partners, or difficulty in adding new merchant credit partners.
Internet and data security breaches also could impede us from originating loans over the Internet, cause us to lose customers or otherwise damage our reputation or business. Consumers generally are concerned with security and privacy,
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particularly on the Internet. As part of our growth strategy, we have originated loans over the Internet. The secure transmission of confidential information over the Internet is essential to maintaining customer confidence in our products and services offered online.
Advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries or other developments could result in a compromise or breach of the technology used by us to protect customer application and transaction data transmitted over the Internet. In addition to the potential for litigation and civil penalties described above, security breaches could damage our reputation and cause customers to become unwilling to do business with us, particularly over the Internet. Any publicized security problems could inhibit the growth of the Internet as a means of conducting commercial transactions. Our ability to solicit new loans over the Internet would be severely impeded if consumers become unwilling to transmit confidential information online.
Also, a party that is able to circumvent our security measures could misappropriate proprietary information, cause interruption in our operations, damage our computers or those of our users, or otherwise damage our reputation and business.
Regulation in the areas of privacy and data security could increase our costs. We are subject to various regulations related to privacy and data security/breach, and we could be negatively impacted by these regulations. For example, we are subject to the safeguards guidelines under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The safeguards guidelines require that each financial institution develop, implement and maintain a written, comprehensive information security program containing safeguards that are appropriate to the financial institution’s size and complexity, the nature and scope of the financial institution’s activities and the sensitivity of any customer information at issue. Broad-ranging data security laws that affect our business also have been adopted by various states. Compliance with these laws regarding the protection of customer and employee data could result in higher compliance and technology costs for us, as well as potentially significant fines and penalties for non-compliance.
In addition to the foregoing enhanced data security requirements, various federal banking regulatory agencies, and as many as 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, have enacted data security regulations and laws requiring varying levels of customer notification in the event of a security breach.
Also, federal legislators and regulators are increasingly pursuing new guidelines, laws and regulations that, if adopted, could further restrict how we collect, use, share and secure customer information, which could impact some of our current or planned business initiatives.
Unplanned system interruptions or system failures could harm our business and reputation. Any interruption in the availability of our transactional processing services due to hardware and operating system failures will reduce our revenues and profits. Any unscheduled interruption in our services results in an immediate, and possibly substantial, loss of revenues. Frequent or persistent interruptions in our services could cause current or potential members to believe that our systems are unreliable, leading them to switch to our competitors or to avoid our websites or services, and could permanently harm our reputation.
Although our systems have been designed around industry-standard architectures to reduce downtime in the event of outages or catastrophic occurrences, they remain vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, floods, fires, power loss, telecommunication failures, computer viruses, computer denial-of-service attacks, and similar events or disruptions. Some of our systems are not fully redundant, and our disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient for all eventualities. Our systems also are subject to break-ins, sabotage, and intentional acts of vandalism. Despite any precautions we may take, the occurrence of a natural disaster, a decision by any of our third-party hosting providers to close a facility we use without adequate notice for financial or other reasons, or other unanticipated problems at our hosting facilities could cause system interruptions, delays, and loss of critical data, and result in lengthy interruptions in our services. Our business interruption insurance may not be sufficient to compensate us for losses that may result from interruptions in our service as a result of system failures.
Because of our loan to a small surface coal mining operation (which, due to loan agreement modifications, we were required to consolidate into our financial statements in 2011, but which has since ceased mining operations), we could be subject to (i) significant administrative, civil, and criminal financial and other penalties if this operation does not comply with environmental, health and safety regulations and (ii) liability to third parties for environmental contamination. The coal mining industry is subject to strict regulation by federal, state and local authorities with respect to matters such as employee health and safety, permitting and licensing requirements, the protection of the environment, the protection of historic and natural resources, plants and wildlife, reclamation and restoration of mining properties after mining is completed, and the effects that mining has on groundwater quality and availability. Federal and state authorities inspect coal mines, and in the aftermath of the April 5, 2010 accident at an underground mine in Central Appalachia, mining operations have experienced, and may in the future continue to experience, a significant increase in the frequency and scope of these inspections. Numerous
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governmental permits and approvals are required for mining operations. Mining operations are required to prepare and present to federal, state and/or local authorities data pertaining to the effect or impact that any proposed exploration for or production of coal may have upon the environment.
The costs, liabilities and requirements associated with the laws and regulations related to these and other environmental matters may be costly and time-consuming. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil, and criminal financial and other penalties, the imposition of cleanup and site restoration costs and liens and other enforcement measures.
We also could be subject to claims by third parties under federal and state statutes and/or common law doctrines resulting from damage to the environment or historic or natural resources or exposure to hazardous substances on the mine property or elsewhere. Liability for environmental contamination may be without regard to fault and may be strict, joint and several, so that we may be held responsible for the entire amount of the contamination or related damages. These and other similar unforeseen impacts that the former mining operation may have on the environment, as well as exposures to hazardous substances or wastes associated with the former mining operation, could result in costs and liabilities that could adversely affect us.
Even though this former coal mining operation ceased mining operations as of December 31, 2012 and has always been owned and primarily operated by third parties, our financial relationship with this former coal mining operation could subject us to these types of claims and penalties, particularly if these matters were not properly addressed by the owners and operators of the operation. If we are held responsible for sanctions, costs and liabilities in respect of these matters, our profitability could be materially and adversely affected.
Climate change and related regulatory responses may impact our business. Climate change as a result of emissions of greenhouse gases is a significant topic of discussion and may generate federal and other regulatory responses. It is impracticable to predict with any certainty the impact on our business of climate change or the regulatory responses to it, although we recognize that they could be significant. The most direct impact is likely to be an increase in energy costs, which would adversely impact consumers and their ability to incur and repay indebtedness. However, we are uncertain of the ultimate impact, either directionally or quantitatively, of climate change and related regulatory responses on our business.
Risks Relating to an Investment in Our Securities
The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, and this may make it difficult for you to resell your shares of our common stock when you want or at prices you find attractive. The price of our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market constantly changes. We expect that the market price of our common stock will continue to fluctuate. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include the following:
• | actual or anticipated fluctuations in our operating results; |
• | changes in expectations as to our future financial performance, including financial estimates by securities analysts and investors; |
• | the overall financing environment, which is critical to our value; |
• | the operating and stock performance of our competitors and other sub-prime lenders; |
• | announcements by us or our competitors of new products or services or significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments; |
• | changes in interest rates; |
• | the announcement of enforcement actions or investigations against us or our competitors or other negative publicity relating to us or our industry; |
• | changes in GAAP, laws, regulations or the interpretations thereof that affect our various business activities and segments; |
• | general domestic or international economic, market and political conditions; |
• | changes in ownership by executive officers, directors and parties related to them who control a majority of our common stock; |
• | additions or departures of key personnel; and |
• | future sales of our common stock and the transfer or cancellation of shares of common stock pursuant to a share lending agreement. |
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In addition, the stock markets from time to time experience extreme price and volume fluctuations that may be unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies. These broad fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.
Future sales of our common stock or equity-related securities in the public market, including sales of our common stock pursuant to share lending agreements or short sale transactions by purchasers of convertible senior notes, could adversely affect the trading price of our common stock and our ability to raise funds in new stock offerings. Sales of significant amounts of our common stock or equity-related securities in the public market, including sales pursuant to share lending agreements, or the perception that such sales will occur, could adversely affect prevailing trading prices of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through future offerings of equity or equity-related securities. Future sales of shares of common stock or the availability of shares of common stock for future sale, including sales of our common stock in short sale transactions by purchasers of our convertible senior notes, may have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.
We have the ability to issue preferred stock, warrants, convertible debt and other securities without shareholder approval. Our common stock may be subordinate to classes of preferred stock issued in the future in the payment of dividends and other distributions made with respect to common stock, including distributions upon liquidation or dissolution. Our articles of incorporation permit our Board of Directors to issue preferred stock without first obtaining shareholder approval. If we issued preferred stock, these additional securities may have dividend or liquidation preferences senior to the common stock. If we issue convertible preferred stock, a subsequent conversion may dilute the current common shareholders’ interest. We have similar abilities to issue convertible debt, warrants and other equity securities.
Our executive officers, directors and parties related to them, in the aggregate, control a majority of our common stock and may have the ability to control matters requiring shareholder approval. Our executive officers, directors and parties related to them own a large enough share of our common stock to have an influence on, if not control of, the matters presented to shareholders. As a result, these shareholders may have the ability to control matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election and removal of directors, the approval of significant corporate transactions, such as any reclassification, reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets and the control of our management and affairs. Accordingly, this concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us, impede a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us or discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
The right to receive payments on our convertible senior notes is subordinated to the rights of our existing and future secured creditors. Our convertible senior notes are unsecured and are subordinate to existing and future secured obligations to the extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations. As a result, in the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or similar proceeding of our company, our assets generally would be available to satisfy obligations of our secured debt before any payment may be made on the convertible senior notes. To the extent that such assets cannot satisfy in full our secured debt, the holders of such debt would have a claim for any shortfall that would rank equally in right of payment (or effectively senior if the debt were issued by a subsidiary) with the convertible senior notes. In such an event, we may not have sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts on any or all of the convertible senior notes.
As of December 31, 2014, Atlanticus Holdings Corporation had outstanding: $50.1 million of secured indebtedness, which would rank senior in right of payment to the convertible senior notes; $11.9 million of senior unsecured indebtedness in addition to the convertible senior notes that would rank equal in right of payment to the convertible senior notes; and no subordinated indebtedness. Included in senior secured indebtedness are certain guarantees we have executed in favor of our subsidiaries. For more information on our outstanding indebtedness, See Note 9, "Notes Payable," and Note 16, "Related Party Transactions," to our consolidated financial statements included herein.
Our convertible senior notes are junior to the indebtedness of our subsidiaries. Our convertible senior notes are structurally subordinated to the existing and future claims of our subsidiaries’ creditors. Holders of the convertible senior notes are not creditors of our subsidiaries. Any claims of holders of the convertible senior notes to the assets of our subsidiaries derive from our own equity interests in those subsidiaries. Claims of our subsidiaries’ creditors will generally have priority as to the assets of our subsidiaries over our own equity interest claims and will therefore have priority over the holders of the convertible senior notes. Consequently, the convertible senior notes are effectively subordinate to all liabilities, whether or not secured, of any of our subsidiaries and any subsidiaries that we may in the future acquire or establish. Our subsidiaries’ creditors also may include general creditors and taxing authorities. As of December 31, 2014, our subsidiaries had total liabilities of approximately $156.1 million (including the $50.1 million of senior secured indebtedness mentioned above),
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excluding intercompany indebtedness. In addition, in the future, we may decide to increase the portion of our activities that we conduct through subsidiaries.
Note Regarding Risk Factors
The risk factors presented above are all of the ones that we currently consider material. However, they are not the only ones facing our company. Additional risks not presently known to us, or which we currently consider immaterial, may also adversely affect us. There may be risks that a particular investor views differently from us, and our analysis might be wrong. If any of the risks that we face actually occurs, our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected and could differ materially from any possible results suggested by any forward-looking statements that we have made or might make. In such case, the trading price of our common stock or other securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS |
None
ITEM 2. | PROPERTIES |
We lease our principal executive offices (which include the primary operations of our Credit and Other Investments segment), and our lease is for 335,372 square feet, of which we have sub-leased 233,405 square feet. Our Auto Finance segment principally operates out of Lake Mary, Florida in approximately 9,600 square feet of leased space, with additional offices and branch locations in various states and territories. Our operations in the U.K. include approximately 2,140 of aggregate square feet of leased space in Crawley. We believe that our facilities are suitable to our business and that we will be able to lease or purchase additional facilities as our needs, if any, require.
ITEM 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
We are involved in various legal proceedings that are incidental to the conduct of our business. There are currently no pending material legal proceedings.
ITEM 4. | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES |
None
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PART II
ITEM 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “ATLC.” The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sales prices per share of our common stock as reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. As of February 20, 2015, there were 49 record holders of our common stock, which does not include persons whose stock is held in nominee or “street name” accounts through brokers, banks and intermediaries.
2013 | High | Low |
1st Quarter 2013 | $3.68 | $3.20 |
2nd Quarter 2013 | $4.11 | $3.40 |
3rd Quarter 2013 | $3.85 | $3.50 |
4th Quarter 2013 | $3.75 | $3.31 |
2014 | High | Low |
1st Quarter 2014 | $3.59 | $1.96 |
2nd Quarter 2014 | $3.24 | $2.24 |
3rd Quarter 2014 | $2.96 | $1.80 |
4th Quarter 2014 | $2.77 | $1.15 |
The closing price of our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on February 20, 2015 was $2.88.
ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
The following table sets forth information with respect to our repurchases of common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2014:
Total Number of Shares Purchased | Average Price Paid per Share | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | Maximum Number of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased under the Plans or Programs (1) | |||||||||
October 1 - October 31 | 17,323 | $ | 1.57 | 17,323 | 4,982,677 | |||||||
November 1 - November 30 | 14,977 | $ | 1.66 | 14,977 | 4,967,700 | |||||||
December 1 - December 31 | 37,909 | $ | 2.41 | 37,909 | 4,929,791 | |||||||
Total | 70,209 | $ | 2.04 | 70,209 | 4,929,791 | |||||||
(1) | Because withholding tax-related stock repurchases are permitted outside the scope of our 5,000,000 share Board-authorized repurchase plan, these amounts exclude shares of stock returned to us by employees in satisfaction of withholding tax requirements on vested stock grants. There were 43,961 such shares returned to us during the three months ended December 31, 2014. |
Pursuant to a share repurchase plan authorized by our Board of Directors on May 9, 2014, we are authorized to repurchase 5,000,000 shares of our common stock through June 30, 2016, of which 4,929,791 shares remained authorized for repurchase as of December 31, 2014. We will continue to evaluate our stock price relative to other investment opportunities and, to the extent we believe that the repurchase of our stock represents an appropriate return of capital, we will repurchase shares of our stock.
ITEM 6. | SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA |
As a “smaller reporting company,” as defined by Item 10 of Regulation S-K, we are not required to provide this information.
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ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included therein, where certain terms (including trust, subsidiary and other entity names and financial, operating and statistical measures) have been defined.
This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations includes forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on our current plans, expectations and beliefs about future events. There are risks, including the factors discussed in “Risk Factors” in Item 1A and elsewhere in this Report, that our actual experience will differ materially from these expectations. For more information, see “Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" at the beginning of this Report.
OVERVIEW
We are a provider of various credit and related financial services and products to or associated with the financially underserved consumer credit market—a market largely represented by credit risks that regulators classify as sub-prime.
Currently, within our Credit and Other Investments segment, we are applying the experiences and infrastructure from our 18-year operating history to originate consumer loans through multiple channels, including retail point-of-sale and direct solicitation. In our point-of-sale channel, we partner with retailers and service providers in various industries across the U.S. to provide credit to their customers for the purchase of goods and services or the rental of merchandise to their customers under rent-to-own arrangements. These products are often extended to customers who may have been declined under traditional financing options. We specialize in providing this "second-look" credit service. Using our infrastructure and technology platform, we also provide loan servicing, including underwriting, marketing, customer service and collections operations for third parties. Also through our Credit and Other Investments segment, we engage in testing and limited investment in consumer finance technology platforms as we seek to capitalize on our expertise and infrastructure.
Beyond these activities within our Credit and Other Investments segment, we continue to collect on portfolios of credit card receivables. These receivables include both receivables we originated through third-party financial institutions and portfolios of receivables we purchased from third-party financial institutions. One of our portfolios of credit card receivables is encumbered by non-recourse structured financing, and for this portfolio our principal remaining economic interest is the servicing compensation we receive as an offset against our servicing costs given that the likely future collections on the portfolio are insufficient to allow for full repayment of the financing.
Lastly, we report within our Credit and Other Investments segment the income earned from an investment in an equity-method investee that holds credit card receivables for which we are the servicer. Prior to December 2014 we also included income from an additional equity-method investee that held structured financing notes underlying credit card receivables for which we are the servicer. This investee was consolidated on our financial statements as of December 31, 2014 subsequent to our distribution of certain assets to an unrelated third-party partner for their interest.
The recurring cash flows we receive within our Credit and Other Investments segment principally include those associated with (1) our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance activities, (2) servicing compensation and (3) credit card receivables portfolios that are unencumbered or where we own a portion of the underlying structured financing facility.
We historically financed most of our credit card receivables through the asset-backed securitization markets. These markets deteriorated significantly in 2008, and the level of “advance rates,” or leverage against credit card receivable assets, in the current asset-backed securitization markets is below pre-2008 levels. Considering this reality coupled with constraints on credit card asset returns in the U.S., we no longer market or maintain open credit card accounts in the U.S. We do believe, however, that our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance activities are generating and will continue to generate attractive returns on assets, thereby allowing us to secure debt financing under terms and conditions (including advance rates and pricing) that will allow us to achieve our desired returns on equity, and we continue to pursue growth in this area.
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Within our Auto Finance segment, our CAR subsidiary operations principally purchase and/or service loans secured by automobiles from or for, and also provide floor plan financing for, a pre-qualified network of independent automotive dealers and automotive finance companies in the buy-here, pay-here, used car business. We purchase auto loans at a discount and with dealer retentions or holdbacks that provide risk protection. Also within our Auto Finance segment, we are collecting on portfolios of auto finance receivables that we previously originated through franchised and independent auto dealers in connection with prior business activities, as well as providing certain lending products in addition to our traditional loans secured by automobiles.
A summary of our most significant business events during 2014 is as follows:
• | Continued growth in our point-of-sale operations through expanded merchant relationships and growth in our direct-to-consumer channels; |
• | Gains recognized on loans and investments in consumer finance technology platforms of $4.4 million; |
• | Gains associated with our settlement with the IRS for a tax assessment of $9.1 million (plus interest) associated with our 2007 and 2008 net operating loss carry-backs; |
• | Additional accruals of £3.0 million ($4.7 million) made associated with an ongoing review in the U.K. by HMRC associated with filings by one of our U.K. subsidiaries; |
• | Fixed asset impairments of $2.7 million associated with software development costs in 2014 as planned uses for this software were discontinued; and |
• | Gains associated with convertible note repurchases of $12.1 million. |
As noted above, we had gains associated with investments previously made in consumer finance technology platforms. These include investments in companies engaged in mobile technologies, marketplace peer lending and other financial technologies. These investments are carried at a lower of cost or market valuation, and the remaining associated book value as of December 31, 2014 is negligible given variations in the ascribed values since acquisition. Some of these platforms have raised, and continue to seek, capital at valuations substantially in excess of our associated book value. However, none of these companies is publicly-traded, there is no foreseeable liquidity event, and ascribing value to these investments would be speculative. Based on the performance and/or marketability of these investments in future periods, we could have material gains for our remaining ownership in these or other investment assets.
Subject to the availability of capital at attractive terms and pricing, we plan to continue to evaluate and pursue a variety of activities, including: (1) the expansion of our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance products; (2) the acquisition of additional financial assets associated with our point-of-sale finance activities as well as the acquisition of receivables portfolios; (3) investments in other assets or businesses that are not necessarily financial services assets or businesses; (4) the repurchase of our convertible senior notes and other debt or our outstanding common stock; and (5) the servicing of receivables and related financial assets for third parties (and in which we have limited or no equity interests) to allow us to leverage our expertise and infrastructure.
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CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Income | |||||||||||
For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, | Increases (Decreases) | ||||||||||
(In Thousands) | 2014 | 2013 | from 2013 to 2014 | ||||||||
Total interest income | $ | 73,676 | $ | 69,521 | $ | 4,155 | |||||
Interest expense | (24,052 | ) | (23,872 | ) | (180 | ) | |||||
Fees and related income on earning assets: | |||||||||||
Fees on credit products | 18,662 | 23,879 | (5,217 | ) | |||||||
Changes in fair value of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value | 14,460 | 45,601 | (31,141 | ) | |||||||
Changes in fair value of notes payable associated with structured financings recorded at fair value | (7,418 | ) | (19,423 | ) | 12,005 | ||||||
Rental revenue | 58,457 | 19,759 | 38,698 | ||||||||
Other | 4,669 | (707 | ) | 5,376 | |||||||
Other operating income: | |||||||||||
Servicing income | 4,910 | 8,218 | (3,308 | ) | |||||||
Other income | 2,084 | 3,394 | (1,310 | ) | |||||||
Gain on repurchase of convertible senior notes | 12,068 | — | 12,068 | ||||||||
Equity in income equity-method investees | 6,983 | 8,437 | (1,454 | ) | |||||||
Total | $ | 164,499 | $ | 134,807 | $ | 29,692 | |||||
Losses upon charge off of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value, net of recoveries | (4,852 | ) | 14,560 | 19,412 | |||||||
Provision for losses on loans and fees receivable recorded at net realizable value | 30,828 | 29,678 | (1,150 | ) | |||||||
Other operating expenses: | |||||||||||
Salaries and benefits | 19,777 | 17,832 | (1,945 | ) | |||||||
Card and loan servicing | 48,599 | 46,119 | (2,480 | ) | |||||||
Marketing and solicitation | 2,381 | 8,719 | 6,338 | ||||||||
Depreciation | 69,096 | 17,965 | (51,131 | ) | |||||||
Other | 25,975 | 22,713 | (3,262 | ) | |||||||
Net income (loss) | 7,327 | (17,665 | ) | 24,992 | |||||||
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests | (150 | ) | (76 | ) | (74 | ) | |||||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interests | 7,177 | (17,741 | ) | 24,918 | |||||||
Year Ended December 31, 2014, Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2013
Total interest income. Total interest income consists primarily of finance charges and late fees earned on our point-of-sale finance, credit card and auto finance receivables. Period-over-period results reflect continued growth in our point-of-sale finance products, offset, however, by continued net liquidations of our credit card and auto finance receivables over the past year. We are currently experiencing growth in our point-of-sale finance products and our CAR receivables—growth which we expect to result in net period over period growth in our total interest income within the next few quarters. Future periods' growth is also dependent on the addition of new retail partners for our point-of-sale operations as well as continued growth within existing partnerships and growth within our direct-to-consumer finance activities. This growth was delayed late in the first quarter of 2014 as a significant retail partner in our point-of-sale operations underwent a product shift that resulted in the suspension of new account originations with us for both our installment lending product as well as our rent-to-own product. This disruption lasted into the second quarter and continues to impact growth through lower originations.
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Interest expense. Variations in interest expense are due to our debt facilities being repaid commensurate with net liquidations of the underlying credit card, auto finance and installment loan receivables that serve as collateral for the facilities offset by new borrowings associated with growth in our point-of-sale finance operations as evidenced within Note 9, “Notes Payable,” to our consolidated financial statements. We anticipate additional debt financing over the next few quarters as we continue to grow, and as such, we expect our 2015 quarterly interest expense to be above those experienced in the prior periods. Offsetting this growth in interest expense will be reductions in interest costs associated with convertible senior notes that have been repurchased and canceled. In November 2014, we repurchased $46.1 million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% convertible senior notes due 2035 ("5.875% convertible senior notes"). In connection with this repurchase, we borrowed $20.0 million under a secured term loan with a related party. See Note 9, "Notes Payable" to our consolidated financial statements for more information.
Fees and related income on earning assets. The significant factors affecting our differing levels of fees and related income on earning assets include:
• | The growth in rental revenue we experienced with the addition of our rent-to-own program, which accelerated in the third quarter of 2013; |
• | Reductions in fees on credit products, principally associated with the net liquidations of credit card accounts in the U.K.; |
• | Recoveries of $4.4 million on investments in consumer finance technology platforms in excess of their carrying value in our "Other" category; |
• | Our $2.4 million charge off of a note we had received from buyers of our buy-here-pay-here dealer operations in the second quarter of 2013, such charge off causing the loss in our prior year "Other" category; and |
• | The effects of changes in the fair values of credit card receivables recorded at fair value and notes payable associated with structured financings recorded at fair value as described below. |
As we continue to expand the rent-to-own product offerings, we expect continued increases in billings within the Rental revenue category. However, this growth in rental revenues slowed during the second quarter of 2014 (compared to the first quarter of 2014) due to a product shift by one of our large retail partners. Following the completion of this product shift, we have continued to experience monthly growth. As for our fees on credit products category, which is primarily influenced by the level of our originated U.K. credit card receivables, we expect a diminishing level of fee income for 2015 because we do not anticipate additional credit card originations in the U.K. Further, given expected future net liquidations of our credit card receivables for which we use fair value accounting, we expect our change in fair value of credit card receivables recorded at fair value and our change in fair value of notes payable associated with structured financings recorded at fair value amounts to gradually diminish (absent significant changes in the assumptions used to determine these fair values) in the future. These amounts, however, are subject to potentially high levels of volatility if we experience changes in the quality of our credit card receivables or if there are significant changes in market valuation factors (e.g., interest rates and spreads) in the future. Such volatility will be muted somewhat, however, by the offsetting nature of the receivables and underlying debt being recorded at fair value and with the expected reductions in the face amounts of such outstanding receivables and debt as we experience further credit card receivables liquidations and associated debt amortizing repayments.
