Quarterlytics / Financial Services / Financial - Credit Services / Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. / FY2010 Annual Report

Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.
Annual Report 2010

CPSS · NASDAQ Financial Services
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Ticker CPSS
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Sector Financial Services
Industry Financial - Credit Services
Employees 943
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FY2010 Annual Report · Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.
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2010 Annual Report 
Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 
________________ 

[X] ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 

FORM 10-K (abridged) 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 
Commission file number: 001-14116 

CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 

California 
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

33-0459135 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 

19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California
(Address of principal executive offices)

92618 
(Zip Code) 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (949) 753-6800 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:  

Title of Each Class 
Common Stock, no par value 

Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered 
The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (Global Market) 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.   
                                                                                        Yes [   ]      No [ X ] 

Indicate  by  check  mark  if  the  registrant  is  not  required  to  file  reports  pursuant  to  Section  13  or  Section  15(d)  of  the 
Exchange Act.                                                                                                   Yes [   ]      No [ X ] 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
Exchange Act during the past 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) 
and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.         Yes [ X ]    No [   ] 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, 
every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 229.405 of 
this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and 
post such files).   Yes [ X ] No [   ] 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, 
and  will  not  be  contained,  to  the  best  of  registrant’s  knowledge,  in  definitive  proxy  or  information  statements 
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [ X ] 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a 
smaller  reporting  company.    See  the  definitions  of  "large  accelerated  filer”,”accelerated  filer"  and  “smaller  reporting 
company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.    

Large accelerated filer [   ]  Accelerated filer [   ]  Non-accelerated filer  [  ]  Smaller reporting company [ X ]  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).       
                                                                                                                   Yes [   ]     No  [ X ] 

The  aggregate  market  value  of  the  13,966,256  shares  of  the  registrant’s  common  stock  held  by  non-affiliates,  based 
upon shares outstanding and the closing price of the registrant’s common stock of $1.37 per share reported by Nasdaq 
as of June 30, 2010, was approximately $19,133,771. For purposes of this computation, a registrant sponsored pension 
plan  and  all  directors  and  executive  officers  are  deemed  to  be  affiliates.  Such  determination  is  not  an  admission  that 
such  plan,  directors  and  executive  officers  are,  in  fact,  affiliates  of  the  registrant.  The  number  of  shares  of  the 
registrant’s Common Stock outstanding on April 27, 2011, was 18,119,810. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This annual report to shareholders consists of selected portions of the information that we filed 
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on our Form 10-K, as amended, together with 
director identification information, as set forth below. The entire report may be accessed at our 
website, www.consumerportfolio.com, and at the website of the Commission, www.sec.gov. 

 TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Item 

Description 

Page 

Item 1. 

Business ................................................................................................................................................. 1 

Directors and Executive Officers ......................................................................................................... 11 

Item 5.    Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases                   

of Equity Securities .............................................................................................................................. 13 

Item 6.   

Selected Financial Data ........................................................................................................................ 14 

Item 7.    Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ............... 16 

Item 7A.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk ............................................................. 33 

Item 8. 

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data .............................................................. (indexed below) 

Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures  ...................................................................................................................... 33 

Index to Financial Statements.................................................................................................................. F-1

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Crowe Horwath LLP ..................................... F-2

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 ................................................................. F-3

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 ........................... F-4

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income/(Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2010 

and 2009 ....................................................................................................................................................  F-5 

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009........... F-6

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.......................... F-7

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. ................................................................................................. F-9

 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 1. BUSINESS 

Overview 

PART I 

We  are  a  specialty  finance  company.    Our  business  is  to  purchase  and  service  retail  automobile  contracts 
originated primarily  by  franchised  automobile  dealers and,  to  a  lesser  extent, by  select  independent dealers  in  the 
United  States  in  the  sale  of  new  and  used  automobiles,  light  trucks  and  passenger  vans.  Through  our  automobile 
contract purchases, we provide indirect financing to the customers of dealers who have limited credit histories, low 
incomes  or  past  credit  problems,  who  we  refer  to  as  sub-prime  customers.    We  serve  as  an  alternative  source  of 
financing  for  dealers,  facilitating  sales  to  customers  who  otherwise  might  not  be  able  to  obtain  financing  from 
traditional sources, such as commercial banks, credit unions and the captive finance companies affiliated with major 
automobile manufacturers. In addition to purchasing installment purchase contracts directly from dealers, we have 
also  (i)  acquired  installment  purchase  contracts  in  three  merger  and  acquisition  transactions,  (ii)  purchased 
immaterial  amounts  of  vehicle  purchase  money  loans  from  non-affiliated  lenders,  and  (iii)  directly  originated  an 
immaterial  amount  of  vehicle  purchase  money  loans  by  lending  money  directly  to  consumers.    In  this  report,  we 
refer to all of such contracts and loans as "automobile contracts." 

We were incorporated and began our operations in March 1991. From inception through December 31, 2010, we 
have purchased a total of approximately $8.8 billion of automobile contracts from dealers.  In addition, we obtained 
a total of approximately $605.0 million of automobile contracts in mergers and acquisitions in 2002, 2003 and 2004.  
In  2004  and  2009,  we  were  appointed  as  a  third-party  servicer  for  certain  portfolios  of  automobile  receivables 
originated  and  owned  by  entities  not  affiliated  with  us.   Beginning  in 2008, our  managed portfolio has  decreased 
each  year  due  to  our  strategy  of  limiting  contract  purchases  to  conserve  our  liquidity  in  response  to  adverse 
economic  conditions,  as  discussed  further  below.    However,  since  October  2009,  we  have  gradually  increased 
contract  purchases  resulting in  aggregate purchases of  $113.0  million  in  2010,  compared  to  $8.6  million  in 2009.  
Our total managed portfolio was $756.2 million at December 31, 2010, compared to $1,194.7 million at December 
31, 2009, $1,664.1 million as of December 31, 2008 and $2,162.2 million as of December 31, 2007.  

We are headquartered in Irvine, California, where most operational and administrative functions are centralized.  
All credit and underwriting functions are performed in our California headquarters, and we service our automobile 
contracts from our California headquarters and from three servicing branches in Virginia, Florida and Illinois.   

We  direct  our marketing  efforts  primarily  to  dealers,  rather  than  to  consumers.    We  establish  relationships  with 
dealers through our employee marketing representatives who contact a prospective dealer to explain our automobile 
contract  purchase  programs,  and  thereafter  provide  dealer  training  and  support  services.  Our  marketing 
representatives represent us exclusively.  They may be located either in our Irvine headquarters, or in the field, in 
which case they work from their homes and support dealers in their geographic area.  Our marketing representatives 
present dealers with a marketing package, which includes our promotional material containing the terms offered by 
us  for  the  purchase  of  automobile  contracts,  a  copy  of  our  standard-form  dealer  agreement,  and  required 
documentation relating to automobile contracts.  As of December 31, 2010, we had 18 marketing representatives and 
we were actively receiving applications from 3,568 dealers in 44 states.  Current levels of marketing representatives 
and dealers are a significant reduction from December 31, 2007, when we had 134 marketing representatives and 
were actively receiving applications from 10,255 dealers.  During 2008 and thereafter, we significantly reduced our 
presence in the  marketplace in response to economic conditions as discussed further below.  As of December 31, 
2010, approximately 88% of our dealers were franchised new car dealers that sell both new and used vehicles, and 
the remainder were independent used car dealers. For the year ended December 31, 2010, approximately 87% of the 
automobile  contracts  purchased  under  our  programs  consisted  of  financing  for  used  cars  and  13%  consisted  of 
financing  for  new  cars,  as  compared  to  92%  financing  for  used  cars  and  8%  for  new  cars  in  the  year  ended 
December  31,  2009.      We  purchase  contracts  in  our  own  name  (“CPS”)  and,  until  July  2008,  also  purchased 
contracts in the name of our wholly-owned subsidiary, The Finance Company ("TFC").  Programs marketed under 
the CPS name serve a wide range of sub-prime customers, primarily through franchised new car dealers. Our TFC 
program  served  vehicle  purchasers  enlisted  in  the  U.S.  Armed  Forces,  primarily  through  independent  used  car 
dealers.  In July 2008, we ceased to purchase contracts under our TFC program. 

We  purchase  automobile  contracts  with  the  intention  of  financing  them  on  a  long-term  basis  through 
securitizations.  Securitizations  are  transactions  in  which we  sell  a  specified pool  of  contracts  to  a  special  purpose 
entity  of  ours,  which  in  turn  issues  asset-backed  securities  to  fund  the  purchase  of  the  pool  of  contracts  from  us. 
Depending on the structure of the securitization, the transaction may be treated, for financial accounting purposes, as 
a sale of the contracts or as a secured financing.  

1 

Historically, we have depended upon the availability of short-term warehouse credit facilities and access to long-
term  financing  through  the  issuance  of  asset-backed  securities  collateralized  by  our  automobile  contracts.  Since 
1994, we have completed 50 term securitizations of approximately $6.7 billion in contracts. We conducted four term   
securitizations in  2006, four  in  2007,  two  in  2008, none  in  2009  and one  in  2010. From  July  2003  through  April 
2008  all  of  our  securitizations  were  structured  as  secured  financings.    The  second  of  our  two  securitization 
transactions in 2008 (completed in September 2008) was in substance a sale of the related contracts, and is treated as 
a sale for financial accounting purposes.  The remaining receivables from that September 2008 securitization were 
re-securitized in September 2010 in a structure that maintained sale treatment for accounting purposes.  

From  the  fourth  quarter  of  2007  through  the  end  of  2009,  we  observed  unprecedented  adverse  changes  in  the 
market for securitized pools of automobile contracts. These changes included reduced liquidity, and reduced demand 
for asset-backed securities, particularly for securities carrying a financial guaranty and for securities backed by sub-
prime  automobile  receivables.  Moreover,  many  of  the  firms  that  previously  provided  financial  guarantees,  which 
were  an  integral  part  of  our  securitizations,  suspended  offering  such  guarantees.    The  adverse  changes  that  took 
place  in  the  market  from  the  fourth  quarter  of  2007  through  the  end  of  2009  caused  us  to  conserve  liquidity  by 
significantly  reducing  our  purchases  of  automobile  contracts.  However,  since  October  2009  we  have  gradually 
increased  our  contract  purchases  by  utilizing  one  $50  million  credit  facility  established  in  September  2009  and 
another $50 million term funding facility established in March 2010.  In September 2010 we took advantage of the 
improvement in the market for asset-backed securities by re-securitizing the remaining underlying receivables from 
our  unrated  September  2008  securitization.    By  doing  so  we  were  able  to  pay  off  the  bonds  associated  with  the 
September  2008  transaction  and  issue  rated  bonds  with  a  significantly  lower  weighted  average  coupon.    The 
September  2010  transaction  was  our  first  rated  term  securitization  since  1993  that  did  not  utilize  a  financial 
guaranty.  More recently, we significantly increased our short-term contract financing resources by entering into a 
$100 million credit facility in December 2010 and another $100 million credit facility in February 2011.  Despite the 
improvements  we  have  seen  in  the  capital  markets,  if  the  trend  of  improvement  in  the  markets  for  asset-backed 
securities should reverse, or should we be unable to complete term securitization(s) of automobile contracts that we 
now hold or those we will seek to purchase in the future, we might be required to curtail or cease our purchases of 
new automobile contracts, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our operations. 

Sub-Prime Auto Finance Industry 

Automobile financing is the second largest consumer finance market in the United States.  The automobile finance 
industry  can  be  divided  into  two  principal  segments:  a  prime  credit  market  and  a  sub-prime  credit  market. 
Traditional automobile finance companies, such as commercial banks, savings institutions, credit unions and captive 
finance  companies  of  automobile  manufacturers,  generally  lend  to  the  most  creditworthy,  or  so-called  prime, 
borrowers. The sub-prime automobile credit  market, in which we operate, provides financing to less creditworthy 
borrowers, at higher interest rates. 

 Historically, traditional lenders have not served the sub-prime market or have done so through programs that were 
not consistently available. Independent companies specializing in sub-prime automobile financing and subsidiaries 
of larger financial services companies currently compete in this segment of the automobile finance market, which 
we believe remains highly fragmented, with no single company having a dominant position in the market. 

Recent  past  economic  conditions have  negatively  affected  many  aspects  of our industry.    First,  as  stated  above, 
throughout  2008  and  2009  there  was  reduced  demand  for  asset-backed  securities  secured  by  consumer  finance 
receivables,  including  sub-prime  automobile  receivables.    Second,  lenders  who  previously  provided  short-term 
warehouse financing for sub-prime automobile finance companies such as ours were reluctant to provide such short-
term financing due to the uncertainty regarding the prospects of obtaining long-term financing through the issuance 
of  asset-backed  securities.    In  addition,  many  capital  market  participants  such  as  investment  banks,  financial 
guaranty providers and institutional investors who previously played a role in the sub-prime auto finance industry 
withdrew from the industry, or in some cases, have ceased to do business.  Finally, broad economic weakness and 
high  levels  of  unemployment  during  2008,  2009  and  2010  made  many  of  the  obligors  under  our  receivables  less 
willing or able to pay, resulting in higher delinquency, charge-offs and losses.  Each of these factors has adversely 
affected  our  results  of  operations.    However,  as  stated  above,  since  October  2009,  improvements  in  the  capital 
markets have allowed us to enter into a total of $300 million in new financing commitments, and to complete our 
first rated term securitization since April 2008.  Nevertheless, should existing economic conditions worsen, both our 
ability to purchase new contracts and the performance of our existing managed portfolio may be impaired, which, in 
turn, could have a further material adverse effect on our results of operations.  

2

 
 
Our Operations 

Our automobile financing programs are designed to serve sub-prime customers, who generally have limited credit 
histories, low incomes or past credit problems.  Because we serve customers who are unable to meet certain credit 
standards, we incur greater risks, and generally receive interest rates higher than those charged in the prime credit 
market.  We also sustain a higher level of credit losses because we provide financing in a relatively high risk market. 

Originations 

When  a  retail  automobile  buyer  elects  to obtain  financing  from  a  dealer,  the dealer  takes  a  credit  application  to 
submit to its financing sources. Typically, a dealer will submit the buyer's application to more than one financing 
source  for  review.    We  believe  the  dealer’s  decision  to  choose  a  financing  source  is  based  primarily  on:  (i)  the 
monthly  payment  made  available  to  the  dealer's  customer;  (ii)  the  purchase  price  offered  to  the  dealer  for  the 
contract;  (iii)  the  timeliness,  consistency  and  predictability  of  response;  (iv)  funding  turnaround  time;  (v)  any 
conditions to purchase; and (vi) the financial stability of the financing source.  Dealers can send credit applications 
to us by entering the necessary data on our website or through one of several third-party application aggregators. For 
the  year  ended  December  31,  2010,  we  received  approximately  84%  of  all  applications  through  DealerTrack  (the 
industry  leading  dealership  application  aggregator),  3%  via  our  website  and  13%  via  other  aggregators.  Our 
automated application decisioning system produced our response within minutes to about 97% of those applications. 

Upon  receipt of  information  from  a  dealer,  we  immediately  order  a  credit  report  to  document  the  buyer's  credit 
history.  If,  upon  review  by  our  proprietary  automated  decisioning  system,  or  in  some  cases,  one  of  our  credit 
analysts, we determine that the automobile contract meets our underwriting criteria, or would meet such criteria with 
modification, we request and review further information and, ultimately, decide whether to approve the automobile 
contract  for  purchase.  When  presented  with  an  application,  we  attempt  to  notify  the  dealer  within  one  hour  as  to 
whether we would purchase the related automobile contract. 

Dealers with which we do business are under no obligation to submit any automobile contracts to us, nor are we 
obligated  to  purchase  any  automobile  contracts  from  them.  During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2010,  no  dealer 
accounted for more than 2% of the total number of automobile contracts we  purchased.  The following table sets 
forth the geographical sources of the automobile contracts purchased by us (based on the addresses of the customers 
as stated on our records) during the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009. See "Management's Discussion and 
Analysis."  

California
Texas
Pennsylvania
Florida
Other States

Total

Contracts Purchased During the Year Ended

December 31, 2010

December 31, 2009

Number
1,199
646
565
431
4,692
7,533

Percent (1)
15.9%
8.6%
7.5%
5.7%
62.3%
100.0%

Number
154
40
49
44
308
595

Percent (1)
25.9%
6.7%
8.2%
7.4%
51.8%
100.0%

(1) Percentages may not total to 100.0% due to rounding. 

The following table sets forth the geographic concentrations of our outstanding managed portfolio as of December 

31, 2010 and 2009. 

State based on obligor's residence

California
Texas
Florida
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Ohio
All others

Total

December 31, 2010

December 31, 2009

Amount

Percent (1)

Amount

Percent (1)

$
$
$
$

$
$

100.2
76.2
54.8
42.8
42.3
39.6
400.3
756.2

($ in millions)
13.3% $
10.1%
7.2%
5.7%
5.6%
5.2%
52.9%

100.0% $

145.9
127.6
89.5
64.2
73.4
64.1
630.0
1,194.7

12.2%
10.7%
7.5%
5.4%
6.1%
5.4%
52.7%
100.0%

(1) Percentages may not total to 100.0% due to rounding. 

3

        
           
           
             
           
             
           
             
        
           
      
         
 
 
 
             
             
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
             
             
          
 
 
We purchase automobile contracts from dealers at a price generally computed as the total amount financed under 
the  automobile  contracts,  adjusted  for  an  acquisition  fee,  which  may  either  increase  or  decrease  the  automobile 
contract  purchase  price  paid  by  us.  The  amount  of  the  acquisition  fee,  and  whether  it  results  in  an  increase  or 
decrease to the automobile contract purchase price, is based on the perceived credit risk of and, in some cases, the 
interest  rate  on  the  automobile  contract.    For  the  years  ended  December  31,  2010,  2009  and  2008,  the  average 
acquisition fee charged per automobile contract purchased under our CPS programs was $1,382, $1,508 and $592, 
respectively,  or  9.2%,  11.7%  and  3.9%,  respectively,  of  the  amount  financed.    We  believe  that  the  significant 
increase in acquisition fees since 2008 is a result of less competition in the marketplace for the types of sub-prime 
contracts that we typically purchase.   

We offer seven different financing programs to our dealership customers, and price each program according to the 

relative credit risk. Our programs cover a wide band of the credit spectrum and are labeled as follows: 

First  Time  Buyer  –  This  program  accommodates  an  applicant  who  has  limited  significant  past  credit  history, 
such as a previous auto loan.  Since the applicant has little or no credit history, the contract interest rate and dealer 
acquisition fees tend to be higher, and the loan amount, loan-to-value ratio, down payment and payment-to-income 
ratio requirements tend to be more restrictive compared to our other programs. 

Mercury / Delta – This program accommodates an applicant who may have had significant past non-performing 
credit including recent derogatory credit.  As a result, the contract interest rate and dealer acquisition fees tend to 
be  higher,  and  the  loan  amount,  loan-to-value  ratio,  down  payment,  payment-to-income  ratio  and  income 
requirements tend to be more restrictive compared to our other programs. 

Standard – This program accommodates an applicant who may have significant past non-performing credit, but 
who has also exhibited some performing credit in their history.  The contract interest rate and dealer acquisition 
fees  are  comparable  to  the  First  Time  Buyer  and  Mercury/Delta  programs,  but  the  loan  amount,  loan-to-value 
ratio, down payment, payment-to-income ratio and income requirements are somewhat less restrictive. 

Alpha  –  This  program  accommodates  applicants  who  may  have  a  discharged  bankruptcy,  but  who  have  also 
exhibited performing credit.  In addition, the program allows for homeowners who may have had other significant 
non-performing credit in the past.  The contract interest rate and dealer acquisition fees are lower than the Standard 
program,  and  the  loan-to-value  ratio,  down  payment,  payment-to-income  ratio  and  income  requirements  are 
somewhat less restrictive. 

Alpha  Plus  –  This  program  accommodates  applicants  with  past  non-performing  credit,  but  with  a  stronger 
history  of  recent  performing  credit,  including  auto  related  credit,  and  higher  incomes  than  the  Alpha  program.   
Contract interest rates and dealer acquisition fees are lower than the Alpha program. 

Super  Alpha  –  This  program  accommodates  applicants  with  past  non-performing  credit,  but  with  a  somewhat 
stronger history of recent performing credit, including auto related credit, and higher incomes than the Alpha Plus 
program.  Contract interest rates and dealer acquisition fees are lower, and the maximum loan amount is somewhat 
higher, than the Alpha Plus program. 

Preferred  -  This  program  accommodates  applicants  with  past  non-performing  credit,  but  who  meet  a  certain 
minimum  FICO  score  threshold.    Other  requirements  include  a  somewhat  stronger  history  of  recent  performing 
credit  than the Super Alpha program.   Contract interest rates and dealer acquisition fees are lower than the Super 
Alpha program. 

Our upper credit tier products, which are our Preferred, Super Alpha, Alpha Plus and Alpha programs, accounted 
for  approximately  77% of  our new  contract  originations  in 2010,   76% in 2009  and 78.5%  in 2008,  measured by 
aggregate amount financed. 

The  following  table  identifies  the  credit  program,  sorted  from  highest  to  lowest  credit  quality,  under  which  we 

purchased automobile contracts during the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008. 

4

 
December 31, 2010

December 31, 2008

Contracts Purchased During the Year Ended (1)
December 31, 2009
(dollars in thousands)
Amount 
Financed
$                 

Amount 
Financed

$              

Preferred
Super Alpha
Alpha Plus
Alpha  
Standard
Mercury / Delta
First Time Buyer

Amount 
Financed

$              

3,208
15,018
17,824
47,341
13,726
8,244
7,662
113,023

Percent (2)
2.8%
13.3%
15.8%
41.9%
12.1%
7.3%
6.8%
100.0%

204
1,158
1,527
3,738
830
560
582
8,599

Percent (2)
2.4%
13.5%
17.8%
43.5%
9.7%
6.5%
6.8%
100.0%

13,211
33,726
50,823
123,933
15,332
25,635
19,695
282,355

Percent (2)
4.7%
11.9%
18.0%
43.9%
5.4%
9.1%
7.0%
100.0%

$          

$              

$            

(1) Automobile contracts purchased by TFC are not included because such purchases accounted for less than 10% 
of the total purchases during the year and are not representative of automobile contracts purchased under our 
CPS programs. 

(2) Percentages may not total to 100.0% due to rounding. 

We  attempt  to  control  misrepresentation  regarding  the  customer's  credit  worthiness  by  carefully  screening  the 
automobile contracts we purchase, by establishing and maintaining professional business relationships with dealers, 
and by including certain representations and warranties by the dealer in the dealer agreement. Pursuant to the dealer 
agreement, we may require the dealer to repurchase any automobile contract in the event that the dealer breaches its 
representations or warranties. There can be no assurance, however, that any dealer will have the willingness or the 
financial resources to satisfy its repurchase obligations to us. 

In  addition  to  our  purchases  of  installment  contracts  from  dealers,  we  purchased  from  2006  through  2008  an 
immaterial number of vehicle purchase money loans, evidenced by promissory notes and security agreements.  A 
non-affiliated  lender  originated  all  such  loans  directly  to  vehicle  purchasers,  and  sold  the  loans  to  us.    We  began 
financing vehicle purchases by lending money directly to consumers in January 2008, on terms similar to those that 
we  offered  through  dealers,  though  without  a  down  payment  requirement  and  with  more  restrictive  loan-to-value 
and  credit  score  requirements.    In  October  2008  we  suspended  purchases  of  loans  from  other  lenders  and  direct 
lending  to  consumers.    There  can  be  no  assurance  as  to  whether  or  not  we  will  recommence  these  programs,  the 
extent to which we may make such loans, or as to their future performance. 

Underwriting 

To be eligible for purchase by us, an automobile contract must have been originated by a dealer that has entered 
into  a  dealer  agreement  to  sell  automobile  contracts  to  us.  The  automobile  contract  must  be  secured  by  a  first 
priority lien on a new or used automobile, light truck or passenger van and must meet our underwriting criteria. In 
addition,  each  automobile  contract  requires  the  customer  to  maintain  physical  damage  insurance  covering  the 
financed vehicle and naming us as a loss payee. We may, nonetheless, suffer a loss upon theft or physical damage of 
any financed vehicle if the customer fails to maintain insurance as required by the automobile contract and is unable 
to pay for repairs to or replacement of the vehicle or is otherwise unable to fulfill his or her obligations under the 
automobile contract. 

We  believe  that  our  underwriting  criteria  enable  us  to  evaluate  effectively  the  creditworthiness  of  sub-prime 
customers and the adequacy of the financed vehicle as security for an automobile contract. The underwriting criteria 
include standards for price, term, amount of down payment, installment payment and interest rate; mileage, age and 
type of vehicle; principal amount of the automobile contract in relation to the value of the vehicle; customer income 
level,  employment  and  residence  stability,  credit  history  and  debt  service  ability,  as  well  as  other  factors. 
Specifically, the underwriting guidelines for our CPS programs generally limit the maximum principal amount of a 
purchased  automobile  contract  to  115%  of  wholesale  book  value  in  the  case  of  used  vehicles  or  to  115%  of  the 
manufacturer's invoice in the case of new vehicles, plus, in each case, sales tax, licensing and, when the customer 
purchases such additional items, a service contract or a credit life or disability policy. We generally do not finance 
vehicles that are more than eight model years old or have in excess of 99,999 miles. Under most of our programs, 
the maximum term of a purchased contract is 72 months; a shorter maximum term may be applicable based on the 
program,  mileage  and  age  of  the  vehicle.    Automobile  contracts  with  the  maximum  term  of  72  months  may  be 
purchased if the customer is among the more creditworthy of our obligors and the vehicle is generally not more than 
four  model  years  old  and  has  less  than  45,000  miles.  Automobile  contract  purchase  criteria  are  subject  to  change 

5

              
                
                
              
                
                
              
                
              
              
                   
                
                
                   
                
                
                   
                
 
 
 
from time to time as circumstances may warrant. In 2008 we made our contract purchase criteria more restrictive as 
part  of  our  strategy  to  decrease  new  contract  purchases  in  order  to  conserve  liquidity.    Prior  to  purchasing  an 
automobile contract, our underwriters verify the customer's employment, income, residency, and credit information 
by contacting various parties noted on the customer's application, credit information bureaus and other sources. In 
addition, we contact each customer by telephone to confirm that the customer understands and agrees to the terms of 
the  related  automobile  contract.  During  this  "welcome  call,"  we  also  ask  the  customer  a  series  of  open  ended 
questions about his application and the contract, which may uncover potential misrepresentations. 

Credit Scoring.  We use proprietary scoring models to assign each automobile contract several "credit scores" at 
the time the application is received from the dealer and the customer's credit information is retrieved from the credit 
reporting  agencies.  The  credit  scores  are  based on  a variety  of parameters  including  the  customer's  credit  history, 
employment and residence stability, income, and the specific dealer.  Once a vehicle is selected by the customer and 
a  proposed  deal  structure  is  provided  to  us  by  the  dealer,  our  scores  will  then  consider  the  loan-to-value  ratio, 
payment-to-income ratio, down payment amount and the sales price and make of the vehicle. We have developed 
the credit scores utilizing statistical risk management techniques and historical performance data from our managed 
portfolio. We believe this improves our allocation of credit evaluation resources, enhances our competitiveness in 
the marketplace and manages the risk inherent in the sub-prime market. 

