PRA (PRAA) 10-K2 Mar 152014 FY Annual reportFinancial data

Company Profile

Document_And_Entity_Informatio

Document And Entity Information (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Document And Entity Information (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Feb. 23, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	PRA GROUP INC
Entity Central Index Key	1185348
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	31-Dec-14
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2014
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		48,476,038
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Public Float			$2,941,327,057

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$39,661	$162,004
Investments	89,703	0
Finance receivables, net	2,001,790	1,239,191
Other receivables, net	12,959	12,359
Property and equipment, net	48,258	31,541
Income tax receivable	0	11,710
Net deferred tax asset	6,126	1,361
Goodwill	527,445	103,843
Intangible assets, net	10,933	15,767
Other assets	41,876	23,456
Total assets	2,778,751	1,601,232
Liabilities:
Accounts payable	19,456	14,819
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	57,320	27,655
Income taxes payable	11,020	0
Accrued compensation	22,993	27,431
Net deferred tax liability	255,587	210,071
Interest-bearing deposits	27,704	0
Borrowings	1,482,456	451,780
Total liabilities	1,876,536	731,756
Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, par value $0.01, authorized shares, 2,000, issued and outstanding sharesâ€”0	0	0
Common stock, par value $0.01, 100,000 authorized shares, 49,577 issued and outstanding shares at December 31, 2014, and 60,000 authorized shares, 49,840 issued and outstanding shares at December 31, 2013	496	498
Additional paid-in capital	111,659	135,441
Retained earnings	906,010	729,505
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)/income	-115,950	4,032
Total stockholders' equity	902,215	869,476
Total liabilities and equity	$2,778,751	$1,601,232

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets_Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Preferred stock, par value (USD per share)	$0.01	$0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	2,000,000	2,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value (USD per share)	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	100,000,000	60,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	49,577,000	49,840,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	49,577,000	49,840,000

Consolidated_Income_Statements

Consolidated Income Statements (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:
Income recognized on finance receivables, net	$807,474	$663,546	$530,635
Fee income	65,675	71,532	62,164
Other revenue	7,820	57	2
Total revenues	880,969	735,135	592,801
Operating expenses:
Compensation and employee services	234,531	192,474	168,356
Legal collection fees	51,107	41,488	34,393
Legal collection costs	88,054	83,063	72,325
Agency fees	16,399	5,901	5,906
Outside fees and services	55,821	31,615	28,867
Communication	33,085	28,161	25,225
Rent and occupancy	11,509	8,311	7,498
Depreciation and amortization	18,414	14,417	14,515
Other operating expenses	29,981	25,781	19,661
Impairment of goodwill	0	6,397	0
Total operating expenses	538,901	437,608	376,746
Income from operations	342,068	297,527	216,055
Other income and (expense):
Interest income	4	3	10
Interest expense	-35,230	-14,469	-9,041
Foreign exchange (loss)/gain	-5,829	4	9
Income before income taxes	301,013	283,065	207,033
Provision for income taxes	124,508	106,146	80,934
Net income	176,505	176,919	126,099
Adjustment for (net income)/net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	-1,605	494
Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.	$176,505	$175,314	$126,593
Net income per common share attributable to PRA Group, Inc:
Basic (USD per share)	$3.53	$3.48	$2.48
Diluted (USD per share)	$3.50	$3.45	$2.46
Weighted average number of shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	49,990	50,366	50,991
Diluted (shares)	50,421	50,873	51,369

Consolidated_Statements_of_Com

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$176,505	$176,919	$126,099
Other comprehensive (loss)/income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	-119,982	1,181	2,851
Total other comprehensive (loss)/income, net of tax	-119,982	1,181	2,851
Comprehensive income	56,523	178,100	128,950
Comprehensive (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	-1,605	494
Comprehensive income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.	$56,523	$176,495	$129,444

Consolidated_Statements_Of_Cha

Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Stockholders' Equity (USD $)	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)
In Thousands, except Share data	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$595,488	$509	$167,381	$427,598	$0
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2011		51,402,000
Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.	126,593			126,593
Foreign currency translation adjustment	2,851				2,851
Exercise of stock options and vesting of nonvested shares (shares)		318,000
Vesting of nonvested shares	0	1	-1
Repurchase and cancellation of common stock, shares		-993,000
Repurchase and cancellation of common stock	-22,735	-3	-22,732
Amortization of share-based compensation	11,282		11,282
Income tax benefit from share-based compensation	2,138		2,138
Employee stock relinquished for payment of taxes	-3,593		-3,593
Adjustment of the redeemable noncontrolling interest measurement amount	-3,597		-3,597
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	708,427	507	150,878	554,191	2,851
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2012		50,727,000
Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.	175,314			175,314
Foreign currency translation adjustment	1,181				1,181
Exercise of stock options and vesting of nonvested shares (shares)		316,000
Vesting of nonvested shares	0	2	-2
Repurchase and cancellation of common stock, shares		-1,203,000
Repurchase and cancellation of common stock	-58,511	-11	-58,500
Amortization of share-based compensation	12,272		12,272
Income tax benefit from share-based compensation	4,552		4,552
Employee stock relinquished for payment of taxes	-7,350		-7,350
Adjustment of the redeemable noncontrolling interest measurement amount	-184		-184
Component of convertible debt	31,306		31,306
Deferred taxes on component of convertible debt	-12,517		-12,517
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	14,986		14,986
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	869,476	498	135,441	729,505	4,032
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2013	49,840,000	49,840,000
Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.	176,505			176,505
Foreign currency translation adjustment	-119,982				-119,982
Exercise of stock options and vesting of nonvested shares (shares)		311,000
Vesting of nonvested shares	0	4	-4
Repurchase and cancellation of common stock, shares		-574,000
Repurchase and cancellation of common stock	-33,164	-6	-33,158
Amortization of share-based compensation	14,968		14,968
Income tax benefit from share-based compensation	5,558		5,558
Employee stock relinquished for payment of taxes	-11,146		-11,146
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$902,215	$496	$111,659	$906,010	($115,950)
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2014	49,577,000	49,577,000

Consolidated_Statements_Of_Cas

Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$176,505	$176,919	$126,099
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of share-based compensation	14,968	12,272	11,282
Depreciation and amortization	18,414	14,417	14,515
Amortization of debt discount	4,058	1,508	0
Amortization of debt fair value	-4,827	0	0
Impairment of goodwill	0	6,397	0
Deferred tax expense/(benefit)	52,978	11,011	-8,621
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other assets	-1,844	-4,783	1,523
Other receivables	9,435	-1,786	-474
Accounts payable	-13,934	2,556	1,049
Income taxes payable/receivable, net	16,862	-14,814	-11,193
Accrued expenses	5,037	14,179	469
Accrued compensation	-15,579	7,251	-3,237
Net cash provided by operating activities	262,073	225,127	131,412
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	-24,385	-15,875	-7,115
Acquisition of finance receivables, net of buybacks	-682,441	-638,616	-457,068
Collections applied to principal on finance receivables	571,338	478,891	378,049
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	-851,183	0	-148,995
Purchase of investments	-69,862	0	0
Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments	25,821	0	0
Proceeds received from due from seller	0	0	29,548
Net cash used in investing activities	-1,030,712	-175,600	-205,581
Cash flows from financing activities:
Income tax benefit from share-based compensation	5,558	4,552	2,138
Payment of liability-classified contingent consideration	0	-5,240	0
Proceeds from lines of credit	543,000	217,000	294,000
Principal payments on lines of credit	-134,000	-344,000	-187,000
Repurchases of common stock	-33,164	-58,511	-22,735
Payments of line of credit origination costs and fees	0	0	-4,994
Cash paid for purchase of portion of noncontrolling interest	0	-5,663	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interest	0	-2,075	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	623,354	0	0
Principal payments on long-term debt	-359,281	-5,542	-704
Net increase in interest-bearing deposits	2,492	0	0
Proceeds from convertible debt, net	0	279,281	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	647,959	79,802	80,705
Effect of exchange rate on cash	-1,663	-12	-546
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	-122,343	129,317	5,990
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	162,004	32,687	26,697
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	39,661	162,004	32,687
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	31,831	9,830	9,566
Cash paid for income taxes	47,947	105,719	98,738
Noncash investing and financing activities:
Adjustment of the redeemable noncontrolling interest measurement amount	0	-184	-3,597
Purchase of redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	14,986	0
Distributions payable relating to the redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0	261
Employee stock relinquished for payment of taxes	-11,146	-7,350	-3,593
Conversion of revolving line of credit to long-term debt	$0	$0	$200,000

Summary_of_Significant_Account

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:

Nature of operations: Throughout this report, the terms "PRA Group," "our," "we," "us," the "Company" or similar terms refer to PRA Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

PRA Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries, is a financial and business service company operating in North America and Europe. The Company’s primary business is the purchase, collection and management of portfolios of defaulted receivables. The Company also services receivables on behalf of clients, provides business tax revenue administration, audit, discovery and recovery services for state and local governments in the United States, and provides class action claims settlement recovery services and related payment processing to corporate clients.

On July 1, 2014, the Company acquired certain operating assets from Pamplona Capital Management, LLP ("PCM"). These assets include PCM’s IVA ("Individual Voluntary Arrangement") Master Servicing Platform as well as other operating assets associated with PCM’s IVA business. The purchase price of these assets was approximately $5 million and was paid from the Company’s existing cash balances. The Company's consolidated income statements and statements of comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows include the results of operations of PCM for the period from July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

On July 16, 2014, the Company completed the purchase of the outstanding equity of Aktiv Kapital AS (“Aktiv”), a Norway-based company specializing in the acquisition and servicing of non-performing loans throughout Europe and in Canada, for a purchase price of approximately $861.3 million, and assumed approximately $433.7 million of Aktiv’s corporate debt, resulting in an acquisition of estimated total enterprise value of $1.3 billion. The Company's consolidated income statements and statements of comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows include the results of operations of Aktiv for the period from July 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

Basis of presentation: The consolidated financial statements of the Company are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and include the accounts of all of its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts and disclosures. Realized results could differ from those estimates and assumptions. Under the guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 280 “Segment Reporting” (“ASC 280”), the Company has determined that it has several operating segments that meet the aggregation criteria of ASC 280, and, therefore, it has one reportable segment, accounts receivable management, based on similarities among the operating units including the nature of the products and services, the nature of the production processes, the types or class of customer for their products and services, the methods used to distribute their products, and services and the nature of the regulatory environment.

On June 10, 2013, the Company's board of directors declared a three-for-one stock split by means of a stock dividend. The new shares were distributed on August 1, 2013, and the shares began trading on a split-adjusted basis beginning August 2, 2013. As a result of this action, approximately 33.8 million shares were issued to stockholders. The par value of the common stock remained at $0.01 per share and, accordingly, approximately $0.3 million was retroactively transferred from additional paid-in capital to common stock for all periods presented. Earnings per share, weighted average shares outstanding and other share related information are presented in this Form 10-K after the effect of the stock split.

Translation of foreign currencies: The financial statements of certain of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are measured using their local currency as the functional currency. Assets and liabilities are translated as of the balance sheet date and revenue and expenses are translated at an average rate over the period. Unrealized gains or losses resulting from currency translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive income/(loss). Realized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are recorded as a component of “Foreign exchange gain/(loss)."

Revenues and long-lived assets by geographical location: The following table shows the amount of revenue generated for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, and long-lived assets held at December 31, 2014 and 2013, by geographic location (amounts in thousands):

Years Ended December 31,

As of December 31,

2014

2013

2012

2014

2013

Revenues

Long-Lived Assets

United States

766,262

725,649

574,525

37,335

29,501

Outside the United States

114,707

9,486

18,276

10,923

2,040

Total

880,969

735,135

592,801

48,258

31,541

Revenues are attributed to countries based on the location of the related operations. Long-lived assets consist of net property and equipment. The Company reports revenues earned from its debt purchasing and collection activities and its fee-based services. It is impracticable for the Company to report further breakdowns of revenues from external customers by product or service.

Cash and cash equivalents: The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Included in cash and cash equivalents are funds held on the behalf of others arising from the collection of accounts placed with the Company. The balance of the funds held on behalf of others was $5.5 million and $8.7 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. There is an offsetting liability that is included in “Accounts payable” on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Concentrations of credit risk: Financial instruments, which potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of cash, investments and finance receivables.

Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss): The Company records unrealized gains and losses on certain available-for-sale investments and foreign currency translation adjustments. Unrealized gains and losses on available for sale investments are reclassified to earnings as the gains or losses are realized upon sale of the securities. Translation gains or losses on foreign currency translation adjustments are reclassified to earnings upon the substantial sale or liquidation of investments in foreign operations.

Investments: The Company accounts for its investments under the guidance of ASC Topic 320-10, "Investments-Debt and Equity Securities" ("ASC 320-10"). The Company determines the appropriate classification of its investments in debt and equity securities at the time of purchase and reevaluates such determinations at each balance sheet date. Debt securities are classified as held to maturity when the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold the securities to maturity. Debt securities for which the Company does not have the intent or ability to hold to maturity are classified as available for sale. Held-to-maturity securities are stated at amortized cost. Marketable securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term are classified as trading securities and are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recognized in earnings. Debt and marketable equity securities not classified as held to maturity or as trading, are classified as available for sale, and are carried at fair market value, with the unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, included in the determination of comprehensive income and reported in shareholders’ equity.

Finance receivables and income recognition: The Company accounts for its investment in finance receivables under the guidance of ASC Topic 310- 30, “Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality” (“ASC 310-30”). The Company acquires portfolios of accounts that have experienced deterioration of credit quality between origination and the Company's acquisition of the accounts. The amount paid for a portfolio reflects the Company's determination that it is probable the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to an account's contractual terms. At acquisition, the Company reviews the accounts to determine whether there is evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination, and if it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the loan's contractual terms. If both conditions exist, the Company then determines whether each such account is to be accounted for individually or whether such accounts will be assembled into pools based on common risk characteristics. The Company considers expected prepayments and estimates the amount and timing of undiscounted expected principal, interest and other cash flows (expected at acquisition) for each acquired portfolio based on the Company's proprietary models, and the Company subsequently aggregates portfolios of accounts into pools. The Company determines the excess of the pool's scheduled contractual principal and contractual interest payments over all cash flows expected at acquisition as an amount that should not be accreted (nonaccretable difference). The remaining amount, representing the excess of the pool's cash flows expected to be collected over the amount paid, is accreted into income recognized on finance receivables over the remaining estimated life of the pool (accretable yield). ASC 310-30 requires that the excess of the contractual cash flows over expected cash flows, based on the Company's estimates derived from its proprietary collection models, not be recognized as an adjustment of revenue or expense or on the balance sheet.

Each static pool is recorded at cost, which may include certain direct costs of acquisition paid to third parties, and is accounted for as a single unit for the recognition of income, payments applied to principal and loss provision. Once a static pool is established for a calendar quarter, individual receivable accounts are not added to the pool (unless replaced by the seller) or removed from the pool (unless sold or returned to the seller). ASC 310-30, utilizing the interest method, initially freezes the yield, estimated when the accounts are purchased, as the basis for subsequent impairment testing. The yield is estimated and periodically recalculated based on the timing and amount of anticipated cash flows using our proprietary collection models. Income on finance receivables is accrued quarterly based on each static pool's effective yield. Significant increases in expected future cash flows may be recognized prospectively, through an upward adjustment of the yield, over a pool's remaining life. Any increase to the yield then becomes the new benchmark for impairment testing. Under ASC 310-30, rather than lowering the estimated yield if the collection estimates are not received or projected to be received, the carrying value of a pool would be written down to maintain the then current yield and is shown as a reduction in revenue in the consolidated income statements with a corresponding valuation allowance offsetting finance receivables, net, on the consolidated balance sheets. Cash flows greater than the interest accrual will reduce the carrying value of the static pool. This reduction in carrying value is defined as payments applied to principal (also referred to as principal amortization). Likewise, cash flows that are less than the interest accrual will accrete the carrying balance. Generally, the Company does not record accretion in the first six to twelve months of the estimated life of the pool; accordingly, the Company utilizes either the cost recovery method or cash method when necessary to prevent accretion as permitted by ASC 310-30. Under the cash method, revenue is recognized as it would be under the interest method up to the amount of cash collections. Under the cost recovery method, no revenue is recognized until the Company has fully collected the cost of the pool, or until such time that the Company considers the collections to be probable and estimable and begin to recognize income based on the interest method as described above. The Company also uses the cost recovery method when collections on a particular pool of accounts cannot be reasonably estimated.

A pool can become fully amortized (zero carrying balance on the balance sheet) while still generating cash collections. In this case, all cash collections are recognized as revenue when received.

A valuation allowance is recorded for significant decreases in expected cash flows or a change in the expected timing of cash flows that would otherwise require a reduction in the stated yield on a pool of accounts. In any given period, the Company may be required to record valuation allowances due to pools of receivables underperforming previous expectations. Factors that may contribute to the recording of valuation allowances include both external and internal factors. External factors that may have an impact on the collectability, and subsequently on the overall profitability of purchased pools of defaulted consumer receivables, would include: new laws or regulations relating to collections, new interpretations of existing laws or regulations, and the overall condition of the economy. Internal factors that may have an impact on the collectability, and subsequently the overall profitability of purchased pools of defaulted consumer receivables, would include: necessary revisions to initial and post-acquisition scoring and modeling estimates, non-optimal operational activities (which relate to the collection and movement of accounts on both the collection floor of the Company and external channels), and decreases in productivity related to turnover and tenure of the Company’s collection staff.

The Company capitalizes certain fees paid to third parties related to the direct acquisition of a portfolio of accounts. These fees are added to the acquisition cost of the portfolio and accordingly are amortized over the life of the portfolio using the interest method.

The agreements to purchase the aforementioned receivables include general representations and warranties from the sellers covering account holder death or bankruptcy and accounts settled or disputed prior to sale. The representation and warranty period permitting the return of these accounts from the Company to the seller is typically 90 to 180 days. Any funds received from the seller of finance receivables as a return of purchase price are referred to as buybacks. Buyback funds are applied against the finance receivable balance received and are not included in the Company’s cash collections from operations. In some cases, the seller will replace the returned accounts with new accounts in lieu of returning the purchase price. In that case, the old account is removed from the pool and the new account is added.