Servicing income. We earn servicing compensation by servicing loan portfolios for third parties (including our equity-method investees). Unless and/or until we grow the number of contractual servicing relationships we have with third parties or our current relationships grow their loan portfolios, we will not experience significant growth and income within this category, and we currently expect to experience future quarterly declines relative to those experienced in prior periods.
Other income. Historically included within our other income category are ancillary and interchange revenues, which are now relatively insignificant for us due to our credit card account closures and net credit card receivables portfolio liquidations. Absent portfolio acquisitions, we do not expect significant ancillary and interchange revenues in the future. Also included within our other income category are certain reimbursements we receive in respect of one of our portfolios.
Gain on repurchase of convertible senior notes. In July 2014 we repurchased $80,000 aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.875% convertible senior notes for $25,200. In November 2014, we repurchased $46.1 million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% convertible senior notes for $19.1 million plus accrued interest. The purchases resulted in an aggregate gain of $12.1 million (net of the notes’ applicable share of deferred costs, which were written off in connection with the repurchase). Upon acquisition, all notes were retired.
As mentioned elsewhere in this Report, we plan to continue to evaluate and pursue a variety of activities, including the repurchase of our convertible senior notes.
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Equity in income of equity-method investees. Because our equity-method investees use the fair value option to account for their financial assets and liabilities, changes in fair value estimates can cause some volatility in the earnings of these investees. Although we increased our equity interest in one of our two equity-method investees in the second quarter of 2013, because of continued liquidations in their financial assets (a credit card receivables portfolio held by one equity-method investee and structured financing notes held by the other), absent additional investments in our existing or in new equity-method investees in the future, we expect gradually declining effects from our equity-method investments on our operating results. Further, in December 2014, we consolidated on our financial statements one of our equity-method investees subsequent to our distribution of certain assets to an unrelated third-party partner for their interest in the entity. As such, we expect even further diminishing effects from our equity-method investments on our operating results for 2015.
Losses upon charge off of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value. This account reflects charge offs (net of recoveries) of the face amount of credit card receivables we record at fair value on our consolidated balance sheet. We have experienced a general trending decline in, and we expect future trending declines in, these charge offs as we continue to liquidate our credit card receivables. Additionally, net losses in both periods reflect the effects of reimbursements received in respect of one of our portfolios. In 2014, these reimbursements exceeded the charge-offs experienced within the portfolio as the reimbursements are not directly associated with the timing of actual charge offs.
Provision for losses on loans and fees receivable recorded at net realizable value. Our provision for losses on loans and fees receivable recorded at net realizable value covers, with respect to such receivables, the aggregate loss exposures on (1) principal receivable balances, (2) finance charges and late fees receivable underlying income amounts included within our total interest income category, and (3) other fees receivable. We have experienced year-over-year increases in this category between 2013 and 2014 due to the effects of initial elevated losses incurred on new credit product testing and more recently growth in our new installment lending product lines and additional reserves we have recorded associated with the closure of one of our merchant partners. The closure of this merchant partner resulted in our experiencing heightened risk for charge-offs of the underlying loans, particularly in cases where the consumer may not have received the full benefits expected from the merchant partner and for which we do not expect to be reimbursed by the merchant partner. We expect growth in new product receivables recorded at net realizable value to exceed any further liquidations of our auto finance receivables recorded at net realizable value. Accordingly, we expect increases in our provisions for losses on loans and fees receivable recorded at net realizable value in future quarters—such increases predominantly expected to reflect the effects of volume associated with our point-of-sale finance product offering (i.e., growth of new product receivables), rather than credit quality changes or deterioration. Testing associated with our credit card product in the U.K. resulted in slightly higher provisions through the first quarter of 2014, but, given that we have discontinued new originations in the U.K., we expect declines in provisions associated with this product offering, albeit not at levels expected to produce period over period declines for 2015. See Note 2, “Significant Accounting Policies and Consolidated Financial Statement Components,” to our consolidated financial statements and the discussions of our Credit and Other Investments and Auto Finance segments for further credit quality statistics and analysis.
Total other operating expense. Total other operating expense variances for the year ended December 31, 2014, relative to the year ended December 31, 2013, reflect the following:
• | modestly higher 2014 salaries and benefits costs resulting from increases required to grow our new credit product offerings; |
• | card and loan servicing expenses that are higher in 2014 based on new product efforts, the cost of such efforts overshadowing the cost effects of continuing credit card and auto finance receivables portfolio liquidations; |
• | decreases in marketing costs as our new product offerings require less direct-to-consumer marketing expenses as those seen under our historical credit card operations; |
• | increased depreciation primarily associated with our rent-to-own program, totaling $63.1 million and $16.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, with no amounts in prior periods; |
• | impairments of $2.7 million associated with software development costs in 2014 as planned uses for this software were discontinued with no corresponding impairment costs in 2013; and |
• | general decreases in other expenses including customer acquisition and underwriting costs offset by increases in third party costs associated with ongoing information technology upgrades and increases of £3.0 million ($4.7 million) related to provisions associated with an ongoing review in the U.K. by HMRC associated with filings by one of our U.K. subsidiaries to reclaim VAT that it paid on its inputs and that it believed and continues to believe were and are eligible to be reclaimed. |
A portion of our operating costs are variable based on the levels of accounts we market and receivables we service (both for our own account and for others) and the pace and breadth of our search for, acquisition of and introduction of new business lines, products and services. However, a number of our operating costs are fixed and until recently have comprised a larger percentage of our total costs based on the ongoing contraction of our credit card and auto finance loans and fees
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receivable levels. This trend is gradually reversing, however, as we continue to grow our earning assets (including loans and fees receivable and rental merchandise) based principally on growth of our point-of-sale finance product offerings and to a lesser extent, growth within our CAR operations. We continue to perform extensive reviews of all areas of our businesses for cost savings opportunities to better align our costs with our portfolio of managed receivables.
Notwithstanding our cost-control efforts and focus, we expect increased levels of expenditures associated with growth in our point-of-sale finance operations. While we have greater control over our variable expenses, it is difficult (as explained above) for us to appreciably reduce our fixed and other costs associated with an infrastructure (particularly within our Credit and Other Investments segment) that was built to support levels of managed receivables that are significantly higher than both our current levels and the levels that we expect to see in the near future. At this point, our Credit and Other Investments segment cash inflows are sufficient to cover its direct variable costs and a portion, but not all, of its share of overhead costs (including, for example, corporate-level executive and administrative costs and our convertible senior notes interest costs). As such, if we are unable to contain overhead costs or expand revenue-earning activities to levels commensurate with such costs, then, depending upon the earnings generated from our Auto Finance segment and our liquidating credit card portfolios, we may experience continuing pressure on our ability to achieve profitability.
Noncontrolling interests. We reflect the ownership interests of noncontrolling holders of equity in our majority-owned subsidiaries as noncontrolling interests in our consolidated statements of operations. Unless we enter into significant new majority-owned subsidiary ventures with noncontrolling interest holders in the future, we expect to have negligible noncontrolling interests in our majority-owned subsidiaries and negligible allocations of income or loss to noncontrolling interest holders in future quarters.
Income Taxes. We experienced effective income tax benefit rates of 126.8% and 22.5% for the years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. Our effective income tax benefit rates resulted principally from (1) changes in valuation allowances against income statement-oriented federal, foreign and state deferred tax assets in both years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, with the most significant benefits related to the complete release of all federal tax-related valuation allowances in the year ended December 31, 2014 and (2) the reversal of excess prior year interest accruals on our then-accrued prior year liabilities for uncertain tax positions, such reversal of excess interest accruals resulting from a favorable settlement (relative to accrued prior year liabilities for uncertain tax positions) reached with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in December 2014 and the favorable resolution of accrued prior year liabilities for uncertain state tax positions.
As indicated above, we report potential accrued interest and penalties related to our accrued liabilities for uncertain tax positions within our income tax benefit or expense line item on our consolidated statements of operations. We likewise report the reversal of such accrued interest and penalties within the income tax benefit or expense line item to the extent that we resolve our liabilities for uncertain tax positions in a manner favorable to our accruals therefor. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the effect of interest and penalties on our income tax benefit was a $10.9 million net increase in our income tax benefit (representing the net of the release of $11.2 million of prior year interest and penalty accruals and $0.3 million of new accruals in 2014 associated with uncertain tax liabilities in 2014). In contrast, our income tax benefit was reduced in the year ended December 31, 2013 by net interest and penalty accruals of $2.1 million (representing the net of the release of $1.0 million of prior year interest and penalty accruals and $3.1 million of new accruals in 2013 associated with uncertain tax liabilities in 2013).
As mentioned above, in December 2014 we reached a settlement with the IRS concerning the tax treatment of net operating losses that we incurred in 2007 and 2008 and carried back to obtain refunds of federal income taxes paid in earlier years dating back to 2003. Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, we agreed to a federal income tax assessment of $9.1 million associated with our 2007 and 2008 net operating loss carry-backs (upon which approximately $2.0 million of interest is expected to be charged when billed by the IRS). Our settlement with the IRS materially enhanced our 2014 reported income tax benefits in two ways as noted above. First, we released into 2014 income tax benefit prior year tax, interest and penalty liability accruals associated with then-uncertain tax positions that were resolved in a significantly favorable manner relative to the liabilities accrued therefor. Second, we reclassified to deferred tax liabilities as of December 31, 2014 significant levels of liabilities that had been classified as current liability accruals for uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2013, thereby eliminating the need for valuation allowances that existed as of December 31, 2013 against net deferred tax assets at that date.
Credit and Other Investments Segment
Our Credit and Other Investments segment includes our activities relating to investments in and servicing of our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance products and our various credit card receivables portfolios, as well as other product testing and investments that generally utilize much of the same infrastructure.
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The types of revenues we earn from our products and services primarily include finance charges, the accretion of discounts associated with our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance installment loans or revolving credit offers, late fees, rental revenue, over-limit fees, annual fees, activation fees, monthly maintenance fees, returned-check fees and cash advance fees. Also, while insignificant currently, revenues also have included credit card fees associated with (1) our sale of ancillary products such as memberships, subscription services and debt waiver, as well as (2) interchange fees representing a portion of the merchant fee assessed by card associations based on cardholder purchase volumes underlying credit card receivables.
We record (i) the finance charges, discount accretion and late fees assessed on our Credit and Other Investments segment credit products in the interest income - consumer loans, including past due fees category on our consolidated statements of operations, (ii) the rental revenue, over-limit, annual, activation, monthly maintenance, returned-check, cash advance and other fees in the fees and related income on earning assets category on our consolidated statements of operations, and (iii) the charge offs (and recoveries thereof) within our provision for losses on loans and fees receivable on our consolidated statements of operations (for all credit product receivables other than those for which we have elected the fair value option) and within losses upon charge off of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value on our consolidated statements of operations (for all of our other receivables for which we have elected the fair value option). Additionally, we show the effects of fair value changes for those credit card receivables for which we have elected the fair value option as a component of fees and related income on earning assets in our consolidated statements of operations.
Depreciation associated with rental merchandise (totaling $63.1 million and $16.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively) for which we receive rental revenue is included as a component of our overall depreciation in our consolidated statements of operations.
We historically have originated and purchased credit portfolios through subsidiary entities. Generally, if we control through direct ownership or exert a controlling interest in the entity, we consolidate it and reflect its operations as noted above. If we exert significant influence but do not control the entity, we record our share of its net operating results in the equity in income of equity-method investees category on our consolidated statements of operations.
Managed Receivables
We make various references within our discussion of the Credit and Other Investments segment to our managed receivables. In calculating managed receivables data, we include within managed receivables those receivables we manage for our consolidated subsidiaries, but we exclude from managed receivables any noncontrolling interest holders’ shares of the receivables. Additionally, we include within managed receivables only our economic share of the receivables that we manage for our equity-method investees.
Financial, operating and statistical data based on aggregate managed receivables are important to any evaluation of the performance of our credit portfolios, including our underwriting, servicing and collection activities and our valuing of purchased receivables. In allocating our resources and managing our business, management relies heavily upon financial data and results prepared on this “managed basis.” Analysts, investors and others also consider it important that we provide selected financial, operating and statistical data on a managed basis because this allows a comparison of us to others within the specialty finance industry. Moreover, our management, analysts, investors and others believe it is critical that they understand the credit performance of the entire portfolio of our managed receivables because it reveals information concerning the quality of loan originations and the related credit risks inherent within the portfolios.