Characteristics of Contracts.  All of the automobile contracts purchased by us are fully amortizing and provide for 
level  payments  over  the  term  of  the  automobile  contract.  All  automobile  contracts  may  be  prepaid  at  any  time 
without  penalty.  The  average  original  principal  amount  financed,  under  the  CPS  programs  and  in  the  year  ended 
December  31,  2010,  was  $15,004,  with  an  average  original  term  of  61  months  and  an  average  down  payment 
amount  of  14.8%.  Based  on  information  contained  in  customer  applications  for  this  12-month  period,  the  retail 
purchase  price  of  the  related  automobiles  averaged  $15,599  (which  excludes  tax,  license  fees  and  any  additional 
costs  such  as  a  maintenance  contract)  and  the  average  age of  the  vehicle  at  the  time  the  automobile  contract  was 
purchased was  four  years. The  average  age  of our  customers  is  approximately  41,  with  approximately  $52,000  in 
average annual household income and an average of six years tenure with his or her current employer.   

Dealer Compliance.  The dealer agreement and related assignment contain representations and warranties by the 
dealer that an application for state registration of each financed vehicle, naming us as secured party with respect to 
the  vehicle, was  effected by the  time  of sale  of  the  related  automobile contract  to us,  and  that all  necessary  steps 
have been taken to obtain a perfected first priority security interest in each financed vehicle in favor of us under the 
laws  of  the  state  in  which  the  financed  vehicle  is  registered.  To  the  extent  that  we  do  not  receive  such  state 
registration within three months of purchasing the automobile contract, our dealer compliance group will work with 
the dealer in an attempt to rectify the situation.  If these efforts are unsuccessful, we generally will require the dealer 
to repurchase the automobile contract. 

Servicing and Collection 

We currently service all automobile contracts that we own as well as those automobile contracts that are included 
in portfolios that we have sold in securitizations or service for third parties.  We organize our servicing activities 
based  on  the  tasks  performed  by  our  personnel.  Our  servicing  activities  consist  of  mailing  monthly  billing 
statements; collecting, accounting for and posting of all payments received; responding to customer inquiries; taking 
all necessary action to maintain the security interest granted in the financed vehicle or other collateral; investigating 
delinquencies;  communicating  with  the  customer  to  obtain  timely  payments;  repossessing  and  liquidating  the 
collateral  when  necessary;  collecting  deficiency  balances;  and  generally  monitoring  each  automobile  contract  and 
the related collateral.  We are typically entitled to receive a base  monthly servicing fee equal to 2.5% per annum 
computed as a percentage of the declining outstanding principal balance of the non-charged-off automobile contracts 
in the securitization pools. The servicing fee is included in interest income for those securitization transactions that 
are treated as financings. 

Collection  Procedures.  We  believe  that  our  ability  to  monitor  performance  and  collect  payments  owed  from 
sub-prime  customers  is  primarily  a  function  of  our  collection  approach  and  support  systems.  We  believe  that  if 
payment  problems  are  identified  early  and  our  collection  staff  works  closely  with  customers  to  address  these 
problems, it is possible to correct many problems before they deteriorate further. To this end, we utilize pro-active 
collection  procedures,  which  include  making  early  and  frequent  contact  with  delinquent  customers;  educating 
customers  as  to  the  importance  of  maintaining  good  credit;  and  employing  a  consultative  and  customer  service 
approach  to  assist  the  customer  in  meeting  his  or  her  obligations,  which  includes  attempting  to  identify  the 
underlying  causes  of  delinquency  and  cure  them  whenever  possible.  In  support  of  our  collection  activities,  we 
maintain  a  computerized  collection  system  specifically  designed  to  service  automobile  contracts  with  sub-prime 
customers and similar consumer obligations. 

6

 
We  attempt  to  make  telephonic  contact  with  delinquent  customers  from  one  to  29  days  after  their  monthly 
payment  due  date,  depending  on  our  proprietary  behavioral  scorecards  which  assess  the  customer’s  likelihood  of 
payment during early stages of delinquency. Our contact priorities may be based on the customers' physical location, 
stage of delinquency, size of balance or other parameters. Our collectors inquire of the customer the reason for the 
delinquency and when we can expect to receive the payment. The collector will attempt to get the customer to make 
an electronic payment over the phone or a promise for the payment for a time generally not to exceed one week from 
the  date  of  the  call.  If  the  customer  makes  such  a  promise,  the  account  is  routed  to  a  promise  queue  and  is  not 
contacted until the outcome of the promise is known. If the payment is made by the promise date and the account is 
no  longer  delinquent,  the  account  is  routed  out  of  the  collection  system.  If  the  payment  is  not  made,  or  if  the 
payment is made, but the account remains delinquent, the account is returned to the queue for subsequent contacts. 

If a customer fails to make or keep promises for payments, or if the customer is uncooperative or attempts to evade 
contact  or  hide  the  vehicle, a  supervisor will  review  the  collection  activity relating  to  the  account  to  determine  if 
repossession of the vehicle is warranted. Generally, such a decision will occur between the 45th and 90th day past 
the customer's payment due date, but could occur sooner or later, depending on the specific circumstances. At the 
time  the  vehicle  is  repossessed  we  will  stop  accruing  interest  on  this  automobile  contract,  and  reclassify  the 
remaining automobile contract balance to other assets. In addition we will apply a specific reserve to this automobile 
contract so that the net balance represents the estimated fair value less costs to sell. 

If we elect to repossess the vehicle, we assign the task to an independent local repossession service. Such services 
are  licensed  and/or  bonded  as  required  by  law.  When  the  vehicle  is  recovered,  the  repossessor  delivers  it  to  a 
wholesale automobile auction, where it is kept until sold. Financed vehicles that have been repossessed are generally 
resold by us through unaffiliated automobile auctions, which are attended principally by car dealers. Net liquidation 
proceeds are applied to the customer's outstanding obligation under the automobile contract. Such proceeds usually 
are insufficient to pay the customer's obligation in full, resulting in a deficiency. In most cases we will continue to 
contact our customers to recover all or a portion of this deficiency for up to several years after charge-off. 

Once  an  automobile  contract  becomes  greater  than  90  days  delinquent,  we  do  not  recognize  additional  interest 
income  until  the  borrower  under  the  automobile  contract  makes  sufficient  payments  to  be  less  than  90  days 
delinquent.  Any  payments  received  by  a  borrower  that  are  greater  than  90  days  delinquent  are  first  applied  to 
accrued interest and then to principal reduction. 

We generally charge off the balance of any contract by the earlier of the end of the month in which the automobile 
contract becomes five scheduled installments past due or, in the case of repossessions, the month that the proceeds 
from the liquidation of the financed vehicle are received by us or if the vehicle has been in repossession inventory 
for more than three months. In the case of repossession, the amount of the charge-off is the difference between the 
outstanding principal balance of the defaulted automobile contract and the net repossession sale proceeds. 

Credit Experience 

Our  financial  results  are  dependent  on  the  performance  of  the  automobile  contracts  in  which  we  retain  an 
ownership  interest.  The  tables  below  document  the  delinquency,  repossession,  extension  and  net  credit  loss 
experience  of  all  automobile  contracts  that  we  hold  and  service  (the  tables  exclude  certain  contracts  we  have 
serviced  for  third-parties  on  which  we  earn  servicing  fees  only,  and  have  no  credit  risk).    While  broad  economic 
weakness and the high levels of unemployment experienced since 2008 have resulted in higher delinquencies and 
net charge-offs, the increase in the percentage levels is also partially attributable to the decrease in the size and the 
increase in the average age of our managed portfolio.   

7

 
Delinquency, Repossession and Extension Experience 

Delinquency Experience
Gross servicing portfolio (1).….
Period of delinquency (2)
31-60 days……….………….
61-90 days……….………….
91+ days………..………………
Total delinquencies (2)…..……..
Amount in repossession (3)……
Total delinquencies and
   amount in repossession (2)...….
Delinquencies as a percentage
   of gross servicing portfolio...….

Total delinquencies and
   amount in repossession as a 
   percentage of gross servicing
   portfolio……………….…

Extension Experience
Contracts with one extension (4)
Contracts with two or more
   extensions (4)……...……….
Total contracts with extensions

December 31, 2010

December 31, 2009

December 31, 2008

Number of 
Contracts

Amount

Number of
Contracts

Amount

Number of
Contracts

Amount

                                                (Dollars in thousands)

84,601 $

681,157

111,105 $

1,057,348

145,564 $

1,665,036

2,856
1,537
1,233
5,626
3,263

.
19,168 .
10,872 .
9,067 .
39,107 .
23,290 .
.

2,787
1,824
1,205
5,816
4,305

24,628
16,840
10,358
51,826
40,815

3,733
2,376
2,424
8,533
4,262

39,798
26,549
27,243
93,590
49,357

8,889 $

62,397

10,121 $

92,641

12,795 $

142,947

6.7

%

5.7

10.5

%

9.2

.
%

.
.
.
%

5.2

%

4.9

%

5.9

%

5.6

%

9.1

%

8.8

%

8.8

%

8.6

%

17,749 $

135,204 .
.

26,528 $

266,081

30,160 $

354,330

13,226
30,975 $

105,637
240,841

12,884
39,412 $

126,853
392,934

8,639
38,799 $

88,988
443,318

  (1)  All  amounts  and  percentages  are  based  on  the  amount  remaining  to  be  repaid  on  each  automobile  contract, 
including,  for  pre-computed  automobile  contracts,  any  unearned  interest.  The  information  in  the  table 
represents  the  gross  principal  amount  of  all  automobile  contracts  we  purchased,  including  automobile 
contracts  we  subsequently  sold  in  securitization  transactions  that  we  continue  to  service.  The  table  does  not 
include certain contracts we have serviced for third-parties on which we earn servicing fees only, and have no 
credit risk. 

(2)  We consider an automobile contract delinquent when an obligor fails to make at least 90% of a contractually 
due  payment  by  the  following  due  date,  which  date  may  have  been  extended  within  limits  specified  in  the 
servicing  agreements.  The  period  of  delinquency  is  based  on  the  number  of  days  payments  are  contractually 
past due. Automobile contracts less than 31 days delinquent are not included. 

(3)  Amount in repossession represents the contract balance on financed vehicles that have been repossessed but not 
yet liquidated. This amount is not netted with the specific reserve to arrive at the estimated asset value less costs 
to sell. 

(4)  The delinquency aging categories shown in the tables reflect the effect of extensions. 

Extensions 

We may offer a customer an extension, under which the customer agrees with us to move past due payments to the 
end of the automobile contract term. In such cases the customer must sign an agreement for the extension, and may 
pay  a  fee  representing  partial  payment  of  accrued  interest.  Our  policies,  and  contractual  arrangements  for  our 
warehouse  and  securitization  transactions,  limit  the  number  of  extensions  that  may  be  granted.  In  general,  a 
customer may arrange for an extension no more than twice every 12 months, not to exceed six extensions over the 
life of the contract. 

If  a  customer  is  granted  such  an  extension,  the  date  next  due  is  advanced.  Subsequent  delinquency  aging 

classifications would be based on the future payment performance of the automobile contract. 

8

             
          
       
             
       
              
           
          
       
             
       
              
 
 
Net Credit Loss Experience (1)

2010

Year Ended December 31,
2009
(Dollars in thousands)

2008

Average servicing portfolio outstanding………………… $
Net charge-offs as a percentage of average
$
servicing portfolio (2)…….………………………..………$

827,176

$

1,319,106

$

1,934,003

9.0

%

11.0

%

7.7

%

(1)  All  amounts  and  percentages  are  based  on  the  principal  amount  scheduled  to  be  paid  on  each  automobile 
contract,  net  of  unearned  income  on  pre-computed  automobile  contracts.  The  information  in  the  table 
represents  all  automobile  contracts  serviced  by  us,  excluding  certain  contracts  we  have  serviced  for  third-
parties on which we earn servicing fees only, and have no credit risk. 

(2)  Net  charge-offs  include  the  remaining  principal  balance,  after  the  application  of  the  net  proceeds  from  the 
liquidation of the vehicle (excluding accrued and unpaid interest) and amounts collected subsequent to the date 
of  charge-off,  including  some  recoveries  which  have  been  classified  as  other  income  in  the  accompanying 
financial statements. 

Securitization of Automobile Contracts 

We  purchase  automobile  contracts  with  the  intention  of  financing  them  on  a  long-term  basis  through 
securitizations. All such securitizations have involved identification of specific automobile contracts, sale of those 
automobile contracts (and associated rights) to a special purpose subsidiary, and issuance of asset−backed securities 
to fund the transactions. Upon the securitization of a portfolio of automobile contracts, we retain the obligation to 
service  the  contracts,  and  receive  a  monthly  fee  for  doing  so.  We  have  been  a  regular  issuer  of  asset-backed 
securities  since  1994,  completing  50  securitizations  totaling  over  $6.7  billion  through  December  31,  2010.  
Depending on the structure of the securitization, the transaction may be treated as a sale of the automobile contracts 
or as a secured financing for financial accounting purposes.  From July 2003 through April 2008, we structured our 
securitizations  as  secured  financings  rather  than  as  sales  of  contracts.    The  second  of  our  two  securitizations 
completed  in  2008  (September  2008)  was  in  substance  a  sale  of  the  related  contracts,  and  is  treated  as  a  sale  for 
financial accounting purposes.  In September 2010 we took advantage of improvement in the market for asset-
backed  securities  by  re-securitizing  the  underlying  receivables  from  our  unrated  September  2008 
securitization.  By doing so we were able to pay off the bonds associated with the September 2008 transaction 
and issue rated bonds with a significantly lower weighted average coupon.  The September 2010 transaction 
was our first rated term securitization since 1993 that did not utilize a financial guaranty.   

When  structured  to  be  treated  as  a  secured  financing,  the  subsidiary  is  consolidated  and,  accordingly,  the 
automobile  contracts  and  the  related  securitization  trust  debt  appear  as  assets  and  liabilities,  respectively,  on  our 
consolidated balance sheet. We then recognize interest income on the contracts and interest expense on the securities 
issued in the securitization and record as expense a provision for probable credit losses on the contracts. 

When structured to be treated as a sale, the subsidiary is not consolidated. Accordingly, the securitization removes 
the sold automobile contracts from our consolidated balance sheet, the related debt does not appear as our debt, and 
our consolidated balance sheet shows, as an asset, a retained residual interest in the sold automobile contracts. The 
residual interest represents the discounted value of what we expect will be the excess of future collections on the 
automobile contracts over principal and interest due on the asset-backed securities. That residual interest appears on 
our  consolidated  balance  sheet  as  "residual  interest  in  securitizations,"  and  the  determination  of  its  value  is 
dependent on our estimates of the future performance of the sold automobile contracts.  

Historically,  prior  to  a  securitization  transaction,  we  funded  our  automobile  contract  purchases  primarily  with 
proceeds  from  warehouse  credit  facilities.  As  of  December  31,  2007,  we  had  $425  million  in  warehouse  credit 
capacity,  in  the  form  of  two  $200  million  senior  facilities  and  one  $25  million  subordinated  facility.    Both 
warehouse credit facilities provided funding for automobile contracts purchased under the CPS programs, while one 
facility  also  provided  funding  for  automobile  contracts  purchased  under  the  TFC programs.  Up  to  93%  of  the 
principal balance of the automobile contracts was advanced to us under these facilities, subject to collateral tests and 
certain other conditions and covenants.  In April 2008, the subordinated facility expired and the subordinated lenders 
were fully repaid.  In November 2008, one of the two senior facilities expired and the lender was fully repaid.  The 
remaining  warehouse  facility  was  amended  in  December  2008  to  eliminate  further  advances  and  to  provide  for 

9

       
    
    
               
             
               
 
 
 
repayment  from  proceeds  collected  under  the  related  pledged  receivables,  and  certain  other  scheduled  principal 
reductions  until  its  lenders  were  fully  repaid  in  September  2009.    Since  October  2009,  we  have  gradually 
increased  our  contract  purchases  by  utilizing  one  $50  million  credit  facility  and  another  $50  million  term 
funding  facility.    More  recently,  we  significantly  increased  our  short-term  contract  financing  resources  by 
entering  into  agreements  for  one  new  $100  million  credit  facility  in  December  2010  and  for  another  $100 
million credit  facility  in  February  2011.    We  have  in  the  past  secured  long-term  financing  for  our  automobile 
contract  purchases  through  securitization  transactions.    We  have  used  the  proceeds  from  such  securitization 
transactions primarily to repay the warehouse credit facilities.  We expect to conduct one or more securitizations 
of newly purchased contracts in 2011. 

In  a  securitization  and  in  our  warehouse  credit  facilities,  we  are  required  to  make  certain  representations  and 
warranties, which are generally similar to the representations and warranties made by dealers in connection with our 
purchase of the automobile contracts. If we breach any of our representations or warranties, we will be obligated to 
repurchase  the  automobile  contract  at  a  price  equal  to  the  principal  balance  plus  accrued  and  unpaid  interest.  We 
may then be entitled under the terms of our dealer agreement to require the selling dealer to repurchase the contract 
at a price equal to our purchase price, less any principal payments made by the customer. Subject to any recourse 
against dealers, we will bear the risk of loss on repossession and resale of vehicles under automobile contracts that 
we repurchase. 

Whether a securitization is treated as a secured financing or as a sale for financial accounting purposes, the related 
special purpose subsidiary may be unable to release excess cash to us if the credit performance of the securitized 
automobile contracts falls short of pre-determined standards. Such releases represent a material portion of the cash 
that  we  use  to  fund  our  operations.  An  unexpected  deterioration  in  the  performance  of  securitized  automobile 
contracts could therefore have a material adverse effect on both our liquidity and results of operations, regardless of 
whether such automobile contracts are treated as having been sold or as having been financed. For estimation of the 
magnitude of such risk, it may be appropriate to look to the size of our "managed portfolio," which represents both 
financed  and  sold  automobile  contracts  as  to  which  such  credit  risk  is  retained.  Our  managed  portfolio  as  of 
December  31,  2010  was  approximately  $756.2  million,  including  $75.1  million  of  receivables  on  which  we  earn 
only servicing fees. 

Competition 

The  automobile  financing  business  is  highly  competitive.  We  compete  with  a  number  of  national,  regional  and 
local finance companies with operations similar to ours.  In addition, competitors or potential competitors include 
other  types  of  financial  services  companies,  such  as  commercial  banks,  savings  and  loan  associations,  leasing 
companies, credit unions providing retail loan financing and lease financing for new and used vehicles, and captive 
finance  companies  affiliated  with  major  automobile  manufacturers.  Many  of  our  competitors  and  potential 
competitors possess substantially greater financial, marketing, technical, personnel and other resources than we do. 
Moreover, our future profitability will be directly related to the availability and cost of our capital in relation to the 
availability and cost of capital to our competitors. Our competitors and potential competitors include far larger, more 
established  companies  that  have  access  to  capital  markets for unsecured  commercial  paper  and  investment  grade-
rated debt instruments and to other funding sources that may be unavailable to us. Many of these companies also 
have  long-standing  relationships  with  dealers  and  may  provide  other  financing  to  dealers,  including  floor  plan 
financing for the dealers' purchase of automobiles from manufacturers, which we do not offer. 

We believe that the principal competitive factors affecting a dealer's decision to offer automobile contracts for sale 
to  a  particular  financing  source  are  the  monthly  payment  amount  made  available  to  the  dealer’s  customer,  the 
purchase price offered for the automobile contracts, the timeliness of the response to the dealer upon submission of 
the  initial  application,  the  reasonableness  of  the  financing  source's  documentation  requests,  the  predictability  and 
timeliness of purchases and the financial stability of the funding source. While we believe that we can obtain from 
dealers  sufficient  automobile  contracts  for  purchase  at  attractive  prices  by  consistently  applying  reasonable 
underwriting criteria and making timely purchases of qualifying automobile contracts, there can be no assurance that 
we will do so. 

Regulation 

Several  federal  and  state  consumer  protection  laws,  including  the  federal  Truth-In-Lending  Act,  the  federal 
Equal Credit  Opportunity  Act,  the  federal  Fair  Debt  Collection  Practices  Act  and  the  Federal  Trade  Commission 
Act, regulate the extension of credit  in consumer credit transactions. These laws mandate certain disclosures with 
respect to finance charges on automobile contracts and impose certain other restrictions on dealers. In many states, a 
license is required to engage in the business of purchasing automobile contracts from dealers. In addition, laws in a 
number of states impose limitations on the amount of finance charges that may be charged by dealers on credit sales. 

10

 
The so-called Lemon Laws enacted by various states provide certain rights to purchasers with respect to automobiles 
that fail to satisfy express warranties. The application of Lemon Laws or violation of such other federal and state 
laws may give rise to a claim or defense of a customer against a dealer and its assignees, including us and purchasers 
of automobile contracts from us. The dealer agreement contains representations by the dealer that, as of the date of 
assignment of automobile contracts, no such claims or defenses have been asserted or threatened with respect to the 
automobile contracts and that all requirements of such federal and state laws have been complied with in all material 
respects.  Although  a  dealer  would  be  obligated  to  repurchase  automobile  contracts  that  involve  a  breach  of  such 
warranty,  there  can  be  no  assurance  that  the  dealer  will  have  the  financial  resources  to  satisfy  its  repurchase 
obligations. Certain of these laws also regulate our servicing activities, including our methods of collection. 

Although we believe that we are currently in material compliance with applicable statutes and regulations, there 
can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain such compliance. The past or future failure to comply with such 
statutes  and  regulations  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  upon  us.  Furthermore,  the  adoption  of  additional 
statutes  and  regulations,  changes  in  the  interpretation  and  enforcement  of  current  statutes  and  regulations  or  the 
expansion of our business into jurisdictions that have adopted more stringent regulatory requirements than those in 
which we currently conduct business could have a material adverse effect upon us. In addition, due to the consumer-
oriented  nature  of  the  industry  in  which  we  operate  and  the  application  of  certain  laws  and  regulations,  industry 
participants are regularly named as defendants in litigation involving alleged violations of federal and state laws and 
regulations and consumer law torts, including fraud. Many of these actions involve alleged violations of consumer 
protection laws. A significant judgment against us or within the industry in connection with any such litigation could 
have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. 

Employees 

As of December 31, 2010, we had 435 employees. The breakdown of the employees is as follows: eight are senior 
management  personnel;  300  are  servicing  personnel;  47  are  automobile  contract  origination  personnel;  26  are 
marketing personnel (18 of whom are marketing representatives); 28 are operations and systems personnel; and 26 
are administrative personnel. We believe that our relations with our employees are good. We are not a party to any 
collective bargaining agreement. 

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS 

Directors 

Our  directors  and  their  principal  occupations  are  as  follows:  Charles  E.  Bradley,  Jr.,  chief  executive  officer  of 
Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.; Chris A. Adams, owner and chief executive of Latrobe Pattern Company and K 
Castings  Inc.,  which  are  firms  engaged  in  the  business  of  fabricating  metal  parts;  Brian  J.  Rayhill,  a  practicing 
attorney  in  New  York  state;  William  B.  Roberts,  president  of  Monmouth  Capital  Corp.,  an  investment  firm  that 
specializes in management buyouts; Gregory S. Washer, owner and president of Clean Fun Promotional Marketing 
LLC,  a  promotional  marketing  company;  and  Daniel  S.  Wood,  retired  president  of  Carclo  Technical  Plastics,  a 
manufacturer of custom injection moldings. 

Executive Officers  

Charles  E.  Bradley,  Jr.,  51,  has  been  our  President  and  a  director  since  our  formation  in  March  1991,  and  was 
elected  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Directors  in  July  2001.  In  January  1992,  Mr.  Bradley  was  appointed 
Chief Executive Officer.  From April 1989 to November 1990, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Barnard and 
Company,  a  private  investment  firm.  From  September  1987  to  March  1989,  Mr.  Bradley,  Jr.  was  an  associate  of 
The Harding  Group,  a  private  investment  banking  firm.    Mr.  Bradley  does  not  currently  serve  on  the  board  of 
directors of any other publicly-traded companies. 

Mark A. Creatura, 52, has been Senior Vice President – General Counsel since October 1996. From October 1993 
through October 1996, he was Vice President and General Counsel at Urethane Technologies, Inc., a polyurethane 
chemicals formulator. Mr. Creatura was previously engaged in the private practice of law with the Los Angeles law 
firm of Troy & Gould Professional Corporation, from October 1985 through October 1993. 

Jeffrey  P.  Fritz,  51,  has  been  Senior  Vice  President  -  Chief  Financial  Officer  since  April  2006.   He  was  Senior 
Vice President - Accounting from August 2004 through March 2006. He served as a consultant to us from May 2004 
to August 2004. Previously, he was the Chief Financial Officer of SeaWest Financial Corp. from February 2003 to 
May 2004, and the Chief Financial Officer of AFCO Auto Finance from April 2002 to February 2003. He practiced 
public accounting with Glenn M. Gelman  & Associates from March 2001 to April 2002 and was Chief Financial 
Officer  of  Credit  Services  Group,  Inc.  from  May  1999  to  November  2000.  He  previously  served  as  our 
Chief Financial Officer from our inception through May 1999. 

11

 
Robert E. Riedl, 47, has been Senior Vice President - Chief Investment Officer since April 2006. Mr. Riedl was 
Senior  Vice  President  -  Chief  Financial  Officer  from  August  2003  until  assuming  his  current  position.  Mr.  Riedl 
joined  the  Company  as  Senior  Vice  President  -  Risk  Management  in  January  2003.  Previously,  Mr.  Riedl  was  a 
Principal at Northwest Capital Appreciation ("NCA"), a middle market private equity firm, from 2000 to 2002. For a 
year  prior  to  joining  Northwest  Capital,  Mr.  Riedl  served  as  Senior  Vice  President  for  one  of  NCA's  portfolio 
companies, SLP Capital. Mr. Riedl was an investment banker for ContiFinancial Services, Jefferies & Company and 
PaineWebberfrom 1986 to 1999.  

Christopher  Terry,  43,  has  been  Senior  Vice  President  -  Servicing  since  May  2005,  and  prior  to  that  was 
Senior Vice President - Asset Recovery since January 2003. He joined us in January 1995 as a loan officer, held a 
series  of  successively  more  responsible  positions,  and  was  promoted  to  Vice  President  -  Asset  Recovery  in 
June 1999. Mr. Terry was previously a branch manager with Norwest Financial from 1990 to October 1994. 

Teri L. Clements, 48, has been the Senior Vice President of Originations since April 2007. Prior to that, she held 
the  position  of  Vice  President  of  Originations  since  August  1998.  She  joined  the  Company  in  June  1991  as  an 
Operations Specialist. Previously, Ms. Clements held an administrative position at Greco & Associates.  

Michael  L.  Lavin,  39,  has  been  Senior  Vice  President  –  Legal  since  May  2009.    Prior  to  that,  he  was  our  Vice 
President – Legal since joining the Company in November 2001.  Mr. Lavin was previously engaged as a law clerk 
and an associate with the San Diego law firm (now defunct) of Edwards, Sooy & Byron from 1996 through 2000 
and  then  as  an  associate  with  the  Orange  County  firm  of  Trachtman  &  Trachman  from  2000  through  2001.    Mr. 
Lavin also clerked for the San Diego District Attorney’s office and Orange County Public Defender’s office. 

12

 
Item 5.   MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS, 

AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES 

The Company’s Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market, under the symbol "CPSS." The following 

table sets forth the high and low sale prices as reported by Nasdaq for our Common Stock for the periods shown. 

January 1 - March 31, 2009…………………………………….………$
April 1 - June 30, 2009………………………………………….……….
July 1 - September 30, 2009…………………………………...……… .
October 1 - December 31, 2009……………………………….……… .
January 1 - March 31, 2010…………………………………….……….
April 1 - June 30, 2010………………………………………….……….
July 1 - September 30, 2010…………………………………...……… .
October 1 - December 31, 2010……………………………….……… .

High
0.80
1.15
1.65
1.30
2.25
2.27
1.37
1.34

Low
0.25
0.40
0.46
0.95
1.00
1.25
0.59
0.56

As  of  March  21,  2010,  there  were  56  holders  of  record  of  the  Company’s  Common  Stock.  To  date,  we  have  not 
declared or paid any dividends on our Common Stock. The payment of future dividends, if any, on our Common Stock 
is within the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend upon our income, capital requirements and financial 
condition, and other relevant factors. The instruments governing our outstanding debt place certain restrictions on the 
payment of dividends. We do not intend to declare any dividends on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future, but 
instead intend to retain any cash flow for use in our operations. 