Fee income recognition: The Company utilizes the provisions of ASC Topic 605-45, “Principal Agent Considerations” (“ASC 605-45”), to account for fee income revenue from its fee-for-service subsidiaries. ASC 605-45 requires an analysis to be completed to determine if certain revenues should be reported gross or reported net of their related operating expense. This analysis includes an assessment of who retains inventory/credit risk, controls vendor selection, establishes pricing and remains the primary obligor on the transaction. Each of these factors was considered to determine the correct method of recognizing revenue from our fee-based subsidiaries.

Property and equipment: Property and equipment, including improvements that significantly add to the productive capacity or extend useful life, are recorded at cost, while maintenance and repairs are expensed currently. Property and equipment are depreciated over their useful lives using the straight-line method of depreciation. Software and computer equipment are amortized or depreciated over three to five years. Furniture and fixtures are depreciated over five years. Equipment is depreciated over five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the lesser of the useful life, which ranges from three to ten years, or the remaining term of the leased property. Building improvements are depreciated over ten to thirty-nine years. When property is sold or retired, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the balance sheet and any gain or loss is included in the income statement.

Business combinations: The Company accounts for business combinations under the acquisition method. The cost of an acquired company is assigned to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and the liabilities assumed on the basis of their fair values at the date of acquisition. The determination of fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management to make estimates and use valuation techniques when market values are not readily available. Any excess of purchase price over the fair value of net tangible and intangible assets acquired is allocated to goodwill. Transaction costs associated with business combinations are expensed as incurred.

Goodwill and intangible assets: In accordance with ASC Topic 350, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other” (“ASC 350”), the Company amortizes intangible assets over their estimated useful lives. Goodwill, pursuant to ASC 350, is not amortized but rather is reviewed for impairment annually or more frequently if indicators of potential impairment exist. The Company performs its annual assessment on October 1. The Company may first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill. If management concludes that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, management conducts a two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. The first step of the impairment test involves comparing the fair value of the applicable reporting unit with its carrying value. The Company estimates the fair values of its reporting units using a combination of the income, or discounted cash flows approach, the market approach, which utilizes comparable companies’ data, and the transaction approach, which uses market multiples from comparable transactions where the acquisition target has similar operating and investment characteristics to the reporting unit. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, management performs the second step of the goodwill impairment test. The second step of the goodwill impairment test involves comparing the implied fair value of the affected reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying value of that goodwill. The amount, by which the carrying value of the goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, if any, is recognized as an impairment loss. See Note 5 for additional information.

Convertible senior notes: The Company accounts for its convertible senior notes in accordance with ASC 470-20, “Debt with Conversion and Other Options.” ASC 470-20 requires that, for convertible debt instruments that must be settled fully or partially in cash upon conversion, issuers must separately account for the liability and equity components in a manner that will reflect the entity’s nonconvertible debt borrowing rate when interest cost is recognized in subsequent periods. The excess of the principal amount of the liability component over its carrying amount is amortized to interest cost over the expected life of a similar liability that does not have an associated equity component, using the effective interest method. The equity component is not remeasured as long as it continues to meet the conditions for equity classification under ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity.” Transaction costs incurred with third parties are allocated to the liability and equity components in proportion to the allocation of proceeds and accounted for as debt issuance costs and equity issuance costs, respectively.

For diluted earnings per share purposes, based upon the Company’s intent and ability to settle conversions of the Notes through a combination of cash and shares, only the conversion spread is included in the diluted earnings per share calculation, if dilutive. Under such method, the settlement of the conversion spread has a dilutive effect when the average share price of the Company’s common stock during any quarter exceeds $65.72.

Income taxes: The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”) as it relates to the provision for income taxes and uncertainty in income taxes. Accordingly, the Company records a tax provision for the anticipated tax consequences of the reported results of operations. In accordance with ASC 740, the provision for income taxes is computed using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities, and for operating losses and tax credit carry-forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the currently enacted tax rates that apply to taxable income in effect for the years in which those tax assets are expected to be realized or settled. The evaluation of a tax position in accordance with the guidance is a two-step process. The first step is recognition: the enterprise determines whether it is more-likely-than-not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. In evaluating whether a tax position has met the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the enterprise should presume that the position will be examined by the appropriate taxing authority that would have full knowledge of all relevant information. The second step is measurement: a tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The tax position is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Tax positions that previously failed to meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold should be recognized in the first subsequent financial reporting period in which that threshold is met. Previously recognized tax positions that no longer meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold should be derecognized in the first subsequent financial reporting period in which that threshold is no longer met. The Company records interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

In the event that all or part of the deferred tax assets are determined not to be realizable in the future, a valuation allowance would be established and charged to earnings in the period such determination is made. If the Company subsequently realizes deferred tax assets that were previously determined to be unrealizable, the respective valuation allowance would be reversed, resulting in a positive adjustment to earnings or a decrease in goodwill in the period such determination is made. The calculation of tax liabilities involves significant judgment in estimating the impact of uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws. Resolution of these uncertainties in a manner inconsistent with our expectations could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position.

For domestic income tax purposes, the Company recognizes revenue using the cost recovery method with respect to the Company's debt purchasing business. The Company believes cost recovery to be an acceptable method for companies in the bad debt purchasing industry. Under the cost recovery method, collections on finance receivables are applied first to principal to reduce the finance receivables to zero before any income is recognized.

Advertising costs: Advertising costs are expensed when incurred.

Operating leases: General abatements or prepaid leasing costs are recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. Future minimum lease payments (including the impact of rent escalations) are expensed on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. Material leasehold improvements are capitalized and amortized over the remaining life of the lease.

Share-based compensation: The Company accounts for share-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 718 “Compensation-Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”). ASC 718 requires that compensation expense associated with share equity awards be recognized in the income statement. Based on historical experience, the Company assumes a forfeiture rate for most equity share grants. Time-based equity share awards generally vest between one and five years from the grant date and are expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Equity share awards that contain a performance metric, are expensed over the requisite service period, generally three years, in accordance with the performance level achieved at each reporting period. See Note 9 for additional information.

Use of estimates: The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Significant estimates have been made by management with respect to the timing and amount of future cash collections of the Company’s finance receivables portfolios and the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed related to the acquisition of Aktiv. Actual results could differ from these estimates making it reasonably possible that a change in these estimates could occur within one year.

Commitments and contingencies: We are subject to various claims and contingencies related to lawsuits, certain taxes, and commitments under contractual and other obligations. We recognize liabilities for contingencies and commitments when a loss is probable and estimable. We expense related legal costs as incurred. For additional information, see Note 15.

Estimated fair value of financial instruments: The Company applies the provision of ASC Topic 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”). ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 also requires the consideration of differing levels of inputs in the determination of fair values. Disclosure of the estimated fair values of financial instruments often requires the use of estimates. See Note 8 for additional information.

Reclassification of prior year presentation: Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current period presentation.

Recent accounting pronouncements: In March 2013, FASB issued ASU 2013-05, "Foreign Currency Matters (Topic 830): Parent's Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity," ("ASU 2013-05") which defines the treatment of the release of cumulative translation adjustments upon derecognition of certain subsidiaries or groups of assets within a foreign entity or of an investment in a foreign entity. ASU 2013-05 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted and prior periods should not be adjusted. The Company adopted ASU 2013-05 in the first quarter of 2014, and it had no material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

In April 2014, FASB issued ASU 2014-08, "Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity" (“ASU 2014-08”) that amends the requirements for reporting discontinued operations. ASU 2014-08 requires the disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that will have a major effect on the entity’s operations and financial results. ASU 2014-08 also requires additional disclosures about discontinued operations and disclosures about the disposal of a significant component of an entity that does not qualify as a discontinued operation. ASU 2014-08 is effective prospectively for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the potential impacts of the new standard.

In May 2014, FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" (“ASU 2014-09”) that updates the principles for recognizing revenue. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also amends the required disclosures of the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016, and can be adopted either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption, with early application not permitted. The Company is evaluating its implementation approach and the potential impacts of the new standard on its existing revenue recognition policies and procedures.

In June 2014, FASB issued ASU 2014-12, "Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period" (“ASU 2014-12”). ASU 2014-12 requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. As such, the performance target should not be reflected in estimating the grant-date fair value of the award. ASU 2014-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the potential impacts of the new standard on its existing stock-based compensation awards.

The Company does not expect that any other recently issued accounting pronouncements will have a material effect on its financial statements.

Finance_Receivables_Net

Finance Receivables, Net	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities [Abstract]
Finance Receivables, Net	Finance Receivables, net:
	Changes in finance receivables, net, for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, were as follows (amounts in thousands):


		2014				2013
	Balance at beginning of year	$	1,239,191			$	1,078,951

	Acquisitions of finance receivables (1)	1,427,436				638,616

	Foreign currency translation adjustment	(93,499		)		515

	Cash collections	(1,378,812		)		(1,142,437		)
	Income recognized on finance receivables, net	807,474				663,546

	Cash collections applied to principal	(571,338		)		(478,891		)
	Balance at end of year	$	2,001,790			$	1,239,191

	(1) Acquisitions of finance receivables are net of buybacks and include certain capitalized acquisition related costs. It also includes the acquisition date finance receivable portfolio that was acquired in connection with the Aktiv acquisition. Refer to Note 11 "Business Acquisitions" for more information.

	At the time of acquisition, the life of each pool is generally estimated to be between 80 to 120 months based on projected amounts and timing of future cash collections using the proprietary models of the Company. At December 31, 2014, the weighted average remaining life of the Company's pools is estimated to be approximately 99 months. Based upon current projections, cash collections applied to principal are estimated to be as follows for the following years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


	2015	$	555,358

	2016	441,877

	2017	350,918

	2018	267,724

	2019	174,135

	2020	97,396

	2021	89,081

	2022	25,301

		$	2,001,790

	At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had aggregate net finance receivables balances in pools accounted for under the cost recovery method of $17.1 million and $26.1 million, respectively.
	Accretable yield represents the amount of income recognized on finance receivables the Company can expect to generate over the remaining life of its existing portfolios based on estimated future cash flows as of the balance sheet date. Additions represent the original expected accretable yield, on portfolios purchased during the period, to be earned by the Company based on its proprietary buying models. Net reclassifications from nonaccretable difference to accretable yield primarily result from the Company’s increase in its estimate of future cash flows. When applicable, net reclassifications to nonaccretable difference from accretable yield result from the Company’s decrease in its estimates of future cash flows and allowance charges that exceed the Company’s increase in its estimate of future cash flows.
	Changes in accretable yield for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 were as follows (amounts in thousands):


		2014				2013
	Balance at beginning of year	$	1,430,067			$	1,239,674

	Income recognized on finance receivables, net	(807,474		)		(663,546		)
	Additions (1)	1,609,340				560,730

	Reclassifications from nonaccretable difference	390,255				286,840

	Foreign currency translation adjustment	(109,003		)		6,369

	Balance at end of year	$	2,513,185			$	1,430,067

	(1) Additions include the acquisition date accretable yield that was acquired in connection with the Aktiv acquisition. Refer to Note 11 "Business Acquisitions" for more information.
	The following is a summary of activity within the Company’s valuation allowance account, all of which relates to loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality, for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 (amounts in thousands):


		2014				2013				2012
	Beginning balance	$	91,101			$	93,123			$	86,571

Allowance charges	8,010				9,666				13,420

Reversal of previous recorded allowance charges	(12,945		)		(11,688		)		(6,868		)
Net allowance (reversals)/charges	(4,935		)		(2,022		)		6,552

Ending balance	$	86,166			$	91,101			$	93,123

Investments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]

Investments

Investments:

Investments consist of the following at December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands):

2014

Trading

Short-term investments

37,405

Available-for-sale

Securitized assets

3,721

Held-to-maturity

Securitized assets

31,017

Other investments

Private equity funds

17,560

89,703

The Company held no investments at December 31, 2013.

Trading

Short-term investments: The Company’s investments in money market mutual funds are stated at fair value. Fair value is estimated using the net asset value of the investment. Unrealized gains and losses are recorded in earnings.

Available-for-Sale

Investments in securitized assets: The Company holds a majority interest in a closed-end Polish investment fund. The fund was formed in December 2014 to acquire portfolios of nonperforming consumer loans in Poland. The Company’s investment consists of a 100% interest of the Series B certificates and a 20% interest of the Series C certificates. Each certificate comes with one vote and is governed by a co-investment agreement. Series C certificates, which share equally in the residual profit of the fund, are accounted for as debt securities classified as available-for-sale and are stated at fair value. Income is recognized using the effective yield method. There was no revenue recorded in 2014 from this investment.

Held-to-Maturity

Investments in securitized assets: The Company holds Series B certificates in a closed-end Polish investment fund. The certificates, which provide a preferred return based on the expected net income of the portfolios, are accounted for as a beneficial interest in securitized financial assets and stated at amortized cost. The Company has determined it has the ability and intent to hold these certificates until maturity, which occurs when the fund terminates or liquidates its assets. The preferred return is not a guaranteed return. Income is recognized under ASC Topic 325-40, "Beneficial Interests in Securitized Financial Assets" ("ASC 325-40"). Income is recognized using the effective yield method. The Company adjusts the yield for changes in estimated cash flows prospectively through earnings. If the fair value of the investment falls below its carrying amount and the decline is deemed to be other than temporary, the investment is written down, with a corresponding charge to earnings. The underlying securities have both known principal repayment terms as well as unknown principal repayments due to potential borrower pre-payments. Accordingly, it is difficult to accurately predict the final maturity date of these investments.

Other Investments

Investments in private equity funds: Investments in private equity funds represent limited partnerships in which the Company has less than a 3% interest and are carried at cost. Distributions received from the partnerships are included in other revenue. Distributions received in excess of the Company's proportionate share of accumulated earnings are applied as a reduction of the cost of the investment. Distributions received from investments carried at cost were $7.1 million for 2014.

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for sale and held-to-maturity investments at December 31, 2014 were as follows (amounts in thousands):

31-Dec-14

Amortized Cost

Gross Unrealized Gains

Gross Unrealized Losses

Aggregate Fair Value

Available-for-sale

Securitized assets

3,721

—

3,721

Held-to-maturity

Securitized assets

31,017

—

31,017

Operating_Leases

Operating Leases	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Leases, Operating [Abstract]
Operating Leases	Operating Leases:
	The Company leases office space and equipment under operating leases. Rental expense was $8.7 million, $6.0 million and $5.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
	Future minimum lease payments for operating leases at December 31, 2014, are as follows for the years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


	2015	$	10,205

	2016	11,558

	2017	5,753

	2018	6,026

	2019	3,166

	Thereafter	2,989

	Total future minimum lease payments	$	39,697

Goodwill_And_Intangible_Assets

Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net	Goodwill and Intangible Assets, net:

	In connection with the Company’s previous business acquisitions, the Company acquired certain tangible and intangible assets. Purchased intangible assets include client and customer relationships, non-compete agreements, trademarks and goodwill. Pursuant to ASC 350, the Company performs an annual review of goodwill on October 1 or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. The Company performed an annual review of goodwill as of October 1, 2014, and concluded that it was more likely than not that the carrying value of goodwill did not exceed its fair value. The Company believes that nothing has occurred since the review was performed through December 31, 2014 that would indicate a triggering event and thereby necessitate further evaluation of goodwill or other intangible assets. During 2013, the Company evaluated the goodwill associated with one of its reporting units, which had experienced a revenue and profitability decline, recent net losses, and the loss of a significant client. The Company estimated the fair value of the reporting unit using the present value of future cash flows and earnings and concluded that the carrying value of goodwill exceeded the implied fair value. Accordingly, the Company recorded a $6.4 million impairment of goodwill in the third quarter of 2013. This charge represents the full amount of goodwill recorded for the reporting unit.

	The following table represents the changes in goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:


			2014				2013
	Balance at beginning of year:
	Goodwill		$	110,240			$	109,488

	Accumulated impairment loss		(6,397		)		—

			103,843				109,488

	Changes:
	Acquisitions of Aktiv and PCM		512,049				—

	Impairment of goodwill		—				(6,397		)

	Foreign currency translation adjustment		(88,447		)		752

	Net change in goodwill		423,602				(5,645		)


	Balance at the end of the year:
	Goodwill		533,842				110,240

	Accumulated impairment loss		(6,397		)		(6,397		)
	Balance at end of year		$	527,445			$	103,843

	Goodwill recognized from the acquisitions of Aktiv and PCM represents, among other things, a significant dataset, portfolio modeling, an established workforce, and the future economic benefits arising from expected synergies and expanded geographical diversity. The acquired goodwill is not deductible for U.S. income tax purposes. Refer to Note 11 "Business Acquisitions" for more information.