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Reconciliation of the managed receivables data to our GAAP financial statements requires: (1) an understanding that our managed receivables data are based on billings and actual charge offs as they occur, without regard to any changes in our allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable or any changes in the fair value of loans and fees receivable and their associated structured financing notes; (2) inclusion of our economic share of (or equity interest in) the receivables we manage for our equity-method investees; (3) removal of any noncontrolling interest holders’ shares of the managed receivables underlying our GAAP consolidated results; (4) treatment of the transaction in which our 50%-owned equity-method investee acquired our structured financing trust notes (a) as a deemed sale of the trust receivables at their face amount, (b) followed by the 50%-owned equity-method investee’s deemed repurchase of such receivables for consideration equal to the discounted purchase price that it paid for the notes, and (c) as though the difference between the deemed face amount and the deemed discounted repurchase price of the receivables is to be treated as credit quality discount to be accreted into managed earnings as a reduction of net charge offs over the remaining life of the receivables; and (5) the exclusion from our managed receivables data of certain reimbursements received in respect of one of our portfolios which resulted in pre-tax income benefits within our total interest income, fees and related income on earning assets, losses upon charge off of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value, net of recoveries, other income, servicing income, and equity in income of equity-method investees line items on our consolidated statements of operations totaling approximately $8.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2014, $2.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2014, $3.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014, $3.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014, $1.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2013, $3.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2013, $1.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013, and $5.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. This last category of reconciling items above is excluded because it does not bear on our performance in managing our credit card portfolios, including our underwriting, servicing and collection activities and our valuing of purchased receivables; moreover, it is difficult to determine the future effects of any such reimbursements that may be received.
We typically have purchased credit card receivables portfolios at substantial discounts. In our managed basis statistical data, we apply a portion of these discounts against receivables acquired for which charge off is considered likely, including accounts in late stages of delinquency at the date of acquisition; this portion is measured based on our acquisition date estimate of the shortfall of cash flows expected to be collected on the acquired portfolios relative to the face amount of receivables represented within the acquired portfolios. We refer to the balance of the discount for each purchase not needed for credit quality as accretable yield, which we accrete into total yield in our managed basis statistical data using the interest method over the estimated life of each acquired portfolio. As of the close of each financial reporting period, we evaluate the appropriateness of the credit quality discount component and the accretable yield component of our acquisition discount based on actual and projected future results.
Asset quality. Our delinquency and charge-off data at any point in time reflect the credit performance of our managed receivables. The average age of the accounts underlying our receivables, the timing of portfolio purchases, the success of our collection and recovery efforts and general economic conditions all affect our delinquency and charge-off rates. The average age of the accounts underlying our receivables portfolio also affects the stability of our delinquency and loss rates. We consider this delinquency and charge-off data in our determination of the fair value of our credit card receivables underlying formerly off-balance-sheet securitization structures, as well as our allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable in the case of our other credit product receivables that we report at net realizable value. Our strategy for managing delinquency and receivables losses consists of account management throughout the customer relationship. This strategy includes credit line management and pricing based on the risks. See also our discussion of collection strategies under the “How Do We Collect from Our Customers?” in Item 1, “Business.”
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The following table presents the delinquency trends of the receivables we manage within our Credit and Other Investments segment, as well as charge-off data and other managed receivables statistics (in thousands; percentages of total):
At or for the Three Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dec. 31 | Sept. 30 | Jun. 30 | Mar. 31 | Dec. 31 | Sept. 30 | Jun. 30 | Mar. 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Period-end managed receivables | $ | 157,145 | $ | 186,564 | $ | 200,147 | $ | 215,182 | $ | 236,740 | $ | 248,584 | $ | 252,036 | $ | 263,265 | |||||||||||||||
Percent 30 or more days past due | 13.6 | % | 11.2 | % | 11.2 | % | 12.0 | % | 12.5 | % | 10.9 | % | 9.2 | % | 9.4 | % | |||||||||||||||
Percent 60 or more days past due | 9.8 | % | 8.3 | % | 8.1 | % | 9.2 | % | 9.2 | % | 7.8 | % | 6.3 | % | 7.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
Percent 90 or more days past due | 6.9 | % | 5.8 | % | 5.7 | % | 6.7 | % | 6.4 | % | 5.2 | % | 4.3 | % | 4.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
Average managed receivables | $ | 173,553 | $ | 194,272 | $ | 206,657 | $ | 227,109 | $ | 242,272 | $ | 246,147 | $ | 255,669 | $ | 277,457 | |||||||||||||||
Total yield ratio | 63.3 | % | 42.6 | % | 38.4 | % | 45.4 | % | 33.3 | % | 36.3 | % | 31.8 | % | 29.4 | % | |||||||||||||||
Combined gross charge-off ratio | 21.4 | % | 21.4 | % | 25.5 | % | 23.8 | % | 19.1 | % | 14.6 | % | 16.9 | % | 18.5 | % | |||||||||||||||
Adjusted charge-off ratio | 16.4 | % | 17.7 | % | 21.3 | % | 19.8 | % | 15.2 | % | 10.7 | % | 12.2 | % | 14.1 | % | |||||||||||||||
Managed receivables levels. The consistent quarterly declines in our period-end and average managed receivables over the last eight quarters reflect the net liquidating state of our credit card receivables portfolios given our closure of substantially all credit card accounts underlying the portfolios. Moreover, we have effectively curtailed our credit card marketing efforts. Nevertheless, because of the receivables growth we are experiencing and expect to continue to experience over the coming quarters associated with our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance offerings, the rate of decline in our managed receivables has diminished, and we now expect the slower decline to continue over coming quarters. This trend was offset in the fourth quarter of 2014 by our distribution of certain assets to an unrelated third-party partner in a joint venture for their interest. See Note 9 "Notes Payable" for more information. Growth in future periods largely is dependent on the addition of new retail partners for our point-of-sale operations as well as continued growth within existing partnerships. This growth was delayed late in the first quarter of 2014 as a significant retail partner in our point-of-sale operations underwent a product shift that resulted in the suspension of new account originations with us for our installment lending product. This disruption lasted into the second quarter and continues to impact growth through lower originations. We anticipate that new originations with this retail partner will continue to lag behind our earlier experience with this retail partner, although we are seeing consistent monthly growth through existing and new retail partners.
Delinquencies. Delinquencies have the potential to impact net income in the form of net credit losses. Delinquencies also are costly in terms of the personnel and resources dedicated to resolving them. We intend for the account management strategies we use on our portfolios to manage and, to the extent possible, reduce the higher delinquency rates that can be expected in a more mature managed portfolio such as ours. These account management strategies include conservative credit line management, purging of inactive accounts and collection strategies intended to optimize the effective account-to-collector ratio across delinquency categories. We further describe these collection strategies under the heading “How Do We Collect from Our Customers?” in Item 1, “Business”. We measure the success of these efforts by measuring delinquency rates. These rates exclude accounts that have been charged off.
Given that the vast majority of our credit card accounts have been closed and there has been no significant new activity for these accounts in the past several quarters, we have noted declines in our delinquency statistics of our managed credit card accounts. The trend of increasing delinquency rates noted above is primarily due to growth in our point-of-sale finance operations which generally experience higher delinquency rates than those of our liquidating credit card portfolios. Additionally, our credit card originations in the U.K. have experienced higher than average delinquency rates.
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We expect our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance and other new product offerings to become a larger component of our managed receivables base, given the acceleration of growth in these products. Further, we expect our delinquency rates to increase slightly as the risk profiles (and thus expected returns) for these receivables are higher than that experienced under our current mix of largely mature credit card receivables underlying closed credit card accounts.
Combined gross charge-off ratio and Adjusted charge-off ratio. We charge off our Credit and Other Investments segment receivables when they become contractually more than 180 days past due or 120 days past due for the point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance products. For our rent-to-own products, we charge off receivables and impair associated rental merchandise if the customer has not made a payment within the previous 90 days. However, if a customer makes a payment greater than or equal to two minimum payments within a month of the charge-off date, we may reconsider whether charge-off status remains appropriate. For all of our products, we charge off receivables within 30 days of notification and confirmation of a customer’s bankruptcy or death. However, in some cases of death, we do not charge off receivables if there is a surviving, contractually liable individual or an estate large enough to pay the debt in full.
Certain of our prior originated credit card offerings have higher charge offs relative to their average managed receivables balances, than do our other portfolios. Due to the recent higher rate of decline in these particular originated receivables relative to all of our other outstanding credit card receivables, as well as the longer weighted average age and maturity of our remaining managed receivables portfolio, all things being equal, one would expect reduced charge-off ratios for these receivables. However, this trend has been muted to some degree simply due to a change in the mix of our receivable balances due to growth within our point-of-sale finance operations that have higher charge-off rates than the liquidating credit card portfolios as well as increased charge-offs associated with credit card origination efforts in the U.K.
The continued growth in our point-of-sale finance operations continues to result in higher charge-off ratios than those experienced historically. In the next few quarters, we expect increasing charge off rates on a period-over-period comparison basis. This expectation is based on (1) the age, maturity and stability of our portfolio of generally liquidating receivables associated with closed credit card accounts, (2) higher expected charge off rates on our rapidly growing new product offerings, offset by lower charge offs associated with credit card origination efforts in the U.K. due to the cessation of marketing efforts for this product and (3) an overall decline in the managed receivables base as discussed above.
Total yield ratio. As noted previously, the mix of our managed receivables generally has shifted away from certain higher-yielding credit card receivables. Those particular originated receivables have higher delinquency rates and late and over-limit fee assessments than do our other portfolios, and thus have higher total yield ratios as well. Additionally, our total yield ratio has been adversely affected over the past several quarters by our Non-U.S. Acquired Portfolio acquisition. Its total yields are below average compared to our other portfolios, and the rate of decline in receivables in this portfolio has lagged behind the rate of decline in receivables in our other portfolios, thus continuing to suppress our total yield ratio.
Offsetting the historical impacts noted above, is growth in our newer, higher yielding products, including our point-of-sale finance product. While this growth has contributed to increases in our total yield ratio, we expect this growth will slow or even modestly reverse the trend of our declining charge-off rates as discussed above because we expect these accounts to season, mature, and charge off at higher rates than we currently experience on our liquidating pool of credit card receivables associated with closed credit card accounts. We anticipate continued growth in our higher yielding point-of-sale products over the next few quarters and continued accretive effects of this growth on our total yield ratios.
Although we have seen generally improving total yield ratio trend-lines, our first, third and fourth quarter 2014 total yield ratios were also positively impacted by the decline in the managed receivables base discussed above as well as recoveries on investments in securities in excess of their carrying value and our repurchase of convertible senior notes in the fourth quarter of 2014. Absent these items, our total yield ratio would have been 41.6%, 38.0% and 35.6% in the first, third and fourth quarters of 2014, respectively.
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Rental Merchandise
The following table presents certain trends associated with our merchandise leasing activities within our Credit and Other Investments segment (in thousands; percentages of total):
At or for the three months ended | |||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Dec. 31 | Sept. 30 | Jun. 30 | Mar. 31 | Dec. 31 | Sept. 30 | ||||||||||||||||
Period-end rental merchandise, net of accumulated amortization | $ | 14,177 | $ | 12,268 | $ | 11,082 | $ | 22,052 | 28,849 | 16,976 | |||||||||||
Period-end rental merchandise accounts | 100 | 98 | 96 | 99 | 83 | 42 | |||||||||||||||
Average rental merchandise, net of accumulated amortization | $ | 13,292 | $ | 11,845 | $ | 15,485 | $ | 29,047 | 22,804 | 8,493 | |||||||||||
Other income ratio | (50.3 | )% | 37.9 | % | (21.4 | )% | (45.1 | )% | 46.7 | % | 38.1 | % | |||||||||
Average rental merchandise. Rental merchandise offerings comprise a significant part of our point-of-sale finance suite of products. Our merchandise leasing activities accelerated during the third quarter of 2013, and prior to that quarter, we had no significant experience or trends with this particular type of product. Subject to the availability of capital on desirable terms, we expect significant ongoing quarterly growth in our rental merchandise activities in future quarters. As is noted in the table above, our rental merchandise has declined from levels experienced at year end 2013. Key drivers of this decline include: 1) depreciation of existing rental merchandise coupled with a decline in new originations due to the disruption of new account originations discussed above; 2) accelerated depreciation of certain rental merchandise due to early payoffs of outstanding rental contracts related to early payment incentives and seasonally strong payment patterns associated with year-end tax-refunds for most of our customers and 3) accelerated depreciation of certain rental merchandise due to impairments associated with accounts where the customer has not made a payment within the previous 90 days.