The table below presents information regarding outstanding options to purchase our Common Stock as of December 

31, 2010: 

Plan category

Equity compensation plans
$
approved by security holders………$
Equity compensation plans not 
$
approved by security holders………$
Total

Number of securities
to be issued upon
exercise of outstanding
options, warrants
and rights

Weighted average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights

Number of
securities remaining
available for future
issuance under equity
compensation plans

12,816,448

$                                

1.31

-
12,816,448

$                               

-
1.31

829,500

-
829,500

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities in the Fourth Quarter 

Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
4,440
3,397
-
7,837

Period(1)
October 2010…… $
November 2010……$
December 2010……$
Total

Average
Price Paid
per Share

Total Number of
Shares Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced Plans or
Programs(2)

$             

$            

0.89
0.82
-
1.22

4,440
3,397
-
7,837

Approximate Dollar
Value of Shares that
May Yet be Purchased
Under the Plans or
Programs

$                          

2,067,439
2,064,659
2,064,659

 (1) Each monthly period is the calendar month. 
(2) Through  December  31,  2010,  our  board  of  directors  had  authorized  the  purchase  of  up  to  $34.5  million  of  our  outstanding 
securities, which program was first announced in our annual report for the year 2002, filed on March 26, 2003. All purchases 
described in the table above were under the plan announced in March 2003, which has no fixed expiration date. 

13

 
                    
                               
                                    
                                        
                                          
                   
                              
 
             
                                
             
               
                                
                            
                     
                 
                                        
                            
             
                              
 
 
Item 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA 

The  following  table  presents  our  selected  consolidated  financial  data  and  operating  data  as  of  and  for  the  dates 
indicated.  The  data  under  the  captions "Statement  of  Operations Data"  and  "Balance  Sheet  Data"  have  been  derived 
from  our  audited  and  unaudited  consolidated  financial  statements.    The  remainder  is  derived  from  other  records  of 
ours. 

You should read the selected consolidated financial data together with "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and our audited and unaudited financial statements and notes thereto 
that are included in this report. 

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

2010

As of and 
For the Year Ended December 31,
2008

2009

2007

2006

Statement of Operations Data
Revenues:
     Interest income ………………………………………
     Servicing fees …………………………………………
     Other income …………………………………………
          Total revenues ………………………………………
Expenses:
     Employee costs ………………………………………..
     General and administrative ……………………………
     Interest expense ……………………………………….
     Provision for credit losses …………………………….    
     Loss on sale of receivables …………………………….    
          Total expenses ……………………………………..
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) ……………
Income tax expense (benefit) ……………………………………
Net income (loss) ………………………………………….

$         

137,090
7,657
10,438
155,185

33,814
26,068
82,226
29,921
-

172,029
(16,844)
16,982
(33,826)

$         

208,196
4,640
11,059
223,895

$         

351,551
2,064
14,796
368,411

$         

370,265
1,218
23,067
394,550

$         

263,566
2,894
12,403
278,863

37,306
32,217
111,768
92,011
-
273,302
(49,407)
7,800
(57,207)

$         

48,874
44,368
156,253
148,408
13,963
411,866
(43,455)
(17,364)
(26,091)

$         

46,716
47,416
139,189
137,272

38,483
42,011
93,112
92,057

370,593
23,957
10,099
13,858

$           

265,663
13,200
(26,355)
39,555

$           

$         

Earnings (loss) per share-basic ……………………………
Earnings (loss) per share-diluted …………………………
Pre-tax income (loss) per share-basic (1) ………………..
Pre-tax income (loss) per share-diluted (2) ………………
Weighted average shares outstanding-basic …………….
Weighted average shares outstanding-diluted …………..

$             
$             
$             
$             

(1.94)
(1.94)
(0.96)
(0.96)
17,477
17,477

$             
$             
$             
$             

(3.07)
(3.07)
(3.07)
(3.07)
18,643
18,643

$             
$             
$             
$             

(1.36)
(1.36)
(2.26)
(2.26)
19,230
19,230

$               
$               
$               
$               

0.66
0.61
1.15
1.06
20,880
22,595

$               
$               
$               
$               

1.82
1.64
0.61
0.55
21,759
24,052

Balance Sheet Data
Total assets ……………………………………………….
Cash and cash equivalents ………………………………..
Restricted cash and equivalents ………………………….
Finance receivables, net …………………………………..
Residual interest in securitizations ……………………….
Warehouse lines of credit …………………………………
Residual interest financing ………………………………..
Securitization trust debt …………………………………..
Long-term debt …………………………………………….
Shareholders' equity ……………………………………….

$         

742,884
16,252
123,958
552,453
3,841
45,564
39,440
567,722
65,210
4,554

$      

1,068,261
12,433
128,511
840,092
4,316
4,932
56,930
904,833
48,083
35,577

$      

1,638,807
22,084
153,479
1,339,307
3,582
9,919
67,300
1,404,211
45,826
89,849

$      

2,282,813
20,880
170,341
1,967,866
2,274
235,925
70,000
1,798,302
28,134
114,355

$      

1,728,594
14,215
193,001
1,401,414
13,795
72,950
31,378
1,442,995
38,574
111,512

 (1)  Income  (loss)  before  income  tax  benefit  divided  by  weighted  average  shares  outstanding-basic. Included  for 
illustrative  purposes  because  some  of  the  periods  presented  include  significant  income  tax  benefits  while  other 
periods have neither income tax benefit nor expense. 

(2)  Income  (loss)  before  income  tax  benefit  divided  by  weighted  average  shares  outstanding-diluted. Included  for 
illustrative  purposes  because  some  of  the  periods  presented  include  significant  income  tax  benefits  while  other 
periods have neither income tax benefit nor expense. 

14

               
               
               
               
               
             
             
             
             
             
           
           
           
           
           
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
           
           
             
             
             
           
           
             
                  
                  
             
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
             
             
             
               
           
             
           
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
        
        
        
               
               
               
               
             
             
               
               
           
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
           
        
        
        
             
             
             
             
             
               
             
             
           
           
 
 
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

As of and 
For the Year Ended December 31,

Contract Purchases/Securitizations
Automobile contract purchases………………………………
Automobile contracts securitized - structured
     as sales………………………………………………….…
Automobile contracts securitized - structured
     as secured financings…………………………………..…

$           

113,023

$         

8,599

$        

296,817

$     

1,282,311

$ 

1,019,018

103,772

-

-

-

198,662

-

-

310,360

1,118,097

957,681

Managed Portfolio Data
Contracts held by consolidated subsidiaries…………………
Contracts held by non-consolidated subsidiaries…………..
Third party portfolios (1)……………………………………
Total managed portfolio……………………………………
Average managed portfolio……………………………….…

$           

$           

597,142
83,964
75,097
756,203
928,977

$     

922,681
134,894
137,146
1,194,721
1,342,410

$  

$     

$     

1,477,810
186,233
79
1,664,122
1,934,003

$     

2,125,755

-
422
2,126,177
1,906,605

$     

$ 

$ 

1,527,285
34,850
3,770
1,565,905
1,376,781

Weighted average fixed effective interest rate
     (total managed portfolio) (2)………………………..……
Core operating expense
     (% of average managed portfolio) (3)……………………
Allowance for loan losses………………………………..…
Allowance for loan losses (% of total contracts
     held by consolidated subsidiaries)………………………
Total delinquencies (2) (4)…………………………………
Total delinquencies and repossessions (2) (4)………………
Net charge-offs (2) (5)………………………………………

16.2%

15.8%

18.0%

18.2%

18.5%

6.4%
13,168

$             

5.2%
38,274

$       

4.8%
78,036

$          

4.9%
100,138

$        

5.8%
79,380

$      

2.2%
5.7%
9.2%
9.0%

4.1%
4.9%
8.8%
11.0%

5.3%
5.6%
8.6%
7.7%

4.7%
4.7%
6.3%
5.3%

5.2%
4.0%
5.5%
4.5%

 (1)  Receivables related to the third party portfolios, on which we earn only a servicing fee. 
(2)  Excludes receivables related to the third party portfolios. 
(3)  Total expenses excluding provision for credit losses, interest expense, loss on sale of receivables and impairment 

loss on residual assets. 

(4)  For further information regarding delinquencies and the managed portfolio, see the table captioned "Delinquency 

Experience," in Item 1, Part I of this report and the notes to that table. 

(5)  Net charge-offs include the remaining principal balance, after the application of the net proceeds from the 

liquidation of the vehicle (excluding accrued and unpaid interest) and amounts collected subsequent to the date of 
the charge-off, including some recoveries which have been classified as other income in the accompanying 
financial statements.  For further information regarding charge-offs, see the table captioned "Net Charge-Off 
Experience," in Item I, Part I of this report and the notes to that table.

15

 
             
               
          
                 
              
                     
               
          
       
      
               
       
          
                 
        
               
       
                   
                 
          
             
    
       
       
   
 
 
Item 7.  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS 

The  following  discussion  and  analysis  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  our  consolidated  financial  statements 

and notes thereto and other information included or incorporated by reference herein. 

Overview 

We are a specialty finance company. Our business is to purchase and service retail automobile contracts originated 
primarily by franchised automobile dealers and, to a lesser extent, by select independent dealers in the United States 
in  the  sale  of  new  and  used  automobiles,  light  trucks  and  passenger  vans.  Through  our  automobile  contract 
purchases, we provide indirect financing to the customers of dealers who have limited credit histories, low incomes 
or past credit problems, who we refer to as sub-prime customers.  We serve as an alternative source of financing for 
dealers, facilitating sales to customers who otherwise might not be able to obtain financing from traditional sources, 
such  as  commercial  banks,  credit  unions  and  the  captive  finance  companies  affiliated  with  major  automobile 
manufacturers.  In  addition  to  purchasing  installment  purchase  contracts  directly  from  dealers,  we  have  also  (i) 
acquired  installment  purchase  contracts  in  three  merger  and  acquisition  transactions,  (ii)  purchased  immaterial 
amounts  of  vehicle  purchase  money  loans  from  non-affiliated  lenders,  and  (iii)  directly  originated  an  immaterial 
amount of vehicle purchase money loans by lending money directly to consumers.  In this report, we refer to all of 
such contracts and loans as "automobile contracts."  

We were incorporated and began our operations in March 1991. From inception through December 31, 2010, we 
have purchased a total of approximately $8.8 billion of automobile contracts from dealers.  In addition, we obtained 
a total of approximately $605.0 million of automobile contracts in mergers and acquisitions in 2002, 2003 and 2004.  
In  2004  and  2009,  we  were  appointed  as  a  third-party  servicer  for  certain  portfolios  of  automobile  receivables 
originated  and  owned  by  entities  not  affiliated  with  us.   Beginning  in 2008, our  managed portfolio has  decreased 
each  year  due  to  our  strategy  of  limiting  contract  purchases  to  conserve  our  liquidity  in  response  to  adverse 
economic  conditions,  as  discussed  further  below.    However,  since  October  2009,  we  have  gradually  increased 
contract  purchases  resulting in  aggregate purchases of  $113.0  million  in  2010,  compared  to  $8.6  million  in 2009.  
Our total managed portfolio was $756.2 million at December 31, 2010 compared to $1,194.7 million at December 
31, 2009, $1,664.1 million at December 31, 2008, $2,162.2 million at December 31, 2007 and $1,565.9 million at 
December 31, 2006. 

We are headquartered in Irvine, California, where most operational and administrative functions are centralized.  
All credit and underwriting functions are performed in our California headquarters, and we service our automobile 
contracts from our California headquarters and from three servicing branches in Virginia, Florida and Illinois.   

We  purchase  contracts  in  our  own  name  (“CPS”)  and,  until  July  2008,  also  in  the  name  of  our  wholly-owned 
subsidiary,  TFC.    Programs  marketed  under  the  CPS  name  are  intended  to  serve  a  wide  range  of  sub-prime 
customers, primarily through franchised new car dealers.  Our TFC program served vehicle purchasers enlisted in 
the U.S. Armed Forces, primarily through independent used car dealers.  In July 2008, we ended our TFC program. 

We  purchase  automobile  contracts  with  the  intention  of  financing  them  on  a  long-term  basis  through 
securitizations.  Securitizations  are  transactions  in  which we  sell  a  specified pool  of  contracts  to  a  special  purpose 
entity  of  ours,  which  in  turn  issues  asset-backed  securities  to  fund  the  purchase  of  the  pool  of  contracts  from  us. 
Depending on the structure of the securitization, the transaction may be treated, for financial accounting purposes, as 
a sale of the contracts or as a secured financing.  

Securitization and Warehouse Credit Facilities 

Throughout the periods for which information is presented in this report, we have purchased automobile contracts 
with the intention of financing them on a long-term basis through securitizations, and on an interim basis through 
warehouse credit facilities.  All such financings have involved identification of specific automobile contracts, sale of 
those automobile contracts (and associated rights) to one of our special-purpose subsidiaries, and issuance of asset-
backed  securities  to  fund  the  transactions.  Depending  on  the  structure,  these  transactions  may  be  accounted  for 
under generally accepted accounting principles as sales of the automobile contracts or as secured financings. 

When structured to be treated as a secured financing for accounting purposes, the subsidiary is consolidated with 
us. Accordingly, the sold automobile contracts and the related debt appear as assets and liabilities, respectively, on 
our  consolidated  balance  sheet.  We  then  periodically:  (i)  recognize  interest  and  fee  income  on  the  contracts, 
(ii) recognize interest expense on the securities issued in the transaction, and (iii) record as expense a provision for 
credit losses on the contracts.  From July 2003 through April 2008, all of our securitizations were structured in this 

16

 
manner. In September 2008, we securitized automobile contracts in a transaction that was in substance a sale, that 
was  treated  as  a  sale  for  accounting  purposes,  and  in  which  we  retained  a  residual  interest  in  the  automobile 
contracts.    The  remaining  receivables  from  that  September  2008  securitization  were  re-securitized  in  September 
2010 in a structure that maintained sale treatment for accounting purposes. 

When  structured  to be  treated  as  a  sale for  accounting purposes,  the  assets  and  liabilities  of  the  special-purpose 
subsidiary  are  not  consolidated  with  us.  Accordingly,  the  transaction  removes  the  sold  automobile  contracts  from 
our  consolidated  balance  sheet,  the  related  debt  does  not  appear  as  our  debt,  and  our  consolidated  balance  sheet 
shows, as an asset, a retained residual interest in the sold automobile contracts. The residual interest represents the 
discounted  value  of  what  we  expect  will  be  the  excess  of  future  collections  on  the  automobile  contracts  over 
principal and interest due on the asset-backed securities. That residual interest appears on our consolidated balance 
sheet as "residual interest in securitizations," and the determination of its value is dependent on our estimates of the 
future performance of the sold automobile contracts.  Of our managed portfolio outstanding at December 31, 2010, 
only our September 2010 securitization was structured to be treated as a sale for accounting purposes. 

Credit Risk Retained  

Whether a sale of automobile contracts in connection with a securitization or warehouse credit facility is treated as 
a  secured  financing  or  as  a  sale  for  financial  accounting  purposes,  the  related  special-purpose  subsidiary  may  be 
unable  to  release  excess  cash  to  us  if  the  credit  performance  of  the  related  automobile  contracts  falls  short  of 
pre-determined standards. Such releases represent a material portion of the cash that we use to fund our operations.   
An  unexpected  deterioration  in  the  performance  of  such  automobile  contracts  could  therefore  have  a  material 
adverse effect on both our liquidity and our results of operations, regardless of whether such automobile contracts 
are treated for financial accounting purposes as having been sold or as having been financed. For estimation of the 
magnitude of such risk, it may be appropriate to look to the size of our "managed portfolio," which represents both 
financed  and  sold  automobile  contracts  as  to  which  such  credit  risk  is  retained.  Our  managed  portfolio  as  of 
December  31,  2010  was  approximately  $756.2  million,  which  includes  a  third  party  servicing  portfolio  of  $75.1 
million on which we earn only servicing fees and have no credit risk. 

Critical Accounting Policies 

We believe that our accounting policies related to (a) Allowance for Finance Credit Losses, (b) Amortization of 
Deferred  Originations  Costs  and  Acquisition  Fees,  (c)  Residual  Interest  in  Securitizations  and  Gain  on  Sale  of 
Automobile  Contracts  and  (d)  Income  Taxes  are  the  most  critical  to  understanding  and  evaluating  our  reported 
financial results. Such policies are described below. 

Allowance for Finance Credit Losses 

In  order  to  estimate  an  appropriate  allowance  for  losses  to  be  incurred  on  finance  receivables,  we  use  a  loss 
allowance methodology commonly referred to as "static pooling," which stratifies our finance receivable portfolio 
into separately identified pools based on the period of origination. Using analytical and formula driven techniques, 
we estimate an allowance for finance credit losses, which we believe is adequate for probable credit losses that can 
be reasonably estimated in our portfolio of automobile contracts. Provision for losses is charged to our consolidated 
statement of operations. Net losses incurred on finance receivables are charged to the allowance. We evaluate the 
adequacy  of  the  allowance  by  examining  current  delinquencies,  the  characteristics  of  the  portfolio,  prospective 
liquidation  values  of  the  underlying  collateral  and  general  economic  and  market  conditions.  As  circumstances 
change, our level of provisioning and/or allowance may change as well. We observed deterioration in performance 
of  automobile  contracts  held  in  our  portfolio  since  2008,  which  we  attribute  to  a  general  recession  that  began  in 
December 2007. Accordingly, we increased our provision for credit losses in the fourth quarter of 2009. 

Our allowance as a percentage of finance receivables has decreased in recent years due primarily to the continued 
seasoning of our portfolio.  Our historical static loss data shows that, in general, incremental monthly losses increase 
through approximately the 28th month of the life of a static portfolio, after which such monthly incremental losses 
tend to decrease.  As of December 31, 2010 the weighted average age of our portfolio of finance receivables was 37 
months.  In addition, for receivables originated beginning with the third quarter of 2008, we have found the early 
credit performance of those static portfolios to be significantly better than earlier portfolios at similar vintage time 
frames.  

Amortization of Deferred Originations Costs and Acquisition Fees 

Upon purchase of a contract from a dealer, we generally either charge or advance the dealer an acquisition fee.  In 
addition, we incur certain direct costs associated with originations of our contracts.  All such acquisition fees and 

17

 
direct costs are applied to the carrying value of finance receivables and are accreted into earnings as an adjustment 
to the yield over the estimated life of the contract using the interest method.  

Term Securitizations 

Our term securitization structure has generally been as follows: 

We  sell  automobile  contracts  we  acquire  to  a  wholly-owned  special  purpose  subsidiary,  which  has  been 
established for the limited purpose of buying and reselling our automobile contracts. The special-purpose subsidiary 
then transfers the same automobile contracts to another entity, typically a statutory trust. The trust issues interest-
bearing  asset-backed  securities,  in  a  principal  amount  equal  to  or  less  than  the  aggregate  principal  balance  of  the 
automobile contracts. We typically sell these automobile contracts to the trust at face value and without recourse, 
except  that  representations  and  warranties  similar  to  those provided  by  the  dealer  to  us  are  provided  by  us  to  the 
trust. One or more investors purchase the asset-backed securities issued by the trust; the proceeds from the sale of 
the  asset-backed  securities  are  then  used  to  purchase  the  automobile  contracts  from  us.  We  may  retain  or  sell 
subordinated  asset-backed  securities  issued  by  the  trust  or  by  a  related  entity.  Historically  we  have  purchased 
external credit enhancement for most of our term securitizations in the form of a financial guaranty insurance policy, 
guaranteeing  timely  payment  of  interest  and  ultimate  payment  of  principal  on  the  senior  asset-backed  securities, 
from an insurance company. In addition, we structure our securitizations to include internal credit enhancement for 
the  benefit  of  the  insurance  company  and  the  investors  (i) in  the  form  of  an  initial  cash  deposit  to  an  account 
("spread  account")  held  by  the  trust,  (ii)  in  the  form  of  overcollateralization  of  the  senior  asset-backed  securities, 
where  the  principal  balance  of  the  senior  asset-backed  securities  issued  is  less  than  the  principal  balance  of  the 
automobile  contracts,  (iii)  in  the  form  of  subordinated  asset-backed  securities,  or  (iv)  some  combination  of  such 
internal credit enhancements. The agreements governing the securitization transactions require that the initial level 
of internal credit enhancement be supplemented by a portion of collections from the automobile contracts until the 
level  of  internal  credit  enhancement  reaches  specified  levels,  which  are  then  maintained.  The  specified  levels  are 
generally  computed  as  a  percentage  of  the  principal  amount  remaining  unpaid  under  the  related  automobile 
contracts. The specified levels at which the internal credit enhancement is to be maintained will vary depending on 
the performance of the portfolios of automobile contracts held by the trusts and on other conditions, and may also be 
varied by agreement among us, our special purpose subsidiary, the insurance company and the trustee. Such levels 
have increased and decreased from time to time based on performance of the various portfolios, and have also varied 
from  one  transaction  to  another.  The  agreements  governing  the  securitizations  generally  grant  us  the  option  to 
repurchase the sold automobile contracts from the trust when the aggregate outstanding balance of the automobile 
contracts has amortized to a specified percentage of the initial aggregate balance. 

Our  September  2008  securitization  and  the  subsequent  re-securitization  of  the  remaining  receivables  from  such 
transaction in September 2010 were each in substance sales of the underlying receivables, and have been treated as 
sales  for  financial  accounting  purposes.  They  differ  from  those  treated  as  secured  financings  in  that  the  trust  to 
which  our  special-purpose  subsidiaries  sold  the  automobile  contracts  met  the  definition  of  a  "qualified  special-
purpose entity" under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 140 ("SFAS 140") (ASC 860 10 65-2) As a 
result, assets and liabilities of those trusts are not consolidated into our consolidated balance sheet. 

Historically, our warehouse credit facility structures were similar to the above, except that (i) our special-purpose 
subsidiaries  that  purchased  the  automobile  contracts  pledged  the  automobile  contracts  to  secure  promissory  notes 
that they issued, (ii) no increase in the required amount of internal credit enhancement was contemplated, and (iii) 
we  did  not  purchase  financial  guaranty  insurance.    Through  November  2008,  we  depended  substantially  on  two 
warehouse credit facilities: (i) a $200 million warehouse credit facility, which we established in November 2005 and 
expired by its terms in November 2008; and (ii) a $200 million warehouse credit facility, which we established in 
June 2004 and which was amended in December 2008 to eliminate future advances and to provide for repayment of 
the  related  notes  from  the  cash  collections  on  the  underlying  pledged  contracts,  and  certain  other  principal 
reductions  until  it  was  fully  repaid  in  September  2009.    Since  October  2009,  we  have  gradually  increased  our 
contract purchases by utilizing a $50 million credit facility we established in September 2009 and $50 million term 
funding facility that we established in March 2010.  More recently, we increased our short-term contract financing 
resources by $200 million by entering into agreements for a $100 million credit facility in December 2010 and for 
another $100 million credit facility in February 2011.   

Upon each sale of automobile contracts in a transaction structured as a secured financing for financial accounting 
purposes, whether a term securitization or a warehouse financing, we retain on our consolidated balance sheet the 
related automobile contracts as assets and record the asset-backed notes issued in the transaction as indebtedness. 

18

 
Under the September 2008 and September 2010 securitizations, and other term securitizations completed prior to 
July 2003 that were structured as sales for financial accounting purposes, we removed from our consolidated balance 
sheet the automobile contracts sold and added to our consolidated balance sheet (i) the cash received, if any, and (ii) 
the estimated fair value of the ownership interest that we retained in the automobile contracts sold in the transaction. 
That retained or residual interest consisted of (a) the cash held in the spread account, if any, (b) overcollateralization, 
if any, (c) asset-backed securities retained, if any, and (d) receivables from the trust, which include the net interest 
receivables.  Net interest receivables represent the estimated discounted cash flows to be received from the trust in 
the  future,  net  of  principal  and  interest  payable  with  respect  to  the  asset-backed  notes,  the  premium  paid  to  the 
insurance company, if any, and certain other expenses. The excess of the cash received and the assets we retained 
over  the  carrying  value  of  the  automobile  contracts  sold,  less  transaction  costs,  equaled  the  net  gain  on  sale  of 
automobile contracts we recorded.  

We  receive  periodic  base  servicing  fees  for  the  servicing  and  collection  of  the  automobile  contracts.  Under  our 
securitization  structures  treated  as  secured  financings  for  financial  accounting  purposes,  such  servicing  fees  are 
included in interest income from the automobile contracts. In addition, we are entitled to the cash flows from the 
trusts that represent collections on the automobile contracts in excess of the amounts required to pay principal and 
interest on the asset-backed securities, base servicing fees, and certain other fees and expenses (such as trustee and 
custodial  fees).  Required  principal  payments  on  the  asset-backed  notes  are  generally  defined  as  the  payments 
sufficient  to  keep  the  principal  balance  of  such  notes  equal  to  the  aggregate  principal  balance  of  the  related 
automobile  contracts  (excluding  those  automobile  contracts  that  have  been  charged  off),  or  a  pre-determined 
percentage of such balance. Where that percentage is less than 100%, the related securitization agreements require 
accelerated payment of principal until the principal balance of the asset-backed securities is reduced to the specified 
percentage. Such accelerated principal payment is said to create overcollateralization of the asset-backed notes. 

If  the  amount  of  cash  required  for  payment  of  fees,  expenses,  interest  and  principal  on  the  senior  asset-backed 
notes exceeds the amount collected during the collection period, the shortfall is withdrawn from the spread account, 
if any. If the cash collected during the period exceeds the amount necessary for the above allocations plus required 
principal payments on the subordinated asset-backed notes, and there is no shortfall in the related spread account or 
the required overcollateralization level, the excess is released to us. If the spread account and overcollateralization is 
not at the required level, then the excess cash collected is retained in the trust until the specified level is achieved. 
Although spread account balances are held by the trusts on behalf of our special-purpose subsidiaries as the owner 
of  the  residual  interests  (in  the  case  of  securitization  transactions  structured  as  sales  for  financial  accounting 
purposes)  or  the  trusts  (in  the  case  of  securitization  transactions  structured  as  secured  financings  for  financial 
accounting purposes), we are restricted in use of the cash in the spread accounts. Cash held in the various spread 
accounts is invested in high quality, liquid investment securities, as specified in the securitization agreements. The 
interest  rate  payable  on  the  automobile  contracts  is  significantly  greater  than  the  interest  rate  on  the  asset-backed 
notes. As a result, the residual interests described above historically have been a significant asset of ours.  

In all of our term securitizations and warehouse credit facilities, whether treated as secured financings or as sales, 
we have sold the automobile contracts (through a subsidiary) to the securitization entity. The difference between the 
two structures is that in securitizations that are treated as secured financings we report the assets and liabilities of the 
securitization trust on our consolidated balance sheet. Under both structures, recourse to us by holders of the asset-
backed  securities  and  by  the  trust,  for  failure  of  the  automobile  contract  obligors  to  make  payments  on  a  timely 
basis, is limited to the automobile contracts included in the securitizations or warehouse credit facilities, the spread 
accounts and our retained interests in the respective trusts. 