	Intangible assets, excluding goodwill, consist of the following at December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):


		2014								2013
		Gross				Accumulated				Gross		Accumulated
		Amount				Amortization				Amount		Amortization
	Client and customer relationships	$	35,252			$	25,132			$	40,870	$	26,581

	Non-compete agreements	627				572				3,880		3,723

	Trademarks	3,432				2,674				3,491		2,170

	Total	$	39,311			$	28,378			$	48,241	$	32,474

	In accordance with ASC 350, the Company is amortizing the intangible assets over the estimated useful lives. Total amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was $4.8 million, $4.7 million and $5.9 million, respectively. The Company reviews these intangible assets for possible impairment if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount and thereby necessitate further evaluation of these intangible assets.
	The future amortization of these intangible assets is estimated to be as follows as of December 31, 2014 for the following years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


	2015	$	2,785

	2016	2,372

	2017	1,478

	2018	1,070

	2019	737

	Thereafter	2,491

		$	10,933

Borrowings

Borrowings	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Borrowings	Borrowings:
	The Company's borrowings consisted of the following as of the dates indicated (amounts in thousands):


		December 31,				December 31,
		2014				2013
	Domestic revolving credit	$	409,000			$	—

	Domestic term loan	185,000				195,000

	Seller note payable	169,938				—

	Multicurrency revolving credit	427,680				—

	Subordinated loan	30,000				—

	Convertible notes	287,500				287,500

	Less: Debt discount	(26,662		)		(30,720		)
	Total	$	1,482,456			$	451,780

	Domestic Revolving Credit and Term Loan
	On December 19, 2012, the Company entered into a credit facility with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and a syndicate of lenders named therein (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement was amended and modified during 2013. The total credit facility under the Credit Agreement includes an aggregate principal amount of $835 million (subject to compliance with a borrowing base and applicable debt covenants), which consists of (i) a fully-funded $185 million term loan, (ii) a $630 million domestic revolving credit facility, of which $221.0 million is available to be drawn, and (iii) a $20 million multi-currency revolving credit facility, of which $20 million is available to be drawn. The facilities all mature on December 19, 2017. The term and revolving loans accrue interest, at the option of the Company, at either the base rate or the Eurodollar rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) for the applicable term plus 2.50% per annum in the case of the Eurodollar rate loans and 1.50% in the case of the base rate loans. The base rate is the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus 0.50%, (b) Bank of America’s prime rate, and (c) the Eurodollar rate plus 1.00%. The Company’s revolving credit facility includes a $20 million swingline loan sublimit, a $20 million letter of credit sublimit and a $20 million alternative currency equivalent sublimit.
	Effective February 19, 2014, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement to amend certain provisions of the Credit Agreement to permit and facilitate the consummation of the Aktiv acquisition. The Second Amendment also amended certain provisions of the Credit Agreement to add an additional basket for permitted indebtedness for the issuance of senior, unsecured convertible notes or other unsecured financings in an aggregate amount not to exceed $300 million.
	Effective June 5, 2014, the Company entered into a Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement to amend a provision of the Credit Agreement to increase a basket for permitted indebtedness for the issuance of senior, unsecured convertible notes or other unsecured financings from an aggregate amount not to exceed $300 million to an aggregate amount not to exceed $500 million (without respect to the Company’s 3.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2020).
	The Credit Agreement is secured by a first priority lien on substantially all of the Company’s domestic assets. The Credit Agreement, as amended and modified, contains restrictive covenants and events of default including the following:

	•	borrowings may not exceed 33% of the ERC of all eligible asset pools plus 75% of eligible accounts receivable;

	•	the consolidated leverage ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) cannot exceed 2.0 to 1.0 as of the end of any fiscal quarter;

	•	consolidated tangible net worth (as defined in the Credit Agreement) must equal or exceed $455.1 million plus 50% of positive cumulative consolidated net income for each fiscal quarter beginning with the quarter ended December 31, 2012, plus 50% of the cumulative net proceeds of any equity offering;

	•	capital expenditures during any fiscal year cannot exceed $40 million;

	•	cash dividends and distributions during any fiscal year cannot exceed $20 million;

	•	stock repurchases during the term of the agreement cannot exceed $250 million and cannot exceed $100 million in a single fiscal year;

	•	investments in loans and/or capital contributions cannot exceed $950 million to consummate the acquisition of the equity of Aktiv;

	•	permitted acquisitions (as defined in the Credit Agreement) during any fiscal year cannot exceed $250 million except for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014, during which fiscal year permitted acquisitions (excluding the Aktiv acquisition) cannot exceed $25 million;

	•	indebtedness in the form of senior, unsecured convertible notes or other unsecured financings cannot exceed $500 million in the aggregate (without respect to the Company’s 3.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2020);

	•	the Company must maintain positive consolidated income from operations (as defined in the Credit Agreement) during any fiscal quarter; and

	•	restrictions on changes in control.
	The revolving credit facility also bears an unused line fee of 0.375% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears.
	The Company's borrowings on this credit facility at December 31, 2014 consisted of $185.0 million outstanding on the term loan with an annual interest rate as of December 31, 2014 of 2.67% and $409.0 million outstanding in 30-day Eurodollar rate loans on the revolving facility with a weighted average interest rate of 2.68%. At December 31, 2013, the Company's borrowings on this credit facility consisted of $195.0 million outstanding on the term loan with an annual interest rate as of December 31, 2013 of 2.67%.
	Seller Note Payable
	In conjunction with the closing of the Aktiv business acquisition on July 16, 2014, the Company entered into a $169.9 million promissory note (the "Seller Note") with an affiliate of the seller. The Seller Note bears interest at the three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus 3.75% and matures on July 16, 2015. The quarterly interest due can be paid or rolled into the Seller Note balance at the Company's option. During 2014, the Company paid the contractual interest that was due of $3.1 million. At December 31, 2014, the balance due on the Seller Note was $169.9 million with an annual interest rate of 4.01%.
	Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility

	On October 23, 2014, the Company entered into a credit agreement with DNB Bank ASA for a Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility (“the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement”). Subsequently, two other lenders joined the credit facility. Under the terms of the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement, the credit facility includes an aggregate amount of $500 million, of which $72.3 million is available to be drawn, accrues interest at the Interbank Offered Rate ("IBOR") plus 2.50-3.00% (as determined by the ERC Ratio as defined in the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement), bears an unused line fee of 0.35% per annum, payable monthly in arrears, and matures on October 23, 2019. The Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement also includes an Overdraft Facility aggregate amount of $40 million, of which $12.5 million is available to be drawn, accrues interest at the IBOR plus 2.50-3.00% (as determined by the ERC Ratio as defined in the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement), bears a facility line fee of 0.50% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears, and also matures October 23, 2019.
	The Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement is secured by i) the shares of most of the subsidiaries of Aktiv ii) all intercompany loans to Aktiv's subsidiaries. The Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement also contain restrictive covenants and events of default including the following:

	•	the ERC Ratio (as defined in the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement) may not exceed 28%;

	•	the GIBD Ratio (as defined in the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement) cannot exceed 2.5 to 1.0 as of the end of any fiscal quarter;

	•	interest bearing deposits in AK Nordic AB cannot exceed SEK 500,000,000;

	•	cash collections must exceed 95% of Aktiv's IFRS forecast.

At December 31, 2014, the balance on the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement was $427.7 million, with an annual interest rate of 4.02%.
Aktiv Revolving Credit
On May 4, 2012, Aktiv entered into a credit agreement with DNB Bank ASA for a Revolving Credit Facility (“the Aktiv Revolving Credit Agreement”). Under the terms of the Aktiv Revolving Credit Agreement the credit facility included an aggregate amount of up to NOK 1,500,000,000, including an option of NOK 500,000,000. The Aktiv revolving credit facility accrued interest at the IBOR plus 3.00%, included an unused fee of 1.2% per annum, payable monthly in arrears, and matured on October 28, 2014. At maturity, any outstanding balances owed on this facility were automatically transferred to the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement.
Aktiv Term Loan

On March 29, 2011, Aktiv entered into a credit agreement with DNB Bank ASA for a Term Loan Facility (“the Aktiv Term Loan Credit Agreement”). Under the terms of the Aktiv Term Loan Credit Agreement, the credit facility included an aggregate amount of NOK 2,000,000,000 in four different currencies. The Aktiv term loan credit facility accrued interest at the IBOR plus 2.25% - 2.75% (as determined by the Borrowing Base Ratio as defined in the Aktiv Term Loan Credit Agreement), and matured on October 28, 2014. At maturity, any outstanding balances owed on this facility were automatically transferred to the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement.
Aktiv Multicurrency Term Loan Bridge Facility
On June 24, 2014, Aktiv entered into a credit agreement with DNB Bank ASA for a Multicurrency Term Loan Bridge Facility (“the Aktiv Bridge Loan Credit Agreement”). Under the terms of the Aktiv Bridge Loan Credit Agreement the credit facility included an aggregate amount of NOK 350,000,000. The Aktiv bridge loan credit facility accrued interest at the IBOR plus 4%, included an unused line fee of 0.35% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears, is subordinated to the Aktiv revolving and term loan credit facilities and matured on October 28, 2014. At maturity, any outstanding balances owed on this facility were automatically transferred to the Multicurrency Revolving Credit Agreement.

Subordinated Loan
On December 16, 2011, Aktiv entered into a subordinated loan agreement with Metrogas Holding Inc., an affiliate with Geveran Trading Co. Ltd. The loan bears interest at LIBOR plus 3.75% and matures on January 16, 2016. The loan does not contain any covenants.

As of December 31, 2014, the balance on the subordinated loan was $30.0 million, with an annual interest rate of 4.01%.
Convertible Senior Notes
On August 13, 2013, the Company completed the private offering of $287.5 million in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Notes”). The Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated August 13, 2013 (the "Indenture") between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee. The Indenture contains customary terms and covenants, including certain events of default after which the Notes may be due and payable immediately. The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually, in arrears, on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on February 1, 2014. Prior to February 1, 2020, the Notes will be convertible only upon the occurrence of specified events. On or after February 1, 2020, the Notes will be convertible at any time. Upon conversion, the Notes may be settled, at the Company’s option, in cash, shares of the Company’s common stock, or any combination thereof. Holders of the Notes have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or some of their Notes at 100% of their principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, upon the occurrence of a fundamental change (as defined in the Indenture). In addition, upon the occurrence of a make-whole fundamental change (as defined in the Indenture), the Company may, under certain circumstances, be required to increase the conversion rate for the Notes converted in connection with such a make-whole fundamental change. The conversion rate for the Notes is initially 15.2172 shares per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $65.72 per share of the Company’s common stock, and is subject to adjustment in certain circumstances pursuant to the Indenture. The Company does not have the right to redeem the Notes prior to maturity. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, none of the conditions allowing holders of the Notes to convert their Notes had occurred.
As noted above, upon conversion, holders of the Notes will receive cash, shares of the Company’s common stock or a combination of cash and shares of the Company’s common stock, at the Company’s election. However, the Company’s current intent is to settle conversions through combination settlement (i.e., the Notes will be converted into cash up to the aggregate principal amount, and shares of the Company’s common stock or a combination of cash and shares of the Company’s common stock, at the Company’s election, for the remainder). As a result and in accordance with authoritative guidance related to derivatives and hedging and earnings per share, only the conversion spread is included in the diluted earnings per share calculation, if dilutive. Under such method, the settlement of the conversion spread has a dilutive effect when the average share price of the Company’s common stock during any quarter exceeds $65.72.
The net proceeds from the sale of the Notes were approximately $279.3 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and commissions and the estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company used $174.0 million of the net proceeds from this offering to repay the outstanding balance on its revolving credit facility and used $50.0 million to repurchase shares of its common stock.
The Company determined that the fair value of the Notes at the date of issuance was approximately $255.3 million, and designated the residual value of approximately $32.2 million as the equity component. Additionally, the Company allocated approximately $7.3 million of the $8.2 million original Notes issuance cost as debt issuance cost and the remaining $0.9 million as equity issuance cost.
ASC 470-20, "Debt with Conversion and Other Options" (“ASC 470-20”), requires that, for convertible debt instruments that may be settled fully or partially in cash upon conversion, issuers must separately account for the liability and equity components in a manner that will reflect the entity’s nonconvertible debt borrowing rate when interest cost is recognized in subsequent periods. Additionally, debt issuance costs are required to be allocated in proportion to the allocation of the liability and equity components and accounted for as debt issuance costs and equity issuance costs, respectively.
The balances of the liability and equity components of all of the Notes outstanding were as follows as of the dates indicated(amounts in thousands):


	December 31,				December 31,
	2014				2013
Liability component - principal amount	$	287,500			$	287,500

Unamortized debt discount	(26,662		)		(30,720		)
Liability component - net carrying amount	$	260,838			$	256,780

Equity component	$	31,306			$	31,306

The debt discount is amortized into interest expense over the remaining life of the Notes using the effective interest rate, which is 4.92%.
Interest expense related to the Notes was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):


	Years Ended December 31,
	2014				2013
Interest expense - stated coupon rate	$	8,625			$	3,306

Interest expense - amortization of debt discount	4,058				1,508

Total interest expense - convertible notes	$	12,683			$	4,814

The Company was in compliance with all covenants under its financing arrangements as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.
The following principal payments are due on the Company's borrowings at December 31, 2014 for the years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


2015	$	184,938

2016	50,000

2017	559,000

2018	—

2019	427,680

Thereafter	287,500

Total	$	1,509,118

Property_And_Equipment_Net

Property And Equipment, Net	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]
Property and Equipment, Net	Property and Equipment, net:
	Property and equipment, at cost, consist of the following as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):



		2014			2013
	Software	$	53,076		$	34,108

	Computer equipment	20,488			17,072

	Furniture and fixtures	11,502			8,616

	Equipment	12,880			10,351

	Leasehold improvements	14,429			11,147

	Building and improvements	7,049			7,026

	Land	1,269			1,269

	Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(72,435		)	(58,048		)
	Property and equipment, net	$	48,258		$	31,541

	Depreciation and amortization expense relating to property and equipment for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was $13.6 million, $9.7 million and $8.7 million, respectively.
	The Company, in accordance with the guidance of ASC Topic 350-40 “Internal-Use Software” (“ASC 350-40”), capitalizes qualifying computer software costs incurred during the application development stage and amortizes them over their estimated useful life on a straight-line basis beginning when the project is completed. Costs associated with preliminary project stage activities, training, maintenance and all other post implementation stage activities are expensed as incurred. The Company’s policy provides for the capitalization of certain direct payroll costs for employees who are directly associated with internal use computer software projects, as well as external direct costs of services associated with developing or obtaining internal use software. Capitalizable personnel costs are limited to the time directly spent on such projects. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company has incurred and capitalized $12.9 million and $10.3 million, respectively, of these direct payroll costs related to software developed for internal use. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, $1.0 million and $1.7 million of these costs are for projects that are in the development stage and therefore are a component of “Other assets.” Once the projects are completed, the costs will be transferred to Software and amortized over their estimated useful life of three to seven years. Amortization expense relating to this internally developed software as of and for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was $1.9 million, $1.5 million and $1.2 million, respectively. Remaining unamortized costs relating to this internally developed software as of and for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were $5.9 million, $4.4 million and $3.9 million, respectively.

Fair_Value_Measurements_And_Di

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosures	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements And Disclosures	Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures:
	As defined by ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”), fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 also requires the consideration of differing levels of inputs in the determination of fair values. Those levels of input are summarized as follows:

	•Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.


	•	Level 2 - Observable inputs other than Level 1 quoted prices, such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-based valuation techniques for which all significant assumptions are observable in the market.


	•	Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity. Level 3 assets and liabilities include financial instruments whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques as well as instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation.
	The level in the fair value hierarchy within which a fair value measurement in its entirety falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
	Financial Instruments Not Required To Be Carried at Fair Value
	In accordance with the disclosure requirements of ASC Topic 825, “Financial Instruments” (“ASC 825”), the table below summarizes fair value estimates for the Company’s financial instruments. The total of the fair value calculations presented does not represent, and should not be construed to represent, the underlying value of the Company. The carrying amounts in the table are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 (amounts in thousands):


		31-Dec-14				December 31, 2013
		Carrying		Estimated		Carrying		Estimated
		Amount		Fair Value		Amount		Fair Value
	Financial assets:
	Cash and cash equivalents	$	39,661	$	39,661	$	162,004	$	162,004

	Held-to-maturity investments	31,017		31,017		—		—

	Other investments	17,560		19,776		—		—

	Finance receivables, net	2,001,790		2,460,787		1,239,191		1,722,100

	Financial liabilities:
	Interest-bearing deposits	27,704		27,704		—		—

	Revolving lines of credit	836,680		836,680		—		—

	Term loans	185,000		185,000		195,000		195,000

	Notes and loans payable	199,938		199,938		—		—

	Convertible notes	260,838		324,757		256,780		316,857

	Disclosure of the estimated fair values of financial instruments often requires the use of estimates. The Company uses the following methods and assumptions to estimate the fair value of financial instruments:
	Cash and cash equivalents: The carrying amount approximates fair value and quoted prices for identical assets can be found in active markets. Accordingly, the Company estimates the fair value of cash and cash equivalents using Level 1 inputs.
	Held-to-maturity investments: Fair value of the Company’s investment in Series B certificates of a closed-end Polish investment fund is estimated using proprietary pricing models that the Company utilizes to make portfolio purchase decisions. Accordingly, the Company estimates the fair value of its held-to-maturity investments using Level 3 inputs as there is little observable market data available and management is required to use significant judgment in its estimates. At December 31, 2014, amortized cost approximates fair value.

	Other investments: This class of investments consists of private equity funds that invest primarily in loans and securities including single-family residential debt; corporate debt products; and financially-oriented, real-estate-rich and other operating companies in the Americas, Western Europe, and Japan. These investments are subject to certain restrictions regarding transfers and withdrawals. The investments can never be redeemed with the funds. Instead, the nature of the investments in this class is that distributions are received through the liquidation of the underlying assets of the fund. The fair value of the Company’s interest is valued by the fund managers; accordingly, the Company estimates the fair value of these investments using Level 3 inputs. The investments are expected to be returned through distributions as a result of liquidations of the funds’ underlying assets over 1 to 4 years.
	Finance receivables, net: The Company records purchased receivables at cost, which represents a significant discount from the contractual receivable balances due. The Company computed the estimated fair value of these receivables using proprietary pricing models that the Company utilizes to make portfolio purchase decisions. Accordingly, the Company's fair value estimates use Level 3 inputs as there is little observable market data available and management is required to use significant judgment in its estimates.
	Interest-bearing deposits: The carrying amount approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of the deposits and the observable quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets. Accordingly, the Company uses Level 2 inputs for its fair value estimates.
	Revolving lines of credit: The carrying amount approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of the interest rate periods and the observable quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets. Accordingly, the Company uses Level 2 inputs for its fair value estimates.
	Term loans: The carrying amount approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of the interest rate periods and the observable quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets. Accordingly, the Company uses Level 2 inputs for its fair value estimates.
	Notes and loans payable: The carrying amount approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of the loan terms and the observable quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets. Accordingly, the Company uses Level 2 inputs for its fair value estimates.
	Convertible notes: The notes are carried at historical cost, adjusted for the debt discount. The fair value estimates for these notes incorporates quoted market prices which were obtained from secondary market broker quotes which were derived from a variety of inputs including client orders, information from their pricing vendors, modeling software, and actual trading prices when they occur. Accordingly, the Company uses Level 2 inputs for its fair value estimates.