Other income ratio. The numerator of our other income ratio equals gross revenues associated with our leasing activities less depreciation of our rental merchandise. The denominator of our other income ratio equals average rental merchandise as disclosed in the table above. The timing of new account originations significantly impacts our quarterly ratios either through rapid growth or a period of slow growth, as occurred during the second quarter of 2014 for the reasons discussed above. The disruption in new account originations and the impact of early payoffs mentioned above resulted in a negative other income ratio for the first and second quarters of 2014, as our rental merchandise balance and related payments declined. As a customer's previous rental payments (which are treated as rental revenues and included as a component of our other income ratio, sometimes in prior quarters) are applied when determining an early payoff amount, these early payoff amounts are often for less than the remaining book value of the associated depreciable asset, negatively impacting our other income ratio. This trend reversed in the third quarter of 2014 as our fourth quarter 2013 and first quarter 2014 vintages have substantially passed their early payoff and peak charge-off periods. The negative ratio we experienced in the fourth quarter of 2014 was similarly due to higher than anticipated early payoffs and charge-offs on accounts originated during the third quarter of 2014. Until such a time that we have consistent origination growth and a stable basis of inventory, we continue to expect fluctuations in our other income ratio based on the timing of these originations.
Definitions of Financial, Operating and Statistical Measures
Total yield ratio. Represents an annualized fraction, the numerator of which includes all finance charge and late fee income billed on all outstanding receivables, plus credit card fees (including over-limit fees, cash advance fees, returned check fees and interchange income), plus earned, amortized amounts of annual membership fees and activation fees with respect to certain of our credit card products, plus ancillary product income, plus amortization of the accretable yield component of our acquisition discounts for portfolio purchases, plus gains (or less losses) on debt repurchases and other activities within our Credit and Other Investments segment less any adjustments to finance and fee billings, and the denominator of which is average managed receivables.
Combined gross charge-off ratio. Represents an annualized fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate amounts of finance charge, fee and principal losses from customers unwilling or unable to pay their receivables balances, as well as from bankrupt and deceased customers, less current-period recoveries, and the denominator of which is average managed receivables. Recoveries on managed receivables represent all amounts received related to managed receivables that previously have been charged off, including payments received directly from customers and proceeds received from the sale of those charged-off receivables. Recoveries typically have represented less than 2% of average managed receivables.
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Adjusted charge-off ratio. Represents an annualized fraction the numerator of which is the principal amount of losses, net of recoveries as adjusted to apply discount accretion related to the credit quality of acquired portfolios to offset a portion of the actual face amount of net charge offs, and the denominator of which is average managed receivables. (Historically, upon our acquisitions of credit card receivables, a portion of the discount reflected within our acquisition prices has related to the credit quality of the acquired receivables—that portion representing the excess of the face amount of the receivables acquired over the future cash flows expected to be collected from the receivables. Because we treat the credit quality discount component of our acquisition discount as related exclusively to acquired principal balances, the difference between our net charge offs and our adjusted charge offs for each respective reporting period represents the total dollar amount of our charge offs that were charged against our credit quality discount during each respective reporting period.)
Auto Finance Segment
Our Auto Finance segment historically included a variety of auto sales and lending activities.
Our original platform, CAR, acquired in April 2005, principally purchases and/or services loans secured by automobiles from or for, and also provides floor-plan financing for, a pre-qualified network of independent automotive dealers and automotive finance companies in the buy-here, pay-here used car business. We have expanded these operations to also include certain installment lending products in addition to our traditional loans secured by automobiles. While not currently material, these loans could represent a meaningful investment in the future.
We also historically owned substantially all of JRAS, a buy-here, pay-here dealer we acquired in 2007 and operated from that time until our disposition of certain JRAS operating assets in the first quarter of 2011.
Additionally, our ACC platform acquired during 2007 historically purchased retail installment contracts from franchised car dealers. We ceased origination efforts within the ACC platform during 2009 and outsourced the collection of its portfolio of auto finance receivables.
Collectively, as of December 31, 2014, we served more than 570 dealers through our Auto Finance segment in 36 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories.
Managed Receivables Background
For reasons set forth above within our Credit and Other Investments segment discussion, we also provide managed receivables-based financial, operating and statistical data for our Auto Finance segment. Reconciliation of the auto finance managed receivables data to our GAAP financial statements requires an understanding that our managed receivables data are based on billings and actual charge offs as they occur, without regard to any changes in our allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable.
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Analysis of Statistical Data
Financial, operating and statistical metrics for our Auto Finance segment are detailed (dollars and numbers of accounts in thousands; percentages of total) in the following table:
At or for the Three Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dec. 31 | Sept. 30 | Jun. 30 | Mar. 31 | Dec. 31 | Sept. 30 | Jun. 30 | Mar. 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Period-end managed receivables | $ | 69,832 | $ | 68,102 | $ | 64,000 | $ | 59,440 | $ | 63,491 | $ | 59,249 | $ | 60,706 | $ | 60,449 | |||||||||||||||
Percent 30 or more days past due | 14.5 | % | 14.3 | % | 14.6 | % | 11.0 | % | 13.1 | % | 12.3 | % | 12.1 | % | 10.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
Percent 60 or more days past due | 5.5 | % | 5.7 | % | 5.1 | % | 4.4 | % | 4.3 | % | 4.2 | % | 3.6 | % | 3.6 | % | |||||||||||||||
Percent 90 or more days past due | 2.5 | % | 2.7 | % | 1.8 | % | 1.9 | % | 1.7 | % | 1.6 | % | 1.1 | % | 1.5 | % | |||||||||||||||
Average managed receivables | $ | 68,418 | $ | 66,428 | $ | 62,475 | $ | 60,949 | $ | 61,263 | $ | 59,126 | $ | 60,359 | $ | 61,803 | |||||||||||||||
Total yield ratio | 39.1 | % | 39.2 | % | 39.1 | % | 38.5 | % | 40.2 | % | 41.0 | % | 25.5 | % | 40.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
Combined gross charge-off ratio | 4.7 | % | 2.2 | % | 0.5 | % | 1.0 | % | 4.0 | % | 4.4 | % | 4.1 | % | 2.2 | % | |||||||||||||||
Recovery ratio | 3.3 | % | 1.5 | % | 2.1 | % | 2.1 | % | 1.6 | % | 1.8 | % | 2.2 | % | 5.1 | % | |||||||||||||||
Managed receivables. For all of the periods set forth above, only CAR continues to purchase/originate loans, but until the second quarter of 2014, it had not done so at growth levels significant enough to consistently offset the gradual liquidation of our ACC and JRAS portfolios’ managed receivables. ACC and JRAS managed receivables are substantially liquidated at this point, and we are beginning to see and expect stability in the level of our managed receivables, with growth through receivable purchase opportunities in the U.S. and U.S. Territories, as occurred during 2014. Although we are expanding our CAR operations, the Auto Finance segment faces strong competition from other specialty finance lenders, as well as the indirect effects on us of our buy-here, pay-here dealership customers' competition with more traditional franchise dealerships for consumers interested in purchasing automobiles.
Delinquencies. Delinquency rates abated in 2013 to levels below what we would normally anticipate and current levels we are experiencing more closely represent what we would expect going forward with some marginal increases noted within the overall buy-here pay-here market. Delinquency rates historically benefit in the first quarter of each year as seen above due to the benefits of seasonally strong payment patterns associated with year-end tax refunds for most of our customers. We are not generally concerned with modest fluctuations in delinquency rates and do not believe they will have a significantly positive or adverse impact on our results of operations; even at slightly elevated rates, we earn significant yields on CAR’s receivables and have significant dealer reserves (i.e., retainages or holdbacks on the amount of funding CAR provides to its dealer customers) to protect against meaningful credit losses.
Total yield ratio. With the exception of the second quarter of 2013, we experienced a general trend-line of improving total yield ratios compared to prior year periods throughout 2013 due in part to liquidation of the JRAS and ACC receivables, thereby causing the higher yielding CAR receivables to comprise a larger percentage of our average managed auto finance receivables. As JRAS and ACC receivables are no longer a significant component of the overall pool of receivables, we expect this ratio to remain relatively stable throughout 2015. The slight decrease in total yield experienced during the first quarter of 2014 was caused by disruptions due to new systems implementations during the quarter. The significant decrease in the second quarter of 2013 was caused by the adverse effects of a $2.4 million reserve associated with a note we had received from buyers of our JRAS buy-here, pay-here dealer operations that we sold in February 2011; excluding the impact of this reserve, our second quarter 2013 total yield ratio would have been 41.1% (and we would have had GAAP Auto Finance segment income during that quarter).
Combined gross charge-off ratio and recovery ratio. We charge off auto finance receivables when they are between 120 and 180 days past due, unless the collateral is repossessed and sold before that point, in which case we will record a charge off when the proceeds are received. The combined gross charge-off ratio represents an annualized fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate amounts of finance charge, fee and principal losses from customers unwilling or unable to pay their receivables balances, as well as from bankrupt and deceased customers, less current-period recoveries, and the denominator of
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which is average managed receivables. Because our ACC receivables and the receivables of our JRAS operations that we retained in connection with the sale of our JRAS operations have declined and are now largely insignificant relative to our total portfolio of auto finance receivables our combined gross charge-off ratio declined significantly in the first quarter of 2014. Additionally benefiting the second quarter of 2014 were larger than expected recoveries associated with our ACC receivables which further reduced our combined gross charge-off ratio. The rise in our combined gross charge-off ratio in the fourth quarter of 2014 was due to specific dealer related losses which accounted for substantially all of the increase for the quarter. While we generally anticipate our charge-offs to be incurred ratably across our portfolio of dealers, specific dealer related losses are difficult to predict and can negatively influence our combined gross charge-off ratio. We continually re-assess our dealers and will take appropriate action if we feel a particular dealer's risk characteristics adversely change. Our CAR receivables, which experience significantly lower charge offs, now comprise a more significant proportion of our average managed auto finance receivables—a factor that has contributed most significantly to our general trend-line of lower combined gross charge-off ratios. In the first quarter of 2013, we experienced recovery sales associated with our former JRAS operations, which helped to improve our recovery ratio and combined gross charge-off ratio in that quarter. We expect our recovery rate to fluctuate modestly from quarter to quarter due to the timing of the sale of repossessed autos.
Future Expectations
Our CAR operations continue to perform well in the current environment (achieving consistent profitability) and we expect to experience increasing profits for the foreseeable future. Because ACC’s and JRAS’s receivables are now substantially liquidated, the history of negative effects of these operations on our Auto Finance segment results should be abated in future periods. We continue to focus on growing our profitable CAR operations. New branch operations are contributing profits and we anticipate branch expansion in 2015.
Liquidity, Funding and Capital Resources
Until the third quarter of 2013, we experienced net liquidations of our managed receivables at faster rates than we were able to reduce our costs. This resulted from the significant level of fixed infrastructure costs that had built up to support our significant legacy credit card lending operations. Our infrastructure costs are still somewhat elevated, and while we had in the past been focused on cost reduction, our primary focus now is on growing our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance offerings so that our revenues from these product offerings can cover our infrastructure costs and return us to consistent profitability. This growth was delayed late in the first quarter of 2014 as a significant retail partner in our point-of-sale operations underwent a product shift that resulted in the temporary suspension of new account originations with us for our installment lending product. This disruption lasted into the second quarter and continues to impact growth through lower originations. We anticipate that new originations with this retail partner will continue to lag behind our earlier experience with this retail partner, although we are seeing consistent monthly growth. Further, this disruption resulted in net contraction in our earning assets in both the first and second quarters of 2014.
Accordingly, we will continue to focus in the coming quarters on (i) containing costs (as opposed to our previous focus on reducing expenses) (ii) obtaining new retail partners and channels to continue growth of our point-of-sale finance offerings and (iii) obtaining the funding necessary to meet capital needs required by the growth of our new product offerings and to cover our infrastructure costs until our new product offerings generate enough revenues and cash flows to cover such costs.