Since  the  third  quarter  of  2003,  we  have  conducted  25  term  securitizations.  Of  these  25,  19  were  periodic 
(generally quarterly) securitizations of automobile contracts that we purchased from automobile dealers under our 
regular  programs.  In  addition,  in  March  2004  and  November  2005,  we  completed  securitizations  of  our  retained 
interests  in  other  securitizations  that  we  and  our  affiliates  previously  sponsored.  The  debt  from  the  March  2004 
transaction was repaid in August 2005, and the debt from the November 2005 transaction was repaid in May 2007. 
Also, in June 2004, we completed a securitization of automobile contracts purchased under our TFC program and 
acquired in a bulk purchase. Further, in December 2005 and May 2007 we completed securitizations that included 
automobile contracts purchased under the TFC programs, automobile contracts purchased under the CPS programs 
and  automobile  contracts  we  repurchased  upon  termination  of  prior  securitizations.    Since  July  2003  all  such 
securitizations  have  been  structured  as  secured  financings,  except  that  our  September  2008  and  September  2010 
securitizations  were  in  substance  sales  of  the  underlying  receivables,  and  were  treated  as  sales  for  financial 
accounting purposes. 

19

 
 
Income Taxes 

We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax 
assets  and  liabilities  for  the  expected  future  tax  consequences  of  events  that  have  been  included  in  the  financial 
statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between 
the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which 
the differences are expected to reverse.  The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is 
recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Deferred tax assets are recognized subject to 
management’s judgment that realization is more likely than not.  Although realization is not assured, we believe that 
the realization of the recognized net deferred tax asset of $15.0 million is more likely than not based on available tax 
planning strategies that could be implemented if necessary to prevent a carryforward from expiring. Our net deferred 
tax  asset  of  $15.0  million  is  net  of  a  valuation  allowance  of  $56.6  million  and  consists  of  approximately  $11.5 
million  of  net  U.S.  federal  deferred  tax  assets  and  $3.5  million  of  net  state  deferred  tax  assets.    The  major 
components of the deferred tax asset are $67.0 million in net operating loss carryforwards and built in losses and 
$11.5 million in net deductions which have not yet been taken on a tax return. We estimate that we would need to 
generate approximately $37.5 million of taxable income during the applicable carryforward periods to realize fully 
our federal and state net deferred tax assets. 

As a result of recent net losses, we are in a three-year cumulative pretax loss position at December 31, 2010. A 
cumulative loss position is considered significant negative evidence in assessing the realizability of a deferred tax 
asset.  In determining the possible future realization of deferred tax assets, we have considered future taxable income 
from the following sources: (a) reversal of taxable temporary differences; and (b) tax planning strategies available to 
us in accordance with SFAS 109 (FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes”) that, if necessary, would be implemented to 
accelerate  taxable  income  into  years  in  which  net  operating  losses  might  otherwise  expire.  Our  tax  planning 
strategies include the prospective sale of certain assets such as finance receivables, residual interests in securitized 
finance receivables, charged off receivables and base servicing rights.  The expected proceeds for such asset sales 
have  been  estimated  based  on  our  expectation  of  what  buyers  of  the  assets  would  consider  to  be  reasonable 
assumptions for net cash flows and required rates of return for each of the various asset types.  Our estimates for net 
cash flows and required rates of return are subjective and inherently subject to future events which may significantly 
impact  actual  net  proceeds  we  may  receive  from  executing  our  tax  planning  strategies.    Nevertheless,  we  believe 
such  asset  sales  can  produce  significant  taxable  income  within  the  relevant  carryforward  period.  Such  strategies 
could be implemented without significant impact on our core business or our ability to generate future growth. The 
costs  related  to  the  implementation  of  these  tax  strategies  were  considered  in  evaluating  the  amount  of  taxable 
income that could be generated in order to realize our deferred tax assets.  

Based upon the tax planning opportunities and other factors discussed below, we have concluded that the U.S. and 
state net operating loss carryforward periods provide enough time to utilize the deferred tax assets pertaining to the 
existing  net  operating  loss  carryforwards  and  any  net  operating  loss  that  would  be  created  by  the  reversal  of  the 
future net deductions which have not yet been taken on a tax return. Although our core business has produced strong 
earnings in the past, even with intermittent loss periods resulting from economic cycles not unlike, although not as 
severe as, the current economic downturn we have not used expected future taxable income in our evaluation of the 
value of our net deferred tax asset.  We have already taken steps to reduce our cost structure and have adjusted the 
contract  interest  rates  and  purchase  prices  applicable  to  our  purchases  of  automobile  contracts  from  dealers.  We 
have been able to increase our acquisition fees and reduce our purchase prices because of lessened competition for 
our  services.  Our  estimates  of  taxable  income  that  may  be  derived  from  the  implementation  of  our  tax  planning 
strategies is a forward-looking statement, and there can be no assurance that our estimates of such taxable income 
will  be  correct.  Factors  discussed  under  "Risk  Factors,"  and  in  particular  under  the  subheading  "Risk  Factors  -- 
Forward-Looking Statements" may affect whether such projections prove to be correct. 

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the income tax expense line in the 
accompanying consolidated statement of operations.  Accrued interest and penalties are included within the related 
tax liability line in the consolidated balance sheet. 

Uncertainty of Capital Markets and General Economic Conditions 

Historically,  we  have  depended  upon  the  availability  of  warehouse  credit  facilities  and  access  to  long-term 
financing through the issuance of asset-backed securities collateralized by our automobile contracts. Since 1994, we 
have  completed  50  term  securitizations  of  approximately  $6.7  billion  in  contracts.  We  conducted  four  term 
securitizations  in  2006,  four  in  2007,  two  2008  and  one  in  2010.  From  July  2003  through  April  2008  all  of  our 
securitizations  were  structured  as  secured  financings.    The  second  of  our  two  securitization  transactions  in  2008 

20

 
(completed  in  September  2008)  and  our  most  recent  securitization  in  September  2010  (a  re-securitization  of  the 
remaining receivables from the September 2008 transaction) were each in substance a sale of the related contracts, 
and have been treated as sales for financial accounting purposes.   

Since  the  fourth  quarter  of  2007  through  the  end  of  2009,  we  observed  unprecedented  adverse  changes  in  the 
market for securitized pools of automobile contracts. These changes included reduced liquidity, and reduced demand 
for asset-backed securities, particularly for securities carrying a financial guaranty and for securities backed by sub-
prime  automobile  receivables.  Moreover,  many  of  the  firms  that  previously  provided  financial  guarantees,  which 
were  an  integral  part  of  our  securitizations,  suspended  offering  such  guarantees.    The  adverse  changes  that  took 
place  in  the  market  from  the  fourth  quarter  of  2007  through  the  end  of  2009  caused  us  to  conserve  liquidity  by 
significantly  reducing  our  purchases  of  automobile  contracts.  However,  since  October  2009,  we  have  gradually 
increased our contract purchases by utilizing one $50 million credit facility that we established in September 2009 
and  another  $50  million  term  funding  facility  that  we  established  in  March  2010.    In  September  2010  we  took 
advantage  of  improvement  in  the  market  for  asset-backed  securities  by  re-securitizing  the  remaining  underlying 
receivables  from  our  unrated  September  2008  securitization.    By  doing  so  we  were  able  to  pay  off  the  bonds 
associated with the September 2008 transaction and issue rated bonds with a significantly lower weighted average 
coupon.    The  September  2010  transaction  was  our  first  rated  term  securitization  since  1993  that  did  not  utilize  a 
financial  guaranty.    More  recently,  we  increased  our  short-term  funding  capacity  by  $200  million  with  the 
establishment of a new $100 million credit facility in December 2010 and an additional $100 million credit facility 
in February 2011.  In addition,  we expect to complete one or more term securitization transactions in 2011.  In spite 
of  the  improvements  we  have  seen  in  the  capital  markets,  if  the  trend  of  improvement  in  the  markets  for  asset-
backed  securities  should  reverse,  or  if  we  should  be  unable  to  obtain  additional  contract  financing  facilities  or  to 
complete a term securitization of our recently originated receivables, we may curtail or cease our purchases of new 
automobile contracts, which could lead to a material adverse effect on our operations. 

The downturn in economic conditions and the capital markets that began in the fourth quarter of 2007 has negatively 
affected many aspects of our industry.  First, throughout 2008 and 2009 there was reduced demand for asset-backed 
securities  secured  by  consumer  finance  receivables,  including  sub-prime  automobile  receivables,  as  compared  to 
2007 and earlier.  During 2010, however, we observed that yield requirements for investors that purchase securities 
backed by consumer finance receivables, including sub-prime automobile receivables, have decreased significantly 
and are approaching pre-2008 levels, albeit with significantly fewer transactions in the market.  Second, there have 
been fewer lenders who provide short term warehouse financing for sub-prime automobile finance companies due to 
more  uncertainty  regarding  the  prospects  of  obtaining  long-term  financing  through  the  issuance  of  asset-backed 
securities  than  before  2008.    Many  capital  market  participants  such  as  investment  banks,  financial  guaranty 
providers  and  institutional  investors  who  previously  played  a  role  in  the  sub-prime  auto  finance  industry  have 
withdrawn  from  the  industry,  or  in  some  cases,  have  ceased  to  do  business.    These  developments  resulted  in  our 
incurring higher interest costs for receivables we financed in 2009 and 2010 compared to pre-2008 levels.  However, 
on December 23, 2010 we entered into a $100 million two-year warehouse credit line with a significantly lower cost 
of  funds  than  the  facilities  we  used  in  2009  and  2010.    Finally,  broad  economic  weakness  and  high  levels  of 
unemployment in 2008, 2009 and 2010 have made many of our customers less willing or able to pay, resulting in 
higher delinquency, charge-offs and losses.  Each of these factors has adversely affected our results of operations.  
Should existing economic conditions worsen, both our ability to purchase new contracts and the performance of our 
existing  managed  portfolio  may  be  impaired,  which,  in  turn,  could  have  a  further  material  adverse  effect  on  our 
results of operations. 

Financial Covenants  

Certain  of  our  securitization  transactions  and  our  warehouse  credit  facilities  contain  various  financial  covenants 
requiring  certain  minimum  financial  ratios  and  results.  Such  covenants  include  maintaining  minimum  levels  of 
liquidity  and  net  worth  and  not  exceeding  maximum  leverage  levels  and  maximum  financial  losses.  In  addition, 
certain  securitization  and  non-securitization  related  debt  contain  cross-default  provisions  that  would  allow  certain 
creditors to declare a default if a default occurred under a different facility.  

The  agreements  under  which  we  receive  periodic  fees  for  servicing  automobile  contracts  in  securitizations  are 
terminable by the respective financial guaranty insurance companies (also referred to as note insurers) upon defined 
events of default, and, in some cases, at the will of the insurance company.  In August 2010, we agreed with the note 
insurer for eight of our twelve currently outstanding securitizations to amend the applicable agreements to remove 
the financial covenants that were contained in three of the related agreements.  In return for such amendments, we 

21

 
 
agreed to increase the required credit enhancement amounts in those three deals through increased spread account 
requirements.    The  remaining  five  transactions  insured  by  this  particular  note  insurer  do  not  contain  financial 
covenants. 

For  the  remaining  four  securitizations  insured  by  different  parties,  we  have  been  receiving  waivers  for  certain 

financial and operating covenants on a monthly and/or quarterly basis as summarized below: 

Financial covenant 

Applicable Standard 

Status Requiring Waiver (as of 
or for the quarter ended 
December 31, 2010) 

Warehouse financing 
capacity 

$200 million of warehouse 
capacity 

$150 million of warehouse 
capacity 

Adjusted net worth (I) 

$87.6 million  

Leverage  

Not greater than 4.5:1 

Maximum net loss 

Adjusted net worth (II) 

$7.5 million 

$95.3 million  

$4.6 million  

25.5:1 

$33.8 million 

$4.6 million  

The covenant regarding warehouse financing capacity is a covenant to maintain one or more credit facilities that 
allow us to finance acquisition of automobile contracts on a revolving basis, with a minimum aggregate capacity of 
$200 million.  The adjusted net worth covenants are covenants to maintain minimum levels of adjusted net worth, 
defined as our consolidated book value under GAAP with the exclusion of intangible assets such as goodwill. There 
are two separate adjusted net worth covenants because there are two separate note insurers that have this covenant in 
their related securitization agreements. The leverage covenant requires that we not exceed the specified ratio of debt 
over the defined adjusted net worth. Debt is defined in this covenant to mean consolidated liabilities less warehouse 
lines  of  credit  and  securitization  trust  debt;  using  this  definition  at  December  31  2010,  we  had  debt  of  $125.0 
million. The maximum net loss covenant requires that we not exceed $7.5 million in net losses for any quarter or 
year. 

  Without  the  waivers  we  have  received  from  the  related  note  insurers,  we  would  have  been  in  violation  of 
covenants relating to minimum net worth, maximum financial losses, maximum leverage levels and maintenance of 
active  warehouse  facilities  with  respect  to  four  of  our  12  currently  outstanding  securitization  transactions.    Upon 
such an event of default, and subject to the right of the  related note insurers to waive such terms, the agreements 
governing the securitizations call for payment of a default insurance premium, ranging from 25 to 100 basis points 
per  annum  on  the  aggregate  outstanding  balance  of  the  related  insured  senior  notes,  and  for  the  diversion  of  all 
excess cash generated by the assets of the respective securitization pools into the related spread accounts to increase 
the  credit  enhancement  associated  with  those  transactions.  The  cash  so  diverted  into  the  spread  accounts  would 
otherwise be used to make principal payments on the subordinated notes in each related securitization or would be 
released  to  us.  As  of  the  date  of  this  report,  cash  is  being  diverted  to  the  related  spread  accounts  in  seven 
transactions.    In  addition,  upon  an  event  of  default,  the  note  insurers  have  the  right  to  terminate  us  as  servicer.  
Although  our  termination  as  servicer  has  been  waived,  we  are  paying  default  premiums,  or  their  equivalent,  with 
respect to insured notes representing $347.0 million of the $567.7 million of securitization trust debt outstanding at 
December 31, 2010. It should be noted that the principal amount of such securitization trust debt is not increased, 
but that the increased insurance premium is reflected as increased interest expense.  Furthermore, such waivers are 
temporary, and there can be no assurance as to their future extension. We do, however, believe that we will obtain 
such  future  extensions  of  our  servicing  agreements  because  it  is  generally  not  in  the  interest  of  any  party  to  the 
securitization  transaction  to  transfer  servicing.    Nevertheless,  there  can  be  no  assurance  as  to  our  belief  being 
correct.  Were an insurance company in the future to exercise its option to terminate such agreements or to pursue 
other  remedies,  such  remedies  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  liquidity  and  results  of  operations, 
depending on the number and value of the affected transactions. Our note insurers continue to extend our term as 
servicer on a monthly and/or quarterly basis, pursuant to the servicing agreements. 

22

 
 
 
Results of Operations 

Comparison of Operating Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2010 with the Year Ended December 31, 2009 

Revenues.  During the year ended December 31, 2010, revenues were $155.2 million, a decrease of $68.7 million, 
or  30.7%,  from  the  prior  year  revenue  of  $223.9  million.  The  primary  reason  for  the  decrease  in  revenues  is  a 
decrease  in  interest  income.  Interest  income  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2010  decreased  $71.1  million,  or 
34.2%,  to  $137.1  million  from  $208.2  million  in  the  prior  year.  The  primary  reason  for  the  decrease  in  interest 
income  is  the  decrease  in  finance  receivables  held  by  consolidated  subsidiaries.    At  December  31,  2010  the 
aggregate outstanding balance of finance receivables held by consolidated subsidiaries was $597.1 million compared 
to  $922.7  million  at  December  31,  2009,  resulting  in  a  decrease  of  $70.9  million  in  interest  income.    We  also 
experienced a decrease in interest income on our residual interest in securitizations of $348,000, which was partially 
offset by an increase in interest earned on cash deposits (including restricted cash deposits) of $86,000. 

Servicing fees totaling $7.7 million in the year ended December 31, 2010 increased $3.0 million, or 65.0%, from 
$5.0 million in the prior year. The increase in servicing fees is the result our appointment in November 2009 as a 
third-party  servicer  for  a  portfolio  of  sub-prime  automobile  receivables  owned  by  a  subsidiary  of  CompuCredit 
Corporation.    As  of  December  31,  2010  and  2009,  our  managed  portfolio  owned  by  consolidated  vs.  non-
consolidated subsidiaries and third parties was as follows: 

December 31, 2010

December 31, 2009

Amount

%

Amount

%

Total Managed Portfolio 
Owned by Consolidated Subsidiaries……..……$
Owned by Non-Consolidated Subsidiaries……$
Third-Party Servicing Portfolios
$
Total……………………………….……………$

597.1
84.0
75.1
756.2

($ in millions)
79.0% $
11.1%
9.9%
100.0% $

922.7
134.9
137.1
1,194.7

77.2%
11.3%
11.5%
100.0%

At December 31, 2010, we were generating income and fees on a managed portfolio with an outstanding principal 
balance  of  $756.2  million  compared  to  a  managed  portfolio  with  an  outstanding  principal  balance  of  $1,194.7 
million  as  of  December  31,  2009.  At  December  31,  2010  and  2009,  the  managed  portfolio  composition  was  as 
follows: 

December 31, 2010

December 31, 2009

Amount

%

Amount

%

Originating Entity
CPS……………………………………….……$
TFC………………………………..……………$
Third-Party Servicing Portfolios
$
Total………………………………….…………$

672.2
8.9
75.1
756.2

($ in millions)
88.9% $

1.2%
9.9%
100.0% $

1,034.2
23.4
137.1
1,194.7

86.6%
2.0%
11.5%
100.0%

Other  income  decreased  $620,000,  or  5.6%,  to  $10.4  million  in  the  year  ended  December  31,  2010  from 
$11.1 million  during  the  prior  year.    The  year-over-year  decrease  is  the  result  of  a  variety  of  factors  including  a 
decrease of $1.6 million in convenience fees charged to our customers for web-based and other electronic payments 
and a decrease of $617,000 in income from direct mail and related products and services that we offer to our dealers.  
The decreases were offset by an increase of $2.4 million in sales tax refunds.   

Expenses.  Our  operating  expenses  consist  primarily  of  provisions  for  credit  losses,  interest  expense,  employee 
costs  and  general  and  administrative  expenses.    Provisions  for  credit  losses  and  interest  expense  are  significantly 
affected  by  the  volume  of  automobile  contracts  we  purchased  during  a  period  and  by  the  outstanding  balance  of 
finance receivables held by consolidated subsidiaries.  Employee costs and general and administrative expenses are 
incurred as applications and automobile contracts are received, processed and serviced. Factors that affect margins 
and  net  income  include  changes  in  the  automobile  and  automobile  finance  market  environments,  and 
macroeconomic factors such as interest rates and the unemployment level. 

Employee costs include base salaries, commissions and bonuses paid to employees, and certain expenses related to 
the accounting treatment of outstanding warrants and stock options, and are one of our most significant operating 

23

             
             
               
             
               
             
             
          
 
             
          
                 
               
               
             
             
          
 
 
expenses. These costs (other than those relating to stock options) generally fluctuate with the level of applications 
and automobile contracts processed and serviced. 

Other  operating  expenses  consist  primarily  of  facilities  expenses,  telephone  and  other  communication  services, 

credit services, computer services, marketing and advertising expenses, and depreciation and amortization. 

Total operating expenses were $172.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2010, compared to $273.3 million 
for the prior year, a decrease of $101.3 million, or 37.1%. The decrease is primarily due to decreases in provision for 
credit  losses  and  interest  expense,  which  decreased  by  $62.1  million  and  $29.5  million,  or  67.5%  and  26.4%, 
respectively.   

Employee costs decreased by 9.4% to $33.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2010, representing 19.7% 
of  total  operating  expenses,  from  $37.3  million  for  the  prior  year,  or  13.7%  of  total  operating  expenses.    The 
decrease  in  employee  costs  is  due  to  the  reduction  in  our  workforce,  primarily  in  the  areas  related  to  contract 
servicing throughout both 2010 and 2009 as a result of the reduction in our managed portfolio over those periods.   
As of December 31, 2010 we had 435 employees, compared to 523 employees at December 31, 2009.   

General  and  administrative  expenses  decreased  by  23.7%  to  $18.5  million  and  represented  10.7%  of  total 
operating  expenses  in  the  year  ending  December  31,  2010,  as  compared  to  the  prior  year  when  such  expenses 
represented  8.9%  of  total  operating  expenses.  General  and  administrative  expenses  include  telecommunications 
costs, postage and delivery costs and other costs associated with servicing our managed portfolio.  

Provision for credit losses was $29.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2010, a decrease of $62.1 million, 
or 67.5%, compared to the prior year and represented 17.4% of total operating expenses.  The provision for credit 
losses maintains the allowance for loan losses at levels that we feel are adequate for the probable credit losses that 
can  be  reasonably  estimated.    The  decrease  in  provision  expense  compared  to  the  prior  year  is  caused  by  the 
decrease in the size and continued aging of our portfolio of finance receivables. 

Interest  expense  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2010  decreased  $29.5  million,  or  26.4%,  to  $82.2  million, 
compared to $111.8 million in the previous year. The decrease is primarily the result of the decline in our portfolio 
owned  by  consolidated  subsidiaries.  Interest  on  securitization  trust  debt  decreased  by  $34.2  million  in  2010 
compared to the prior year.  Interest expense on our residual interest financing also decreased by $1.5 million as the 
balance  outstanding  has  dropped  from  $56.9  million  at  the  end  of  2009  to  $39.4  million  at  then  end  of  2010  .  
Decreases in interest expense for securitization debt and residual interest debt were partially offset by an increase of 
$5.0 million in interest expense for warehouse debt and $1.2 million on senior secured debt. In November 2009 we 
issued $5 million in new senior secured debt.   

Marketing  expenses  consist  primarily  of  commission-based  compensation  paid  to  our  employee  marketing 
representatives.    These  expenses  increased  by  $44,000,  or  1.2%,  to  $3.8  million,  compared  to  $3.8  million  in  the 
previous  year  and  represented  2.2%  of  total  operating  expenses.  Although  we  purchased  7,507  contracts  in  2010 
compared to 595 in 2009, the increase in volume was offset by changes in the compensation rates for our marketing 
representatives.   

Occupancy expenses decreased by $457,000 or 13.0%, to $3.1 million compared to $3.5 million in the previous 
year and represented 1.8% of total operating expenses.  The reduction in occupancy expense is primarily attributable 
to  the  amendment  in  July  2009  of  the  lease  for  our  Irvine  headquarters  to  reduce  our  square  footage  from 
approximately 90,000 to approximately 60,000 square feet. 

Depreciation  and  amortization  expenses  decreased  by  $58,000,  or  8.2%,  to  $649,000  from  $707,000  in  the 

previous year. 

For the year ended December 31, 2010, we recorded a tax benefit of $6.1 million resulting from operating losses 
and  an  additional  $4.9  million  resulting  from  changes  in  state  tax  rates.  The  benefit  was  offset  by  an  increase  of 
$28.0  to  our  valuation  allowance  for  deferred  taxes.     For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2009,  we  recorded  a  tax 
benefit  of  $19.2  million.    The  benefit  was  offset  by  an  increase  of  $27.0  to  our  valuation  allowance  for  deferred 
taxes.  

24

 
 
Liquidity and Capital Resources 

Liquidity 

Our business requires substantial cash to support purchases of automobile contracts and other operating activities. 
Our    primary  sources  of  cash  have  been  cash  flows  from  operating  activities,  including  proceeds  from  term 
securitization  transactions  and  other  sales  of  automobile  contracts,  amounts  borrowed  under  warehouse  credit 
facilities,  servicing  fees  on  portfolios  of  automobile  contracts  previously  sold  in  securitization  transactions  or 
serviced for third parties, customer payments of principal and interest on finance receivables, fees for origination of 
automobile  contracts,  and  releases  of  cash  from  securitized  portfolios  of  automobile  contracts  in  which  we  have 
retained a residual ownership interest and from the spread accounts associated with such pools. Our primary uses of 
cash  have  been  the  purchases  of  automobile  contracts,  repayment  of  amounts  borrowed  under  warehouse  credit 
facilities and otherwise, operating expenses such as employee, interest, occupancy expenses and other general and 
administrative  expenses,  the  establishment  of  spread  accounts  and  initial  overcollateralization,  if  any,  and  the 
increase of credit enhancement to required levels in securitization transactions, and income taxes. There can be no 
assurance that internally generated cash will be sufficient to meet our cash demands. The sufficiency of internally 
generated  cash  will  depend  on  the  performance  of  securitized  pools  (which  determines  the  level  of  releases  from 
those portfolios and their related spread accounts), the rate of expansion or contraction in our managed portfolio, and 
the terms upon which we are able to purchase, sell, and borrow against automobile contracts. 

Net cash provided by operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 was $38.1 million and 

$74.5 million, respectively.  

Net cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2010 was $272.9 million compared to 
$443.7 million in 2009. Cash provided by investing activities primarily results from principal payments and other 
proceeds received on finance receivables held for investment.  Cash used in investing activities generally relates to 
purchases  of  automobile  contracts.  Purchases  of  finance  receivables  held  for  investment  were  $113.3  million  and 
$8.6  million  in  2010  and  2009,  respectively.    The  significant  increase  in  contract  purchases  in  2010  was  made 
possible by the establishment of a $50 million secured revolving credit facility in September 2009 and a $50 million 
term funding facility in March 2010.   

Net cash used by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2010 was $307.2 million compared with 
$527.8  million  in  2009.  Cash  used  or  provided  by  financing  activities  is  primarily  attributable  to  the  issuance  or 
repayment  of  debt,  and  in particular,  securitization  trust debt. We  issued  $42.5  million  in  new  securitization  trust 
debt in 2010 in conjunction with the $50 million term funding facility.  We did not issue any new securitization trust 
debt  in  2009.    Repayments  of  securitization  debt  were  $385.2  million  and  $511.0  million  in  2010  and  2009, 
respectively. 

We purchase automobile contracts from dealers for a cash price approximating their principal amount, adjusted for 
an acquisition fee which may either increase or decrease the automobile contract purchase price. Those automobile 
contracts generate cash flow, however, over a period of years. As a result, we have been dependent on warehouse 
credit  facilities  to  purchase  automobile  contracts,  and  on  the  availability  of  cash  from  outside  sources  in  order  to 
finance our continuing operations, as well as to fund the portion of automobile contract purchase prices not financed 
under revolving warehouse credit facilities.  

On September 25, 2009 we established a $50 million secured revolving credit facility with Fortress Credit Corp., 
which will mature on September 25, 2011.  The facility is structured to allow us to fund a portion of the purchase 
price  of  automobile  contracts  by  drawing  against  a  floating  rate  variable  funding  note  issued  by  our  consolidated 
subsidiary Page Four Funding LLC.  The facility provides for advances up to 75% of eligible finance receivables 
and the notes under it accrue interest at a rate of one-month LIBOR plus 12.00% per annum, with a minimum rate of 
14.00%  per  annum.    At  December  31,  2010,  $45.6  million  was  outstanding  under  this  facility.    As  part  of  the 
consideration  given  to  Fortress  for  committing  to  make  loans  under  this  facility,  we  issued  a  10-year  warrant  to 
purchase  up  to  1,158,087  of  our  common shares,  at  an  exercise  price  of  $0.879 per  share  (we  refer  to  this  as  the 
Fortress Warrant).  Issuance of the Fortress Warrant required an adjustment to the terms of an existing outstanding 
warrant  regarding  1,564,324  shares,  reducing  the  exercise  price  of  that  other  warrant  from  $1.44  per  share  to 
$1.40702 per share and increasing the number of shares available for purchase to 1,600,991. 

In  December  2010  we  entered  into  a  $100  million  two-year  warehouse  credit  line  with  affiliates  of  Goldman, 
Sachs & Co. and Fortress Investment Group.   The facility is structured to allow us to fund a portion of the purchase 
price  of  automobile  contracts  by  drawing  against  a  floating  rate  variable  funding  note  issued  by  our  consolidated 
subsidiary Page Six Funding, LLC.  The facility provides for advances up to 75% of eligible finance receivables and 

25

 
the  notes  under  it  accrue  interest  at  a  rate  of  one-month  LIBOR  plus  5.00%  per  annum,  with  a  minimum  rate  of 
6.5% per annum.  There were no amounts outstanding under this facility at December 31, 2010.     