	Financial Instruments Required To Be Carried At Fair Value
	The carrying amounts in the following table are measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands):


		Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2014
		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	Assets:
	Trading investments	$	37,405	$	—	$	—	$	37,405

	Available-for-sale investments	—		—		3,721		3,721

	Liabilities:
	Interest rate swap contracts (recorded in accrued expenses)	$	—	$	3,387	$	—	$	3,387

Trading investments: Fair value of the Company’s investments in money market mutual funds is reported using the closing price of the fund’s net asset value in an active market. Accordingly, the Company uses Level 1 inputs.

Available-for-sale investments: The Company’s investment in Series C certificates of a closed-end Polish investment fund was made near the end of the year in 2014. The carrying amount approximates fair value. Accordingly, the Company estimates the fair value of its available-for-sale investments using Level 3 inputs.
Interest rate swap contracts: The interest rate swap contracts are carried at fair value which is determined by using industry standard valuation models. These models project future cash flows and discount the future amounts to a present value using market-based observable inputs, including interest rate curves and other factors. Accordingly, the Company uses Level 2 inputs for its fair value estimates.
There were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2013.

ShareBased_Compensation

Share-Based Compensation	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-Based Compensation	Share-Based Compensation:
	The Company has an Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "Plan") to assist the Company in attracting and retaining selected individuals to serve as employees and directors, who are expected to contribute to the Company's success and to achieve long-term objectives that will benefit stockholders of the Company. The Plan enables the Company to award shares of the Company's common stock to select employees and directors, as described in the Plan, not to exceed 5,400,000 shares as authorized by the Plan.
	Total share-based compensation expense was $15.0 million, $12.3 million and $11.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Tax benefits resulting from tax deductions in excess of share-based compensation expense (windfall tax benefits) recognized under the provisions of ASC 718 are credited to additional paid-in capital in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. Realized tax shortfalls, if any, are first offset against the cumulative balance of windfall tax benefits, if any, and then charged directly to income tax expense. The total tax benefit realized from share-based compensation was approximately $10.8 million, $8.2 million and $4.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
	Nonvested Shares
	As of December 31, 2014, total future compensation costs related to nonvested awards of nonvested shares (not including nonvested shares granted under the Long-Term Incentive Program (“LTI”)) is estimated to be $13.0 million with a weighted average remaining life for all nonvested shares of 1.8 years (not including nonvested shares granted under the LTI program). Grants made to key employees and directors of the Company were assumed to have no forfeiture rates associated with them due to the historically low turnover among this group. With the exception of the awards made pursuant to the LTI program and a few employee and director grants the nonvested shares vest ratably generally over three to five years and are expensed over their vesting period.
	The following summarizes all nonvested share transactions, excluding those related to the LTI program, from December 31, 2011 through December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):



		Nonvested Shares			Weighted-Average
		Outstanding			Price at Grant Date
	December 31, 2011	243			$	19.77

	Granted	159			22

	Vested	(102	)		19.79

	Cancelled	(12	)		23.31

	December 31, 2012	288			20.84

	Granted	110			37.31

	Vested	(143	)		19.75

	Cancelled	(29	)		20.57

	December 31, 2013	226			29.58

	Granted	272			56.69

	Vested	(155	)		37.34

	Cancelled	(4	)		50.41

	December 31, 2014	339			$	47.34

	The total grant date fair value of shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, was $5.8 million, $2.8 million and $2.0 million, respectively.
	Long-Term Incentive Program
	Pursuant to the Plan, the Compensation Committee may grant time-vested and performance based nonvested shares. All shares granted under the LTI program were granted to key employees of the Company. The following summarizes all LTI share transactions from December 31, 2011 through December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):


		Nonvested LTI Shares			Weighted-Average
		Outstanding			Price at Grant Date
	December 31, 2011	548			$	17.01

	Granted at target level	198			20.73

	Adjustments for actual performance	120			18

	Vested	(354	)		12.58

	Cancelled	(15	)		22.55

	December 31, 2012	497			21.71

	Granted at target level	124			34.59

	Adjustments for actual performance	108			17.91

	Vested	(279	)		19.1

	Cancelled	(16	)		25.01

December 31, 2013	434			25.79

Granted at target level	111			49.6

Adjustments for actual performance	222			22.32

Vested	(279	)		24.21

December 31, 2014	488			$	30.52

The total grant date fair value of LTI shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, was $6.8 million, $5.3 million and $4.5 million, respectively.
At December 31, 2014, total future compensation costs, assuming the current estimated performance levels are achieved, related to nonvested share awards granted under the LTI program are estimated to be approximately $7.5 million. The Company assumed a 7.5% forfeiture rate for these grants and the remaining shares have a weighted average life of 1.4 years at December 31, 2014.

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share	Earnings per Share:
	Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) are computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders of PRA Group, Inc. by weighted average common shares outstanding. Diluted EPS are computed using the same components as basic EPS with the denominator adjusted for the dilutive effect of the Notes and nonvested share awards, if dilutive. For the Notes, only the conversion spread is included in the diluted earnings per share calculation, if dilutive. Under such method, the settlement of the conversion spread has a dilutive effect when the average share price of the Company’s common stock during any quarter exceeds $65.72, which did not occur during the period from which the Notes were issued on August 13, 2013 through December 31, 2014. The Notes were not outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2012. Share-based awards that are contingent upon the attainment of performance goals are not included in the computation of diluted EPS until the performance goals have been attained. The dilutive effect of nonvested shares is computed using the treasury stock method, which assumes any proceeds that could be obtained upon the vesting of nonvested shares would be used to purchase common shares at the average market price for the period. The assumed proceeds include the windfall tax benefit that would be received upon assumed exercise. The following table provides a reconciliation between the computation of basic EPS and diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):



		2014						2013						2012
		Net Income Attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		Weighted Average	EPS			Net Income Attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		Weighted Average	EPS			Net Income Attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		Weighted Average	EPS
				Common Shares						Common Shares						Common Shares
	Basic EPS	$	176,505	49,990	$	3.53		$	175,314	50,366	$	3.48		$	126,593	50,991	$	2.48

	Dilutive effect of nonvested share awards			431	(0.03		)			507	(0.03		)			378	(0.02		)

	Diluted EPS	$	176,505	50,421	$	3.5		$	175,314	50,873	$	3.45		$	126,593	51,369	$	2.46

	There were no antidilutive options outstanding as of December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012.

Business_Acquisition

Business Acquisition	12 Months Ended
Business Acquisition	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Business Acquisition	Business Acquisitions:

	Aktiv Kapital, A.S. Acquisition

	On July 16, 2014, the Company completed the purchase of the outstanding equity of Aktiv, for a purchase price of approximately $861.3 million, and assumed approximately $433.7 million of Aktiv’s corporate debt, resulting in an acquisition of estimated total enterprise value of $1.3 billion. The Company financed the transaction with cash of $206.4 million, $169.9 million in financing from an affiliate of the seller (which bears interest at a variable rate equal to LIBOR plus 3.75% per annum and matures on July 16, 2015), and $485.0 million from the Company’s domestic, revolving credit facility.

	The Company incurred transaction costs of approximately $17.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2014. These costs are included in the line item "Outside fees and services." Additionally, as a result of the Company's expansion of its international footprint into many countries with various currencies throughout Europe, the Company is subject to foreign currency fluctuations between and among the U.S. dollar and each of the other currencies in which it operates. As a result, for the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company recorded net foreign exchanges losses of $5.8 million.

	The Company accounted for this purchase in accordance with ASC Topic 805, “Business Combinations.” Under this guidance, an entity is required to recognize the assets acquired, liabilities assumed and the consideration given at their fair value on the acquisition date. The following tables summarize the fair value of the consideration given for Aktiv, as well as the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the July 16, 2014 acquisition date.

	Recognized amounts of identifiable assets and liabilities are as follows (amounts in thousands):



	Purchase price	$	861,331
	Purchase price	$	861,331
	Cash	(15,624		)
	Investments	(39,285		)
	Other receivables, net	(10,087		)
	Finance receivables, net	(727,688		)
	Property and equipment, net	(7,715		)
	Net deferred tax asset	(33,426		)
	Other assets	(25,341		)
	Accounts payable	15,862
	Accounts payable	15,862
	Accrued expenses	27,714
	Accrued expenses	27,714
	Income tax payable	5,859
	Income tax payable	5,859
	Net deferred tax liability	21,967
	Net deferred tax liability	21,967
	Borrowings	404,823
	Borrowings	404,823
	Interest-bearing deposits	28,858
	Interest-bearing deposits	28,858
	Goodwill at acquisition date	$	507,248
	Goodwill at acquisition date	$	507,248

	The Company has recorded provisional amounts for the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in its consolidated financial statements and will adjust the allocations relative to the fair value of the assets and liabilities, as necessary, during the remainder of the one-year measurement period.

	Aktiv Results

	The Company's results for the year ended December 31, 2014 include the operations of Aktiv from the acquisition date of July 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

	The table below presents the estimated impact of the Aktiv acquisition on our revenue and income from continuing operations, net of tax for the year ended December 31, 2014. The table also includes condensed pro forma information on our combined results of operations as they may have appeared assuming the Aktiv acquisition had been completed on January 1, 2013. These amounts include certain corporate expenses, transaction costs or merger related expenses that resulted from the acquisition and are therefore not representative of the actual results of the operations of these businesses on a stand-alone basis.

	Included in the combined pro forma results are adjustments to reflect the impact of certain purchase accounting adjustments, including adjustments to Income recognized on finance receivables, net; Outside fees and services; Depreciation and amortization; and Interest expense.

	The pro forma condensed combined financial information is presented for illustrative purposes only and does not indicate the actual combined financial results had the closing of the Aktiv acquisition been completed on January 1, 2013 nor does it reflect the benefits obtained through the integration of business operations realized since acquisition. Furthermore, the information is not indicative of the results of operations in future periods. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information does not reflect the impact of possible business model changes nor does it consider any potential impacts of market conditions, expense efficiencies or other factors.


			Aktiv Impact		Combined Pro Forma Results (Unaudited)
			From July 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014		Year Ended December 31,
	(amounts in thousands)		From July 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014		2014		2013
	Revenues		$	102,098	$	1,020,234	$	970,148
	Revenues		$	102,098	$	1,020,234	$	970,148
	Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		22,537		219,947		320,470
	Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		22,537		219,947		320,470

	Pamplona Capital Management, LLP Acquisition

	On July 1, 2014, the Company acquired certain operating assets from PCM. These assets include PCM’s IVA Master Servicing Platform as well as other operating assets associated with PCM’s IVA business. The purchase price of these assets was approximately $5 million and was paid from the Company’s existing cash balances. Due to immateriality, no effect of this acquisition is included in the pro forma results and adjustments described above.

Derivatives

Derivatives	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Derivatives	Derivatives:

	The Company’s activities are subject to various financial risks including market risk, currency and interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and cash flow risk. The Company’s overall financial risk management program focuses on the unpredictability of financial markets and seeks to minimize potential adverse effects on the Company’s financial performance. The Company may periodically enter into derivative financial instruments, typically interest rate swap agreements, to reduce its exposure to fluctuations in interest rates on variable-rate debt and their impact on earnings and cash flows. The Company does not utilize derivative financial instruments with a level of complexity or with a risk greater than the exposure to be managed nor does it enter into or hold derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. The Company periodically reviews the creditworthiness of the swap counterparty to assess the counterparty’s ability to honor its obligation. Counterparty default would expose the Company to fluctuations in variable interest rates. Based on the guidance of ASC Topic 815 “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”), the Company records derivative financial instruments at fair value on the consolidated balance sheet.

	The financing of portfolio investments is generally drawn in the same currencies as the underlying expected future cash flow from the portfolios. The interest rate risk related to the loans is reduced through the use of a combination of interest rate swaps in CAD, EUR, GBP, SEK and NOK. At December 31, 2014, approximately 54% of the net borrowings at PRA Europe was hedged, reducing the related interest rate risk.

	The Company’s financial derivative instruments are not designated as hedging instruments under ASC 815 and therefore the gain or loss on such hedge and the change in fair value of the derivative is recorded in interest (income)/expense in the Company's consolidated financial statements. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company recorded $1.8 million in interest expense in its consolidated income statements. There were no derivatives outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2013.

	The following table sets forth the fair value amounts of the derivative instruments held by the Company as of the dates indicated (amounts in thousands):


		31-Dec-14
	Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments under ASC 815	Asset Derivatives		Liability Derivatives
	Interest rate swap contracts	$	—	$	3,387

	Liabilities for derivatives are recorded in accrued expenses in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Stockholders_Equity

Stockholders' Equity	12 Months Ended
Stockholders' Equity	Dec. 31, 2014
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders’ Equity:
	On February 2, 2012, the Company's board of directors authorized a share repurchase program to purchase up to $100.0 million of the Company's outstanding shares of common stock on the open market. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company purchased 323,900 shares of its common stock under this plan at an average price of $57.94 per share, which represented the remaining shares allowed under the plan. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company purchased 1,203,412 shares of its common stock at an average price of $48.62 per share.
	On December 10, 2014, the Company's board of directors authorized a new share repurchase program to purchase up to $100.0 million of the Company's outstanding shares of common stock on the open market. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company purchased 250,000 shares of its common stock under the new plan at an average price of $57.59 per share. At December 31, 2014, the maximum remaining purchase price for share repurchases under the plan was approximately $85.6 million.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes:

	The Company follows the guidance of ASC 740 as it relates to the provision for income taxes and uncertainty in income taxes. The guidance prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.
	The income tax expense/(benefit) recognized for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 is comprised of the following (amounts in thousands):



		Federal				State			Foreign			Total
	For the year ended December 31, 2014:
	Current tax expense	$	57,336			$	8,823		$	5,342		$	71,501

	Deferred tax expense	30,319				4,717			17,971			53,007

	Total income tax expense	$	87,655			$	13,540		$	23,313		$	124,508

	For the year ended December 31, 2013:
	Current tax expense	$	82,163			$	12,163		$	833		$	95,159

	Deferred tax expense/(benefit)	13,321				(550		)	(1,784		)	10,987

	Total income tax expense/(benefit)	$	95,484			$	11,613		$	(951	)	$	106,146

	For the year ended December 31, 2012:
	Current tax expense/(benefit)	$	76,067			$	14,051		$	(563	)	$	89,555

	Deferred tax (benefit)/expense	(8,837		)		(278		)	494			(8,621		)

	Total income tax expense/(benefit)	$	67,230			$	13,773		$	(69	)	$	80,934

	A reconciliation of the Company’s expected tax expense at the statutory federal tax rate to actual tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 is as follows (amounts in thousands):


		2014				2013			2012
	Expected tax expense at statutory federal rates	$	105,355			$	99,073		$	72,462

	State tax expense, net of federal tax benefit	8,565				7,548			8,546

	Foreign taxable translation	8,199				—			—

	Foreign rate difference	90				820			(27		)

	Acquisition expenses	2,169				—			—

	Other	130				(1,295		)	(47		)

	Total income tax expense	$	124,508			$	106,146		$	80,934

	The Company has recognized a net deferred tax liability of $249.5 million and $208.7 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The components of the net deferred tax liability are as follows (amounts in thousands):



	Deferred tax assets:	2014				2013
	Employee compensation	$	9,304			$	9,365

	Net operating loss carryforward - international	33,026				—

	Other	5,447				3,463

	Accrued liabilities	3,334				4,642

	Intangible assets	—				930

	Interest	7,876				—

Total deferred tax assets	58,987				18,400

Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation expense	5,998				4,250

Intangible assets and goodwill	1,434				—

Convertible debt	10,332				11,931

Other	7,843				1,604

Finance receivable revenue recognition - international	11,677				—

Finance receivable revenue recognition - domestic	240,998				209,325

Total deferred tax liability	278,282				227,110

Valuation allowance	30,166				—

Net deferred tax liability	$	249,461			$	208,710


A valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is recognized and charged to earnings in the period such determination is made, if it is determined that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized. If the Company subsequently realized deferred tax assets that were previously determined to be unrealizable, the respective valuation allowance would be reversed, resulting in a positive adjustment to earnings in the period such determination is made. The determination for a valuation allowance is made on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis. A valuation allowance for deferred tax was not recorded at December 31, 2013 since management believed it was more likely than not that the deferred tax assets would be realized. As part of the acquisition of Aktiv Kapital, the Company acquired deferred tax assets of approximately $33.6 million related to tax losses in Norway which the Company believes does not meet the more likely than not requirement for realization; therefore a valuation allowance was recorded. This valuation allowance was recorded as part of the purchase accounting process; therefore, it had no impact on 2014 earnings. At December 31, 2014 the valuation allowance relating to tax losses in Norway and Luxembourg and interest deductions in Norway is $30.2 million. The Company believes it is more likely than not that the results of future operations will generate sufficient taxable income to realize the net deferred tax assets.
For tax purposes, the Company utilizes the cost recovery method of accounting. Under the cost recovery method, collections on finance receivables are applied first to principal to reduce the finance receivables to zero before taxable income is recognized. The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") examined the Company's 2005 through 2012 tax returns and has asserted that tax revenue recognition using the cost recovery method does not clearly reflect taxable income. The Company believes it has sufficient support for the technical merits of its position, and believes cost recovery to be an acceptable tax revenue recognition method for companies in the bad debt purchasing industry. The Company has received Notices of Deficiency for tax years ended December 31, 2005 through 2012. The proposed deficiencies relate to the cost recovery method of tax accounting. In response to the notices, the Company filed petitions in the United States Tax Court. The case is scheduled for trial in the United States Tax Court on June 22, 2015. If the Company is unsuccessful in the United States Tax Court, it can appeal to the federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
ASC 740 requires the recognition of interest if the tax law would require interest to be paid on the underpayment of taxes, and recognition of penalties if a tax position does not meet the minimum statutory threshold to avoid payment of penalties. The Company believes it has sufficient support for the technical merits of its position and that it is more likely than not this position will be sustained. Accordingly, the Company has not accrued for interest or penalties on any of its tax positions, including the cost recovery matter.
If the Company is unsuccessful in the United States Tax Court and any potential appeals to the federal Circuit Court of Appeals, it may be required to pay the related deferred taxes, and possibly interest and penalties. Deferred tax liabilities related to this item were $241.0 million at December 31, 2014. Any adverse determination on this matter could result in the Company amending state tax returns for prior years, increasing its taxable income in those states. The Company files tax returns in multiple state jurisdictions; therefore, any underpayment of state tax will accrue interest in accordance with the respective state statute. The Company's estimate of the potential federal and state interest is $79.0 million as of December 31, 2014.
At December 31, 2014, the tax years subject to examination by the major federal, state and international taxing jurisdictions are 2003, 2005 and subsequent years. The 2003 tax year remains open to examination because of a net operating loss that originated in that year but was not fully utilized until the 2005 tax year. The examination periods for the 2005 through 2012 tax years are suspended until a decision of the Tax Court becomes final.