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All of our Credit and Other Investments segment’s structured financing facilities are expected to amortize down with collections on the receivables within their underlying trusts and should not represent significant refunding or refinancing risks to our consolidated balance sheet. Additionally, we do not expect any imminent refunding or financing needs associated with our convertible senior notes given that the next redemption date for the remaining $0.5 million outstanding balance on our 3.625% convertible senior notes is May 30, 2015 and the remaining $93.3 million outstanding balance on our 5.875% convertible senior notes is not due for repayment until 2035. As such, the only facilities that could represent significant refunding or refinancing needs as of December 31, 2014 are those associated with the following notes payable in the amounts indicated (in millions):
Revolving credit facility (expiring May 17, 2015) that is secured by the financial and operating assets of the entity | $ | 4.0 | |
Revolving credit facility (expiring December 3, 2016) that is secured by originated U.K. credit card receivables portfolio | 3.9 | ||
Revolving credit facility (expiring October 4, 2017) that is secured by the financial and operating assets of our CAR operations | 28.5 | ||
Senior secured term loan (expiring November 25, 2015) that is secured by certain assets of the Company with an annual rate equal to 9.0% and payable to a related party | 20.0 | ||
Total | $ | 56.4 | |
Further details concerning the above debt facilities are provided in Note 9, “Notes Payable,” and Note 10, “Convertible Senior Notes,” to our consolidated financial statements included herein. Based on the state of the debt capital markets, the performance of our assets that serve as security for the above facilities, and our relationships with lenders, we view imminent refunding or refinancing risks with respect to the above facilities as low in the current environment, and we believe that the quality of our new product offering assets should allow us to raise more capital through increasing the size of our facilities with our existing lenders and attract new lending relationships.
As noted elsewhere in this Report, in December 2014, we reached a settlement with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) concerning the tax treatment of net operating losses that the Company incurred in 2007 and 2008 and carried back to obtain refunds of federal income taxes paid in earlier years dating back to 2003. Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, we agreed to a federal income tax assessment of $9.1 million associated with our 2007 and 2008 net operating loss carry-backs (upon which approximately $2.0 million of interest is expected to be charged when billed by the IRS). Upon receipt of this bill, we could be required to make immediate payment for the full amount owed or could be allowed to finance the payment over some future period.
At December 31, 2014, we had $39.9 million in unrestricted cash held by our various business subsidiaries. Because the characteristics of our assets and liabilities change, liquidity management has been a dynamic process for us, driven by the pricing and maturity of our assets and liabilities. We historically have financed our business through cash flows from operations, asset-backed structured financings and the issuance of debt and equity. Details concerning our cash flows for the twelve months ended December 31, 2014 are as follows:
• | During the twelve months ended December 31, 2014, we used $20.7 million of cash flows from operations compared to the use of $26.9 million of cash flows from operations during the twelve months ended December 31, 2013. The decrease was principally related to cost reductions we implemented throughout 2014 and collections associated with reimbursements received in respect of one of our portfolios. These decreases in cash used were offset by (1) decreases in collections associated with our credit card finance charge receivables in the twelve months ended December 31, 2014 relative to the same period in 2013, given diminished receivables levels, and (2) increased purchases of rental merchandise associated with our point-of-sale finance operations during the twelve months ended December 31, 2014. |
• | During the twelve months ended December 31, 2014, we generated $29.2 million of cash from our investing activities, compared to generating $49.7 million of cash from investing activities during the twelve months ended December 31, 2013. This decrease is primarily due to the reduced levels of our outstanding investments and the cash returns thereof in 2014 based on the shrinking size of our liquidating credit card and auto finance receivable portfolios as well as increased levels of fixed asset spending associated with our point-of-sale finance operations, offset by growth in our point-of-sale finance product as well as our U.K. originated credit card receivables. |
• | During the twelve months ended December 31, 2014, we used $18.4 million of cash in financing activities, compared to our use of $40.7 million of cash in financing activities during the twelve months ended December 31, 2013. In both periods, the data reflect net repayments of debt facilities corresponding with net declines in our loans and fees receivable that serve as the underlying collateral for the facilities (principally credit card and auto loans and |
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fees receivable). Offsetting our use of cash in financing activities for both years are borrowings associated with our new credit products.
Beyond our immediate financing efforts discussed throughout this Report, we will continue to evaluate debt and equity issuances as a means to fund our investment opportunities. We expect to take advantage of any opportunities to raise additional capital if terms and pricing are attractive to us. Any proceeds raised under these efforts or additional liquidity available to us could be used to fund (1) the acquisition of additional financial assets associated with our point-of-sale and direct-to-consumer finance activities as well as the acquisition of credit card receivables portfolios, (2) further repurchases of our convertible senior notes and common stock, and (3) investments in certain financial and non-financial assets or businesses. Pursuant to a share repurchase plan authorized by our Board of Directors on May 9, 2014, we are authorized as of December 31, 2014 to repurchase an additional 4,929,791 shares of our common stock through June 30, 2016.
Commitments and Contingencies
We do not currently have any off-balance-sheet arrangements; however, we do have certain contractual arrangements that would require us to make payments or provide funding if certain circumstances occur (“contingent commitments”). We do not currently expect that these contingent commitments will result in any material amounts being paid by us. See Note 11, “Commitments and Contingencies,” to our consolidated financial statements included herein for further discussion of these matters.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2, “Significant Accounting Policies and Consolidated Financial Statement Components,” to our consolidated financial statements included herein for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.
Critical Accounting Estimates
We have prepared our financial statements in accordance with GAAP. These principles are numerous and complex. We have summarized our significant accounting policies in the notes to our consolidated financial statements. In many instances, the application of GAAP requires management to make estimates or to apply subjective principles to particular facts and circumstances. A variance in the estimates used or a variance in the application or interpretation of GAAP could yield a materially different accounting result. It is impracticable for us to summarize every accounting principle that requires us to use judgment or estimates in our application. Nevertheless, we describe below the areas for which we believe that the estimations, judgments or interpretations that we have made, if different, would have yielded the most significant differences in our consolidated financial statements.
On a quarterly basis, we review our significant accounting policies and the related assumptions, in particular, those mentioned below, with the audit committee of the Board of Directors.
Measurements for Loans and Fees Receivable at Fair Value and Notes Payable Associated with Structured Financings at Fair Value
Our valuation of loans and fees receivable, at fair value is based on the present value of future cash flows using a valuation model of expected cash flows and the estimated cost to service and collect those cash flows. We estimate the present value of these future cash flows using a valuation model consisting of internally developed estimates of assumptions third-party market participants would use in determining fair value, including estimates of net collected yield, principal payment rates, expected principal credit loss rates, costs of funds, discount rates and servicing costs. Similarly, our valuation of notes payable associated with structured financings, at fair value is based on the present value of future cash flows utilized in repayment of the outstanding principal and interest under the facilities using a valuation model of expected cash flows net of the contractual service expenses within the facilities. We estimate the present value of these future cash flows using a valuation model consisting of internally developed estimates of assumptions third-party market participants would use in determining fair value, including: estimates of net collected yield, principal payment rates and expected principal credit loss rates on the credit card receivables that secure the non-recourse notes payable; costs of funds; discount rates; and contractual servicing fees.
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The estimates for credit losses, payment rates, servicing costs, contractual servicing fees, costs of funds, discount rates and yields earned on credit card receivables significantly affect the reported amount of our loans and fees receivable, at fair value and our notes payable associated with structured financings, at fair value on our consolidated balance sheet, and they likewise affect our changes in fair value of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value and changes in fair value of notes payable associated with structured financings recorded at fair value categories within our fees and related income on earning assets line item on our consolidated statement of operations.
Allowance for Uncollectible Loans and Fees
Through our analysis of loan performance, delinquency data, charge-off data, economic trends and the potential effects of those economic trends on our customers, we establish an allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable as an estimate of the probable losses inherent within those loans and fees receivable that we do not report at fair value. To the extent that actual results differ from our estimates of uncollectible loans and fees receivable, our results of operations and liquidity could be materially affected.
Rental Merchandise
Our rental merchandise includes consumer electronics, furniture, jewelry and other consumer goods that we initially record on our consolidated balance sheets at our cost. After our initial recording of the rental merchandise at cost, we reduce its carrying value for depreciation thereof. We depreciate our rental merchandise over contract rental periods, generally 12 months (monthly agreements) or 26 periods (bi-weekly agreements) under a $-0- salvage value assumption. These assumptions are periodically adjusted based on actual results and impairments as they occur. We follow this method to match, as closely as practicable, the recognition of depreciation expense with revenues associated with our customers' use of the rental merchandise. Currently, we do not maintain any levels of rental merchandise beyond what actually has been rented to our customers under our contracts with them.
Revenue Recognition for Rental Merchandise
Our rent-to-own terms with our customers typically provide for 26, non-refundable, bi-weekly rental payments over a contract period of 12 months. Generally, the customer can take ownership of the merchandise by exercising a purchase option or making all required rental payments. We accrue periodic billed rental amounts (net of allowances for uncollectible billings) into revenues over the rental period to which the billed amounts relate, and we defer recognition in revenues of any advanced customer rental payments until the rental period in which they are properly recognizable under the terms of the contract. Additionally, we do not recognize a receivable for future periods' rental obligations due to us from our customers as our customers can terminate their rental agreements at any time with no further obligation to us, other than the return of rental merchandise.
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ITEM 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
As a “smaller reporting company,” as defined by Item 10 of Regulation S-K, we are not required to provide this information.
ITEM 8. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA |
See the Index to Financial Statements in Item 15, “Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.”
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Act Rules 13a-15(f)) for Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and our subsidiaries. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed under the supervision of our Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, based on the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013 framework).
Based on our evaluation under the COSO 2013 framework, management has concluded that internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2014.
ITEM 9. | CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE |
None.
ITEM 9A. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES |
As of December 31, 2014, an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Act) was carried out on behalf of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and our subsidiaries by our management with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Based upon the evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that these disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2014.
During the fourth quarter of our year ended December 31, 2014, no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Act) occurred that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting is set forth in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This Annual Report does not include an attestation report of our independent public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report is not subject to attestation by our independent public accounting firm pursuant to SEC rules that permit us to provide only management’s report in this Annual Report.
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ITEM 9B. | OTHER INFORMATION |
None.
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PART III
ITEM 10. | DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE |
The information required by this Item will be set forth in our Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in the sections entitled “Proposal One: Election of Directors,” “Executive Officers of Atlanticus,” “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” and “Corporate Governance” and is incorporated by reference.
ITEM 11. | EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION |
The information required by this Item will be set forth in our Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in the section entitled “Executive and Director Compensation” and is incorporated by reference.
ITEM 12. | SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS |
The information required by this Item will be set forth in our Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in the sections entitled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” and "Equity Compensation Plan Information" and is incorporated by reference.
ITEM 13. | CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE |
The information required by this Item will be set forth in our Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in the sections entitled “Related Party Transactions” and “Corporate Governance” and is incorporated by reference.
ITEM 14. | PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES |
The information required by this Item will be set forth in our Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in the section entitled “Auditor Fees” and is incorporated by reference.
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PART IV
ITEM 15. | EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES |
The following documents are filed as part of this Report:
1. Financial Statements
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Page | |
Report of Independent Public Accounting Firm | |
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 | |
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 | |
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 | |
Consolidated Statements of Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 | |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 | |
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 | |
2. Financial Statement Schedules
None.