Subsequent  to  the  reporting  period  covered  by  this  report,  on  February  24,  2011,  we  entered  into  an  additional 
$100 million two-year warehouse credit line with UBS Real Estate Securities, Inc.  The facility revolves during the 
first  year  and  amortizes  during  the  second  year.      The  facility  is  structured  to  allow  us  to  fund  a  portion  of  the 
purchase  price  of  automobile  contracts  by  drawing  against  a  floating  rate  variable  funding  note  issued  by  our 
consolidated  subsidiary  Page  Seven  Funding,  LLC.    The  facility  provides  for  advances  up  to  76.5%  of  eligible 
finance receivables and the notes under it accrue interest at one-month LIBOR plus 6.00% per annum.   

In March 2010, we entered into a $50 million term funding facility with a syndicate of note purchasers including 
affiliates of Angelo, Gordon & Co., L.P. and an affiliate of Cohen & Company Securities.  Under the term funding 
facility, the note purchasers agreed to purchase up to $50 million in asset-backed notes through December 31, 2010, 
subject to collateral eligibility and other terms and conditions, through the end of 2010. Amounts outstanding bear 
interest  at  a  fixed  rate  of  11.00%,  which  may  be  decreased  to  9.00%  should  the  notes  receive  investment  grade 
ratings  from  at  least  two  of  the  following  three  credit  rating  agencies:    Moody's,  Standard  &  Poor's,  or  Fitch. 
Principal payments on the notes are due as the underlying receivables are paid or charged off, and the final maturity 
is  July  17,  2017.    In  connection  with  the  establishment  of  this  term  funding  facility,  we  paid  a  closing  fee  of 
$750,000 and issued to certain of the note purchasers or their designees warrants to purchase 500,000 shares of our 
common stock at an exercise price of $1.41 per share (we refer to this as the Page Five Warrant).  Issuance of the 
Page Five Warrant required adjustments to the terms of two existing outstanding warrants.  The first warrant related 
to 1,600,991 shares, on which the exercise price was decreased from $1.407 per share to $1.398 per share and the 
number of shares available for purchase was increased to 1,611,114.  The second affected warrant related to 283,985 
shares,  which  was  increased  to  285,781  shares.    As  of  December  31,  2010,  there  was  $42.5  million  outstanding 
under the facility and no additional advances are expected to be made. 

In  July  2007,  we  established  a  combination  term  and  revolving  residual  credit  facility  and  have  used  eligible 
residual  interests  in  securitizations  as  collateral  for  floating  rate  borrowings.    The  amount  that  we  were  able  to 
borrow  was  computed  using  an  agreed  valuation  methodology  of  the  residuals,  subject  to  an  overall  maximum 
principal amount of $120 million, represented by (i) a $60 million Class A-1 variable funding note (the “revolving 
note”), and (ii) a $60 million Class A-2 term note (the “term note”).  The term note was fully drawn in July 2007 and 
was originally due in July 2009.  As of July 2008, we had drawn $26.8 million on the revolving note.  The facility’s 
revolving  feature  expired  in  July  2008.    On  July  10,  2008  we  amended  the  terms  of  the  combination  term  and 
revolving  residual  credit  facility,  (i)  eliminating  the  revolving  feature  and  increasing  the  interest  rate,  (ii) 
consolidating  the  amounts  then  owing  on  the  Class  A-1  note  with  the  Class  A-2  note,  (iii)  establishing  an 
amortization  schedule  for  principal  reductions  on  the  Class  A-2  note,  and  (iv)  providing  for  an  extension,  at  our 
option if certain conditions were met, of the Class A-2 note maturity from June 2009 to June 2010.  In June 2009 we 
met all such conditions and extended the maturity.  In conjunction with the amendment, we reduced the principal 
amount outstanding to $70 million by delivering to the lender (i) warrants valued as being equivalent to 2,500,000 
common shares, or $4,071,429, and (ii) cash of $12,765,244.  The warrants represent the right to purchase 2,500,000 
CPS common shares at a nominal exercise price, at any time prior to July 10, 2018.  In May 2010, we extended the 
maturity date from June 2010 to May 2011.  As of December 31, 2010 the aggregate indebtedness under this facility 
was $39.4 million.    

On  June  30,  2008,  we  entered  into  a  series  of  agreements  pursuant  to  which  an  affiliate  of  Levine  Leichtman 
Capital  Partners  purchased  a  $10  million  five-year,  fixed  rate,  senior  secured  note  from  us.    The  indebtedness  is 
secured by substantially all of our assets, though not by the assets of our special-purpose financing subsidiaries.  In 
July  2008,  in  conjunction  with  the  amendment  of  the  combination  term  and  revolving  residual  credit  facility  as 
discussed above, the lender purchased an additional $15 million note with substantially the same terms as the $10 
million note.  Pursuant to the June 30, 2008 securities purchase agreement, we issued to the lender 1,225,000 shares 
of common stock.  In addition, we issued the lender two warrants: (i) warrants that we refer to as the FMV Warrants, 
which are exercisable for 1,611,114 shares of our common stock, at an exercise price of $1.39818 per share, and (ii) 
warrants  that we  refer  to  as the  N Warrants,  which  are  exercisable  for 285,781 shares  of our  common stock,  at  a 
nominal exercise price. Both the FMV Warrants and the N Warrants are exercisable in whole or in part and at any 
time  up  to  and  including  June  30,  2018.    We  valued  the  warrants  using  the  Black-Scholes  valuation  model  and 
recorded their value as a liability on our balance sheet because the terms of the warrants also included a provision 
whereby  the  lender  could  require  us  to  purchase  the  warrants  for  cash.  That  provision  was  eliminated  by  mutual 
agreement in September 2008.  The FMV Warrants were initially exercisable to purchase 1,500,000 shares for 
$2.573  per  share,  were  adjusted  in  connection  with  the  July  2008  issuance  of  other  warrants  to  become 

26

 
exercisable to purchase 1,564,324 shares at $2.4672 per share, and were further adjusted in connection with a 
July  2009  amendment  of  our  option  plan  to  become  exercisable  at  $1.44  per  share.    Upon  issuance  in 
September  2009  of  the  Fortress  Warrant,  the  FMV  Warrant  was  further  adjusted  to  become  exercisable  to 
purchase 1,600,991 shares at an exercise price of $1.407 per share.  Upon issuance in March 2010 of the Page 
Five Warrant, the FMV Warrant was further adjusted to become exercisable to purchase 1,611,114 shares at an 
exercise price of $1.39818 per share.  In November 2009 we entered into an additional agreement with this lender 
whereby  they  purchased  an  additional  $5  million  note.    The  note  accrued  interest  at  15.0%  and  was  repaid  in 
December 2010 at which time the lender purchased a new $27.8 million note under substantially the same terms as 
the $10 million and $15 million notes already outstanding.  The $27.8 million note accrues interest at 16.0% and 
matures in December 2013.  Concurrent with the issuance of the $27.8 million note, the term $10 and $15 million 
notes were amended to change their maturity dates to December 2013.  In conjunction with the issuance of the $27.8 
million  note,  we  issued  to  the  lender  880,000  shares  of  common  stock  and  1,870  shares  of  Series  B  convertible 
preferred stock.  Each share of the Series B convertible preferred stock may become exchangeable for 1,000 shares 
of our common stock, upon shareholder approval of such exchange, but not without shareholder approval.  At the 
time  of  issuance,  the  value  of  the  common  stock  and  Series  B  preferred  stock  was  $753,000  and  $1.6  million, 
respectively.   

The  acquisition  of  automobile  contracts  for  subsequent  sale  in  securitization  transactions,  and  the  need  to  fund 
spread  accounts  and  initial  overcollateralization,  if  any,  and  increase  credit  enhancement  levels  when  those 
transactions  take  place,  results  in  a  continuing  need  for  capital.  The  amount  of  capital  required  is  most  heavily 
dependent  on  the  rate  of  our  automobile  contract  purchases,  the  required  level  of  initial  credit  enhancement  in 
securitizations,  and  the  extent  to  which  the  previously  established  trusts  and  their  related  spread  accounts  either 
release  cash  to  us  or  capture  cash  from  collections  on  securitized  automobile  contracts.  Of  those,  the  factor  most 
subject to our control is the rate at which we purchase automobile contracts.  

We are and may in the future be limited in our ability to purchase automobile contracts due to limits on our capital.  
As  of  December  31,  2010,  we  had  unrestricted  cash  of  $16.3  million.    We  had  $4.4  million  available  under  our 
Fortress  facility  and  $100  million  available  under  the  Goldman  facility  (in  both  facilities  advances  are  subject  to 
available  eligible  collateral).    As  stated  above,  we  established  a  second  $100  million  revolving  credit  facility  in 
February  2011.    In  September  2010  we  completed  a  securitization  of  previously  securitized  receivables,  and  we 
intend to complete securitizations regularly beginning in 2011, although there can be no assurance that we will be 
able  to  so.    Our plans  to  manage our  liquidity  include  maintaining  our rate  of  automobile  contract  purchases  at a 
level that matches our available capital, and, wherever appropriate, reducing our operating costs.  If we are unable to 
complete  such  securitizations,  we  may  be  unable  to  increase  our  rate  of  automobile  contract  purchases,  in  which 
case our interest income and other portfolio related income would decrease. 

Our liquidity will also be affected by releases of cash from the trusts established with our securitizations.  While 
the  specific  terms  and  mechanics  of  each  spread  account  vary  among  transactions,  our  securitization  agreements 
generally  provide  that  we  will  receive  excess  cash  flows,  if  any,  only  if  the  amount  of  credit  enhancement  has 
reached specified levels and/or the delinquency, defaults or net losses related to the automobile contracts in the pool 
are below certain predetermined levels. In the event delinquencies, defaults or net losses on the automobile contracts 
exceed such levels, the terms of the securitization: (i) may require increased credit enhancement to be accumulated 
for the particular pool; (ii) may restrict the distribution to us of excess cash flows associated with other pools; or (iii) 
in certain circumstances, may permit the insurers to require the transfer of servicing on some or all of the automobile 
contracts  to  another  servicer.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  collections  from  the  related  trusts  will  continue  to 
generate sufficient cash.   Moreover, most of our spread account balances are pledged as collateral to our residual 
interest financing.  As such, most of the current releases of cash from our securitization trusts are directed to pay the 
obligations of our residual interest financing. 

Certain of our securitization transactions, our warehouse credit facilities and our residual interest financing contain 
various  financial  covenants  requiring  certain  minimum  financial  ratios  and  results.  Such  covenants  include 
maintaining minimum levels of liquidity and net worth and not exceeding maximum leverage levels and maximum 
financial  losses.  In  addition,  certain  securitization  and  non-securitization  related  debt  contain  cross-default 
provisions that would allow certain creditors to declare a default if a default occurred under a different facility.  

The  agreements  under  which  we  receive  periodic  fees  for  servicing  automobile  contracts  in  securitizations  are 
terminable by the respective insurance companies upon defined events of default, and, in some cases, at the will of 
the insurance company.  We have received waivers regarding the potential breach of certain such covenants relating 
to  minimum  net  worth,  financial  loss  in  any  one  period  and  maintenance  of  active  warehouse  credit  facilities.  
Without  such  waivers,  certain  credit  enhancement  providers  would  have  had  the  right  to  terminate  us  as  servicer 

27

 
with respect to certain of our outstanding securitization pools.  Although such rights have been waived, such waivers 
are  temporary,  and  there  can  be  no  assurance  as  to  their  future  extension.  We  do,  however,  believe  that  we  will 
obtain such future extensions because it is generally not in the interest of any party to the securitization transaction 
to  transfer  servicing.    Nevertheless,  there  can  be  no  assurance  as  to  our  belief  being  correct.    Were  an  insurance 
company in the future to exercise its option to terminate such agreements, such a termination could have a material 
adverse  effect  on  our  liquidity  and  results  of  operations,  depending  on  the  number  and  value  of  the  terminated 
agreements. Our note insurers continue to extend our term as servicer on a monthly and/or quarterly basis, pursuant 
to the servicing agreements. 

The  agreements  for  our  residual  interest  financing,  revolving  credit  facility  and  term  funding  facility  include 
financial  covenants  which,  if  breached,  would  be  an  event  of  default.    We  have  entered  into  an  amendment  that 
avoided  the  potential  breach  of  a  minimum  net  worth  covenant  on  the  revolving  credit  facility.    Without  such 
amendment, the lender could have, among other things, ceased providing funding to us for new contract purchases, 
terminated us as servicer of the pledged receivables and sold the pledged contracts to satisfy the debt. 

  Our plan for future operations and meeting the obligations of our financing arrangements includes returning to 
profitability by gradually increasing the amount of our contract purchases with the goal of increasing the balance of 
our outstanding managed portfolio.  Our plans also include financing future contract purchases with credit facilities 
and term securitizations that offer a lower overall cost of funds compared to the facilities we used in 2009 and 2010.  
To illustrate, in the last six months of 2009 we purchased $6.1 million in contracts and our sole credit facility had a 
minimum  interest rate of 14.00% per annum.  By comparison, in 2010, we purchased $113.0 million in contracts 
and,  in  March  2010,  entered  into  the  $50  million  term  funding  facility  which  has  an  interest  rate  of  11.00%  per 
annum and the ability to decrease such rate to 9.00% per annum if certain conditions are met.  In December 2010 we 
entered into a $100 million credit facility with an interest rate of one-month LIBOR plus 5.00% per annum, with a 
minimum  rate  of  6.5%  per  annum,  and  in  February  2011  we  added  another  $100  million  credit  facility  with  an 
interest rate of one-month LIBOR plus 6.00% per annum.    

Moreover, the weighted average effective coupon of our September 2010 term securitization was 3.21% and did 
not include a financial guaranty policy.  This transaction demonstrates our ability to access the lower cost of funds 
available  in  the  current  market  environment  without  the  financial  guaranties  we  historically  incorporated  into  our 
term securitization structures.  We expect to complete one or more term securitizations in 2011.  In addition, less 
competition  in  the  auto  financing  marketplace  has  resulted  in  better  terms  for  our  recent  contract  purchases 
compared to prior years. For the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, the average acquisition fee we 
charged per automobile contract purchased under our CPS programs was $1,382, $1,508 and $592, respectively, or 
9.2%, 11.7%, and 3.9%, respectively, of the amount financed.  Similarly, the weighted average annual percentage 
rate of interest payable by our customers on newly purchased contracts has increased significantly: to 20.05% for 
2010 from 19.9%, and 18.5% in 2009 and 2008, respectively. 

We  have  and  will  continue  to  have  a  substantial  amount  of  indebtedness.  At  December  31,  2010,  we  had 
approximately $717.9 million of debt outstanding. Such debt consisted primarily of $567.7 million of securitization 
trust debt, and also included $45.6 million of a warehouse line of credit, $39.4 million of residual interest financing, 
$44.9 million of senior secured related party debt and $20.3 million in subordinated notes.  We are also currently 
offering the subordinated notes to the public on a continuous basis, and such notes have maturities that range from 
three months to 10 years.  The residual interest financing facility matures in May 2011 and we are in discussions 
with the lender regarding the extension or restructuring of the facility, as to which there can be no assurance.   

Our recent operating results include net losses of $33.8 million and $57.2 million in 2010 and 2009, respectively.  
We believe that our results have been materially and adversely affected by the disruption in the capital markets that 
began in the fourth quarter of 2007, by the recession that began in December 2007, and by related high levels of 
unemployment.  Our ability to repay or refinance maturing debt may be adversely affected by prospective lenders’ 
consideration of our recent operating losses.   

Although we believe we are able to service and repay our debt, there is no assurance that we will be able to do so. 
If  our  plans  for  future  operations  do  not  generate  sufficient  cash  flows  and  operating  profits,  our  ability  to  make 
required payments on our debt would be impaired.  Failure to pay our indebtedness when due could have a material 
adverse effect and may require us to issue additional debt or equity securities. 

28

 
Contractual Obligations 

The  following  table  summarizes  our  material  contractual  obligations  as  of  December  31,  2010  (dollars  in 

thousands): 

Payment Due by Period (1)

Total

Less than
1 Year

1 to 3
Years

4 to 5
Years

More than
5 Years

Long Term Debt (2)…………..………..

$

104,650

Operating Leases……………………………$

13,520

$

$

50,948

3,185

$

$

53,400

5,195

$

$

256

3,789

$

$

46

1,351

(1)  Securitization trust debt, in the aggregate amount of $567.7 million as of December 31, 2010, is omitted from 
this  table  because  it  becomes  due  as  and  when  the  related  receivables  balance  is  reduced  by  payments  and 
charge-offs. Expected payments, which will depend on the performance of such receivables, as to which there 
can be no assurance, are $283.5 million in 2011, $191.2 million in 2012, $59.3million in 2013, $17.2 million in 
2014 and $16.5 million in 2015.   

(2)  Long-term debt includes residual interest debt, senior secured debt and subordinated renewable notes. 

Warehouse Credit Facilities 

The  terms  on  which  credit  has  been  available  to  us  for  purchase  of  automobile  contracts  have  varied  in  recent 

years, as shown in the following summary of our warehouse credit facilities: 

Facility Established in September 2009.    On September 25, 2009 we established a $50 million secured revolving 
credit facility with Fortress Credit Corp. that will mature on September 25, 2011.  The facility is structured to allow 
us to fund a portion of the purchase price of automobile contracts by drawing against a floating rate variable funding 
note issued by our consolidated subsidiary Page Four Funding LLC.  The facility provides for advances up to 75% 
of eligible finance receivables and the notes under it accrue interest at a rate of one-month LIBOR plus 12.00% per 
annum, with a minimum rate of 14.00% per annum.  At December 31, 2010, $45.6 million was outstanding under 
this facility. 

Facility  Established  in  December  2010.        On  December  23,  2010  we  entered  into  a  $100  million  two-year 
warehouse  credit  line  with  affiliates  of  Goldman,  Sachs  &  Co.  and  Fortress  Investment  Group.    The  facility  is 
structured to allow us to fund a portion of the purchase price of automobile contracts by drawing against a floating 
rate variable funding note issued by our consolidated subsidiary Page Six Funding, LLC.  The facility provides for 
advances  up  to  75%  of  eligible  finance  receivables  and  the  notes  under  it  accrue  interest  at  a  rate  of  one-month 
LIBOR plus 5.00% per annum, with a minimum rate of 6.5% per annum.  There were no amounts outstanding under 
this facility at December 31, 2010.     

Facility  Established  in  February  2011.        On  February  24,  2011  we  entered  into  a  $100  million  two-year 
warehouse  credit  line  with  affiliates  of  UBS  AG.      The  facility  is  structured  to  allow  us  to  fund  a  portion  of  the 
purchase  price  of  automobile  contracts  by  drawing  against  a  floating  rate  variable  funding  note  issued  by  our 
consolidated  subsidiary  Page  Seven  Funding,  LLC.    The  facility  provides  for  advances  up  to  76.5%  of  eligible 
finance  receivables  and  the  notes  under  it  accrue  interest  at  a  rate  of  one-month  LIBOR  plus  6.00%  per  annum.  
There were no amounts outstanding under this facility at December 31, 2010, as it had not yet been established.     

Capital Resources 

Securitization trust debt is repaid from collections on the related receivables, and becomes due in accordance with 
its terms as the principal amount of the related receivables is reduced. Although the securitization trust debt also has 
alternative final maturity dates, those dates are significantly later than the dates at which repayment of the related 
receivables is anticipated, and at no time in our history have any of our sponsored asset-backed securities reached 
those alternative final maturities. 

The acquisition of automobile contracts for subsequent transfer in securitization transactions, and the need to fund 
spread accounts and initial overcollateralization, if any, when those transactions take place, results in a continuing 
need for capital. The amount of capital required is most heavily dependent on the rate of our automobile contract 
purchases, the required level of initial credit enhancement in securitizations, and the extent to which the trusts and 
related  spread  accounts  either  release  cash  to  us  or  capture  cash  from  collections  on  securitized  automobile 
contracts.  We  plan  to  adjust  our  levels  of  automobile  contract  purchases  and  the  related  capital  requirements  to 
match anticipated releases of cash from the trusts and related spread accounts.  

29

  
    
    
         
           
    
      
      
      
      
 
 
Capitalization 

Over the period from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010 we have managed our capitalization by issuing 

and refinancing debt as summarized in the following table:  

RESIDUAL INTEREST FINANCING:
Beginning balance…………………..…………………..…… $
     Issuances…………………………………..………………  
     Payments…………………………………..………………  
Ending balance………………………………...…………… $

SECURITIZATION TRUST DEBT:
Beginning balance…………………..…………………..…… $
     Issuances…………………………………..………………  
     Payments…………………………………..………………  
Ending balance………………………………...…………… $

SENIOR SECURED DEBT, RELATED PARTY:
Beginning balance…………………..…………………..…… $

     Issuances…………………………………..………………  
     Payments…………………………………..………………  
     Debt discount net of amortization………...………………  
Ending balance……………………………...……………… $

SUBORDINATED RENEWABLE NOTES:
Beginning balance…………………..…………………..…… $
     Issuances…………………………………..………………  
     Payments…………………………………..………………  
Ending balance………………………………...…………… $

Year Ended December 31,
2010

2009
(Dollars in thousands)

56,930

(17,490)
39,440

904,833
42,465
(379,576)
567,722

26,118

27,750
(5,000)
(3,995)
44,873

21,965
2,685
(4,313)
20,337

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

67,300

(10,370)
56,930

1,404,211


(499,378)
904,833

20,105

5,000

1,013
26,118

25,721
2,424
(6,180)
21,965

Residual Interest Financing.    

In  July  2007,  we  established  a  combination  term  and  revolving  residual  credit  facility  and  have  used  eligible 
residual  interests  in  securitizations  as  collateral  for  floating  rate  borrowings.    The  amount  that  we  were  able  to 
borrow  was  computed  using  an  agreed  valuation  methodology  of  the  residuals,  subject  to  an  overall  maximum 
principal amount of $120 million, represented by (i) a $60 million Class A-1 variable funding note (the “revolving 
note”), and (ii) a $60 million Class A-2 term note (the “term note”).  The term note was fully drawn in July 2007 and 
was originally due in July 2009.  As of July 2008, we had drawn $26.8 million on the revolving note.  The facility’s 
revolving  feature  expired  in  July  2008.    On  July  10,  2008  we  amended  the  terms  of  the  combination  term  and 
revolving  residual  credit  facility,  (i)  eliminating  the  revolving  feature  and  increasing  the  interest  rate,  (ii) 
consolidating  the  amounts  then  owing  on  the  Class  A-1  note  with  the  Class  A-2  note,  (iii)  establishing  an 
amortization  schedule  for  principal  reductions  on  the  Class  A-2  note,  and  (iv)  providing  for  an  extension,  at  our 
option if certain conditions were met, of the Class A-2 note maturity from June 2009 to June 2010.  In June 2009 we 
met all such conditions and extended the maturity.  In conjunction with the amendment, we reduced the principal 
amount outstanding to $70 million by delivering to the lender (i) warrants valued as being equivalent to 2,500,000 
common shares, or $4,071,429, and (ii) cash of $12,765,244.  The warrants represent the right to purchase 2,500,000 
CPS common shares at a nominal exercise price, at any time prior to July 10, 2018.  In May 2010, we extended the 
maturity date from June 2010 to May 2011.  As of December 31, 2010 the aggregate indebtedness under this facility 
was $39.4 million.    

Securitization Trust Debt.  From July 2003 through April 2008, we have, for financial accounting purposes, treated 
securitizations  of  automobile  contracts  as  secured  financings,  and  the  asset-backed  securities  issued  in  such 
securitizations  remain  on  our  balance  sheet  as  securitization  trust  debt.    Our  two  most  recent  securitizations,  in 
September  2008  and  the  re-securitization  of  the  remaining  receivables  from  such  transaction  in  September  2010, 
were  each  structured  as  a  sale  for  financial  accounting  purposes  and  the  asset-backed  securities  issued  in  those 
transactions have not been and are not on our balance sheet. 

30

 
          
         
        
        
        
       
        
    
          
      
      
      
     
          
         
          
           
          
          
           
        
       
          
         
            
           
          
          
 
 
Senior  Secured  Debt.  From  1998  to  2005,  we  entered  into  a  series  of  financing  transactions  with  Levine 
Leichtman Capital Partners II, L.P.  In July 2007 we repaid the final amounts due under these financing transactions.   
On June 30, 2008, we entered into a series of agreements pursuant to which a different but related lender Levine 
Leichtman Capital Partners IV, L.P., purchased a $10 million five-year, fixed rate, senior secured note from us.  The 
indebtedness is secured by substantially all of our assets, though not by the assets of our special-purpose financing 
subsidiaries.  In July 2008, in conjunction with the amendment of the combination term and revolving residual credit 
facility as discussed above, the lender purchased an additional $15 million note with substantially the same terms as 
the  $10  million  note.    Pursuant  to  the  June  30,  2008  securities  purchase  agreement,  we  issued  to  the  lender 
1,225,000 shares of common stock.  In addition, we issued the lender two warrants: (i) warrants that we refer to as 
the  FMV  Warrants,  which  are  exercisable  for  1,611,114  shares  of  our  common  stock,  at  an  exercise  price  of 
$1.39818 per share, and (ii) warrants that we refer to as the N Warrants, which are exercisable for 285,781 shares of 
our  common  stock,  at  a  nominal  exercise  price.  Both  the  FMV  Warrants  and  the  N  Warrants  are  exercisable  in 
whole or in part and at any time up to and including June 30, 2018.  We valued the warrants using the Black-Scholes 
valuation model and recorded their value as a liability on our balance sheet because the terms of the warrants also 
included  a  provision  whereby  the  lender  could  require  us  to  purchase  the  warrants  for  cash.  That  provision  was 
eliminated  by  mutual  agreement  in  September  2008.    The  FMV  Warrants  were  initially  exercisable  to  purchase 
1,500,000 shares for $2.573 per share, were adjusted in connection with the July 2008 issuance of other warrants to 
become exercisable to purchase 1,564,324 shares at $2.4672 per share, and were further adjusted in connection with 
a July 2009 amendment of our option plan to become exercisable at $1.44 per share.  Upon issuance in September 
2009 of the Fortress Warrant, the FMV Warrant was further adjusted to become exercisable to purchase 1,600,991 
shares at an exercise price of $1.407 per share.  Upon issuance in March 2010 of the Page Five Warrant, the FMV 
Warrant was further adjusted to become exercisable to purchase 1,611,114 shares at an exercise price of $1.39818 
per share.   

In  November  2009  we  entered  into  an  additional  agreement  with  this  lender  under  which  they  purchased  an 
additional $5 million note.  The note accrued interest at 15.0% and was repaid in December 2010, at which time the 
lender purchased a new $27.8 million note under substantially the same terms as the $10 million and $15 million 
notes  already  outstanding.    The  $27.8  million  note  accrues  interest  at  16.0%  and  matures  in  December  2013.  
Concurrent with the issuance of the $27.8 million note, the term of the $10 and $15 million notes were amended to 
change  their  maturity  dates  to  December  2013.    In  conjunction  with  the  issuance  of  the  $27.8    million  note,  we 
issued to the lender 880,000 shares of common stock and 1,870 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock.  Each 
share of the Series B convertible preferred stock may become exchangeable for 1,000 shares of our common stock, 
upon  shareholder  approval  of  such  exchange,  but  not  without  shareholder  approval.    At  the  time  of  issuance,  the 
value of the common stock and Series B preferred stock was $753,000 and $1.6 million, respectively.   