As of December 31, 2014, the cumulative unremitted earnings of the Company's foreign subsidiaries are approximately $0. There were no repatriations of unremitted earnings during 2014 or 2013. The Company intends for predominantly all foreign earnings to be indefinitely reinvested in its foreign operations and, therefore, the recording of deferred tax liabilities for such unremitted earnings is not required. It is impracticable to determine the total amount of unrecognized deferred taxes with respect to these permanently reinvested earnings; however, foreign tax credits would be available to partially reduce U.S. income taxes in the event of a distribution. The amount of cash on hand related to foreign operations with permanently reinvested earnings was $23.0 million as of December 31, 2014.

The Company's foreign subsidiaries have $10.7 million of net operating loss carryforwards net of valuation allowances as of December 31, 2014. Most of the net operating losses do not expire under local law and the remaining jurisdictions allow for a 7 to 20 year carryforward period.

Commitments_And_Contingencies

Commitments And Contingencies	12 Months Ended
Commitments And Contingencies	Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments And Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies:
	Employment Agreements:
	The Company has employment agreements, most of which expire on December 31, 2017, with all of its U.S. executive officers and with several members of its U.S. senior management group. Such agreements provide for base salary payments as well as bonuses which are based on the attainment of specific management goals. As of December 31, 2014, estimated future compensation under these agreements is approximately $23.5 million. The agreements also contain confidentiality and non-compete provisions. Outside the United States, employment agreements are in place with employees pursuant to local country regulations. Generally, these agreements do not have expiration dates and therefore it is impractical to estimate the amount of future compensation under these agreements. Accordingly, the future compensation under these agreements is not included in the $23.5 million total above.
	Leases:
	The Company is party to various operating leases with respect to its facilities and equipment. The future minimum lease payments at December 31, 2014 total approximately $39.7 million.
	Forward Flow Agreements:
	The Company is party to several forward flow agreements that allow for the purchase of defaulted consumer receivables at pre-established prices. The maximum remaining amount to be purchased under forward flow agreements at December 31, 2014 is approximately $500.0 million.
	Contingent Purchase Price:
	The asset purchase agreement entered into in connection with the acquisition of certain finance receivables and certain operating assets of National Capital Management, LLC ("NCM") in 2012, includes an earn-out provision whereby the sellers are able to earn additional cash consideration for achieving certain cash collection thresholds over a five year period. The maximum amount of earn-out during the period is $15.0 million. During 2014 and 2013, the Company paid the first two earn-out payments in the amount of $2.8 million and $6.2 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2014, the Company has recorded a present value amount for the expected remaining liability of $2.3 million.
	Finance Receivables:
	Certain agreements for the purchase of finance receivables portfolios contain provisions that may, in limited circumstances, require the Company to refund a portion or all of the collections subsequently received by the Company on particular accounts. The potential refunds as of the balance sheet date are not considered to be significant.
	Litigation and Regulatory Matters:
	The Company is from time to time subject to routine legal claims and proceedings, most of which are incidental to the ordinary course of its business. The Company initiates lawsuits against customers and is occasionally countersued by them in such actions. Also, customers, either individually, as members of a class action, or through a governmental entity on behalf of customers, may initiate litigation against the Company in which they allege that the Company has violated a state or federal law in the process of collecting on an account. From time to time, other types of lawsuits are brought against the Company. Additionally, the Company receives subpoenas and other requests or demands for information from regulators or governmental authorities who are investigating the Company's debt collection activities. The Company evaluates and responds appropriately to such requests.

	The Company accrues for potential liability arising from legal proceedings when it is probable that such liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. This determination is based upon currently available information for those proceedings in which the Company is involved, taking into account the Company's best estimate of such losses for those cases for which such estimates can be made. The Company's estimate involves significant judgment, given the varying stages of the proceedings (including the fact that many of them are currently in preliminary stages), the number of unresolved issues in many of the proceedings (including issues regarding class certification and the scope of many of the claims), and the related uncertainty of the potential outcomes of these proceedings. In making determinations of the likely outcome of pending litigation, the Company considers many factors, including, but not limited to, the nature of the claims, the Company's experience with similar types of claims, the jurisdiction in which the matter is filed, input from outside legal counsel, the likelihood of resolving the matter through alternative mechanisms, the matter's current status and the damages sought or demands made. Accordingly, the Company's estimate will change from time to time, and actual losses could be more than the current estimate.

	Subject to the inherent uncertainties involved in such proceedings, the Company believes, based upon its current knowledge and after consultation with counsel, that the legal proceedings currently pending against it, including those that fall outside of the Company's routine legal proceedings, should not, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial condition. However, it is possible, in light of the uncertainties involved in such proceedings or due to unexpected future developments, that an unfavorable resolution of a legal or regulatory proceeding or claim could occur which may be material to the Company's financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows for a particular period.

	In certain legal proceedings, the Company may have recourse to insurance or third party contractual indemnities to cover all or portions of its litigation expenses, judgments, or settlements. Loss estimates and accruals for potential liability related to legal proceedings are exclusive of potential recoveries, if any, under the Company's insurance policies or third party indemnities. The Company has not recorded any potential recoveries under the Company's insurance policies or third party indemnities.

	The matters described below fall outside of the normal parameters of the Company’s routine legal proceedings.

	Telephone Consumer Protection Act Litigation

	The Company has been named as defendant in a number of putative class action cases, each alleging that the Company violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") by calling consumers' cellular telephones without their prior express consent. On December 21, 2011, the United States Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation entered an order transferring these matters into one consolidated proceeding in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California (the "Court"). On November 14, 2012, the putative class plaintiffs filed their amended consolidated complaint in the matter, now styled as In re Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC Telephone Consumer Protection Act Litigation, case No. 11-md-02295 (the “MDL action”). On May 20, 2014, the Court stayed this litigation until such time as the United States Federal Communications Commission has ruled on various petitions concerning the TCPA. The range of loss, if any, on these matters cannot be estimated at this time.

	Internal Revenue Service Audit

	The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") examined the Company's 2005 through 2012 tax returns and has asserted that tax revenue recognition using the cost recovery method does not clearly reflect taxable income. The Company believes it has sufficient support for the technical merits of its position, and believes cost recovery to be an acceptable tax revenue recognition method for companies in the bad debt purchasing industry. The Company has received Notices of Deficiency for tax years ended December 31, 2005 through 2012. The proposed deficiencies relate to the cost recovery method of tax accounting. In response to the notices, the Company filed petitions in the United States Tax Court challenging the deficiency. The case is scheduled for trial in the United States Tax Court on June 22, 2015. If the Company is unsuccessful in the United States Tax Court and any potential appeals to the federal Circuit Court of Appeals, it may ultimately be required to pay the related deferred taxes, and possibly interest and penalties. Deferred tax liabilities related to this item were $241.0 million at December 31, 2014. Any adverse determination on this matter could result in the Company amending state tax returns for prior years, increasing its taxable income in those states. The Company files tax returns in multiple state jurisdictions; therefore, any underpayment of state tax will accrue interest in accordance with the respective state statute. The Company’s estimate of the potential federal and state interest is $79.0 million as of December 31, 2014.

	Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") Investigation

	In response to an investigative demand from the CFPB, the Company has provided certain documents and data regarding its debt collection practices. Subsequently, the Company has discussed a proposed resolution of the CFPB's investigation, involving possible penalties, restitution and the adoption of new practices and controls in the conduct of our business. The Company has provided comments and engaged in discussions, which have included a number of face-to-face meetings between the Company and the CFPB staff. In these discussions, the CFPB staff has taken certain positions with respect to legal requirements applicable to our debt collection practices with which we disagree. If the Company is unable to resolve its differences with the CFPB through its ongoing discussions, it could become involved in litigation.

Retirement_Plans

Retirement Plans	12 Months Ended
Retirement Plans	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Contribution Pension and Other Postretirement Plans Disclosure [Abstract]
Retirement Plans	Retirement Plans:
Retirement Plans	The Company sponsors defined contribution plans both in the United States and Europe. The United States plan is organized as a 401(k) plan under which all employees over eighteen years of age are eligible to make voluntary contributions to the plan up to 100% of their compensation, subject to Internal Revenue Service limitations, after completing six months of service, as defined in the plan. The Company makes matching contributions of up to 4% of an employee’s salary. For the defined contribution plans in Europe, the Company pays contributions to publicly or privately administered pension insurance plans on a mandatory, contractual or voluntary basis. Total compensation expense related to these contributions was $2.8 million, $1.8 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Summary_of_Significant_Account1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	12 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of Operations	Nature of operations: Throughout this report, the terms "PRA Group," "our," "we," "us," the "Company" or similar terms refer to PRA Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
	PRA Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries, is a financial and business service company operating in North America and Europe. The Company’s primary business is the purchase, collection and management of portfolios of defaulted receivables. The Company also services receivables on behalf of clients, provides business tax revenue administration, audit, discovery and recovery services for state and local governments in the United States, and provides class action claims settlement recovery services and related payment processing to corporate clients.
	On July 1, 2014, the Company acquired certain operating assets from Pamplona Capital Management, LLP ("PCM"). These assets include PCM’s IVA ("Individual Voluntary Arrangement") Master Servicing Platform as well as other operating assets associated with PCM’s IVA business. The purchase price of these assets was approximately $5 million and was paid from the Company’s existing cash balances. The Company's consolidated income statements and statements of comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows include the results of operations of PCM for the period from July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
	On July 16, 2014, the Company completed the purchase of the outstanding equity of Aktiv Kapital AS (“Aktiv”), a Norway-based company specializing in the acquisition and servicing of non-performing loans throughout Europe and in Canada, for a purchase price of approximately $861.3 million, and assumed approximately $433.7 million of Aktiv’s corporate debt, resulting in an acquisition of estimated total enterprise value of $1.3 billion. The Company's consolidated income statements and statements of comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows include the results of operations of Aktiv for the period from July 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
Basis of Presentation	Basis of presentation: The consolidated financial statements of the Company are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and include the accounts of all of its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts and disclosures. Realized results could differ from those estimates and assumptions. Under the guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 280 “Segment Reporting” (“ASC 280”), the Company has determined that it has several operating segments that meet the aggregation criteria of ASC 280, and, therefore, it has one reportable segment, accounts receivable management, based on similarities among the operating units including the nature of the products and services, the nature of the production processes, the types or class of customer for their products and services, the methods used to distribute their products, and services and the nature of the regulatory environment.
Basis of Presentation	On June 10, 2013, the Company's board of directors declared a three-for-one stock split by means of a stock dividend. The new shares were distributed on August 1, 2013, and the shares began trading on a split-adjusted basis beginning August 2, 2013. As a result of this action, approximately 33.8 million shares were issued to stockholders. The par value of the common stock remained at $0.01 per share and, accordingly, approximately $0.3 million was retroactively transferred from additional paid-in capital to common stock for all periods presented. Earnings per share, weighted average shares outstanding and other share related information are presented in this Form 10-K after the effect of the stock split.
Translation of foreign currencies	Translation of foreign currencies: The financial statements of certain of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are measured using their local currency as the functional currency. Assets and liabilities are translated as of the balance sheet date and revenue and expenses are translated at an average rate over the period. Unrealized gains or losses resulting from currency translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive income/(loss). Realized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are recorded as a component of “Foreign exchange gain/(loss)."
Cash and Cash Equivalents	Cash and cash equivalents: The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Included in cash and cash equivalents are funds held on the behalf of others arising from the collection of accounts placed with the Company. The balance of the funds held on behalf of others was $5.5 million and $8.7 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. There is an offsetting liability that is included in “Accounts payable” on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Concentrations of Credit Risk	Concentrations of credit risk: Financial instruments, which potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of cash, investments and finance receivables.
Investments	Investments: The Company accounts for its investments under the guidance of ASC Topic 320-10, "Investments-Debt and Equity Securities" ("ASC 320-10"). The Company determines the appropriate classification of its investments in debt and equity securities at the time of purchase and reevaluates such determinations at each balance sheet date. Debt securities are classified as held to maturity when the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold the securities to maturity. Debt securities for which the Company does not have the intent or ability to hold to maturity are classified as available for sale. Held-to-maturity securities are stated at amortized cost. Marketable securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term are classified as trading securities and are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recognized in earnings. Debt and marketable equity securities not classified as held to maturity or as trading, are classified as available for sale, and are carried at fair market value, with the unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, included in the determination of comprehensive income and reported in shareholders’ equity.
Finance Receivables and Income Recognition	Finance receivables and income recognition: The Company accounts for its investment in finance receivables under the guidance of ASC Topic 310- 30, “Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality” (“ASC 310-30”). The Company acquires portfolios of accounts that have experienced deterioration of credit quality between origination and the Company's acquisition of the accounts. The amount paid for a portfolio reflects the Company's determination that it is probable the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to an account's contractual terms. At acquisition, the Company reviews the accounts to determine whether there is evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination, and if it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the loan's contractual terms. If both conditions exist, the Company then determines whether each such account is to be accounted for individually or whether such accounts will be assembled into pools based on common risk characteristics. The Company considers expected prepayments and estimates the amount and timing of undiscounted expected principal, interest and other cash flows (expected at acquisition) for each acquired portfolio based on the Company's proprietary models, and the Company subsequently aggregates portfolios of accounts into pools. The Company determines the excess of the pool's scheduled contractual principal and contractual interest payments over all cash flows expected at acquisition as an amount that should not be accreted (nonaccretable difference). The remaining amount, representing the excess of the pool's cash flows expected to be collected over the amount paid, is accreted into income recognized on finance receivables over the remaining estimated life of the pool (accretable yield). ASC 310-30 requires that the excess of the contractual cash flows over expected cash flows, based on the Company's estimates derived from its proprietary collection models, not be recognized as an adjustment of revenue or expense or on the balance sheet.
	Each static pool is recorded at cost, which may include certain direct costs of acquisition paid to third parties, and is accounted for as a single unit for the recognition of income, payments applied to principal and loss provision. Once a static pool is established for a calendar quarter, individual receivable accounts are not added to the pool (unless replaced by the seller) or removed from the pool (unless sold or returned to the seller). ASC 310-30, utilizing the interest method, initially freezes the yield, estimated when the accounts are purchased, as the basis for subsequent impairment testing. The yield is estimated and periodically recalculated based on the timing and amount of anticipated cash flows using our proprietary collection models. Income on finance receivables is accrued quarterly based on each static pool's effective yield. Significant increases in expected future cash flows may be recognized prospectively, through an upward adjustment of the yield, over a pool's remaining life. Any increase to the yield then becomes the new benchmark for impairment testing. Under ASC 310-30, rather than lowering the estimated yield if the collection estimates are not received or projected to be received, the carrying value of a pool would be written down to maintain the then current yield and is shown as a reduction in revenue in the consolidated income statements with a corresponding valuation allowance offsetting finance receivables, net, on the consolidated balance sheets. Cash flows greater than the interest accrual will reduce the carrying value of the static pool. This reduction in carrying value is defined as payments applied to principal (also referred to as principal amortization). Likewise, cash flows that are less than the interest accrual will accrete the carrying balance. Generally, the Company does not record accretion in the first six to twelve months of the estimated life of the pool; accordingly, the Company utilizes either the cost recovery method or cash method when necessary to prevent accretion as permitted by ASC 310-30. Under the cash method, revenue is recognized as it would be under the interest method up to the amount of cash collections. Under the cost recovery method, no revenue is recognized until the Company has fully collected the cost of the pool, or until such time that the Company considers the collections to be probable and estimable and begin to recognize income based on the interest method as described above. The Company also uses the cost recovery method when collections on a particular pool of accounts cannot be reasonably estimated.
	A pool can become fully amortized (zero carrying balance on the balance sheet) while still generating cash collections. In this case, all cash collections are recognized as revenue when received.
	A valuation allowance is recorded for significant decreases in expected cash flows or a change in the expected timing of cash flows that would otherwise require a reduction in the stated yield on a pool of accounts. In any given period, the Company may be required to record valuation allowances due to pools of receivables underperforming previous expectations. Factors that may contribute to the recording of valuation allowances include both external and internal factors. External factors that may have an impact on the collectability, and subsequently on the overall profitability of purchased pools of defaulted consumer receivables, would include: new laws or regulations relating to collections, new interpretations of existing laws or regulations, and the overall condition of the economy. Internal factors that may have an impact on the collectability, and subsequently the overall profitability of purchased pools of defaulted consumer receivables, would include: necessary revisions to initial and post-acquisition scoring and modeling estimates, non-optimal operational activities (which relate to the collection and movement of accounts on both the collection floor of the Company and external channels), and decreases in productivity related to turnover and tenure of the Company’s collection staff.
	The Company capitalizes certain fees paid to third parties related to the direct acquisition of a portfolio of accounts. These fees are added to the acquisition cost of the portfolio and accordingly are amortized over the life of the portfolio using the interest method.
	The agreements to purchase the aforementioned receivables include general representations and warranties from the sellers covering account holder death or bankruptcy and accounts settled or disputed prior to sale. The representation and warranty period permitting the return of these accounts from the Company to the seller is typically 90 to 180 days. Any funds received from the seller of finance receivables as a return of purchase price are referred to as buybacks. Buyback funds are applied against the finance receivable balance received and are not included in the Company’s cash collections from operations. In some cases, the seller will replace the returned accounts with new accounts in lieu of returning the purchase price. In that case, the old account is removed from the pool and the new account is added.
Fee Income Recognition	Fee income recognition: The Company utilizes the provisions of ASC Topic 605-45, “Principal Agent Considerations” (“ASC 605-45”), to account for fee income revenue from its fee-for-service subsidiaries. ASC 605-45 requires an analysis to be completed to determine if certain revenues should be reported gross or reported net of their related operating expense. This analysis includes an assessment of who retains inventory/credit risk, controls vendor selection, establishes pricing and remains the primary obligor on the transaction. Each of these factors was considered to determine the correct method of recognizing revenue from our fee-based subsidiaries.
Property and Equipment	Property and equipment: Property and equipment, including improvements that significantly add to the productive capacity or extend useful life, are recorded at cost, while maintenance and repairs are expensed currently. Property and equipment are depreciated over their useful lives using the straight-line method of depreciation. Software and computer equipment are amortized or depreciated over three to five years. Furniture and fixtures are depreciated over five years. Equipment is depreciated over five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the lesser of the useful life, which ranges from three to ten years, or the remaining term of the leased property. Building improvements are depreciated over ten to thirty-nine years. When property is sold or retired, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the balance sheet and any gain or loss is included in the income statement.
Business Combinations	Business combinations: The Company accounts for business combinations under the acquisition method. The cost of an acquired company is assigned to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and the liabilities assumed on the basis of their fair values at the date of acquisition. The determination of fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management to make estimates and use valuation techniques when market values are not readily available. Any excess of purchase price over the fair value of net tangible and intangible assets acquired is allocated to goodwill. Transaction costs associated with business combinations are expensed as incurred.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	Goodwill and intangible assets: In accordance with ASC Topic 350, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other” (“ASC 350”), the Company amortizes intangible assets over their estimated useful lives. Goodwill, pursuant to ASC 350, is not amortized but rather is reviewed for impairment annually or more frequently if indicators of potential impairment exist. The Company performs its annual assessment on October 1. The Company may first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill. If management concludes that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, management conducts a two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. The first step of the impairment test involves comparing the fair value of the applicable reporting unit with its carrying value. The Company estimates the fair values of its reporting units using a combination of the income, or discounted cash flows approach, the market approach, which utilizes comparable companies’ data, and the transaction approach, which uses market multiples from comparable transactions where the acquisition target has similar operating and investment characteristics to the reporting unit. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, management performs the second step of the goodwill impairment test. The second step of the goodwill impairment test involves comparing the implied fair value of the affected reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying value of that goodwill. The amount, by which the carrying value of the goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, if any, is recognized as an impairment loss. See Note 5 for additional information.
Convertible Senior Notes	Convertible senior notes: The Company accounts for its convertible senior notes in accordance with ASC 470-20, “Debt with Conversion and Other Options.” ASC 470-20 requires that, for convertible debt instruments that must be settled fully or partially in cash upon conversion, issuers must separately account for the liability and equity components in a manner that will reflect the entity’s nonconvertible debt borrowing rate when interest cost is recognized in subsequent periods. The excess of the principal amount of the liability component over its carrying amount is amortized to interest cost over the expected life of a similar liability that does not have an associated equity component, using the effective interest method. The equity component is not remeasured as long as it continues to meet the conditions for equity classification under ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity.” Transaction costs incurred with third parties are allocated to the liability and equity components in proportion to the allocation of proceeds and accounted for as debt issuance costs and equity issuance costs, respectively.
Income Taxes	Income taxes: The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”) as it relates to the provision for income taxes and uncertainty in income taxes. Accordingly, the Company records a tax provision for the anticipated tax consequences of the reported results of operations. In accordance with ASC 740, the provision for income taxes is computed using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities, and for operating losses and tax credit carry-forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the currently enacted tax rates that apply to taxable income in effect for the years in which those tax assets are expected to be realized or settled. The evaluation of a tax position in accordance with the guidance is a two-step process. The first step is recognition: the enterprise determines whether it is more-likely-than-not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. In evaluating whether a tax position has met the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the enterprise should presume that the position will be examined by the appropriate taxing authority that would have full knowledge of all relevant information. The second step is measurement: a tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The tax position is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Tax positions that previously failed to meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold should be recognized in the first subsequent financial reporting period in which that threshold is met. Previously recognized tax positions that no longer meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold should be derecognized in the first subsequent financial reporting period in which that threshold is no longer met. The Company records interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.
	In the event that all or part of the deferred tax assets are determined not to be realizable in the future, a valuation allowance would be established and charged to earnings in the period such determination is made. If the Company subsequently realizes deferred tax assets that were previously determined to be unrealizable, the respective valuation allowance would be reversed, resulting in a positive adjustment to earnings or a decrease in goodwill in the period such determination is made. The calculation of tax liabilities involves significant judgment in estimating the impact of uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws. Resolution of these uncertainties in a manner inconsistent with our expectations could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position.
	For domestic income tax purposes, the Company recognizes revenue using the cost recovery method with respect to the Company's debt purchasing business. The Company believes cost recovery to be an acceptable method for companies in the bad debt purchasing industry. Under the cost recovery method, collections on finance receivables are applied first to principal to reduce the finance receivables to zero before any income is recognized.
Advertising Costs	Advertising costs: Advertising costs are expensed when incurred.
Operating Leases	Operating leases: General abatements or prepaid leasing costs are recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. Future minimum lease payments (including the impact of rent escalations) are expensed on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. Material leasehold improvements are capitalized and amortized over the remaining life of the lease.
Stock-based Compensation	Share-based compensation: The Company accounts for share-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 718 “Compensation-Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”). ASC 718 requires that compensation expense associated with share equity awards be recognized in the income statement. Based on historical experience, the Company assumes a forfeiture rate for most equity share grants. Time-based equity share awards generally vest between one and five years from the grant date and are expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Equity share awards that contain a performance metric, are expensed over the requisite service period, generally three years, in accordance with the performance level achieved at each reporting period. See Note 9 for additional information.
Use of Estimates	Use of estimates: The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Use of Estimates	Significant estimates have been made by management with respect to the timing and amount of future cash collections of the Company’s finance receivables portfolios and the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed related to the acquisition of Aktiv. Actual results could differ from these estimates making it reasonably possible that a change in these estimates could occur within one year.
Commitments and contingencies	Commitments and contingencies: We are subject to various claims and contingencies related to lawsuits, certain taxes, and commitments under contractual and other obligations. We recognize liabilities for contingencies and commitments when a loss is probable and estimable. We expense related legal costs as incurred. For additional information, see Note 15.
Estimated Fair Value of Financial Instruments	Estimated fair value of financial instruments: The Company applies the provision of ASC Topic 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”). ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 also requires the consideration of differing levels of inputs in the determination of fair values. Disclosure of the estimated fair values of financial instruments often requires the use of estimates. See Note 8 for additional information.
Reclassification of prior year presentation	Reclassification of prior year presentation: Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current period presentation.
Recent Accounting Pronuncements	Recent accounting pronouncements: In March 2013, FASB issued ASU 2013-05, "Foreign Currency Matters (Topic 830): Parent's Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity," ("ASU 2013-05") which defines the treatment of the release of cumulative translation adjustments upon derecognition of certain subsidiaries or groups of assets within a foreign entity or of an investment in a foreign entity. ASU 2013-05 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted and prior periods should not be adjusted. The Company adopted ASU 2013-05 in the first quarter of 2014, and it had no material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.
	In April 2014, FASB issued ASU 2014-08, "Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity" (“ASU 2014-08”) that amends the requirements for reporting discontinued operations. ASU 2014-08 requires the disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that will have a major effect on the entity’s operations and financial results. ASU 2014-08 also requires additional disclosures about discontinued operations and disclosures about the disposal of a significant component of an entity that does not qualify as a discontinued operation. ASU 2014-08 is effective prospectively for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the potential impacts of the new standard.
	In May 2014, FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" (“ASU 2014-09”) that updates the principles for recognizing revenue. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also amends the required disclosures of the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016, and can be adopted either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption, with early application not permitted. The Company is evaluating its implementation approach and the potential impacts of the new standard on its existing revenue recognition policies and procedures.
	In June 2014, FASB issued ASU 2014-12, "Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period" (“ASU 2014-12”). ASU 2014-12 requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. As such, the performance target should not be reflected in estimating the grant-date fair value of the award. ASU 2014-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the potential impacts of the new standard on its existing stock-based compensation awards.
	The Company does not expect that any other recently issued accounting pronouncements will have a material effect on its financial statements.