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3. Exhibits
Exhibit Number | Description of Exhibit | Incorporated by Reference from Atlanticus’ SEC Filings Unless Otherwise Indicated(1) | ||
2.1 | Membership Interest Purchase Agreement between Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (formerly CompuCredit Holdings Corporation) and JCAP Transitory Acquisition Sub, LLC | August 9, 2012, Form 10-Q, exhibit 2.1 | ||
3.1 | Articles of Incorporation | June 8, 2009, Proxy Statement/Prospectus, Annex B | ||
3.1(a) | Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation | November 30, 2012, Form 8-K exhibit 3.1 | ||
3.2 | Amended and Restated Bylaws (as amended through November 30, 2012) | November 30, 2012, Form 8-K exhibit 3.2 | ||
4.1 | Form of common stock certificate | July 7, 2009, Form 8-K, exhibit 3.3 | ||
4.2 | Indenture dated May 27, 2005 with U.S. Bank National Association, as successor to Wachovia Bank, National Association | May 31, 2005, Form 8-K, exhibit 4.1 | ||
4.3 | Supplemental Indenture dated June 30, 2009 with U.S. Bank National Association, as successor to Wachovia Bank, National Association | July 7, 2009, Form 8-K, exhibit 4.1 | ||
4.4 | Indenture dated November 23, 2005 with U.S. Bank National Association, as successor to Wachovia Bank, National Association | November 28, 2005, Form 8-K, exhibit 4.1 | ||
4.5 | Supplemental Indenture dated June 30, 2009 with U.S. Bank National Association, as successor to Wachovia Bank, National Association | July 7, 2009, Form 8-K, exhibit 4.2 | ||
10.1 | Stockholders Agreement dated as of April 28, 1999 | January 18, 2000, Form S-1, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.2† | 2014 Equity Incentive Plan | April 15, 2014, Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, Appendix A | ||
10.2(a)† | Form of Restricted Stock Agreement–Directors | May 15, 2014, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.2 | ||
10.2(b)† | Form of Restricted Stock Agreement–Employees | May 15, 2014, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.3 | ||
10.2(c)† | Form of Stock Option Agreement–Directors | May 15, 2014, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.4 | ||
10.2(d)† | Form of Stock Option Agreement–Employees | May 15, 2014, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.5 | ||
10.2(e)† | Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement–Directors | May 15, 2014, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.6 | ||
10.2(f)† | Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement–Employees | May 15, 2014, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.7 | ||
10.3† | Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan | April 16, 2008, Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, Appendix B | ||
10.4† | Amended and Restated Employment Agreement for David G. Hanna | December 29, 2008, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.5† | Amended and Restated Employment Agreement for Richard W. Gilbert | December 29, 2008, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.3 | ||
10.6† | Employment Agreement for Jeffrey A. Howard | March 28, 2014, Form 10-K, exhibit 10.7 | ||
10.7† | Employment Agreement for William R. McCamey | March 28, 2014, Form 10-K, exhibit 10.8 | ||
10.8† | Amended and Restated Employment Agreement for Richard R. House, Jr. | December 29, 2008, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.4 | ||
10.8(a)† | Employment Arrangements with Richard R. House, Jr. | May 15, 2014, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.9† | Outside Director Compensation Package | November 14, 2014, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.10 | Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated March 1, 2010, among Merrill Lynch Mortgage Capital Inc., CCFC Corp. (formerly CompuCredit Funding Corp.), Atlanticus Services Corporation (formerly CompuCredit Corporation), and CompuCredit Credit Card Master Note Business Trust | June 25, 2010, Form 8-K/A, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.11 | Share Lending Agreement | November 22, 2005, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.11(a) | Amendment to Share Lending Agreement | March 6, 2012, Form 10-K, exhibit 10.12(a) | ||
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Exhibit Number | Description of Exhibit | Incorporated by Reference from Atlanticus’ SEC Filings Unless Otherwise Indicated(1) | ||
10.12 | Agreement relating to the Sale and Purchase of Monument Business, dated April 4, 2007 | August 1, 2007, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.12(a) | Account Ownership Agreement for Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust, dated April 4, 2007, with R Raphael & Sons PLC | August 1, 2007, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.2 | ||
10.12(b) | Receivables Purchase Agreement for Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust, dated April 4, 2007, with R Raphael & Sons PLC | August 1, 2007, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.3 | ||
10.12(c) | Receivables Purchase Agreement for Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust, dated April 4, 2007, with Partridge Funding Corporation | August 1, 2007, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.4 | ||
10.12(d) | Master Indenture for Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust, dated April 4, 2007, among Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch and CIAC Corporation (formerly CompuCredit International Acquisition Corporation) | August 1, 2007, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.5 | ||
10.12(e) | Series 2007-One Indenture Supplement for Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust, dated April 4, 2007 | August 1, 2007, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.6 | ||
10.12(f) | Transfer and Servicing Agreement for Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust, dated April 4, 2007, among Partridge Funding Corporation, CIAC Corporation (formerly CompuCredit International Acquisition Corporation), Partridge Acquired Portfolio Business Trust and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas | August 1, 2007, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.7 | ||
10.13 | Assumption Agreement dated June 30, 2009 between Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (formerly CompuCredit Holdings Corporation) and Atlanticus Services Corporation (formerly CompuCredit Corporation) | July 7, 2009, Form 8-K, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.14 | Loan and Security Agreement, dated October 4, 2011 among CARS Acquisition LLC, et al and Wells Fargo Preferred Capital, Inc. | March 6, 2012, Form 10-K, exhibit 10.16(a) | ||
10.14(a) | First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement | August 13, 2013, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.14(b) | Second Amendment and Joinder to Loan and Security Agreement | August 13, 2013, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.2 | ||
10.14(c) | Third Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement | March 28, 2014, Form 10-K, exhibit 10.15(c) | ||
10.14(d) | Fourth Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement | March 28, 2014, Form 10-K, exhibit 10.15(d) | ||
10.14(e) | Fifth Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement | August 14, 2014, Form 10-Q, exhibit 10.1 | ||
10.14(f) | Agreement by Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (formerly CompuCredit Holdings Corporation) in favor of Wells Fargo Preferred Capital, Inc. | March 6, 2012, Form 10-K, exhibit 10.16(a) | ||
10.15 | Loan and Security Agreement, dated November 26, 2014, by and among Atlanticus Holdings Corporation, Certain Subsidiaries Named Therein, and Dove Ventures, LLC | Filed herewith | ||
10.16 | Loan and Security Agreement, dated June 23, 2014, by and among Atlanticus Holdings Corporation, certain Subsidiaries Named Therein and Bravo Ventures, LLC | June 23, 2014, Schedule TO, exhibit 99(b) | ||
21.1 | Subsidiaries of the Registrant | Filed herewith | ||
23.1 | Consent of BDO USA, LLP | Filed herewith | ||
31.1 | Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) | Filed herewith | ||
31.2 | Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) | Filed herewith | ||
32.1 | Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 | Filed herewith | ||
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Exhibit Number | Description of Exhibit | Incorporated by Reference from Atlanticus’ SEC Filings Unless Otherwise Indicated(1) | ||
101.INS | XBRL Instance Document | Filed herewith | ||
101.SCH | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | Filed herewith | ||
101.CAL | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document | Filed herewith | ||
101.LAB | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document | Filed herewith | ||
101.PRE | XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase Document | Filed herewith | ||
101.DEF | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | Filed herewith | ||
† | Management contract, compensatory plan or arrangement. |
(1) | Documents incorporated by reference from SEC filings made prior to June 2009 were filed under CompuCredit Corporation (now Atlanticus Services Corporation) (File No. 000-25751), our predecessor issuer. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on March 5, 2015.
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation | |
By: | /s/ David G. Hanna |
David G. Hanna Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this Report has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date |
/s/David G. Hanna David G. Hanna | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive Officer) | March 5, 2015 |
/s/ William R. McCamey William R. McCamey | Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) | March 5, 2015 |
/s/ Mitchell C. Saunders Mitchell C. Saunders | Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) | March 5, 2015 |
/s/ Jefferey A. Howard Jefferey A. Howard | Director | March 5, 2015 |
/s/ Deal W. Hudson Deal W. Hudson | Director | March 5, 2015 |
/s/ Mack F. Mattingly Mack F. Mattingly | Director | March 5, 2015 |
/s/ Thomas G. Rosencrants Thomas G. Rosencrants | Director | March 5, 2015 |
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity, and cash flows for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation at December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
/s/ BDO USA, LLP
Atlanta, Georgia
March 5, 2015
F-1
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2014 | December 31, 2013 | ||||||
Assets | |||||||
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents | $ | 39,925 | $ | 50,873 | |||
Restricted cash and cash equivalents | 22,741 | 18,871 | |||||
Loans and fees receivable: | |||||||
Loans and fees receivable, net (of $15,730 and $13,258 in deferred revenue and $19,957 and $24,214 in allowances for uncollectible loans and fees receivable at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively) | 105,897 | 97,208 | |||||
Loans and fees receivable, at fair value | 18,255 | 12,080 | |||||
Loans and fees receivable pledged as collateral under structured financings, at fair value | 34,905 | 88,132 | |||||
Rental merchandise, net of depreciation | 14,177 | 28,849 | |||||
Property at cost, net of depreciation | 7,036 | 8,937 | |||||
Investments in equity-method investees | 15,833 | 35,134 | |||||
Deposits | 1,589 | 1,908 | |||||
Prepaid expenses and other assets | 7,997 | 10,243 | |||||
Total assets | $ | 268,355 | $ | 352,235 | |||
Liabilities | |||||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 39,968 | $ | 48,625 | |||
Notes payable, at face value | 78,749 | 56,740 | |||||
Notes payable to related parties | 20,000 | — | |||||
Notes payable associated with structured financings, at fair value | 36,511 | 94,523 | |||||
Convertible senior notes | 64,752 | 95,934 | |||||
Income tax liability | 20,933 | 55,255 | |||||
Total liabilities | 260,913 | 351,077 | |||||
Commitments and contingencies (Note 11) | |||||||
Equity | |||||||
Common stock, no par value, 150,000,000 shares authorized: 15,308,971 shares issued and outstanding (including 1,459,233 loaned shares to be returned) at December 31, 2014; and 15,594,325 shares issued and outstanding (including 1,672,656 loaned shares to be returned) at December 31, 2013 | — | — | |||||
Additional paid-in capital | 210,519 | 210,315 | |||||
Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (1,841 | ) | (737 | ) | |||
Retained deficit | (201,237 | ) | (208,414 | ) | |||
Total shareholders’ equity | 7,441 | 1,164 | |||||
Noncontrolling interests | 1 | (6 | ) | ||||
Total equity | 7,442 | 1,158 | |||||
Total liabilities and equity | $ | 268,355 | $ | 352,235 | |||
See accompanying notes.
F-2
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, | |||||||
2014 | 2013 | ||||||
Interest income: | |||||||
Consumer loans, including past due fees | $ | 73,330 | $ | 69,265 | |||
Other | 346 | 256 | |||||
Total interest income | 73,676 | 69,521 | |||||
Interest expense | (24,052 | ) | (23,872 | ) | |||
Net interest income before fees and related income on earning assets and provision for losses on loans and fees receivable | 49,624 | 45,649 | |||||
Fees and related income on earning assets | 88,830 | 69,109 | |||||
Losses upon charge off of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value, net of recoveries | 4,852 | (14,560 | ) | ||||
Provision for losses on loans and fees receivable recorded at net realizable value | (30,828 | ) | (29,678 | ) | |||
Net interest income, fees and related income on earning assets | 112,478 | 70,520 | |||||
Other operating income: | |||||||
Servicing income | 4,910 | 8,218 | |||||
Other income | 2,084 | 3,394 | |||||
Gain on repurchase of convertible senior notes | 12,068 | — | |||||
Equity in income of equity-method investees | 6,983 | 8,437 | |||||
Total other operating income | 26,045 | 20,049 | |||||
Other operating expense: | |||||||
Salaries and benefits | 19,777 | 17,832 | |||||
Card and loan servicing | 48,599 | 46,119 | |||||
Marketing and solicitation | 2,381 | 8,719 | |||||
Depreciation | 69,096 | 17,965 | |||||
Other | 25,975 | 22,713 | |||||
Total other operating expense | 165,828 | 113,348 | |||||
Loss before income taxes | (27,305 | ) | (22,779 | ) | |||
Income tax benefit | 34,632 | 5,114 | |||||
Net income (loss) | 7,327 | (17,665 | ) | ||||
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests | (150 | ) | (76 | ) | |||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interests | $ | 7,177 | $ | (17,741 | ) | ||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interests per common share—basic | $ | 0.51 | $ | (1.29 | ) | ||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interests per common share—diluted | $ | 0.51 | $ | (1.29 | ) | ||
See accompanying notes.
F-3
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(Dollars in thousands)
For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, | |||||||
2014 | 2013 | ||||||
Net income (loss) | $ | 7,327 | $ | (17,665 | ) | ||
Other comprehensive loss (income): | |||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment | (1,758 | ) | 562 | ||||
Income tax benefit (expense) related to other comprehensive loss (income) | 654 | (145 | ) | ||||
Comprehensive income (loss) | 6,223 | (17,248 | ) | ||||
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests | (150 | ) | (76 | ) | |||
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to controlling interests | $ | 6,073 | $ | (17,324 | ) | ||
See accompanying notes.