  Subordinated Renewable Notes Debt.   In June 2005, we began issuing registered subordinated renewable notes 
in an ongoing offering to the public.  Upon maturity, the notes are automatically renewed for the same term as the 
maturing notes, unless we elect not to have the notes renewed or unless the investor notifies us within 15 days after 
the maturity date for his notes that he wants his notes repaid.  Renewed notes bear interest at the rate we are offering 
at  that  time  to  other  investors  with  similar  note  maturities.    Based  on  the  terms  of  the  individual  notes,  interest 
payments may be required monthly, quarterly, annually or upon maturity.  In July 2010, we discovered that, under a 
rule of the SEC, we were no longer permitted to offer and sell our subordinated renewable notes in reliance on the 
registration statement (the “Former Registration Statement”) that we initially filed in January 2005.  Consequently, 
purchasers who acquired such notes between January 1, 2010 and December 13, 2010 (the effective date of a new 
registration statement that we then filed to register such sales) may have had at December 31, 2010, a statutory right 
to rescind their purchases.  At any time, such potential rescission right may relate to any such notes sold (i) within 
the  one-year  period  immediately  preceding,  and  (ii)  prior  to  the  December  13,  2010  effectiveness  of  the  new 
registration statement.  As a result of such sales, we could be required to repurchase some or all of such notes at the 
original sale price plus statutory interest, less the amount of any income received by the purchasers.  From January 
1, 2010 to December 13, 2010, we sold a total of $11.3 million of notes, including renewals of previously sold notes, 
but excluding notes that we repaid.  We have not received any indication that any purchaser of such notes intends to 
seek rescission. 

We must comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants related to debt facilities, which require, among 
other  things,  that  we  maintain  certain  financial  ratios  related  to  liquidity,  net  worth,  capitalization,  investments, 
acquisitions,  restricted  payments  and  certain  dividend  restrictions.      In  addition,  certain  securitization  and  non-
securitization related debt contain cross-default provisions that would allow certain creditors to declare default if a 
default  occurred  under  a  different  facility.  We  have  received  waivers  regarding  the  potential  breach  of  financial 
covenants for our residual financing facility and certain of our securitization debt structures. 

31

 
Forward-looking Statements 

This  report  on  Form  10-K  includes  certain  "forward-looking  statements".  Forward-looking  statements  may  be 
identified by the use of words such as "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "estimates," or words of like meaning. As to 
the  specifically  identified  forward-looking  statements,  factors  that  could  affect  charge-offs  and  recovery  rates 
include  changes  in  the  general  economic  climate,  which  could  affect  the  willingness  or  ability  of  obligors  to  pay 
pursuant to the terms of contracts, changes in laws respecting consumer finance, which could affect our ability to 
enforce  rights  under  contracts,  and  changes  in  the  market  for  used  vehicles,  which  could  affect  the  levels  of 
recoveries upon sale of repossessed vehicles. Factors that could affect our revenues in the current year include the 
levels  of  cash  releases  from  existing  pools  of  contracts,  which  would  affect  our  ability  to  purchase  contracts,  the 
terms on which we are able to finance such purchases, the willingness of dealers to sell contracts to us on the terms 
that  it  offers,  and  the  terms  on  which  we  are  able  to  complete  term  securitizations  once  contracts  are  acquired. 
Factors that could affect our expenses in the current year include competitive conditions in the market for qualified 
personnel, investor demand for asset-backed securities and interest rates (which affect the rates that we pay on asset-
backed securities issued in our securitizations). The statements concerning structuring securitization transactions as 
secured financings and the effects of such structures on financial items and on future profitability also are forward-
looking statements. Any change to the structure of our securitization transaction could cause such forward-looking 
statements not to be accurate. Both the amount of the effect of the change in structure on our profitability and the 
duration  of  the  period  in  which  our  profitability  would  be  affected  by  the  change  in  securitization  structure  are 
estimates. The accuracy of such estimates will be affected by the rate at which we purchase and sell contracts, any 
changes  in  that  rate,  the  credit  performance  of  such  contracts,  the  financial  terms  of  future  securitizations,  any 
changes in such terms over time, and other factors that generally affect our profitability. 

New Accounting Pronouncements 

In June 2009, the FASB issued ASU 2009-17, Improvements to Financial Reporting by Enterprises Involved with 
Variable Interest Entities (FAS 167, Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R)). This standard amends several 
key  consolidation  provisions  related  to  variable  interest  entity  (“VIE”),  which  are  included  in  FASB  ASC  810, 
Consolidation to require a company to analyze whether its interest in a VIE gives it a controlling financial interest. 
A  company  must  assess  whether  it  has  an  implicit  financial  responsibility  to  ensure  that  the  VIE  operates  as 
designed when determining whether it has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that significantly impact its 
economic performance. Ongoing reassessment of whether a company is the primary beneficiary is also required by 
the standard. This standard amends the criteria to qualify as a primary beneficiary as well as how to determine the 
existence  of  a  VIE.  This  standard  is  effective  for  us  beginning  with  the  first  quarter  in  2010.  Comparative 
disclosures  will  be  required  for  periods  after  the  effective  date.  The  Company  adopted  this  new  accounting 
pronouncement  as  of  January 1,  2010  and  the  impact  of  adoption  was  not  material  on  the  consolidated  financial 
statements. 

 In  July  2010,  the  FASB  issued  FASB  ASU  2010-20,  Receivables  (Topic  310)  –  Disclosures  about  the  Credit 
Quality  of  Financing  Receivables  and  the  Allowance  for  Credit  Losses,  which  required  more  information  about 
credit  quality.  The  ASU  introduces  the  term  “financing  receivables”,  which  includes  loans,  trade  accounts 
receivable, notes receivable, credit cards, leveraged leases, direct financing leases, and sales-type leases. The term 
does  not  include  receivables  measured  at  fair  value  or  the  lower  of  cost  of  fair  value  and  debt  securities  among 
others.  It  also  defines  two  levels  of  disaggregation  for  disclosure:  portfolio  segment  and  class  of  financing 
receivables. A portfolio segment is defined as the level at which an entity determines its allowance for credit losses. 
A class of financing receivable is defined as a group of finance receivables determined on the basis of their initial 
measurement attribute (i.e., amortized cost of purchased credit impaired), risk characteristics, and an entity’s method 
for monitoring and assessing credit risk. The ASU requires an entity to provide additional disclosures including, but 
not limited to, a rollforward schedule of the allowance for credit losses (with the ending allowance balance further 
disaggregated based on impairment methodology) and the related ending balance of the finance receivable presented 
by portfolio segment, and the aging of past due financing receivables at the end of the period, the nature and extent 
of troubled debt restructurings that occurred during the period and their impact on the allowance for credit losses, 
the  nature  and  extend of  troubled debt restructurings  that  occurred  within  the  last  year,  that have defaulted  in  the 
current  reporting  period,  and  their  impact  on  the  allowance  for  credit  losses,  the  nonaccrual  status  of  financing 
receivables, and impaired financing receivables, presented by class. The extensive new disclosures of information as 
of  the  end  of  a  reporting  period  will  become  effective  for  both  interim  and  annual  reporting  periods  ending  after 
December 15, 2010 for public companies. Specific items regarding activity that occurred before the issuance of the 
ASU,  such  as the  allowance rollforward  and  modification  disclosures will  be  required  for periods beginning  after 
December 15, 2010 for public companies. We adopted this pronouncement as disclosed in Note 7.  

32

 
In January 2011, the FASB issued FASB ASU 2011-01, Receivables (Topic 310) – Deferral of the Effective 
Date of Disclosures about Troubled Debt Restructurings in Update No. 2010-20, which deferred the effective date 
of  the  disclosure  requirements  for  public  entities  about  troubled  debt  restructurings  in  ASU  2010-20,  to  be 
concurrent with the effective date of the guidance for troubled debt restructuring which is currently anticipated to be 
effective for interim and annual periods after June 15, 2011. The Company does not anticipate the new guidance will 
have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.  

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 

From July 2003 through April 2008 all of our securitizations were structured as secured financings for financial 
accounting purposes. In September 2008, we securitized $198.7 million of our automobile contracts in a structure 
that  is  treated  as  a  sale  of  the  receivables  for  financial  accounting  purposes.    The  terms  of  the  September  2008 
securitization provide for us (1) to continue servicing the sold portfolio, (2) to retain a 5.0% interest in the bonds 
issued by  the  trust  to which we  sold  the  automobile  contracts  and  (3)  to  earn  additional  compensation  contingent 
upon (a) the return to the holders of the senior bonds issued by the trust reaching certain targets or (b) “lifetime” 
cumulative net charge-offs on the automobile contracts being below a pre-determined level.  In September 2010 we 
re-securitized  the  remaining  receivables  from  the  September  2008  transaction  in  a  similar  "off  balance  sheet" 
structure.  The September 2010 transaction is treated as a sale of the receivables for financial accounting purposes.  
See "Critical Accounting Policies" for a detailed discussion of our securitization structure. 

Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK 

Interest Rate Risk 

We are subject to interest rate risk during the period between when contracts are purchased from dealers and when 
such  contracts  become  part  of  a  term  securitization.  Specifically,  the  interest  rate  due  on  our  warehouse  credit 
facilities are adjustable while the interest rates on the contracts are fixed. Historically, our term securitizations have 
had fixed rates of interest. To mitigate some of this risk, we have in the past, and generally intend to continue to 
structure our term securitization transactions to include pre-funding structures, whereby the amount of notes issued 
exceeds the amount of contracts initially sold to the trusts. In pre-funding, the proceeds from the pre-funded portion 
are held in an escrow account until we sell the additional contracts to the trust in amounts up to the balance of the 
pre-funded  escrow  account.  In  pre-funded  securitizations,  we  lock  in  the  borrowing  costs  with  respect  to  the 
contracts we subsequently deliver to the trust. However, we incur an expense in pre-funded securitizations equal to 
the difference between the money market yields earned on the proceeds held in escrow prior to subsequent delivery 
of contracts and the interest rate paid on the notes outstanding, the amount as to which there can be no assurance. 

Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA 

This report includes Consolidated Financial Statements, notes thereto and an Independent Auditors’ Report, at the 

pages indicated below, in the "Index to Financial Statements." 

Item 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES 

Disclosure  Controls  and  Procedures.  Under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  the  Company’s  Chief 
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, management of the Company has evaluated the effectiveness of the 
design  and  operation  of  the  Company’s  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  as  defined  in  Rules 13a-15(e)  and 
15d-15(e)  under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  (the  "Exchange  Act")  as  of  December 31,  2010  (the 
"Evaluation Date"). Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded 
that, as of the Evaluation Date, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective (i) to ensure 
that information required to be disclosed by us in reports that the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act 
is  recorded,  processed,  summarized  and  reported  within  the  time  periods  specified  in  the  rules  and  forms  of  the 
Securities and Exchange Commission; and (ii) to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that 
the  Company  files  or  submits  under  the  Exchange  Act  is  accumulated  and  communicated  to  our  management, 
including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding 
required  disclosures.  The  valuation  allowance  for  deferred  taxes  as  of  December  31,  2010  was  not  sufficient  to 
reserve for the amount of deferred tax asset that is not more than likely to be realized. As a result of our external 
audit, management has increased the deferred tax asset valuation allowance at December 31, 2010. 

The  certifications  of  our  chief  executive  officer  and  chief  financial  officer  required  under  Section 302  of  the 

Sarbanes-Oxley Act have been filed as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2 to this report. 

33

 
 
Internal  Control.  Management’s  Report  on  Internal  Control  over  Financial  Reporting  is  included  in  this 
Annual Report, immediately below. During the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2010, there were no changes in 
our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that  have  materially  affected,  or  are  reasonably  likely  to  materially 
affect, our internal control over financial reporting. 

Management’s  Report  on  Internal  Control  over  Financial  Reporting.  We  are  responsible  for  establishing  and 
maintaining  adequate  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  defined  in  Rule 13a-15(f)  under  the  Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance to 
our  management  and  Board  of  Directors  regarding  the  preparation  and  fair  presentation  of  published  financial 
statements. 

Because  of  its  inherent  limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect 
misstatements. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can only provide reasonable assurance with 
respect to financial statement preparation and presentation. 

Management, with the participation of the chief executive and chief financial officers, assessed the effectiveness of 
our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December 31,  2010.  In  making  this  assessment,  we  used  the 
criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal 
Control — Integrated  Framework.  Based  on  this  assessment,  management,  with  the  participation  of  the  chief 
executive  and  chief  financial  officers,  believes  that,  as  of  December 31,  2010,  our  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting was not effective based on those criteria. 

This annual report does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm regarding internal 
control  over  financial  reporting.  Management’s  report  was  not  subject  to  attestation  by  our  registered  public 
accounting  firm  pursuant  to  rules  of  the  Securites  and  Exchange  Commission  that  permit  us  to  provide  only 
management’s report in this annual report.   

34

 
 
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Crowe Horwath LLP ......................................

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 ..................................................................

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 ...........................

Page
Reference 
F-2

F-3

F-4

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income/(Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2010 

and 2009 ..................................................................................................................................................... 

F-5 

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 ...........

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 ..........................

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. ..................................................................................................

F-6

F-7

F-9

 F-1

 
 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders 
Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (the Company) 
as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income 
(loss), shareholders' equity and cash flows for the years then ended.  These financial statements are the responsibility 
of the Company’s management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on 
our audits. 

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board 
(United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about 
whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.  The Company is not required to have, nor were 
we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting.  Our audit included consideration of 
internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  a  basis  for  designing  audit  procedures  that  are  appropriate  in  the 
circumstances,  but  not  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  an  opinion  on  the  effectiveness  of  the  Company’s  internal 
control over financial reporting.  Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test 
basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes assessing 
the  accounting  principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall 
financial statement presentation.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

In  our  opinion,  the  consolidated  financial  statements  referred  to  above  present  fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the 
financial  position  of  Consumer  Portfolio  Services,  Inc.  as  of  December 31,  2010  and  2009,  and  the  results  of  its 
operations  and  its  cash  flows  for  the  years  then  ended  in  conformity  with  U.S.  generally  accepted  accounting 
principles.  

The  Company  is  currently  in  compliance  with  debt  covenants  or  has  obtained  waivers  for  all  potential  covenant 
violations  as  of  December  31,  2010.  The  waivers  are  temporary  and  will  expire  during  2011.  See  Note  1, 
Uncertainty of Capital Markets and General Economic Conditions and Financial Covenants, Note 7 and Note 15 for 
a discussion of potential consequences associated with the failure to obtain renewed waivers or inability to service or 
repay debt.  

/s/ CROWE HORWATH LLP 
Costa Mesa, California 
March 30, 2011 

 F-2

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 

(In thousands, except share and per share data) 

ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash and equivalents

Finance receivables
Less: Allowance for finance credit losses
Finance receivables, net

Residual interest in securitizations
Furniture and equipment, net
Deferred financing costs 
Deferred tax assets, net
Accrued interest receivable
Other assets

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
Warehouse lines of credit
Residual interest financing
Securitization trust debt
Senior secured debt, related party
Subordinated renewable notes

Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders' Equity
Preferred stock, $1 par value;
   authorized 5,000,000 shares; none issued
Series A preferred stock, $1 par value;
   authorized 5,000,000 shares; none issued
Series B preferred stock, $1 par value;
   authorized 1,870 shares; 1,870 and 0 shares issued and
   outstanding at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively
Common stock, no par value; authorized
   75,000,000 shares; 18,122,810 and 18,034,909
   shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2010
   and 2009, respectively
Additional paid in capital, warrants
Accumulated Deficit
Accumulated other comprehensive loss

$

$

$

December 31,
2010

December 31,
2009

$

$

$

16,252
123,958

565,621
(13,168)
552,453

3,841
1,143
6,179
15,000
6,165
17,893
742,884

20,394
45,564
39,440
567,722
44,873
20,337
738,330

-

-

1,601

55,496
9,141
(56,330)
(5,354)
4,554

12,433
128,511

878,366
(38,274)
840,092

4,316
1,509
5,717
33,450
8,573
33,660
1,068,261

17,906
4,932
56,930
904,833
26,118
21,965
1,032,684

-

-

-

55,346
8,371
(22,504)
(5,636)
35,577

$

742,884

$

1,068,261

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

 F-3

 
                   
                   
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                   
                   
                     
                     
                   
                   
                 
              
                   
                   
                   
                     
                   
                   
                 
                 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 
              
                            
                            
                            
                            
                     
                            
                   
                   
                     
                     
                 
                 
                   
                   
                     
                   
                 
              
 
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS 

(In thousands, except per share data) 

Revenues:
Interest income 
Servicing fees
Other income

Expenses:
Employee costs
General and administrative 
Interest
Provision for credit losses
Marketing
Occupancy
Depreciation and amortization

Loss before income tax expense
Income tax expense
Net loss

Loss per share:
  Basic 
  Diluted

Number of shares used in computing
loss per share:
  Basic 
  Diluted

$

$

$

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

$

137,090
7,657
10,438
155,185

208,196
4,640
11,059
223,895

33,814
18,526
82,226
29,921
3,826
3,067
649
172,029
(16,844)
16,982
(33,826)

(1.94)
(1.94)

$

$

37,306
24,204
111,768
92,011
3,782
3,524
707
273,302
(49,407)
7,800
(57,207)

(3.07)
(3.07)

17,477
17,477

18,643
18,643

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

 F-4

 
 
     
     
 
         
 
         
       
       
     
     
       
       
       
       
       
     
       
       
         
         
         
         
            
            
     
     
     
     
       
         
     
     
         
         
 
         
 
         
       
       
       
       
 
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME(LOSS) 

(In thousands)  

Net loss
Other comprehensive income; minimum
     pension liability, net of tax
Comprehensive loss

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

$

$

(33,826)

282
(33,544)

$

$

(57,207)

1,391
(55,816)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

 F-5

 
 
 
     
     
 
            
 
         
     
     
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 

(In thousands) 

Balance at December 31, 2008

Common stock issued upon exercise
  of options and warrants
Purchase of common stock
Pension benefit obligation
Valuation of warrants issued
Stock-based compensation
Net loss
Balance at December 31, 2009

Common stock issued upon exercise
  of options and warrants
Common stock issued upon 
  issuance of debt
Preferred stock issued upon 
  issuance of debt
Purchase of common stock
Pension benefit obligation
Valuation of warrants issued
Stock-based compensation
Net loss
Balance at December 31, 2010

Series B Preferred Stock
Amount

Shares

Common Stock

Shares

Amount

Additional
Paid-in
Capital,
Warrants

Retained
Earnings/
(Accumulated
Deficit)

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss

Total

-

-
-
-
-
-
-
-

-

-

2
-
-
-
-
-
2

$

$

$

-

-
-
-
-
-
-
-

-

-

1,601
-
-
-
-
-
1,601

19,111

$

54,702

$

7,471

$

34,703

$

(7,027)

$

89,849

11
(1,087)
-
-
-
-
18,035

500

880

-
(1,292)
-
-
-
-
18,123

$

$

7
(999)
-
-
1,636
-
55,346

-

753

-
(2,201)
-
-
1,598
-
55,496

$

$

-
-
-
900
-
-
8,371

-

-

-
-
-
770
-
-
9,141

$

$

-
-
-
-
-
(57,207)
(22,504)

-

-

-
-
-
-
-
(33,826)
(56,330)

$

$

-
-
1,391
-
-
-
(5,636)

-

-

-
-
282
-
-
-
(5,354)

$

$

7
(999)
1,391
900
1,636
(57,207)
35,577

-

753

1,601
(2,201)
282
770
1,598
(33,826)
4,554

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

 F-6

 
 
 
 
           
           
       
       
         
       
         
       
           
           
              
                
                
                
                  
                
           
           
       
          
                
                
                  
          
           
           
                
                
                
                
           
         
           
           
                
                
            
                
                  
            
           
           
                
         
                
                
                  
         
           
           
                
                
                
     
                  
     
           
           
       
       
         
     
         
       
           
           
            
                
                
                
                  
                
           
           
            
            
                
                
                  
            
           
    
                
                
                
                
                  
         
           
           
       
       
                
                
                  
       
           
           
                
                
                
                
              
            
           
           
                
                
            
                
                  
            
           
           
                
         
                
                
                  
         
           
           
                
                
                
     
                  
     
           
    
       
       
         
     
         
         
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS 

(In thousands) 

Cash flows from operating activities:
   Net Loss
   Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
     Accretion of deferred acquisition fees
     Amortization of discount on securitization notes
     Amortization of discount on senior secured debt, related party
     Depreciation and amortization
     Amortization of deferred financing costs
     Provision for credit losses
     Stock-based compensation expense
     Interest income on residual assets
     Change in market value of warrants
     Changes in assets and liabilities:
       Accrued interest receivable
       Other assets
       Deferred tax assets
       Accounts payable and accrued expenses
          Net cash provided by operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities:
   Purchases of finance receivables held for investment
   Payments received on finance receivables held for investment
   Change in repo inventory
   Decreases in restricted cash and cash equivalents, net
   Purchase of furniture and equipment

          Net cash provided by investing activities

Cash flows from financing activities:
   Proceeds from issuance of securitization trust debt
   Proceeds from issuance of subordinated renewable notes
   Proceeds from issuance of senior secured debt, related party
   Payments on subordinated renewable notes
   Net proceeds from (repayments to) warehouse lines of credit
   Repayment of residual financing debt
   Repayment of securitization trust debt
   Repayment of senior secured debt, related party
   Payment of financing costs
   Repurchase of common stock
Issuance of common in conjunction with new debt
          Net cash used in financing activities

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

Year Ended December 31,
2010

2009

$

(33,826)

$

(57,207)

(5,954)
5,655
1,109
649
4,090
29,921
1,598
(1,039)
-

2,409
12,311
18,449
2,769
38,141

(113,023)
376,695
4,969
4,553
(283)

272,911

42,465
2,685
25,000
(4,313)
40,632
(17,490)
(385,229)
(5,000)
(3,782)
(1,448)
(753)
(307,233)

3,819

12,433
16,252

$

$

(7,306)
11,613
1,013
707
3,236
92,011
1,636
(1,542)
77

6,330
7,034
19,277
(2,404)
74,475

(8,600)
423,110
5,025
24,968
(812)

443,691

-
2,424
5,000
(6,180)
(4,987)
(10,370)
(510,983)
-
(1,722)
(999)
-
(527,817)

(9,651)

22,084
12,433

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

F-7 

 
 
 
        
           
          
             
           
            
           
              
              
                 
           
              
         
            
           
              
          
             
                   
                   
           
              
         
              
         
            
           
             
         
            
      
             
       
          
           
              
           
            
             
                
       
          
         
                     
           
              
         
              
          
             
         
             
        
           
      
         
          
                     
          
             
          
                
             
                     
      
         
           
             
         
            
         
            
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS 

(In thousands) 

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
   Cash paid (received) during the period for:
        Interest
        Income taxes

   Non-cash financing activities:
      Pension benefit obligation, net
      Common stock issued in connection with new senior secured debt, related party
      Preferred stock issued in connection with new senior secured debt, related party
      Warrants issued in connection with warehouse line of credit

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

$

$

74,188
(9,252)

98,257
(12,397)

(282)
753
1,601
770

(1,391)
-
-
822

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

F-8 

 
      
      
      
    
         
      
           
               
        
               
           
           
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

(1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 

Description of Business 

Consumer  Portfolio  Services,  Inc.  ("CPS")  was  incorporated  in  California  on  March  8,  1991.  CPS  and  its 
subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") specialize in purchasing and servicing retail automobile installment sale 
contracts ("Contracts") originated by licensed motor vehicle dealers ("Dealers") located throughout the United States. 
Dealers  located  in  California,  Texas,  Pennsylvania,  and  Florida  represented  15.9%,  8.6%,  7.5%  and  5.7%, 
respectively, of contracts purchased during 2010 compared with 25.9%, 6.7%, 8.2% and 7.4%, respectively in 2009.  
No  other  state  had  a  concentration  in  excess  of  5.6%.  We  specialize  in  Contracts  with  borrowers  who  generally 
would  not  be  expected  to  qualify  for  traditional  financing  provided  by  commercial  banks  or  automobile 
manufacturers’ captive finance companies. 

We  are  subject  to  various  regulations  and  laws  as  they  relate  to  the  extension  of  credit  in  consumer  credit 
transactions. Although we believe we are currently in material compliance with these regulations and laws, there can 
be no assurance that we will be able to maintain such compliance. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations 
could have a material adverse effect on the Company. 

Acquisitions 

On March 8, 2002, we acquired MFN Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries in a merger (the "MFN Merger"). 
On May 20, 2003, we acquired TFC Enterprises, Inc. and its subsidiaries in a second merger (the "TFC Merger"). 
Each merger was accounted for as a purchase. MFN Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries ("MFN") and TFC 
Enterprises,  Inc.  and  its  subsidiaries  ("TFC")  were  engaged  in  similar  businesses:  buying  contracts  from  Dealers, 
financing those contracts through securitization transactions, and servicing those contracts. MFN ceased acquiring 
contracts in March 2002; TFC acquired contracts under its "TFC Programs" until July 2008 when such purchases 
were suspended. 

On April 2, 2004, we purchased a portfolio of contracts and certain other assets (the "SeaWest Asset Acquisition") 
from SeaWest Financial Corporation ("SeaWest"). In addition, we were named the successor servicer for three term 
securitization transactions originally sponsored by SeaWest (the "SeaWest Third Party Portfolio"). We do not offer 
financing programs similar to those previously offered by SeaWest. 

Principles of Consolidation  

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. and its wholly-
owned  subsidiaries,  certain  of  which  are  Special  Purpose  Subsidiaries  ("SPS"),  formed  to  accommodate  the 
structures under which we purchase and securitize our contracts. The Consolidated Financial Statements also include 
the accounts of CPS Leasing, Inc., an 80% owned subsidiary. All significant intercompany balances and transactions 
have been eliminated in consolidation. 

Cash and Cash Equivalents 

For  purposes  of  the  statements  of  cash  flows,  we  consider  all  highly  liquid  debt  instruments  with  original 
maturities  of  three  months or  less  to be cash  equivalents.  Cash  equivalents  consist  of cash on hand and due  from 
banks  and  money  market  accounts.  Substantially  all  of  our  cash  is  deposited  at  two  financial  institutions.  We 
maintain cash due from banks in excess of the banks' insured deposit limits. We do not believe we are exposed to 
any significant credit risk on these deposits. As part of certain financial covenants related to debt facilities, we are 
required to maintain a minimum unrestricted cash balance. As of December 31, 2010, our unrestricted cash balance 
was $16.3 million. 

Finance Receivables  

Finance receivables,  which we  have  the  intent  and  ability to  hold  for  the  foreseeable  future  or  until  maturity  or 
payoff, are presented at cost. All finance receivable contracts are held for investment. Interest income is accrued on 
the unpaid principal balance. Origination fees, net of certain direct origination costs, are deferred and recognized in 
interest  income  using  the  interest  method  without  anticipating  prepayments.  Generally,  payments  received  on 
finance  receivables  are  restricted  to  certain  securitized  pools,  and  the  related  contracts  cannot  be  resold.  Finance 
receivables are charged off pursuant to the controlling documents of certain securitized pools, generally before they 
become  contractually  delinquent  five  payments.  Contracts  that  are  deemed  uncollectible  prior  to  the  maximum 

F-9 

 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

delinquency  period  are  charged  off  immediately.  Management  may  authorize  an  extension  of  payment  terms  if 
collection appears likely during the next calendar month. 

Our  portfolio  of  finance  receivables  consists  of  small-balance  homogeneous  contracts  that  are  collectively 
evaluated  for  impairment  on  a  portfolio  basis.  We  report  delinquency  on  a  contractual  basis.  Once  a  Contract 
becomes greater than 90 days delinquent, we do not recognize additional interest income until the obligor under the 
Contract makes sufficient payments to be less than 90 days delinquent. Any payments received on a Contract that is 
greater than 90 days delinquent are first applied to accrued interest and then to principal reduction. 