Summary_of_Significant_Account2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule of Revenue from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets, by Geographical Areas [Table Text Block]	The following table shows the amount of revenue generated for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, and long-lived assets held at December 31, 2014 and 2013, by geographic location (amounts in thousands):


		Years Ended December 31,						As of December 31,
		2014		2013		2012		2014		2013
		Revenues						Long-Lived Assets
	United States	$	766,262	$	725,649	$	574,525	$	37,335	$	29,501

	Outside the United States	114,707		9,486		18,276		10,923		2,040

	Total	$	880,969	$	735,135	$	592,801	$	48,258	$	31,541

Finance_Receivables_Net_Tables

Finance Receivables, Net (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities [Abstract]
Schedule of Changes in Finance Receivables	Changes in finance receivables, net, for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, were as follows (amounts in thousands):


		2014			2013
	Balance at beginning of year	$	1,239,191		$	1,078,951

	Acquisitions of finance receivables (1)	1,427,436			638,616

	Foreign currency translation adjustment	(93,499		)	515

	Cash collections	(1,378,812		)	(1,142,437		)
	Income recognized on finance receivables, net	807,474			663,546

	Cash collections applied to principal	(571,338		)	(478,891		)
	Balance at end of year	$	2,001,790		$	1,239,191

	(1) Acquisitions of finance receivables are net of buybacks and include certain capitalized acquisition related costs. It also includes the acquisition date finance receivable portfolio that was acquired in connection with the Aktiv acquisition. Refer to Note 11 "Business Acquisitions" for more information.
Schedule of Cash Collections Applied to Principal	Based upon current projections, cash collections applied to principal are estimated to be as follows for the following years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


	2015	$	555,358

	2016	441,877

	2017	350,918

	2018	267,724

	2019	174,135

	2020	97,396

	2021	89,081

	2022	25,301

		$	2,001,790

Schedule of Changes in Accretable Yield	Changes in accretable yield for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 were as follows (amounts in thousands):


		2014			2013
	Balance at beginning of year	$	1,430,067		$	1,239,674

	Income recognized on finance receivables, net	(807,474		)	(663,546		)
	Additions (1)	1,609,340			560,730

	Reclassifications from nonaccretable difference	390,255			286,840

	Foreign currency translation adjustment	(109,003		)	6,369

	Balance at end of year	$	2,513,185		$	1,430,067

	(1) Additions include the acquisition date accretable yield that was acquired in connection with the Aktiv acquisition. Refer to Note 11 "Business Acquisitions" for more information.
Schedule of Valuation Allowance Account	The following is a summary of activity within the Company’s valuation allowance account, all of which relates to loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality, for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 (amounts in thousands):


		2014			2013			2012
	Beginning balance	$	91,101		$	93,123		$	86,571

	Allowance charges	8,010			9,666			13,420

	Reversal of previous recorded allowance charges	(12,945		)	(11,688		)	(6,868		)
	Net allowance (reversals)/charges	(4,935		)	(2,022		)	6,552

	Ending balance	$	86,166		$	91,101		$	93,123

Investments_Tables

Investments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Summary of Investments	Investments consist of the following at December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands):


			2014
	Trading
	Short-term investments		$	37,405

	Available-for-sale
	Securitized assets		3,721

	Held-to-maturity
	Securitized assets		31,017

	Other investments
	Private equity funds		17,560

			$	89,703

Summary of Held-to-maturity Securities	The amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for sale and held-to-maturity investments at December 31, 2014 were as follows (amounts in thousands):


		31-Dec-14
		Amortized Cost			Gross Unrealized Gains	Gross Unrealized Losses	Aggregate Fair Value
	Available-for-sale
	Securitized assets	$	3,721		—	—	$	3,721

	Held-to-maturity
	Securitized assets	31,017			—	—	31,017

Summary of Available-for-sale Securities	The amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for sale and held-to-maturity investments at December 31, 2014 were as follows (amounts in thousands):


		31-Dec-14
		Amortized Cost			Gross Unrealized Gains	Gross Unrealized Losses	Aggregate Fair Value
	Available-for-sale
	Securitized assets	$	3,721		—	—	$	3,721

	Held-to-maturity
	Securitized assets	31,017			—	—	31,017

Operating_Leases_Tables

Operating Leases (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Leases, Operating [Abstract]
Schedule of Future Minimum Lease Payments for Operating Leases	Future minimum lease payments for operating leases at December 31, 2014, are as follows for the years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


	2015	$	10,205

	2016	11,558

	2017	5,753

	2018	6,026

	2019	3,166

	Thereafter	2,989

	Total future minimum lease payments	$	39,697

Goodwill_And_Intangible_Assets1

Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Changes in Goodwill	The following table represents the changes in goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:


			2014				2013
	Balance at beginning of year:
	Goodwill		$	110,240			$	109,488
	Goodwill		$	110,240			$	109,488
	Accumulated impairment loss		(6,397		)		—
	Accumulated impairment loss		(6,397		)		—
			103,843				109,488
			103,843				109,488
	Changes:
	Acquisitions of Aktiv and PCM		512,049				—
	Acquisitions of Aktiv and PCM		512,049				—
	Impairment of goodwill		—				(6,397		)
	Impairment of goodwill		—				(6,397		)
	Foreign currency translation adjustment		(88,447		)		752
	Foreign currency translation adjustment		(88,447		)		752
	Net change in goodwill		423,602				(5,645		)
	Net change in goodwill		423,602				(5,645		)

	Balance at the end of the year:
	Goodwill		533,842				110,240
	Goodwill		533,842				110,240
	Accumulated impairment loss		(6,397		)		(6,397		)
	Balance at end of year		$	527,445			$	103,843
	Balance at end of year		$	527,445			$	103,843
Schedule of Intangible Assets	Intangible assets, excluding goodwill, consist of the following at December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):


		2014								2013
		Gross				Accumulated				Gross		Accumulated
		Amount				Amortization				Amount		Amortization
	Client and customer relationships	$	35,252			$	25,132			$	40,870	$	26,581
	Client and customer relationships	$	35,252			$	25,132			$	40,870	$	26,581
	Non-compete agreements	627				572				3,880		3,723
	Non-compete agreements	627				572				3,880		3,723
	Trademarks	3,432				2,674				3,491		2,170
	Trademarks	3,432				2,674				3,491		2,170
	Total	$	39,311			$	28,378			$	48,241	$	32,474
	Total	$	39,311			$	28,378			$	48,241	$	32,474
Schedule of Estimated Future Amortization of Intangible Assets	The future amortization of these intangible assets is estimated to be as follows as of December 31, 2014 for the following years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


	2015	$	2,785
	2015	$	2,785
	2016	2,372
	2016	2,372
	2017	1,478
	2017	1,478
	2018	1,070
	2018	1,070
	2019	737
	2019	737
	Thereafter	2,491
	Thereafter	2,491
		$	10,933
		$	10,933

Borrowings_Tables

Borrowings (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Debt	The Company's borrowings consisted of the following as of the dates indicated (amounts in thousands):


		December 31,			December 31,
		2014			2013
	Domestic revolving credit	$	409,000		$	—

	Domestic term loan	185,000			195,000

	Seller note payable	169,938			—

	Multicurrency revolving credit	427,680			—

	Subordinated loan	30,000			—

	Convertible notes	287,500			287,500

	Less: Debt discount	(26,662		)	(30,720		)
	Total	$	1,482,456		$	451,780

Schedule of Liability and Equity Components	The balances of the liability and equity components of all of the Notes outstanding were as follows as of the dates indicated(amounts in thousands):


		December 31,			December 31,
		2014			2013
	Liability component - principal amount	$	287,500		$	287,500

	Unamortized debt discount	(26,662		)	(30,720		)
	Liability component - net carrying amount	$	260,838		$	256,780

	Equity component	$	31,306		$	31,306

Schedule of Debt Interest Expense	Interest expense related to the Notes was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):


		Years Ended December 31,
		2014			2013
	Interest expense - stated coupon rate	$	8,625		$	3,306

	Interest expense - amortization of debt discount	4,058			1,508

	Total interest expense - convertible notes	$	12,683		$	4,814

Schedule of Principal Payments Due on Long-term Debt	The following principal payments are due on the Company's borrowings at December 31, 2014 for the years ending December 31, (amounts in thousands):


	2015	$	184,938

	2016	50,000

	2017	559,000

	2018	—

	2019	427,680

	Thereafter	287,500

	Total	$	1,509,118

Property_And_Equipment_Net_Tab

Property And Equipment, Net (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]
Property and Equipment, at Cost	Property and equipment, at cost, consist of the following as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):



		2014			2013
	Software	$	53,076		$	34,108

	Computer equipment	20,488			17,072

	Furniture and fixtures	11,502			8,616

	Equipment	12,880			10,351

	Leasehold improvements	14,429			11,147

	Building and improvements	7,049			7,026

	Land	1,269			1,269

	Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(72,435		)	(58,048		)
	Property and equipment, net	$	48,258		$	31,541

Fair_Value_Measurements_And_Di1

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosures (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Carrying And Estimated Fair Value Recorded In The Consolidated Balance Sheet	The carrying amounts in the table are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 (amounts in thousands):


		31-Dec-14				December 31, 2013
		Carrying		Estimated		Carrying		Estimated
		Amount		Fair Value		Amount		Fair Value
	Financial assets:
	Cash and cash equivalents	$	39,661	$	39,661	$	162,004	$	162,004