F-4
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Equity
For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013
(Dollars in thousands)
Common Stock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shares Issued | Amount | Additional Paid-In Capital | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss | Retained Deficit | Noncontrolling Interests | Total Equity | ||||||||||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2012 | 15,509,179 | $ | — | $ | 211,122 | $ | (1,154 | ) | $ | (190,673 | ) | $ | (108 | ) | $ | 19,187 | ||||||||||
Compensatory stock issuances, net of forfeitures | 465,664 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||
Contributions by owners of noncontrolling interests | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||
Amortization of deferred stock-based compensation costs | — | — | 589 | — | — | — | 589 | |||||||||||||||||||
Redemption and retirement of shares | (380,518 | ) | — | (1,396 | ) | — | — | — | (1,396 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Other comprehensive loss | — | — | — | 417 | (17,741 | ) | 76 | (17,248 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2013 | 15,594,325 | $ | — | $ | 210,315 | $ | (737 | ) | $ | (208,414 | ) | $ | (6 | ) | $ | 1,158 | ||||||||||
Compensatory stock issuances, net of forfeitures | 61,868 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||
Distributions to owners of noncontrolling interests | — | — | — | — | — | (143 | ) | (143 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Amortization of deferred stock-based compensation costs | — | — | 1,432 | — | — | — | 1,432 | |||||||||||||||||||
Redemption and retirement of shares | (347,222 | ) | — | (257 | ) | — | — | — | (257 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Tax effects of stock-based compensation plans | — | — | (971 | ) | — | — | — | (971 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Other comprehensive income | — | — | — | (1,104 | ) | 7,177 | 150 | 6,223 | ||||||||||||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2014 | 15,308,971 | $ | — | $ | 210,519 | $ | (1,841 | ) | $ | (201,237 | ) | $ | 1 | $ | 7,442 | |||||||||||
See accompanying notes.
F-5
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Dollars in thousands)
For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, | |||||||
2014 | 2013 | ||||||
Operating activities | |||||||
Net income (loss) | $ | 7,327 | $ | (17,665 | ) | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | |||||||
Depreciation of rental merchandise | 63,148 | 16,146 | |||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion, net | 4,927 | 1,553 | |||||
Losses upon charge off of loans and fees receivable recorded at fair value | 14,183 | 27,843 | |||||
Provision for losses on loans and fees receivable | 30,828 | 29,678 | |||||
Interest expense from accretion of discount on convertible senior notes | 637 | 600 | |||||
Income from accretion of discount associated with receivables purchases | (33,774 | ) | (29,907 | ) | |||
Unrealized gain on loans and fees receivable and underlying notes payable held at fair value | (7,042 | ) | (26,178 | ) | |||
Income from equity-method investments | (6,983 | ) | (8,437 | ) | |||
Gain on repurchase of convertible senior notes | (12,068 | ) | — | ||||
Other non-cash adjustments to income | — | 159 | |||||
Changes in assets and liabilities: | |||||||
Decrease (increase) in uncollected fees on earning assets | 3,132 | (2,466 | ) | ||||
Decrease in income tax liability | (34,705 | ) | (5,277 | ) | |||
Decrease in deposits | 319 | 14,489 | |||||
Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses | 517 | (43 | ) | ||||
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses | (4,907 | ) | 9,480 | ||||
Additions to rental merchandise | (48,473 | ) | (44,996 | ) | |||
Other | 2,200 | 8,165 | |||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (20,734 | ) | (26,856 | ) | |||
Investing activities | |||||||
Increase in restricted cash | (3,892 | ) | (5,948 | ) | |||
Investment in equity-method investees | — | (3,750 | ) | ||||
Proceeds from equity-method investees | 12,009 | 15,746 | |||||
Investments in earning assets | (218,656 | ) | (196,903 | ) | |||
Proceeds from earning assets | 243,807 | 244,057 | |||||
Purchases and development of property, net of disposals | (4,068 | ) | (3,487 | ) | |||
Net cash provided by investing activities | 29,200 | 49,715 | |||||
Financing activities | |||||||
Noncontrolling interests (distributions) contributions, net | (143 | ) | 26 | ||||
Purchase and retirement of outstanding stock | (257 | ) | (1,396 | ) | |||
Proceeds from borrowings | 115,545 | 48,981 | |||||
Repayment of borrowings | (133,545 | ) | (88,326 | ) | |||
Net cash used in financing activities | (18,400 | ) | (40,715 | ) | |||
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | (1,014 | ) | 814 | ||||
Net decrease in unrestricted cash | (10,948 | ) | (17,042 | ) | |||
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 50,873 | 67,915 | |||||
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents at end of period | $ | 39,925 | $ | 50,873 | |||
Supplemental cash flow information | |||||||
F-6
Cash paid for interest | $ | 24,421 | $ | 23,208 | |||
Net cash income tax payments | $ | 73 | $ | 163 | |||
Supplemental non-cash information | |||||||
Issuance of stock options and restricted stock | $ | 931 | $ | 1,512 | |||
Notes payable associated with capital leases | $ | — | $ | 155 | |||
See accompanying notes.
F-7
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation and Subsidiaries
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2014 and 2013
1. | Description of Our Business |
Our accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (the “Company”) and those entities we control. We are primarily focused on providing financial services. Through our subsidiaries, we offer an array of financial products and services to a market largely represented by credit risks that regulators classify as “sub-prime.” As discussed further below, we reflect our business lines within two reportable segments: Credit and Other Investments; and Auto Finance. See also Note 3, “Segment Reporting,” for further details.
Within our Credit and Other Investments segment, we offer point-of-sale financing whereby we partner with retailers and service providers to provide credit to their customers for the purchase of goods and services or rental of merchandise to their customers under rent-to-own arrangements.
These services are often extended to customers who may have been declined under traditional financing options. We specialize in providing this "second look" credit service in various industries across the United States (“U.S.”). Using our infrastructure and technology platform, we also provide loan servicing activities, including underwriting, marketing, customer service and collections operations for third parties.
Also within this segment, we continue to collect on portfolios of credit card receivables. These receivables include both receivables we originated through third-party financial institutions and portfolios of receivables we purchased from third-party financial institutions. One of our portfolios of credit card receivables is encumbered by non-recourse structured financing, and for this portfolio our principal remaining economic interest is the servicing compensation we receive as an offset against our servicing costs given that the likely future collections on the portfolio are insufficient to allow for full repayment of the financing. We also report within our Credit and Other Investments segment the income earned from investments in two equity-method investees—one that holds credit card receivables for which we are the servicer and another that holds structured financing notes underlying credit card receivables for which we are the servicer. In December 2014, we consolidated the entity that held structured financing notes underlying credit card receivables for which we are the servicer. This was a result of our distribution of certain assets to an unrelated third-party partner in that entity for their interest. As such, as of December 31, 2014 only one equity-method investee remained.
Lastly, through our Credit and Other Investments segment, we engage in testing and limited investment activities in consumer finance technology platforms as we seek to capitalize on our expertise and infrastructure.
Within our Auto Finance segment, our CAR subsidiary operations principally purchase and/or service loans secured by automobiles from or for a pre-qualified network of independent automotive dealers and automotive finance companies in the buy-here, pay-here, used car business. We purchase auto loans at a discount and with dealer retentions or holdbacks that provide risk protection. Also within our Auto Finance segment, we manage portfolios of auto finance receivables that we previously originated through franchised and independent auto dealers in connection with prior business activities, as well as provide additional lending products, such as floor plan financing and additional installment lending products to certain dealers.
2. | Significant Accounting Policies and Consolidated Financial Statement Components |
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies we follow in preparing our consolidated financial statements, as well as a description of significant components of our consolidated financial statements.
Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), under which we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of our consolidated financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during each reporting period. We base these estimates on information available to us as of the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Certain estimates, such as credit losses, payment rates, costs of funds, discount rates and the yields earned on credit card receivables, significantly affect the reported amount of credit card receivables that we report at fair value and our notes payable associated with structured financings, at fair value; these estimates likewise affect the changes in these amounts reflected within our fees
F-8
and related income on earning assets line item on our consolidated statements of operations. Additionally, estimates of future credit losses have a significant effect on loans and fees receivable, net, as shown on our consolidated balance sheets, as well as on the provision for losses on loans and fees receivable within our consolidated statements of operations.
We have eliminated all significant intercompany balances and transactions for financial reporting purposes.
Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents consist of cash, money market investments and overnight deposits. We consider all highly liquid cash investments with low interest rate risk and original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are carried at cost, which approximates market. We maintain unrestricted cash and cash equivalents for general operating purposes and to meet our longer term debt obligations. The majority of these cash balances are not insured.
Restricted Cash
Restricted cash as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 includes certain collections on loans and fees receivable, the cash balances of which are required to be distributed to noteholders under our debt facilities. Our restricted cash balances also include minimum cash balances held in accounts at the request of certain of our business partners.
Loans and Fees Receivable
Our loans and fees receivable include: (1) loans and fees receivable, net; (2) loans and fees receivable, at fair value; and (3) loans and fees receivable pledged as collateral under structured financings, at fair value.
Loans and Fees Receivable, Net. Our loans and fees receivable, net, currently consist of receivables carried at net realizable value associated with (a) originated United Kingdom ("U.K.") credit cards and U.S. point-of-sale financing and other credit products currently being marketed within our Credit and Other Investments segment and (b) our Auto Finance segment’s operations. Our Credit and Other Investments segment loans and fees receivable generally are unsecured, while our Auto Finance segment loans and fees receivable generally are secured by the underlying automobiles in which we hold the vehicle title.
As applicable, we show loans and fees receivable net of both an allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable and unearned fees (or “deferred revenue”). For example, our point-of-sale and auto finance loans and fees receivable include principal balances and associated fees and interest due from customers which are earned each period a loan is outstanding, net of the unearned portion of loan discounts which we recognize over the life of each loan.
For our loans and fees receivable carried at net realizable value (i.e., as opposed to those carried at fair value), we determine the necessary allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable by analyzing some or all of the following: historical loss rates; current delinquency and roll-rate trends; vintage analyses based on the number of months an account has been in existence; the effects of changes in the economy on our customers; changes in underwriting criteria; and estimated recoveries. A considerable amount of judgment is required to assess the ultimate amount of uncollectible loans and fees receivable, and we continuously evaluate and update our methodologies to determine the most appropriate allowance necessary.
Components of our loans and fees receivable, net (in millions) are as follows:
Balance at December 31, 2013 | Additions | Subtractions | Balance at December 31, 2014 | ||||||||||||
Loans and fees receivable, gross | $ | 134.7 | $ | 285.4 | $ | (278.5 | ) | $ | 141.6 | ||||||
Deferred revenue | (13.3 | ) | (36.2 | ) | 33.8 | (15.7 | ) | ||||||||
Allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable | (24.2 | ) | (30.8 | ) | 35.0 | (20.0 | ) | ||||||||
Loans and fees receivable, net | $ | 97.2 | $ | 218.4 | $ | (209.7 | ) | $ | 105.9 | ||||||
F-9
Balance at December 31, 2012 | Additions | Subtractions | Balance at December 31, 2013 | ||||||||||||
Loans and fees receivable, gross | $ | 89.1 | $ | 255.3 | $ | (209.7 | ) | $ | 134.7 | ||||||
Deferred revenue | (8.3 | ) | (34.9 | ) | 29.9 | (13.3 | ) | ||||||||
Allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable | (11.2 | ) | (29.7 | ) | 16.7 | (24.2 | ) | ||||||||
Loans and fees receivable, net | $ | 69.6 | $ | 190.7 | $ | (163.1 | ) | $ | 97.2 | ||||||
As of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the weighted average remaining accretion periods for the $15.7 million and $13.3 million, respectively, of deferred revenue reflected in the above tables were 11 months and 12 months, respectively.
A roll-forward (in millions) of our allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable by class of receivable is as follows:
For the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2014 | Credit Cards | Auto Finance | Other Unsecured Lending Products | Total | ||||||||||||
Allowance for uncollectible loans and fees receivable: | ||||||||||||||||
Balance at beginning of period | $ | (11.6 | ) | $ | (1.4 | ) | $ | (11.2 | ) | $ | (24.2 | ) | ||||
Provision for loan losses | (8.8 | ) | (0.9 | ) | (21.1 | ) | (30.8 | ) | ||||||||
Charge offs | 18.1 | 2.5 | 16.8 | 37.4 | ||||||||||||
Recoveries | (0.4 | ) | (1.4 | ) | (0.6 | ) | (2.4 | ) | ||||||||
Balance at end of period | $ | (2.7 | ) | $ | (1.2 | ) | $ | (16.1 | ) | $ | (20.0 | ) | ||||
Balance at end of period individually evaluated for impairment | $ | — | $ | (0.1 | ) | $ | (3.0 | ) | $ | (3.1 | ) | |||||
Balance at end of period collectively evaluated for impairment | $ | (2.7 | ) | $ | (1.1 | ) | $ | (13.1 | ) | $ | (16.9 | ) | ||||
Loans and fees receivable: | ||||||||||||||||
Loans and fees receivable, gross | $ | 6.7 | $ | 70.7 | $ | 64.2 | $ | 141.6 | ||||||||
Loans and fees receivable individually evaluated for impairment | $ | — | $ | 0.2 | $ | 5.0 | ||||||||||