Finance Receivables Held for Sale 

  Finance receivables originated and intended for sale in the secondary market are carried at the lower of aggregate 
cost or market. Net unrealized losses, if any, are recorded as a valuation allowance and charged to earnings. We had 
no finance receivables held for sale at December 31, 2010 and 2009. 

Allowance for Finance Credit Losses 

In  order  to  estimate  an  appropriate  allowance  for  losses  likely  incurred  on  finance  receivables,  we  use  a  loss 
allowance  methodology  commonly  referred  to  as  "static  pooling,"  which  stratifies  the  finance  receivable  portfolio 
into  separately  identified  pools  based  on  their  period  of  origination,  then  uses  historical  performance  of  seasoned 
pools  to  estimate  future  losses  on  current  pools.  Historical  loss  experience  is  adjusted  as  necessary  for  current 
economic  conditions.  We  consider  our  portfolio  of  finance  receivables  to  be  relatively  homogenous  and 
consequently  we  analyze  credit  performance  primarily  in  the  aggregate  rather  than  stratification  by  any  particular 
credit quality indicator.  Using analytical and formula driven techniques, we estimate an allowance for finance credit 
losses, which we believe is adequate for probable credit losses that can be reasonably estimated in our portfolio of 
finance receivable contracts. Such allowance for loss is charged to expense on a monthly basis. Net losses incurred 
on  finance  receivables  are  charged  to  the  allowance.  We  evaluate  the  adequacy  of  the  allowance  by  examining 
current delinquencies, the characteristics of the portfolio, the value of the underlying collateral and historical loss 
trends.  As  conditions  change,  our  level  of  provisioning  and/or  allowance  may  change  as  well.  We  observed 
deterioration in performance of automobile contracts held in our portfolio during 2009 and 2010, which we attribute 
to a general recession that began in December 2007.  

Charge Off Policy 

Delinquent Contracts for which the related financed vehicle has been repossessed are generally charged off at the 
earliest of (1) the month in which the proceeds from the sale of the financed vehicle are received, (2) the month in 
which  90  days  have  passed  from  the  date  of  repossession  or  (3)  the  month  in  which  the  Contract  becomes  seven 
scheduled payments past due (see Repossessed and Other Assets below). The amount charged off is the remaining 
principal  balance  of  the  Contract,  after  the  application  of  the  net  proceeds  from  the  liquidation  of  the  financed 
vehicle. With respect to delinquent Contracts for which the related financed vehicle has not been repossessed, the 
remaining  principal  balance  thereof  is  generally  charged  off  no  later  than  the  end  of  the  month  that  the  Contract 
becomes five scheduled payments past due, and no later than the end of the month that the Contract becomes eight 
scheduled payments past due for other receivables. 

Contract Acquisition Fees and Origination Costs 

Upon purchase of a Contract from a Dealer, we generally either charge or advance the Dealer an acquisition fee. 
Dealer acquisition fees and deferred origination costs are applied to the carrying value of finance receivables and are 
accreted into earnings as an adjustment to the yield over the estimated life of the Contract using the interest method. 

Repossessed and Other Assets 

If a Contract obligor fails to make or keep promises for payments, or if the obligor is uncooperative or attempts to 
evade contact or hide the vehicle, a supervisor will review the collection activity relating to the account to determine 
if repossession of the vehicle is warranted. Generally, such a decision will occur between the 45th and 90th day past 
the obligor’s payment due date, but could occur sooner or later, depending on the specific circumstances. At the time 
the vehicle is repossessed we stop accruing interest on the Contract, and reclassify the remaining Contract balance to 
the line item "Other assets" on our Consolidated Balance Sheet at its estimated fair value less costs to sell. Included 
in other assets in the accompanying balance sheets are repossessed vehicles pending sale of $4.8 million and $9.7 
million at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively.  

F-10 

 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

In addition, other assets as of December 31, 2009 included 5% of the structured notes issued by our subsidiary in 
connection with our $199 million loan sale completed in September 2008. These notes were held for investment and 
earned  interest  at  a  rate  of  LIBOR  plus  5%.  The  amount outstanding  as  of  December 31,  2009  was  $5.0  million. 
These notes were sold in September 2010.   

Treatment of Securitizations 

Our term securitization structure has generally been as follows: 

We sell Contracts we acquire to a wholly-owned special purpose subsidiary ("SPS"), which has been established 
for the limited purpose of buying and reselling our contracts. The SPS then transfers the same Contracts to another 
entity,  typically  a  statutory  trust  ("Trust"). The Trust  issues  interest-bearing  asset-backed  securities ("Notes"),  in  a 
principal  amount  equal  to  or  less  than  the  aggregate  principal  balance  of  the  contracts.  We  typically  sell  these 
contracts to the Trust at face value and without recourse, except that representations and warranties similar to those 
provided by the Dealer to us are provided by us to the Trust. One or more investors purchase the Notes issued by the 
Trust (the "Noteholders"); the proceeds from the sale of the Notes are then used to purchase the contracts from us. 
We may retain or sell subordinated Notes issued by the Trust. Historically we have purchased a financial guaranty 
insurance policy for most of our term securitizations, guaranteeing timely payment of interest and ultimate payment 
of  principal  on  the  senior  Notes,  from  an  insurance  company  (a  "Note  Insurer").  In  addition,  we  have  provided 
"Credit  Enhancement"  for  the  benefit  of  the  Note  Insurer  and  the  Noteholders  in  three  forms:  (1)  an  initial  cash 
deposit to a bank account (a "Spread Account") held by the Trust, (2) overcollateralization of the Notes, where the 
principal  balance  of  the  Notes  issued  is  less  than  the  principal  balance  of  the  contracts,  and  (3)  in  the  form  of 
subordinated  Notes.  The  agreements  governing  the  securitization  transactions  (collectively  referred  to  as  the 
"Securitization Agreements") require that the initial level of Credit Enhancement be supplemented by a portion of 
collections  from  the  contracts  until  the  level  of  Credit  Enhancement  reaches  specified  levels,  which  are  then 
maintained. The specified levels are generally computed as a percentage of the principal amount remaining unpaid 
under  the  related  contracts.  The  specified  levels  at  which  the  Credit  Enhancement  is  to  be  maintained  will  vary 
depending on the performance of the portfolios of contracts held by the Trusts and on other conditions, and may also 
be varied by agreement among the Company, the SPS, the Note Insurers and the trustee. Such levels have increased 
and decreased from time to time based on performance of the various portfolios, and have also varied by from one 
Trust to another. 

Our  warehouse  securitization  structures  are  similar  to  the  above,  except  that  (i)  the  SPS  that  purchases  the 
contracts pledges the contracts to secure promissory notes that it issues, (ii) no increase in the required amount of 
Credit Enhancement is contemplated, and (iii) we do not purchase financial guaranty insurance. Upon each sale of 
contracts in a securitization structured as a secured financing, we retain as assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheet 
the securitized contracts and record as indebtedness the Notes issued in the transaction. 

Under the September 2008 and September 2010 securitizations and other term securitizations completed prior to 
July 2003 (which were structured as sales for financial accounting purposes), we removed from our Consolidated 
Balance Sheet the contracts sold and added to our Consolidated Balance Sheet (i) the cash received, if any, and (ii) 
the  estimated  fair  value  of  the  ownership  interest  that  we  retained  in  contracts  sold  in  the  securitization.  That 
retained  or  residual  interest  (the  "Residual")  consists  of  (a)  the  cash  held  in  the  Spread  Account,  if  any,  (b) 
overcollateralization,  if  any,  (c)  Notes  retained,  if  any,  and  (d)  receivables  from  the  Trust,  which  include  the  net 
interest receivables ("NIRs"). NIRs represent the estimated discounted cash flows to be received from the Trust in 
the future, net of principal and interest payable with respect to the Notes, the premium paid to the Note Insurer, if 
any, and certain other expenses. 

We recognize gains or losses attributable to any changes in the estimated fair value of the Residuals. Gains in fair 
value are recognized as Other Income in the income statement, and losses are recorded as an impairment loss in the 
income statement. We are not aware of an active market for the purchase or sale of interests such as the Residuals; 
accordingly, we determine the estimated fair value of the Residuals by discounting the amount of anticipated cash 
flows that we estimate will be released to us in the future (the cash out method), using a discount rate that we believe 
is  appropriate  for  the  risks  involved.  The  anticipated  cash  flows  may  include  collections  from  both  current  and 
charged  off  receivables.  Historically  we  have  used  an  effective  pre-tax  discount  rate  of  14%  per  annum  for  cash 
flows from current receivables and of 25% per annum for cash flows from charged-off receivables.  As a result of 
changing market conditions as discussed below, we have used an effective pre-tax discount rate of 20% per annum 
for the September 2010 Residual. 

F-11 

 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

We  receive  periodic  base  servicing  fees  for  the  servicing  and  collection  of  the  contracts.  In  addition,  we  are 
entitled  to  the  cash  flows  from  the  Trusts  that  represent  collections  on  the  contracts  in  excess  of  the  amounts 
required  to  pay  principal  and  interest  on  the  Notes,  the  base  servicing  fees,  and  the  premium  paid  to  the  Note 
Insurer,  and  certain  other  fees  (such  as  trustee  and  custodial  fees).  Required  principal  payments  on  the  Notes  are 
generally  defined  as  the  payments  sufficient  to  keep  the  principal  balance  of  the  Notes  equal  to  the  aggregate 
principal balance of the related contracts (excluding those contracts that have been charged off), or a pre-determined 
percentage of such balance. Where that percentage is less than 100%, the related Securitization Agreements require 
accelerated payment of principal until the principal balance of the Notes is reduced to the specified percentage. Such 
accelerated principal payment is said to create "overcollateralization" of the Notes. 

If the amount of cash required for payment of fees, interest and principal on the senior Notes exceeds the amount 
collected during the collection period, the shortfall is generally withdrawn from the Spread Account, if any. If the 
cash  collected  during  the  period  exceeds  the  amount  necessary  for  the  above  allocations  plus  required  principal 
payments on the subordinated Notes, if any, and there is no shortfall in the related Spread Account or other form of 
Credit Enhancement, the excess is released to us. If the total Credit Enhancement amount is not at the required level, 
then  the  excess  cash  collected  is  retained  in  the  Trust  until  the  specified  level  is  achieved.  Cash  in  the  Spread 
Accounts  is  restricted  from  our  use.  Cash  held  in  the  various  Spread  Accounts  is  invested  in  high  quality,  liquid 
investment securities, as specified in the Securitization Agreements. In determining the value of the Residuals, we 
have estimated the future rates of prepayments, delinquencies, defaults, default loss severity, and recovery rates, as 
all of these factors affect the amount and timing of the estimated cash flows. Our estimates are based on historical 
performance of comparable contracts. 

Following  a  securitization  that  is  structured  as  a  sale  for  financial  accounting  purposes,  we  recognize  interest 
income  on  the  balance  of  the  Residuals.  In  addition,  we  will  recognize  additional  revenue  in  other  income  if  the 
actual performance of the contracts related to the Residuals is better than our estimate of the value of the Residual. If 
the  actual  performance  of  the  contracts  is  worse  than  our  estimate,  then  a  reduction  to  the  carrying  value  of  the 
Residuals and a related impairment charge would be required. In a securitization structured as a secured financing 
for  financial  accounting  purposes,  interest  income  is  recognized  when  accrued  under  the  terms  of  the  related 
contracts and, therefore, presents less potential for fluctuations in performance when compared to the approach used 
in a transaction structured as a sale for financial accounting purposes. 

In  all  of  our  term  securitizations,  whether  treated  as  secured  financings  or  as  sales,  we  have  transferred  the 
receivables  (through  a  subsidiary)  to  the  securitization  Trust.  The  difference  between  the  two structures  is  that  in 
securitizations that are treated as secured financings we report the assets and liabilities of the securitization Trust on 
our  Consolidated  Balance  Sheet.  Under  both  structures  the  Noteholders’  and  the  related  securitization  Trusts’ 
recourse to us for failure of the contract obligors to make payments on a timely basis is limited, in general, to our 
Finance receivables, Spread Accounts and Residuals. Under a two-year multiple draw credit facility established in 
September 2009, the Noteholders have limited recourse against us in the event of a borrowing base deficiency for up 
to 10% of the amount outstanding at the time of the borrowing base deficiency ) in addition to recourse against the 
assets of the SPS that is the note issuer under that facility. 

Servicing 

We consider the contractual servicing fee received on our managed portfolio held by non-consolidated subsidiaries 
to be equal to adequate compensation. Additionally, we consider that these fees would fairly compensate a substitute 
servicer,  should  one  be  required.  As  a  result,  no  servicing  asset  or  liability  has  been  recognized.  Servicing  fees 
received  on  the  managed  portfolio  held  by  non-consolidated  subsidiaries  are  reported  as  income  when  earned. 
Servicing fees received on the managed portfolio held by consolidated subsidiaries are included in interest income 
when earned. Servicing costs are charged to expense as incurred. Servicing fees receivable, which are included in 
Other Assets in the accompanying balance sheets, represent fees earned but not yet remitted to us by the trustee. 

Furniture and Equipment  

Furniture and equipment are stated at cost net of accumulated depreciation. We calculate depreciation using the 
straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range from three to five years. Assets held 
under capital leases and leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the estimated useful lives of the 
assets  or  the  related  lease  terms.  Amortization  expense  on  assets  acquired  under  capital  lease  is  included  with 
depreciation expense on owned assets. 

F-12 

 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of  

Long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in 
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be 
held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future net cash flows expected to 
be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured 
by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed 
of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. 

Other Income 

The following table presents the primary components of Other Income: 

Sales tax refunds………………………………………………………….. $
Convenience fees charged to obligors……………...……….………………$
Direct mail revenues………………………….………………..…………. $
Recoveries on previously charged-off contracts……………………………$
Other……………………………………………………………………… $
Other income for the year…….………………………………………...… $

December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)
3,269
$
2,937
2,001
1,456
775
10,438

$

904
4,512
2,618
1,560
1,465
11,059

Earnings (Loss) Per Share  

The following table illustrates the computation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share: 

Numerator:
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share………..…$
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings (loss) per share
   - weighted average number of common shares
   outstanding during the year……………………...…...……………$
Incremental common shares attributable to exercise
   of outstanding options and warrants…………………………….. $
Denominator for diluted earnings (loss) per share………………… $
Basic earnings (loss) per share……………………..….….…………$
Diluted earnings (loss) per share…………….……………..……… $

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands,
except per share data)

(33,826)

$

(57,207)

17,477

18,643

-
17,477
(1.94)
(1.94)

$
$

-
18,643
(3.07)
(3.07)

Incremental shares of 3.2 million and 5.5 million related to stock options and warrants have been excluded from 
the diluted earnings per share calculation for the year ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively, because the 
effect is anti-dilutive. The exercise prices of these stock options were greater than the average market price of the 
Company’s  common  shares  or  the  Company  was  in  a  net  loss  position  and,  therefore,  the  effect  would  be  anti-
dilutive to earnings (loss) per share. 

Deferral and Amortization of Debt Issuance Costs 

Costs related to the issuance of debt are deferred and amortized using the interest method over the contractual or 

expected term of the related debt. 

Income Taxes 

The Company and its subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax return and combined or stand-alone state 
franchise  tax  returns  for  certain  states.  We  utilize  the  asset  and  liability  method  of  accounting  for  income  taxes, 
under  which  deferred  income  taxes  are  recognized  for  the  future  tax  consequences  attributable  to  the  differences 
between the financial statement values of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax 

F-13 

 
             
                
             
             
             
             
             
             
                
             
           
           
 
     
     
       
       
                
                
       
       
         
         
         
         
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which 
those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax 
rates  is  recognized  in  income  in  the  period  that  includes  the  enactment  date.  We  have  estimated  a  valuation 
allowance against that portion of the deferred tax asset whose utilization in future periods is not more than likely. 

Purchases of Company Stock  

We record purchases of our own common stock at cost and treat the shares as retired. 

Stock Option Plan 

We  recognize  compensation  costs  in  the  financial  statements  for  all  share-based  payments  granted 
subsequent to January 1, 2006 based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of 
FASB  ASC  718  “Accounting  for  Stock  Based  Compensation”.  Compensation  cost  is  recognized  over  the 
required service period, generally defined as the vesting period.  

The per share weighted-average fair value of stock options granted during the years ended December 31, 2010 and 
2009 was $1.11 and $0.51, respectively. That fair value was estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model 
using the weighted average assumptions noted in the following table. We estimate the expected life of each option as 
the  average  of  the  vesting  period  and  the  contractual  life  of  the  option.  The  volatility  estimate  is  based  on  the 
historical volatility of our stock over the period that equals the expected life of the option. Volatility assumptions 
ranged from 78% to 125% for 2010 and 74% to 111% for 2009. The risk-free interest rate is based on the yield on a 
U.S. Treasury bond with a maturity comparable to the expected life of the option. The dividend yield is estimated to 
be zero based on our intention not to issue dividends for the foreseeable future. 

Expected life (years)…………………………………...….
Risk-free interest rate…………………………………… .
Volatility………………………………………….……….
Expected dividend yield……………………………..…….

New Accounting Pronouncements 

Year Ended December 31,

2010
5.67
2.31
%
               %
82
-

2009
5.42
1.99
%
               %
79
-

                In  June  2009,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2009-17,  Improvements  to  Financial  Reporting  by  Enterprises 
Involved with Variable Interest Entities (FAS 167, Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R)). This standard 
amends several key consolidation provisions related to variable interest entity (“VIE”), which are included in FASB 
ASC 810, Consolidation to require a company to analyze whether its interest in a VIE gives it a controlling financial 
interest. A company must assess whether it has an implicit financial responsibility to ensure that the VIE operates as 
designed when determining whether it has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that significantly impact its 
economic performance. Ongoing reassessment of whether a company is the primary beneficiary is also required by 
the standard. This standard amends the criteria to qualify as a primary beneficiary as well as how to determine the 
existence  of  a  VIE.  This  standard  is  effective  for  us  beginning  with  the  first  quarter  in  2010.  Comparative 
disclosures  will  be  required  for  periods  after  the  effective  date.  The  Company  adopted  this  new  accounting 
pronouncement  as  of  January 1,  2010  and  the  impact  of  adoption  was  not  material  on  the  consolidated  financial 
statements. 

In July 2010, the FASB issued FASB ASU 2010-20, Receivables (Topic 310) – Disclosures about the Credit 
Quality  of  Financing  Receivables  and  the  Allowance  for  Credit  Losses,  which  required  more  information  about 
credit  quality.  The  ASU  introduces  the  term  “financing  receivables”,  which  includes  loans,  trade  accounts 
receivable, notes receivable, credit cards, leveraged leases, direct financing leases, and sales-type leases. The term 
does  not  include  receivables  measured  at  fair  value  or  the  lower  of  cost  of  fair  value  and  debt  securities  among 
others.  It  also  defines  two  levels  of  disaggregation  for  disclosure:  portfolio  segment  and  class  of  financing 
receivables. A portfolio segment is defined as the level at which an entity determines its allowance for credit losses. 
A class of financing receivable is defined as a group of finance receivables determined on the basis of their initial 
measurement attribute (i.e., amortized cost of purchased credit impaired), risk characteristics, and an entity’s method 
for monitoring and assessing credit risk. The ASU requires an entity to provide additional disclosures including, but 
not limited to, a rollforward schedule of the allowance for credit losses (with the ending allowance balance further 
disaggregated based on impairment methodology) and the related ending balance of the finance receivable presented 

F-14 

           
           
           
           
            
            
 
  
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

by portfolio segment, and the aging of past due financing receivables at the end of the period, the nature and extent 
of troubled debt restructurings that occurred during the period and their impact on the allowance for credit losses, 
the  nature  and  extend of  troubled debt restructurings  that  occurred  within  the  last  year,  that have defaulted  in  the 
current  reporting  period,  and  their  impact  on  the  allowance  for  credit  losses,  the  nonaccrual  status  of  financing 
receivables, and impaired financing receivables, presented by class. The extensive new disclosures of information as 
of  the  end  of  a  reporting  period  will  become  effective  for  both  interim  and  annual  reporting  periods  ending  after 
December 15, 2010 for public companies. Specific items regarding activity that occurred before the issuance of the 
ASU,  such  as the  allowance rollforward  and  modification  disclosures will  be  required  for periods beginning  after 
December 15, 2010 for public companies. We adopted this pronouncement as disclosed in Note 7. 

In January 2011, the FASB issued FASB ASU 2011-01, Receivables (Topic 310) – Deferral of the Effective Date 
of Disclosures about Troubled Debt Restructurings in Update No. 2010-20, which deferred the effective date of the 
disclosure requirements for public entities about troubled debt restructurings in ASU 2010-20, to be concurrent with 
the effective date of the guidance for troubled debt restructuring which is currently anticipated to be effective for 
interim  and  annual  periods  after  June 15,  2011.  The  Company  does  not  anticipate  the  new  guidance  will  have  a 
material impact on the consolidated financial statements.  

Use of Estimates 

The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles  generally  accepted  in  the 
United States of America requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets 
and  liabilities  as  of  the  date  of  the  financial  statements,  as  well  as  the  reported  amounts  of  income  and  expenses 
during  the  reported  periods.  Specifically,  a  number  of  estimates  were  made  in  connection  with  determining  an 
appropriate  allowance  for  finance  credit  losses,  valuing  the  Residuals,  accreting  discounts  and  acquisition  fees, 
amortizing  deferred  costs,  the  recording  of  deferred  tax  assets  and  reserves  for  uncertain  tax  positions.  These  are 
material estimates that could be susceptible to changes in the near term and, accordingly, actual results could differ 
from those estimates. 

Reclassification 

Certain amounts for the prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation with no 

effect on previously reported earnings or shareholders’ equity. 

Uncertainty of Capital Markets and General Economic Conditions 

Historically, we have depended upon the availability of short-term warehouse credit facilities and access to long-
term  financing  through  the  issuance  of  asset-backed  securities  collateralized  by  our  automobile  contracts.  Since 
1994, we have completed 50 term securitizations of approximately $6.7 billion in contracts. We conducted four term 
securitizations in 2006, four in 2007, and two in 2008 and one in 2010. From July 2003 through April 2008 all of 
our securitizations were structured as secured financings.  The second of our two securitization transactions in 2008 
(completed  in  September  2008),  and  our  most  recent  securitization  in  2010  (a  re-securitization  of  the  remaining 
receivables from the September 2008 transaction) were each in substance a sale of the related contracts, and have 
been treated as sales for financial accounting purposes.   

Since  the  fourth  quarter  of  2007  through  the  end  of  2009,  we  observed  unprecedented  adverse  changes  in  the 
market for securitized pools of automobile contracts. These changes included reduced liquidity, and reduced demand 
for asset-backed securities, particularly for securities carrying a financial guaranty and for securities backed by sub-
prime  automobile  receivables.  Moreover,  many  of  the  firms  that  previously  provided  financial  guarantees,  which 
were  an  integral  part  of  our  securitizations,  suspended  offering  such  guarantees.    The  adverse  changes  that  took 
place  in  the  market  from  the  fourth  quarter  of  2007  through  the  end  of  2009  caused  us  to  conserve  liquidity  by 
significantly  reducing  our  purchases  of  automobile  contracts.  However,  since  October  2009,  we  have  gradually 
increased our contract purchases by utilizing one $50 million credit facility that we established in September 2009 
and  another  $50  million  term  funding  facility  that  we  established  in  March  2010.    In  September  2010  we  took 
advantage  of  improvement  in  the  market  for  asset-backed  securities  by  re-securitizing  the  remaining  underlying 
receivables  from  our  unrated  September  2008  securitization.    By  doing  so  we  were  able  to  pay  off  the  bonds 
associated with the September 2008 transaction and issue rated bonds with a significantly lower weighted average 
coupon.    The  September  2010  transaction  was  our  first  rated  term  securitization  since  1993  that  did  not  utilize  a 
financial  guaranty.    More  recently,  we  increased  our  short-term  funding  capacity  by  $200  million  with  the 

F-15 

  
    
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

establishment of a new $100 million credit facility in December 2010 and an additional $100 million credit facility 
in February 2011.  In addition, we expect to complete one or more term securitization transactions in 2011.  In spite 
of  the  improvements  we  have  seen  in  the  capital  markets,  if  the  trend  of  improvement  in  the  markets  for  asset-
backed  securities  should  reverse,  or  if  we  should  be  unable  to  obtain  additional  contract  financing  facilities  or  to 
complete a term securitization of our recently originated receivables, we may curtail or cease our purchases of new 
automobile contracts, which could lead to a material adverse effect on our operations. 

The  downturn  in  economic  conditions  and  the  capital  markets  that  began  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2007  has 
negatively affected many aspects of our industry.  First, throughout 2008 and 2009 there was reduced demand for 
asset-backed  securities  secured  by  consumer  finance  receivables,  including  sub-prime  automobile  receivables,  as 
compared  to  2007  and  earlier.    During  2010,  however,  we  observed  that  yield  requirements  for  investors  that 
purchase  securities  backed  by  consumer  finance  receivables,  including  sub-prime  automobile  receivables,  have 
decreased  significantly  and  are  approaching  pre-2008  levels,  albeit  with  significantly  fewer  transactions  in  the 
market.    Second,  there  have  been  fewer  lenders  who  provide  short  term  warehouse  financing  for  sub-prime 
automobile  finance  companies  due  to  more  uncertainty  regarding  the  prospects  of  obtaining  long-term  financing 
through  the  issuance  of  asset-backed  securities  than  before  2008.    Many  capital  market  participants  such  as 
investment banks, financial guaranty providers and institutional investors who previously played a role in the sub-
prime auto finance industry have withdrawn from the industry, or in some cases, have ceased to do business.  These 
developments resulted in our incurring higher interest costs for receivables we financed in 2009 and 2010 compared 
to pre-2008 levels.  However, on December 23, 2010 we entered into a $100 million two-year warehouse credit line 
with  a  significantly  lower  cost  of  funds  than  the  facilities  we  used  in  2009  and  2010.    Finally,  broad  economic 
weakness and high levels of unemployment in 2008, 2009 and 2010 have made many of our customers less willing 
or able to pay, resulting in higher delinquency, charge-offs and losses.  Each of these factors has adversely affected 
our results of operations.  Should existing economic conditions worsen, both our ability to purchase new contracts 
and  the  performance  of  our  existing  managed  portfolio  may  be  impaired,  which,  in  turn,  could  have  a  further 
material adverse effect on our results of operations. 

Financial Covenants  

Certain of our securitization transactions, our residual interest financing and our warehouse credit facilities contain 
various  financial  covenants  requiring  certain  minimum  financial  ratios  and  results.  Such  covenants  include 
maintaining minimum levels of liquidity and net worth and not exceeding maximum leverage levels and maximum 
financial  losses.  In  addition,  certain  securitization  and  non-securitization  related  debt  contain  cross-default 
provisions that would allow certain creditors to declare a default if a default occurred under a different facility.  

The  agreements  under  which  we  receive  periodic  fees  for  servicing  automobile  contracts  in  securitizations  are 
terminable by the respective financial guaranty insurance companies (also referred to as note insurers) upon defined 
events of default, and, in some cases, at the will of the insurance company.  In August 2010, we agreed with the note 
insurer for eight of our twelve currently outstanding securitizations to amend the applicable agreements to remove 
the financial covenants that were contained in three of the related agreements.  In return for such amendments, we 
agreed to increase the required credit enhancement amounts in those three deals through increased spread account 
requirements.    The  remaining  five  transactions  insured  by  this  particular  note  insurer  do  not  contain  financial 
covenants.   