	Held-to-maturity investments	31,017		31,017		—		—

	Other investments	17,560		19,776		—		—

	Finance receivables, net	2,001,790		2,460,787		1,239,191		1,722,100

	Financial liabilities:
	Interest-bearing deposits	27,704		27,704		—		—

	Revolving lines of credit	836,680		836,680		—		—

	Term loans	185,000		185,000		195,000		195,000

	Notes and loans payable	199,938		199,938		—		—

	Convertible notes	260,838		324,757		256,780		316,857

Summary of Fair Value Assets Measured on a Recurring Basis	The carrying amounts in the following table are measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands):


		Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2014
		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	Assets:
	Trading investments	$	37,405	$	—	$	—	$	37,405

	Available-for-sale investments	—		—		3,721		3,721

	Liabilities:
	Interest rate swap contracts (recorded in accrued expenses)	$	—	$	3,387	$	—	$	3,387

Summary of Fair Value Liabilities Measured on a Recurring Basis	The carrying amounts in the following table are measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands):


		Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2014
		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	Assets:
	Trading investments	$	37,405	$	—	$	—	$	37,405

	Available-for-sale investments	—		—		3,721		3,721

	Liabilities:
	Interest rate swap contracts (recorded in accrued expenses)	$	—	$	3,387	$	—	$	3,387

ShareBased_Compensation_Tables

Share-Based Compensation (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Nonvested Share Transactions	The following summarizes all nonvested share transactions, excluding those related to the LTI program, from December 31, 2011 through December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):



		Nonvested Shares		Weighted-Average
		Outstanding		Price at Grant Date
	December 31, 2011	243		$	19.77

	Granted	159		22

	Vested	(102	)	19.79

	Cancelled	(12	)	23.31

	December 31, 2012	288		20.84

	Granted	110		37.31

	Vested	(143	)	19.75

	Cancelled	(29	)	20.57

	December 31, 2013	226		29.58

	Granted	272		56.69

	Vested	(155	)	37.34

	Cancelled	(4	)	50.41

	December 31, 2014	339		$	47.34

Summarization of Option Related Transactions	The following summarizes all LTI share transactions from December 31, 2011 through December 31, 2014 (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):


		Nonvested LTI Shares		Weighted-Average
		Outstanding		Price at Grant Date
	December 31, 2011	548		$	17.01

	Granted at target level	198		20.73

	Adjustments for actual performance	120		18

	Vested	(354	)	12.58

	Cancelled	(15	)	22.55

	December 31, 2012	497		21.71

	Granted at target level	124		34.59

	Adjustments for actual performance	108		17.91

	Vested	(279	)	19.1

	Cancelled	(16	)	25.01

	December 31, 2013	434		25.79

	Granted at target level	111		49.6

	Adjustments for actual performance	222		22.32

	Vested	(279	)	24.21

	December 31, 2014	488		$	30.52

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Reconciliation Between the Computation of Basic Eps and Diluted Eps	The following table provides a reconciliation between the computation of basic EPS and diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):



		2014						2013						2012
		Net Income Attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		Weighted Average	EPS			Net Income Attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		Weighted Average	EPS			Net Income Attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		Weighted Average	EPS
				Common Shares						Common Shares						Common Shares
	Basic EPS	$	176,505	49,990	$	3.53		$	175,314	50,366	$	3.48		$	126,593	50,991	$	2.48

	Dilutive effect of nonvested share awards			431	(0.03		)			507	(0.03		)			378	(0.02		)

	Diluted EPS	$	176,505	50,421	$	3.5		$	175,314	50,873	$	3.45		$	126,593	51,369	$	2.46

Business_Acquisition_Tables

Business Acquisition (Tables)	12 Months Ended
Business Acquisition (Tables)	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Schedule of Recognized Amounts of Identifiable Assets and Liabilities	The following tables summarize the fair value of the consideration given for Aktiv, as well as the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the July 16, 2014 acquisition date.

	Recognized amounts of identifiable assets and liabilities are as follows (amounts in thousands):



	Purchase price	$	861,331
	Purchase price	$	861,331
	Cash	(15,624		)
	Investments	(39,285		)
	Other receivables, net	(10,087		)
	Finance receivables, net	(727,688		)
	Property and equipment, net	(7,715		)
	Net deferred tax asset	(33,426		)
	Other assets	(25,341		)
	Accounts payable	15,862
	Accounts payable	15,862
	Accrued expenses	27,714
	Accrued expenses	27,714
	Income tax payable	5,859
	Income tax payable	5,859
	Net deferred tax liability	21,967
	Net deferred tax liability	21,967
	Borrowings	404,823
	Borrowings	404,823
	Interest-bearing deposits	28,858
	Interest-bearing deposits	28,858
	Goodwill at acquisition date	$	507,248
	Goodwill at acquisition date	$	507,248
Summary of Pro Forma Financial Information	The pro forma condensed combined financial information is presented for illustrative purposes only and does not indicate the actual combined financial results had the closing of the Aktiv acquisition been completed on January 1, 2013 nor does it reflect the benefits obtained through the integration of business operations realized since acquisition. Furthermore, the information is not indicative of the results of operations in future periods. The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information does not reflect the impact of possible business model changes nor does it consider any potential impacts of market conditions, expense efficiencies or other factors.


			Aktiv Impact		Combined Pro Forma Results (Unaudited)
			From July 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014		Year Ended December 31,
	(amounts in thousands)		From July 16, 2014 through December 31, 2014		2014		2013
	Revenues		$	102,098	$	1,020,234	$	970,148
	Revenues		$	102,098	$	1,020,234	$	970,148
	Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		22,537		219,947		320,470
	Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.		22,537		219,947		320,470

Derivatives_Tables

Derivatives (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments	The following table sets forth the fair value amounts of the derivative instruments held by the Company as of the dates indicated (amounts in thousands):


		31-Dec-14
	Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments under ASC 815	Asset Derivatives		Liability Derivatives
	Interest rate swap contracts	$	—	$	3,387

Income_Taxes_Tables

Income Taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Summary of Income Tax Expense Recognized	The income tax expense/(benefit) recognized for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 is comprised of the following (amounts in thousands):



		Federal			State			Foreign			Total
	For the year ended December 31, 2014:
	Current tax expense	$	57,336		$	8,823		$	5,342		$	71,501

	Deferred tax expense	30,319			4,717			17,971			53,007

	Total income tax expense	$	87,655		$	13,540		$	23,313		$	124,508

	For the year ended December 31, 2013:
	Current tax expense	$	82,163		$	12,163		$	833		$	95,159

	Deferred tax expense/(benefit)	13,321			(550		)	(1,784		)	10,987

	Total income tax expense/(benefit)	$	95,484		$	11,613		$	(951	)	$	106,146

	For the year ended December 31, 2012:
	Current tax expense/(benefit)	$	76,067		$	14,051		$	(563	)	$	89,555

	Deferred tax (benefit)/expense	(8,837		)	(278		)	494			(8,621		)

	Total income tax expense/(benefit)	$	67,230		$	13,773		$	(69	)	$	80,934

Schedule of Reconciliation of Expected Tax Expense at The Statutory Federal Tax Rate to Actual Tax Expense	A reconciliation of the Company’s expected tax expense at the statutory federal tax rate to actual tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 is as follows (amounts in thousands):


		2014			2013			2012
	Expected tax expense at statutory federal rates	$	105,355		$	99,073		$	72,462

	State tax expense, net of federal tax benefit	8,565			7,548			8,546

	Foreign taxable translation	8,199			—			—

	Foreign rate difference	90			820			(27		)

	Acquisition expenses	2,169			—			—

	Other	130			(1,295		)	(47		)

	Total income tax expense	$	124,508		$	106,146		$	80,934

Summary of Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability	The Company has recognized a net deferred tax liability of $249.5 million and $208.7 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The components of the net deferred tax liability are as follows (amounts in thousands):



	Deferred tax assets:	2014			2013
	Employee compensation	$	9,304		$	9,365

	Net operating loss carryforward - international	33,026			—

	Other	5,447			3,463

	Accrued liabilities	3,334			4,642

	Intangible assets	—			930

	Interest	7,876			—

	Total deferred tax assets	58,987			18,400

	Deferred tax liabilities:
	Depreciation expense	5,998			4,250

	Intangible assets and goodwill	1,434			—

	Convertible debt	10,332			11,931

	Other	7,843			1,604

	Finance receivable revenue recognition - international	11,677			—

	Finance receivable revenue recognition - domestic	240,998			209,325

	Total deferred tax liability	278,282			227,110

	Valuation allowance	30,166			—

	Net deferred tax liability	$	249,461		$	208,710

Recovered_Sheet1

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 10, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Jul. 01, 2014	Jul. 16, 2014	Aug. 13, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
	Jun. 10, 2013	segment	Jul. 01, 2014	Jul. 16, 2014	Aug. 13, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments		1
Stock splits	33.8
Common stock, par value (usd per share)	$0.01	$0.01				$0.01
Adjustments to additional capital stock split	$300,000
Funds held on behalf of others		5,500,000				8,700,000
Percentage of income tax positions likely to be realized		50.00%
Possible change in estimates, in years		1 year
Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Warranty period of permitting the return of accounts holder (in days)		180 days
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		7 years
Options and nonvested share awards vesting period, minimum, in years		5 years
Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Warranty period of permitting the return of accounts holder (in days)		90 days
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		3 years
Options and nonvested share awards vesting period, minimum, in years		1 year
Software [Member] \| Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		5 years
Software [Member] \| Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		3 years
Computer Equipment [Member] \| Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		5 years
Computer Equipment [Member] \| Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		3 years
Furniture And Fixtures [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		5 years
Equipment [Member] \| Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		7 years
Equipment [Member] \| Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		5 years
Leasehold Improvements [Member] \| Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		10 years
Leasehold Improvements [Member] \| Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		3 years
Building Improvements [Member] \| Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		39 years
Building Improvements [Member] \| Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, useful life, in years		10 years
Pamplona Capital Management, LLP
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Purchase price			5,000,000
Aktiv Kapital AS
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Purchase price				861,331,000
Liabilities assumed				433,700,000
Estimated total enterprise value				$1,300,000,000
Convertible Debt
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Average Share Price, Conversion Spread, Minimum Average Price Triggering Dilutive Effect					$65.72

Summary_of_Significant_Account3

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Revenue and Long-lived Assets by Geographical Location) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Revenues	$880,969	$735,135	$592,801
Long-Lived Assets	48,258	31,541
United States
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Revenues	766,262	725,649	574,525
Long-Lived Assets	37,335	29,501
Outside the United States
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Revenues	114,707	9,486	18,276
Long-Lived Assets	$10,923	$2,040

Finance_Receivables_Net_Narrat

Finance Receivables, Net (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted-average useful remaining life of pools	99 months
Unamortized Purchase Price Under Cost Recovery Method	$17.10	$26.10
Minimum
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Estimated life time of pool at the time of acquisition (in months)	80 months
Maximum
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Estimated life time of pool at the time of acquisition (in months)	120 months

Finance_Receivables_Net_Schedu

Finance Receivables, Net (Schedule of Changes In Finance Receivables) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities [Abstract]
Balance at beginning of year	$1,239,191	$1,078,951
Acquisitions of finance receivables	1,427,436	638,616
Foreign currency translation adjustment	-93,499	515
Cash collections	-1,378,812	-1,142,437
Income recognized on finance receivables, net	807,474	663,546	530,635
Cash collections applied to principal	-571,338	-478,891	-378,049
Balance at end of year	$2,001,790	$1,239,191	$1,078,951

Finance_Receivables_Net_Schedu1

Finance Receivables, Net (Schedule of Cash Collections Applied to Principal) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities [Abstract]
2015	$555,358
2016	441,877
2017	350,918
2018	267,724
2019	174,135
2020	97,396
2021	89,081
2022	25,301
Total	$2,001,790

Finance_Receivables_Net_Schedu2

Finance Receivables, Net (Schedule of Changes in Accretable Yield) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities [Abstract]
Balance at beginning of year	$1,430,067	$1,239,674
Income recognized on finance receivables, net	807,474	663,546	530,635
Additions	1,609,340	560,730
Reclassifications from nonaccretable difference	390,255	286,840
Foreign currency translation adjustment	-109,003	6,369
Balance at end of year	$2,513,185	$1,430,067	$1,239,674

Finance_Receivables_Net_Schedu3

Finance Receivables, Net (Schedule of Valuation Allowance Account) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities [Abstract]
Beginning balance	$91,101	$93,123	$86,571
Allowance charges	8,010	9,666	13,420
Reversal of previous recorded allowance charges	-12,945	-11,688	-6,868
Net allowance (reversal)/charge	-4,935	-2,022	6,552
Ending balance	$86,166	$91,101	$93,123

Investments_Details

Investments (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Trading
Short-term investments	$37,405
Available-for-sale
Securitized assets	3,721
Held-to-maturity
Securitized assets	31,017	0
Other investments
Private equity funds	17,560
Investments	$89,703	$0

Investments_Narrative_Details

Investments Narrative (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
	vote	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of votes per certificate	1
Cost-method investment, ownership percentage	3.00%
Cost-method investments, distributions received	$7.10
Series B Certificates
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment In Securitized Assets, Certificates, Ownership Percentage		100.00%
Series C Certificates
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment In Securitized Assets, Certificates, Ownership Percentage		20.00%

Investments_Amortized_Cost_Det

Investments Amortized Cost (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	$3,721
Gross Unrealized Gains	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	0
Aggregate Fair Value	3,721
Held-to-maturity
Amortized Cost	31,017	0
Gross Unrealized Gains	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	0
Aggregate Fair Value	$31,017

Operating_Leases_Narrative_Det

Operating Leases (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Leases, Operating [Abstract]
Rental expense for office space and equipment under operating lease	$8.70	$6	$5.40

Operating_Leases_Schedule_Of_F

Operating Leases (Schedule Of Future Minimum Lease Payments For Operating Leases) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Leases, Operating [Abstract]
2015	$10,205
2016	11,558
2017	5,753
2018	6,026
2019	3,166
Thereafter	2,989
Total future minimum lease payments	$39,697

Goodwill_And_Intangible_Assets2

Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Impairment of goodwill	$6,400,000	$0	$6,397,000	$0
Amortization of Intangible Assets		$4,800,000	$4,700,000	$5,900,000

Goodwill_And_Intangible_Assets3

Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net Schedule of Goodwill (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill, gross (beginning of year)		$110,240	$109,488
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss		-6,397	-6,397	0
Goodwill		103,843	109,488
Acquisitions of Aktiv and PCM		512,049	0
Goodwill, Impairment Loss	-6,400	0	-6,397	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment		-88,447	752
Net change in goodwill		423,602	-5,645
Goodwill, gross (end of year)		533,842	110,240	109,488
Balance at end of year		$527,445	$103,843	$109,488

Goodwill_And_Intangible_Assets4

Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net (Schedule Of Intangible Assets) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Client and customer relationships	$35,252	$40,870
Non-compete agreements	627	3,880
Trademarks	3,432	3,491
Total	39,311	48,241
Client and customer relationships, Accumulated Amortization	25,132	26,581
Non-compete agreements, Accumulated Amortization	572	3,723
Trademarks, Accumulated Amortization	2,674	2,170
Total, Accumulated Amortization	$28,378	$32,474

Goodwill_And_Intangible_Assets5

Goodwill And Intangible Assets, Net (Schedule Of Estimated Future Amortization Of Intangible Assets) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
2015	$2,785
2016	2,372
2017	1,478
2018	1,070
2019	737
Thereafter	2,491
Total future amortization of intangible assets	$10,933	$15,767

Borrowings_Details

Borrowings (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowings	$1,482,456	$451,780
Notes Payable, Other Payables
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	169,938	0
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	409,000	0
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility \| Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	427,680	0
Line of Credit \| Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	185,000	195,000
Subordinated Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	30,000	0
Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	287,500	287,500
Unamortized debt discount	($26,662)	($30,720)

Borrowings_Borrowings_Domestic

Borrowings Borrowings - Domestic Revolving Credit and Term Loan (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	4 Months Ended
	Jun. 05, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Feb. 19, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Apr. 01, 2014	Aug. 13, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused commitment fee under revolving credit	0.38%
Long-term debt		185,000,000			$195,000,000
Eurodollar Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate		1.00%
Federal Funds Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate		0.50%
Commitment Increase Agreements
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total credit facility available						835,000,000
Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of maximum level of borrowings of ERC of eligible asset pools	33.00%
Percentage of maximum level of borrowings of eligible accounts receivable	75.00%
Credit agreement consolidated leverage ratio	2
Minimum net worth required for compliance	455,100,000
Minimum percentage of positive consolidated net income for compliance	50.00%
Minimum percentage of net proceeds of equity offering	50.00%
Debt instrument, covenant, maximum capital expenditures	40,000,000
Debt instrument, covenant, maximum cash dividends	20,000,000
Stock repurchases authorized amount	250,000,000
Stock repurchase program, authorized yearly amount	100,000,000
Credit Agreement \| Eurodollar Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate		2.50%
Credit Agreement \| Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate		1.50%
Unsecured Debt \| Senior Unsecured Debt other than Convertible Notes Due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, covenant, maximum allowable debt	500,000,000		300,000,000	500,000,000
Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		260,838,000			256,780,000
Stated percentage	3.00%						3.00%
Medium-term Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		185,000,000			195,000,000
Interest rate at period end		2.67%			2.67%
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding borrowings on credit facility		409,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate at period end		2.68%
Revolving Credit Facility \| Commitment Increase Agreements
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total credit facility available						630,000,000
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity		221,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility \| Line of Credit \| Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility		20,000,000
Lines of credit current letters of credit		20,000,000
Line of credit facility, capacity available for specific purpose, alternative currency		20,000,000
Multi-Currency Domestic Revolving Credit Facility \| Commitment Increase Agreements
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total credit facility available					20,000,000
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity		20,000,000
Line of Credit \| Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt						185,000,000
Aktiv Kapital AS \| Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, covenant, maximum allowance new loan or capital related to acquisition	950,000,000
Acquisition Subsequent to 2014 \| Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, covenant, maximum business combinations	250,000,000
Acquisitions in 2014 \| Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, covenant, maximum business combinations	25,000,000

Borrowings_Borrowings_Seller_N

Borrowings Borrowings - Seller Note Payable (Details) (Notes Payable, Other Payables, USD $)	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Jul. 16, 2014
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Face amount		169,900,000
Periodic payment, interest	3,100,000
Short-term debt	$169,900,000
Interest rate at period end	4.01%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate		3.75%

Borrowings_Borrowings_Multicur

Borrowings Borrowings - Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility (Details)

0 Months Ended

Jun. 05, 2014

Oct. 23, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Oct. 23, 2014

Dec. 31, 2014

Oct. 23, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Oct. 23, 2014

Overdraft Facility

Interbank Offered Rate (IBOR)

Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility

Overdraft Facility

Line of Credit

USD ($)

Minimum

Maximum

Revolving Credit Facility

Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility

Overdraft Facility

SEK

USD ($)

Revolving Credit Facility

Interbank Offered Rate (IBOR)

USD ($)

Minimum

Maximum

Revolving Credit Facility

Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]

Total credit facility available

$40,000,000

$500,000,000

Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity

72,300,000

12,500,000

Basis spread variable rate

2.50%

3.00%

2.50%

3.00%

Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage

0.50%

Unused commitment fee under revolving credit

0.38%

0.35%

Percentage of maximum level of borrowings of ERC of eligible asset pools

28.00%

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Maximum GIBD

250.00%

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Interest Bearing Deposits, Maximum

500,000,000

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Minimum Cash Collection, IFRS Forecast

95.00%

Long-term debt, gross

$409,000,000

$427,680,000

Interest rate at period end

4.02%

Borrowings_Borrowings_Aktiv_Re

Borrowings Borrowings - Aktiv Revolving Credit (Details) (NOK)	0 Months Ended
	Jun. 05, 2014	4-May-12
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unused commitment fee under revolving credit	0.38%
Aktiv Kapital AS \| Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Total credit facility available		1,500,000,000
Line of credit facility, option to increase maximum borrowing capacity		500,000,000
Unused commitment fee under revolving credit		1.20%
Interbank Offered Rate (IBOR) \| Aktiv Kapital AS \| Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate		3.00%

Borrowings_Borrowings_Aktiv_Te

Borrowings Borrowings Aktiv Term Loan (Details) (Term Loan Facility, Aktiv Kapital AS, NOK)	0 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount	2,000,000,000
Minimum \| Interbank Offered Rate (IBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate	2.25%
Maximum \| Interbank Offered Rate (IBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate	2.75%

Borrowings_Borrowings_Aktiv_Mu

Borrowings Borrowings - Aktiv Multicurrency Term Loan Bridge Facility (Details) (NOK)	0 Months Ended
	Jun. 05, 2014	Jun. 24, 2014
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unused commitment fee under revolving credit	0.38%
Aktiv Kapital AS \| Multicurrency Term Loan Bridge Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Total credit facility available		350,000,000
Unused commitment fee under revolving credit		0.35%
Interbank Offered Rate (IBOR) \| Aktiv Kapital AS \| Multicurrency Term Loan Bridge Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate		4.00%

Borrowings_Borrowings_Subordin

Borrowings Borrowings - Subordinated Loan (Details) (Aktiv Kapital AS, Subordinated Debt, USD $)	0 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 16, 2011	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$30,000
Interest rate at period end		4.01%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate	3.75%

Borrowings_Convertible_Debt_an

Borrowings - Convertible Debt and Additional information (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			17 Months Ended
	Aug. 13, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 05, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price	100.00%
Conversion ratio	15.2172
Minimum average share price triggering dilutive effect (usd per share)		$65.72				$65.72
Proceeds from convertible debt	$279,300,000
Repayments of long-term debt	174,000,000
Repurchases of common stock	50,000,000		33,164,000	58,511,000	22,735,000
Convertible debt, estimated fair value	255,300,000		324,757,000	316,857,000		324,757,000
Carrying amount of convertible debt	32,200,000
Debt Issuance Cost	7,300,000
Equity and debt issuance costs	8,200,000
Equity Issuance Costs	900,000
Effective interest rate			4.92%			4.92%
Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount	287,500,000		287,500,000	287,500,000		287,500,000
Stated percentage	3.00%						3.00%
Carrying amount of convertible debt			$31,306,000	$31,306,000		$31,306,000

Borrowings_Breakdown_of_Debt_I

Borrowings - Breakdown of Debt Instrument (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Aug. 13, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Equity component			$32,200,000
Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Liability component - principal amount	287,500,000	287,500,000	287,500,000
Unamortized debt discount	-26,662,000	-30,720,000
Liability component - net carrying amount	260,838,000	256,780,000
Equity component	$31,306,000	$31,306,000

Borrowings_Interest_Expense_De

Borrowings - Interest Expense (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest expense - amortization of debt discount	$4,058	$1,508	$0
Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest expense - stated coupon rate	8,625	3,306
Interest expense - amortization of debt discount	4,058	1,508
Total interest expense - convertible notes	$12,683	$4,814

Borrowings_Long_term_debt_Matu

Borrowings - Long term debt Maturities (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
2015	$184,938
2016	50,000
2017	559,000
2018	0
2019	427,680
Thereafter	287,500
Total	$1,509,118

Property_And_Equipment_Net_Pro

Property And Equipment, Net (Property And Equipment, At Cost) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net [Abstract]
Software	$53,076	$34,108
Computer equipment	20,488	17,072
Furniture and fixtures	11,502	8,616
Equipment	12,880	10,351
Leasehold improvements	14,429	11,147
Building and improvements	7,049	7,026
Land	1,269	1,269
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	-72,435	-58,048
Property and equipment, net	$48,258	$31,541

Property_And_Equipment_Net_Nar

Property And Equipment, Net (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization expense	$13.60	$9.70	$8.70
Direct payroll costs and external direct costs related to software	12.9	10.3
Developing projects	1	1.7
Amortization expense	1.9	1.5	1.2
Unamortized costs of software	$5.90	$4.40	$3.90
Maximum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Minimum estimated useful life of computer software (in years)	7 years
Minimum
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Minimum estimated useful life of computer software (in years)	3 years

Fair_Value_Measurements_And_Di2

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosures (Carrying And Estimated Fair Value Recorded In The Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Aug. 13, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Aug. 13, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents, carrying amount	$39,661	$162,004		$32,687	$26,697
Cash and cash equivalents, estimated fair value	39,661	162,004
Securitized assets	31,017	0
Aggregate Fair Value	31,017
Finance receivables, net, carrying amount	2,001,790	1,239,191		1,078,951
Finance receivables, net, estimated fair value	2,460,787	1,722,100
Interest-bearing deposits	27,704	0
Deposits, Fair Value Disclosure	27,704	0
Long-term loan	836,680	0
Line of credit, estimated fair value	836,680	0
Long-term debt	185,000	195,000
Long-term debt, estimated fair value	185,000	195,000
Notes and Loans Payable	199,938	0
Notes and Loans Payable, Fair Value Disclosure	199,938	0
Convertible Debt	260,838	256,780
Convertible Debt, Fair Value Disclosures	324,757	316,857	255,300
Carrying Amount
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cost method investments	17,560	0
Estimate of Fair Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cost method investments	$19,776	$0

Fair_Value_Measurements_And_Di3

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosures Narrative (Details)	12 Months Ended
Fair Value Measurements And Disclosures Narrative (Details)	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Cost method investments, expected liquidation period, minimum	1 year
Cost method investments, expected liquidation period, maximum	4 years

Fair_Value_Measurements_And_Di4

Fair Value Measurements And Disclosures Fair Value Assets and Liabilities Measured on a Recurring Basis (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:
Short-term investments	$37,405
Aggregate Fair Value	3,721
Liabilities:
Interest rate swap contracts (recorded in accrued expenses)	3,387
Level 1
Assets:
Short-term investments	37,405
Aggregate Fair Value	0
Liabilities:
Interest rate swap contracts (recorded in accrued expenses)	0
Level 2
Assets:
Short-term investments	0
Aggregate Fair Value	0
Liabilities:
Interest rate swap contracts (recorded in accrued expenses)	3,387
Level 3
Assets:
Short-term investments	0
Aggregate Fair Value	3,721
Liabilities:
Interest rate swap contracts (recorded in accrued expenses)	$0

ShareBased_Compensation_Narrat

Share-Based Compensation (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock under 2010 Stock Plan, shares	5,400,000
Share-based compensation expense	$15	$12.30	$11.30
Tax benefit realized from share-based compensation	10.8	8.2	4.7
Grant date fair value of shares vested	5.8	2.8	2
Forfeiture rate for share awards granted under LTI Programs	7.50%
Long-Term Incentive Programs
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Grant date fair value of shares vested	6.8	5.3	4.5
Long Term Incentive Program
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Future compensation cost related to stock option	7.5
Weighted average remaining life of nonvested shares (in years)	1 year 5 months
Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options issued under the amended plan vesting period (in years)	5 years
Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options issued under the amended plan vesting period (in years)	1 year
Nonvested Awards
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Future compensation cost related to stock option	$13
Weighted average remaining life of nonvested shares (in years)	1 year 9 months 18 days
Nonvested Awards \| Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options issued under the amended plan vesting period (in years)	5 years
Nonvested Awards \| Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options issued under the amended plan vesting period (in years)	3 years

ShareBased_Compensation_Nonves

Share-Based Compensation (Nonvested Share Transactions) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Instruments, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shares	226	288	243
Granted at target level, shares	272	110	159
Vested, shares	-155	-143	-102
Cancelled, shares	-4	-29	-12
Ending balance, shares	339	226	288
Beginning balance (usd per share)	$29.58	$20.84	$19.77
Granted (usd per share)	$56.69	$37.31	$22
Vested (usd per share)	$37.34	$19.75	$19.79
Cancelled (usd per share)	$50.41	$20.57	$23.31
Ending balance (usd per share)	$47.34	$29.58	$20.84
Long-Term Incentive Programs
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Instruments, Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance, shares	434	497	548
Granted at target level, shares	111	124	198
Vested, shares	-279	-279	-354
Cancelled, shares		-16	-15
Adjustments for actual performance, shares	222	108	120
Ending balance, shares	488	434	497
Beginning balance (usd per share)	$25.79	$21.71	$17.01
Granted (usd per share)	$49.60	$34.59	$20.73
Adjustments for actual performance (usd per share)	$22.32	$17.91	$18
Vested (usd per share)	$24.21	$19.10	$12.58
Cancelled (usd per share)		$25.01	$22.55
Ending balance (usd per share)	$30.52	$25.79	$21.71

Earnings_Per_Share_Reconciliat

Earnings Per Share (Reconciliation Between The Computation Of Basic EPS And Diluted EPS) (Details) (USD $)	2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			17 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Average Share Price, Conversion Spread, Minimum Average Price Triggering Dillutive Effect	$65.72				$65.72
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent		$176,505	$175,314	$126,593
Weighted Average Common Shares, Basic EPS		49,990	50,366	50,991
Weighted Average Common Shares, Dilutive effect of nonvested share awards		431	507	378
Weighted Average Common Shares, Diluted EPS		50,421	50,873	51,369
EPS, Basic		$3.53	$3.48	$2.48
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements, Per Share		($0.03)	($0.03)	($0.02)
EPS, Diluted		$3.50	$3.45	$2.46
Antidilutive options outstanding		0	0	0

Business_Acquisitions_Narrativ

Business Acquisitions (Narrative) (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
Business Acquisitions (Narrative) (Detail) (USD $)	Jul. 16, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Jul. 01, 2014
Aktiv Kapital AS
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase price	$861,331,000
Liabilities assumed	433,700,000
Estimated total enterprise value	1,300,000,000
Business acquisition cash paid	206,400,000
Financing provided in acquisition	169,900,000
Maximum amount financed from existing credit facility	485,000,000
Acquisition related costs		17,200,000
Foreign currency transaction loss, before tax		5,800,000
Aktiv Kapital AS \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Basis spread variable rate	3.75%
Pamplona Capital Management, LLP
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase price			$5,000,000

Business_Acquisition_Business_

Business Acquisition Business Acquisiton (Recognized Amounts of Identifiable Assets and Liabilities) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jul. 16, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill at acquisition date		$527,445	$103,843	$109,488
Aktiv Kapital AS
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase price	861,331
Cash	-15,624
Investments	-39,285
Property and equipment, net	-7,715
Net deferred tax asset	-33,426
Other assets	-25,341
Accounts payable	15,862
Accrued expenses	27,714
Income tax payable	5,859
Net deferred tax liability	21,967
Borrowings	404,823
Interest-bearing deposits	28,858
Goodwill at acquisition date	507,248
Other receivables, net \| Aktiv Kapital AS
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Receivables	-10,087
Finance receivables, net \| Aktiv Kapital AS
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Receivables	($727,688)

Business_Acquisition_Business_1

Business Acquisition Business Acquisition (Pro Forma Information) (Details) (Aktiv Kapital AS, USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Aktiv Kapital AS
Aktiv Impact
Revenues	$102,098
Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.	22,537
Combined Pro Forma Results (Unaudited)
Revenues	1,020,234	970,148
Net income attributable to PRA Group, Inc.	$219,947	$320,470

Derivatives_Details

Derivatives (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Derivatives (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative [Line Items]
Percent of borrowings hedged at foreign operations	54.00%
Liability Derivatives	$3,387,000
Interest rate swap contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Asset Derivatives	0
Liability Derivatives	3,387,000
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments under ASC 815 \| Interest rate swap contracts \| Interest Expense
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, interest expense	$1,800,000

Stockholders_Equity_Narrative_

Stockholders' Equity (Narrative) (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Feb. 02, 2012	Dec. 10, 2014
2012 Share Repurchase Program
Shareholders Equity [Line Items]
Number of shares repurchased and retired	323,900	1,203,412
Average price of shares repurchased and retired	$57.94	$48.62
2012 Share Repurchase Program \| Maximum
Shareholders Equity [Line Items]
Stock repurchases authorized amount			$100
2014 Share Repurchase Program
Shareholders Equity [Line Items]
Stock repurchases authorized amount				100
Number of shares repurchased and retired	250,000
Average price of shares repurchased and retired	$57.59
Stock repurchase program, authorized yearly amount	$85.60

Income_Taxes_Summary_of_Income

Income Taxes (Summary of Income Tax Expense Recognized) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Current tax (benefit)/expense, Federal	$57,336	$82,163	$76,067
Current tax (benefit)/expense, State	8,823	12,163	14,051
Current Foreign Tax Expense (Benefit)	5,342	833	-563
Current tax (benefit)/expense, Total	71,501	95,159	89,555
Deferred tax expense, Federal	30,319	13,321	-8,837
Deferred tax expense, State	4,717	-550	-278
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	17,971	-1,784	494
Deferred tax expense, Total	53,007	10,987	-8,621
Total income tax expense, Federal	87,655	95,484	67,230
Total income tax expense, State	13,540	11,613	13,773
Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations	23,313	-951	-69
Total income tax expense	$124,508	$106,146	$80,934

Income_Taxes_Schedule_of_Recon

Income Taxes (Schedule of Reconciliation of Expected Tax Expense At Statutory Tax Rates to Actual Tax Expense) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Expected tax expense at statutory federal rates	$105,355	$99,073	$72,462
State tax expense, net of federal tax benefit	8,565	7,548	8,546
Foreign taxable translation	8,199	0	0
Foreign rate difference	90	820	-27
Acquisition expenses	2,169	0	0
Other	130	-1,295	-47
Total income tax expense	$124,508	$106,146	$80,934

Income_Taxes_Narrative_Details

Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jul. 16, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Foreign Earnings Repatriated	$0	$0
Net deferred tax liability	249,461,000	208,710,000
Valuation allowance	30,166,000	0
Finance receivable revenue recognition - domestic	240,998,000	209,325,000
Estimate of potential federal and state interest	79,000,000
Unremitted earnings of foreign subsidiaries	0
Aktiv Kapital AS
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets, acquired			33,426,000
NORWAY \| Aktiv Kapital AS
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets, acquired			33,600,000
Foreign Tax Authority
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash	23,000,000
Operating loss carryforward, foreign subsidiaries	$10,700,000
Foreign Tax Authority \| Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Carryforward Period	7 years
Foreign Tax Authority \| Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Carryforward Period	20 years

Income_Taxes_Summary_of_Compon

Income Taxes (Summary of Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred tax assets:
Employee compensation	$9,304	$9,365
Net operating loss carryforward - international	33,026	0
Other	5,447	3,463
Accrued liabilities	3,334	4,642
Intangible assets	0	930
Interest	7,876	0
Total deferred tax assets	58,987	18,400
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation expense	5,998	4,250
Intangible assets and goodwill	1,434	0
Convertible debt	10,332	11,931
Other	7,843	1,604
Finance receivable revenue recognition - international	11,677	0
Finance receivable revenue recognition - domestic	240,998	209,325
Total deferred tax liability	278,282	227,110
Valuation allowance	30,166	0
Total deferred tax liability	$249,461	$208,710

Commitments_And_Contingencies_

Commitments And Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Commitments And Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Future compensation under employment agreements	$23,500,000
Total future minimum lease payments	39,697,000
Amount to be purchased under forward flow agreements	500,000,000
Contingent consideration paid	2,800,000	6,200,000
Finance receivable revenue recognition - domestic	240,998,000	209,325,000
Estimate of potential federal and state interest	79,000,000
NCM
Earn out provision for cash collection threshold, period			5 years
Maximum amount of contingent consideration			15,000,000
Potential cash payment	$2,300,000

Retirement_Plans_Details

Retirement Plans (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Contribution Pension and Other Postretirement Plans Disclosure [Abstract]
Minimum eligible age to make voluntary contributions	18 years
Employee contribution, percentage of employee's compensation	100.00%
Employer contribution, percentage of employee's compensation	4.00%
Total compensation expense related to contribution plan	$2.80	$1.80	$1.60