For  the  remaining  four  securitizations  insured  by  different  parties  we  have  been  receiving  waivers  for  certain 

financial and operating covenants on a monthly and/or quarterly basis as summarized below: 

Financial covenant 

Applicable Standard 

Status Requiring Waiver (as of 
or for the quarter ended 
December 31, 2010) 

Warehouse financing capacity 

$200 million of warehouse capacity 

$150 million of warehouse capacity 

Adjusted net worth (I) 

$87.6 million  

Leverage  

Not greater than 4.5:1 

Maximum net loss 

Adjusted net worth (II) 

$7.5 million 

$95.3 million  

$4.6 million  

25.5:1 

$33.8 million 

$4.6 million  

F-16 

 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

The covenant regarding warehouse financing capacity is a covenant to maintain one or more credit facilities that 
allow us to finance acquisition of automobile contracts on a revolving basis, with a minimum aggregate capacity of 
$200 million.  The adjusted net worth covenants are covenants to maintain minimum levels of adjusted net worth, 
defined as our consolidated book value under GAAP with the exclusion of intangible assets such as goodwill. There 
are two separate adjusted net worth covenants because there are two separate note insurers that have this covenant in 
their related securitization agreements. The leverage covenant requires that we not exceed the specified ratio of debt 
over the defined adjusted net worth. Debt is defined in this covenant to mean consolidated liabilities less warehouse 
lines of credit and securitization trust debt; using this definition at December 31 2010, we had debt of $125 million. 
The maximum net loss covenant requires that we not exceed $7.5 million in net losses for any quarter or year. 

  Without  the  waivers  we  have  received  from  the  related  note  insurers,  we  would  have  been  in  violation  of 
covenants relating to minimum net worth, maximum financial losses, maximum leverage levels and maintenance of 
active  warehouse  facilities  with  respect  to  four  of  our  12  currently  outstanding  securitization  transactions.    Upon 
such an event of default, and subject to the right of the  related note insurers to waive such terms, the agreements 
governing the securitizations call for payment of a default insurance premium, ranging from 25 to 100 basis points 
per  annum  on  the  aggregate  outstanding  balance  of  the  related  insured  senior  notes,  and  for  the  diversion  of  all 
excess cash generated by the assets of the respective securitization pools into the related spread accounts to increase 
the  credit  enhancement  associated  with  those  transactions.  The  cash  so  diverted  into  the  spread  accounts  would 
otherwise be used to make principal payments on the subordinated notes in each related securitization or would be 
released  to  us.  As  of  the  date  of  this  report,  cash  is  being  diverted  to  the  related  spread  accounts  in  seven 
transactions.    In  addition,  upon  an  event  of  default,  the  note  insurers  have  the  right  to  terminate  us  as  servicer.  
Although  our  termination  as  servicer  has  been  waived,  we  are  paying  default  premiums,  or  their  equivalent,  with 
respect to insured notes representing $347.0 million of the $567.7 million of securitization trust debt outstanding at 
December 31, 2010. It should be noted that the principal amount of such securitization trust debt is not increased, 
but that the increased insurance premium is reflected as increased interest expense.  Furthermore, such waivers are 
temporary, and there can be no assurance as to their future extension. We do, however, believe that we will obtain 
such  future  extensions  of  our  servicing  agreements  because  it  is  generally  not  in  the  interest  of  any  party  to  the 
securitization  transaction  to  transfer  servicing.    Nevertheless,  there  can  be  no  assurance  as  to  our  belief  being 
correct.  Were an insurance company in the future to exercise its option to terminate such agreements or to pursue 
other  remedies,  such  remedies  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  liquidity  and  results  of  operations, 
depending on the number and value of the affected transactions. Our note insurers continue to extend our term as 
servicer on a monthly and/or quarterly basis, pursuant to the servicing agreements. 

(2) Restricted Cash  

Restricted cash consists of cash and cash equivalent accounts relating to our outstanding securitization trusts and 
credit  facilities.  The  amount of restricted  cash  on our  consolidated balance  sheets was  $124.0  million  and $128.5 
million as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively.  

Certain  of  our  financing  agreements  require  that  we  establish  cash  reserves  for  the  benefit  of  the  creditors  to 
protect against unforeseen credit losses on the Contracts. These cash reserves, which are included in restricted cash, 
were $95.2 million and $90.1 million as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively.  

(3) Finance Receivables 

We  consider  our  portfolio  of  finance  receivables  to  be  homogenous  and  consist  of  a  single  segment  and  class.  
Consequently we analyze credit performance primarily in the aggregate rather than stratification by any particular 
credit  quality  indicator.    The  following  table  presents  the  components  of  Finance  Receivables,  net  of  unearned 
interest: 

Finance Receivables
    Automobile finance receivables, net of unearned interest……………. $
    Less: Unearned acquisition fees and discounts……………………… .
    Finance Receivables……………………………………………………. $

December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

576,090
(10,469)
565,621

$

$

884,819
(6,453)
878,366

F-17 

              
              
               
                 
              
              
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

We consider an automobile contract delinquent when an obligor fails to make at least 90% of a contractually due 
payment  by  the  following  due  date,  which  date  may  have  been  extended  within  limits  specified  in  the  servicing 
agreements.  The  period  of  delinquency  is  based  on  the  number  of  days  payments  are  contractually  past  due. 
Automobile  contracts  less  than  31  days  delinquent  are  not  included.    The  following  table  summarizes  the 
delinquency status of finance receivables as of December 31, 2009 and 2010: 

Deliquency Status

Current ……………………….………… $
31 - 60 days………………………………
61 - 90 days………………………………
91 + days…………………………………

$

December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

541,375
16,784
9,453
8,478
576,090

$

$

837,737
22,325
15,258
9,499
884,819

Finance receivables totaling $13.3 million and $16.1 million at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively, have 

been placed on non-accrual status as a result of their delinquency status. 

The  following  table  presents  a  summary  of  the  activity  for  the  allowance  for  credit  losses,  for  the  years  ended 

December 31, 2010 and 2009: 

December 31,

2010

2009

Balance at beginning of year……………...……….……………………...…$
Provision for credit losses………………………….………………..………$
Charge-offs………………………………….………………….…………. $
Recoveries…………………………………………………………...………$
Balance at end of year…….………………………………………...………$

(In thousands)
$

38,274
29,921
(82,585)
27,558
13,168

$

78,036
92,011
(160,174)
28,401
38,274

Excluded  from  finance  receivables  are  contracts  that  were  previously  classified  as  finance  receivables  but  were 
reclassified  as  other  assets  because  we  have  repossessed  the  vehicle  securing  the  Contract.    The  following  table 
presents a summary of such repossessed inventory together with the allowance for losses in repossessed inventory 
that is not included in the allowance for credit losses: 

Gross balance of repossessions in inventory……………...……….………$
Allowance for losses on repossessed inventory……………………………$
Net repossessed inventory included in other assets…….………………… $

21,046
(16,278)
4,768

$

$

37,821
(28,084)
9,737

December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

(4) Residual Interest in Securitizations  

In September 2008 we completed a structured loan sale in which we retained a residual interest. The remaining 
receivables from that September 2008 securitization were re-securitized in September 2010. The residual interest in 
the  cash  flows  from  this  transaction  was  $3.8  million  and  $4.2  million  as  of  December  31,  2010  and  2009, 
respectively, and was determined using a discounted cash flow model that included estimates for prepayments and 
losses.    The  discount  rate  utilized  was  20%.  The  assumptions  utilized  were  based  on  our  historical  performance 
adjusted for current market conditions. 

(5) Furniture and Equipment 

The following table presents the components of furniture and equipment:  

F-18 

             
         
            
           
              
             
              
             
                
         
            
 
           
           
           
           
          
        
           
           
           
           
 
           
           
          
          
             
             
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

December 31,

2010

2009

Furniture and fixtures…………………………….….. $
Computer and telephone equipment……………………$
Leasing assets………………………………..………. $
Leasehold improvements………………………….…. $
Other fixed assets………………………….…………. $

Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization………$
$

$

(In thousands)
4,133
6,857
673
1,301
-
12,964
(11,821)
1,143

$

4,133
6,294
673
1,301
280
12,681
(11,172)
1,509

Depreciation  expense  totaled  $649,000  and  $707,000  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2010  and  2009, 

respectively. 

(6) Securitization Trust Debt 

We  have  completed  a  number  of  term  securitization  transactions  that  are  structured  as  secured  borrowings  for 
financial accounting purposes. The debt issued in these transactions is shown on our consolidated balance sheets as 
“Securitization trust debt,” and the components of such debt are summarized in the following table: 

Final
Scheduled
Payment
Date (1)

Receivables
Pledged at
December 31,
2010 (2)

Initial
Principal

Outstanding
Principal at
December 31,
2010

Outstanding
Principal at
December 31,
2009

Weighted
Average
Interest Rate at
December 31,
2010

February 2011
April 2011
October 2011
February 2012
May 2012
July 2012
July 2012
November 2012
January 2013
July 2013
August 2013
November 2013
December 2013
January 2014
May 2014
October 2014
July 2017

$

$

-
-
-
-
5,249
-
6,151
16,082
23,861
29,226
35,141
57,736
14,871
75,942
91,356
107,417
56,501

96,369 $

(Dollars in thousands)
-
-
-
-
5,481
-
6,573
16,765
29,196
35,499
38,493
64,166
17,029
86,355
100,107
125,593
42,465

100,000
137,500
130,625
183,300
72,525
145,000
245,000
257,500
247,500
220,000
290,000
113,293
314,999
327,499
310,359
9,174

$

1,254
1,989
6,924
10,021
19,661
5,330
19,295
41,546
56,664
64,332
69,584
107,011
31,087
135,602
158,955
175,578
-

-
-
-
-
5.13%
-
5.69%
5.33%
6.92%
6.24%
5.89%
5.92%
6.04%
6.48%
6.60%
7.81%
11.00%

$

519,533 $

3,200,643 $

567,722 $

904,833

Series

CPS 2004-B
CPS 2004-C
CPS 2005-A
CPS 2005-B
CPS 2005-C
CPS 2005-TFC
CPS 2005-D
CPS 2006-A
CPS 2006-B
CPS 2006-C
CPS 2006-D
CPS 2007-A
CPS 2007-TFC
CPS 2007-B
CPS 2007-C
CPS 2008-A
Delayed Draw Notes

_________________________ 

(1) The  Final  Scheduled Payment  Date  represents  final  legal  maturity  of  the  securitization  trust  debt.  Securitization  trust 
debt  is  expected  to  become  due and  to  be  paid  prior  to  those  dates,  based  on  amortization  of  the  finance  receivables 
pledged to the Trusts. Expected payments, which will depend on the performance of such receivables, as to which there 
can be no assurance, are $283.5 million in 2011, $191.2 million in 2012, $59.3 million in 2013, $17.2 million in 2014, 
and $16.5 million in 2015. 

(2) Includes repossessed assets that are included in Other Assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. 

All of the securitization trust debt was issued in private placement transactions to qualified institutional investors. 
The debt was issued through wholly-owned, bankruptcy remote subsidiaries of CPS and is secured by the assets of 

F-19 

          
          
          
          
             
             
          
          
                 
             
        
        
      
      
          
          
 
             
               
          
                    
             
               
          
                    
             
               
                    
             
               
                    
             
               
                    
             
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

such subsidiaries, but not by other assets of the Company. Principal and interest payments on the senior notes are 
guaranteed by financial guaranty insurance policies. 

The terms of the various Securitization Agreements related to the issuance of the securitization trust debt require 
that  certain  delinquency  and  credit  loss  criteria  be  met  with  respect  to  the  collateral  pool,  and  require  that  we 
maintain  minimum  levels  of  liquidity  and  net  worth  and  not  exceed  maximum  leverage  levels  and  maximum 
financial losses. We were in compliance with all such covenants as of December 31, 2010, in some cases only after 
giving effect to waivers of otherwise applicable standards.  

We  are  responsible  for  the  administration  and  collection  of  the  contracts.  The  Securitization  Agreements  also 
require certain funds be held in restricted cash accounts to provide additional collateral for the borrowings or to be 
applied  to  make  payments  on  the  securitization  trust  debt.  As  of  December  31,  2010,  restricted  cash  under  the 
various  agreements  totaled  approximately  $124.0  million.  Interest  expense  on  the  securitization  trust  debt  is 
composed  of  the  stated  rate  of  interest  plus  amortization  of  additional  costs  of  borrowing.  Additional  costs  of 
borrowing include facility fees, insurance premiums, amortization of transaction costs, and amortization of discounts 
required  on  the  notes  at  the  time  of  issuance.  Deferred  financing  costs  related  to  the  securitization  trust  debt  are 
amortized using the interest method. Accordingly, the effective cost of borrowing of the securitization trust debt is 
greater than the stated rate of interest. 

The  wholly-owned,  bankruptcy  remote  subsidiaries  of  CPS  were  formed  to  facilitate  the  above  asset-backed 
financing transactions. Similar bankruptcy remote subsidiaries issue the debt outstanding under our warehouse line 
of credit. Bankruptcy remote refers to a legal structure in which it is expected that the applicable entity would not be 
included in any bankruptcy filing by its parent or affiliates. All of the assets of these subsidiaries have been pledged 
as  collateral  for  the  related  debt.  All  such  transactions,  treated  as  secured  financings  for  accounting  and  tax 
purposes, are treated as sales for all other purposes, including legal and bankruptcy purposes. None of the assets of 
these subsidiaries are available to pay other creditors of the Company or its affiliates. 

(7) Debt 

The terms of our debt outstanding at December 31, 2010 and 2009 are summarized below: 

Residual interest financing 
Notes secured by our residual interests in securitizations.  In 
May 2010, the maturity was extended from June 2010 to May 
2011. The aggregate indebtedness under this facility was $39.4 
million at December 31, 2010. It bears interest at 12.875% over 
LIBOR.    

Senior secured debt, related party 
Notes  payable  to  Levine  Leichtman  Capital  Partners  IV,  L.P. 
(“LLCP”).    The  notes  consisted  of  a  $10  million  term  note,  a 
$15 million term note and a $27.75 million term note all due in 
December 2013. The notes accrue interest at 16% per annum. 
The  amount  outstanding  at  December  31,  2010  is  net  of  the 
unamortized  debt  discount  of  $7.9  million  relating  to  the 
valuation  of  1,225,000  shares  of  stock,  warrants  to  purchase 
1,611,114 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of 
$1.3982, warrants to purchase 285,781 of our common stock at 
an exercise price of $0.01 and $1.4 million in cash paid to the 
lender  at  issuance.  In  addition,  the  unamortized  debt  discount 
includes the valuation of 880,000 shares of common stock and 
1,870 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock and $2.75 
million  in  cash  paid  to  the  lender  at  issuance  of  the  $27.75 
million note.    

F-20 

December 31, 

2010 

2009 

(In thousands) 

$39,440 

$56,930 

44,873 

26,118 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Subordinated renewable notes 
Notes  bearing  interest  ranging  from  6.85%  to  16.00%,  with  a 
weighted  average  rate  of  13.83%,  and  with  maturities  from 
January 2011 to March 2020 with a weighted average maturity 
of  April  2013.    We  began  issuing  the  notes  in  June  2005  and 
incurred  issuance  costs  of  $250,000.    Payments  are  made 
monthly,  quarterly,  annually  or  upon  maturity  based  on  the 
terms of the individual notes. 

December 31, 

2010 

2009 

(In thousands) 

20,337 
$104,650 

21,965 
$105,013 

The outstanding debt on our credit facilities was $45.6 million as of December 31, 2010, compared to $4.9 million 

outstanding as of December 31, 2009.  See Note 15 for a discussion of our warehouse lines of credit. 

The  costs  incurred  in  conjunction  with  the  above  debt  are  recorded  as  deferred  financing  costs  on  the 

accompanying balance sheets and are more fully described in Note 1. 

We must comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants related to debt facilities, which require, among 
other  things,  that  we  maintain  certain  financial  ratios  related  to  liquidity,  net  worth,  capitalization  and  maximum 
financial  losses.  Further  covenants  include  matters  relating  to  investments,  acquisitions,  restricted  payments  and 
certain dividend restrictions.  See the discussion of financial covenants in footnote 1. 

The following table summarizes the contractual and expected maturity amounts of debt as of December 31, 2010: 

Contractual maturity 
date

Residual 
interest 
financing

Senior secured 
debt (1)

Subordinated 
renewable  
notes

Total

(In thousands)

$             

$             

$             

2011………………………$
2012…………………… $
2013…………………… $
2014…………………… $
2015…………………… $
Thereafter……………… $
Total…….………………$
 _________________________ 

39,440
-
-
-
-
-
39,440

$                      
-

-
44,873
-
-
-
44,873

$             

11,508
4,396
4,131
242
60
-
20,337

50,948
4,396
49,004
242
60
-
104,650

$             

$             

$           

(1) The senior secured debt maturing in 2013 is shown net of unamortized debt discounts of $7.9 million. On a gross basis 

the scheduled maturity of this debt in 2013 is $52.8 million.   

(8) Shareholders’ Equity 

Common Stock 

Holders of common stock are entitled to such dividends as our Board of Directors, in its discretion, may declare 
out of funds available, subject to the terms of any outstanding shares of preferred stock and other restrictions. In the 
event of liquidation of the Company, holders of common stock are entitled to receive, pro rata, all of the assets of 
the  Company  available  for  distribution,  after  payment  of  any  liquidation  preference  to  the  holders  of  outstanding 
shares  of  preferred  stock.  Holders  of  the  shares  of  common  stock  have  no  conversion  or  preemptive  or  other 
subscription rights and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. 

We are required to comply with various operating and financial covenants defined in the agreements governing the 
warehouse lines of credit, senior debt, residual interest financing and subordinated debt. The covenants restrict the 
payment of certain distributions, including dividends (See Note 7). 

F-21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
                    
                    
                 
                 
                    
               
                 
               
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                      
                      
                    
                    
                    
                    
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Included in compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, is $1.6 million  related to the 

amortization of deferred compensation expense and valuation of stock options. 

Stock Purchases 

At five different times between 2000 and 2010, our Board of Directors authorized us to purchase a total of up to 
$34.5  million  of  our  securities.  As  of  December  31,  2010,  we  had  purchased  $5.0  million  in  principal  amount  of 
debt securities, and $27.5 million of our common stock, representing 9,005,724 shares.  

Options and Warrants 

In 2006, the Company adopted and its shareholders approved the CPS 2006 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan (the 
“2006  Plan”)  pursuant  to  which  our  Board  of  Directors,  or  a  duly-authorized  committee  thereof,  may  grant  stock 
options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock appreciation rights to our employees or our subsidiaries, to 
directors of the Company, and to individuals acting as consultants to the Company or its subsidiaries. In June 2008, 
the  shareholders  of  the  Company  approved  an  amendment  to  the  2006  Plan  to  increase  the  maximum  number  of 
shares  that  may  be  subject  to  awards  under  the  2006  Plan  from  3,000,000  to  5,000,000.    Options  that  have  been 
granted under the 2006 Plan have been granted at an exercise price equal to (or greater than) the stock’s fair market 
value at the date of the grant, with terms generally of 10 years and vesting generally over five years. 

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2010,  we  recorded  stock-based  compensation  costs  in  the  amount  of  $1.6 
million.  As  of  December  31,  2010,  unrecognized  stock-based  compensation  costs  to  be  recognized  over  future 
periods was equal to $3.0 million. This amount will be recognized as expense over a weighted-average period of 3.1 
years.  

At  December  31,  2010,  the  options  outstanding  and  exercisable  had  intrinsic  values  of  $538,000  and  $168,000, 
respectively. The total intrinsic value of options exercised was $7,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009. No 
options were exercised in 2010. New shares were issued for all options exercised during the year ended December 
2009. At December 31, 2010, there were a total of 830,000 additional shares available for grant under the 2006 Plan. 

Stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2010, including the activity related to the option exchange 

described above, is as follows: 

Options outstanding at the beginning of period…………
   Granted………………………………………………
   Exercised……………………………………………
   Forfeited…………………………………………….
Options outstanding at the end of period………………

Number of
Shares
(in thousands)
6,874
720
-
(604)
6,990

Options exercisable at the end of period………………

4,749

Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
1.62
1.64
-
1.73
1.61

1.78

$

$

$

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Term

N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
5.65 years

4.47 years

The per share weighted average fair value of stock options granted whose exercise price was equal to the market 
price  of  the  stock  on  the  grant  date  during  the  years  ended  December  31,  2010  and  2009,  was  $1.11  and  $0.78, 
respectively.  

The  per  share  weighted  average  fair  value  of  stock  options  granted  whose  exercise  price  was  above  the  market 
price of the stock on the grant date during the year ended December 31, 2009 was $0.17. The per share weighted 
average exercise price of stock options granted whose exercise price was above the market price of the stock on the 
grant date during the year ended December 31, 2009 was $1.50.   

We have not issued any stock options with an exercise price below the market price of the stock on the grant date.  

On June 30, 2008, we entered into a series of agreements pursuant to which a lender purchased a $10 million five-
year, fixed rate, senior secured note from us.  In July 2008, in conjunction with the amendment of the combination 
term and revolving residual credit facility as discussed above, the lender purchased an additional $15 million note 

F-22 

                  
                  
                     
                  
                          
                    
                    
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

with  substantially  the  same  terms  as  the  $10  million  note.    Pursuant  to  the  June  30,  2008  securities  purchase 
agreement,  we  issued  to  the  lender  1,225,000  shares  of  common  stock.    In  addition,  we  issued  the  lender  two 
warrants:  (i)  warrants  that  we  refer  to  as  the  FMV  Warrants,  which  are  exercisable  for  1,611,114  shares  of  our 
common  stock,  at  an  exercise  price  of  $1.39818  per  share,  and  (ii)  warrants  that  we  refer  to  as  the  N  Warrants, 
which are exercisable for 285,781 shares of our common stock, at a nominal exercise price. Both the FMV Warrants 
and  the  N  Warrants  are  exercisable  in  whole  or  in  part  and  at  any  time  up  to  and  including  June  30,  2018.    We 
valued the warrants using the Black-Scholes valuation model. 

 In connection with the amendment to our residual credit facility discussed in Note 15, we issued warrants valued 
as  being  equivalent  to  2,500,000  common  shares,  or  $4,071,429.    The  warrants  represented  the  right  to  purchase 
2,500,000 CPS common shares at a nominal exercise price, at any time prior to July 10, 2018. In March 2010 we re-
purchased 500,000 shares for $1.0 million.    

 (9) Interest Income 

The following table presents the components of interest income: 

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

Interest on finance receivables……………………...…………. $
Residual interest income …………………….……………….…$
Other interest income……………..…………………..……….. $
Net interest income………………..…………………….………$

135,013
1,063
1,014
137,090

$

$

205,892
1,376
928
208,196

 (10) Income Taxes  

Income taxes consist of the following: 

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

Current federal tax expense (benefit)……………………… $
Current state tax expense (benefit)………………………… $
Deferred federal tax (benefit)……………………………… $
Deferred state tax expense (benefit)…………………………$
Change in valuation allowance……………………..……… $

$

(1,518)
(28)
(4,107)
(5,331)
27,966

(28,110)
(2,814)
11,294
(191)
27,621

Income tax expense (benefit)………………………………. $

16,982

$

7,800

Income  tax  expense/(benefit)  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2010  and  2009  differs  from  the  amount 

determined by applying the statutory federal rate of 35% to income before income taxes as follows: 

Expense at federal tax rate………………………...……………$
State taxes, net of federal income tax benefit………………… $
Other adjustments to tax reserve……………………………… $
Effect of change in state tax rate……………………………… $
Valuation allowance……………………………….……………$
Stock-based compensation……………………………….…… $
Other…………………………………………………..……… $
$

Year Ended December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

(5,896)
734
(1,344)
(4,931)
27,966
535
(82)
16,982

$

$

(17,293)
(2,187)
(827)
-
27,621
540
(54)
7,800

The  tax  effected  cumulative  temporary  differences  that  give  rise  to  deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  as  of 

December 31, 2010 and 2009 are as follows: 

F-23 

       
       
           
           
           
              
       
       
 
          
        
               
          
          
         
          
             
         
         
         
           
 
          
        
              
          
          
             
          
                   
         
         
              
              
               
               
         
           
    
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Deferred Tax Assets:
Finance receivables…………………………………… $
Accrued liabilities…………………………………….…$
Furniture and equipment……………………………… $
NOL carryforwards and BILs………………………...…$
Pension Accrual……………………………………...…$
Other……………………………………………...…… $
   Total deferred tax assets………………………….……$
Valuation allowance……………………………………$
$

Deferred Tax Liabilities:
$
Other……………………………….……………………$
   Total deferred tax liabilities……………………..……$
$
   Net deferred tax asset……………….…………………$

December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

$

7,562
1,476
281
66,994
2,214
-
78,527
(56,587)
21,940

(6,940)
(6,940)

11,779
1,613
274
48,170
2,347
-
64,183
(28,621)
35,562

(2,112)
(2,112)

15,000

$

33,450

As  part  of  the  MFN  and  TFC  Mergers,  CPS  acquired  certain  net  operating  losses  and  built-in  loss  assets. 
Moreover,  both  MFN  and  TFC  have  undergone  an  ownership  change  for  purposes  of  Internal  Revenue  Code 
(“IRC”) Section 382. In general, IRC Section 382 imposes an annual limitation on the ability of a loss corporation 
(that is, a corporation with a net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforward, credit carryforward, or certain built-in losses 
(“BILs”) to utilize its pre-change NOL carryforwards or BILs to offset taxable income arising after an ownership 
change.  

In  determining  the  possible  future  realization  of  deferred  tax  assets,  we  have  considered  the  taxes  paid  in  the 
current  and  prior  years  that  may  be  available  to  recapture,  as  well  as  future  taxable  income  from  the  following 
sources: (a) reversal of  taxable  temporary differences;  and  (b)  tax planning strategies  that,  if necessary,  would be 
implemented to accelerate taxable income into years in which net operating losses might otherwise expire. Our tax 
planning  strategies  include  the  prospective  sale  of  certain  assets  such  as  finance  receivables,  residual  interests  in 
securitized finance receivables, charged off receivables and base servicing rights.  The expected proceeds for such 
asset  sales  have  been  estimated  based  on  our  expectation  of  what  buyers  of  the  assets  would  consider  to  be 
reasonable  assumptions  for  net  cash  flows  and  required  rates  of  return  for  each  of  the  various  asset  types.    Our 
estimates for net cash flows and required rates of return are subjective and inherently subject to future events which 
may  significantly  impact  actual  net  proceeds  we  may  receive  from  executing  our  tax  planning  strategies.    A 
summary of the assets, key assumptions and estimated taxable income is shown in the table below:   

Asset Category

Key Assumptions

Base servicing rights

Net cash flows discounted at 12%

Residual interests in securitized receivables

 Net cash flows discounted at 20% 

Finance receivables

Charged off receivables

Note receivable

Net cash flows discounted at 25%

Assumed value of 1.5%

Net cash flows discounted at 11%

Estimated Taxable 
Income
$                 

15,965

5,084

7,842

6,171

2,464

$                 

37,526

We believe such asset sales can produce at least $37.5 million in taxable income within the relevant carryforward 
period.  Such  strategies  could  be  implemented  without  significant  impact  on  our  core  business  or  our  ability  to 
generate future growth. The costs related to the implementation of these tax strategies were considered in evaluating 
the amount of taxable income that could be generated in order to realize our deferred tax assets.  

At December 31, 2010 we have established a $56.6 million valuation allowance against that portion of the deferred 

tax asset whose utilization in future periods is not more than likely. 

F-24 

          
        
          
          
             
             
        
        
          
          
                 
                 
        
        
      
      
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
 
                     
                     
                     
                     
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

As of December 31, 2010, we had net operating loss carryforwards for federal and state income tax purposes of 
$115.1 million and $185.8 million, respectively.  The federal net operating losses begin to expire in 2022. The state 
net operating losses begin to expire in 2013.  

The following is a tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits including interest and 

penalties for the year: 

Unrecognized tax benefit - opening balance……………$
Gross increases - tax positions in prior period…………$
Gross decreases - tax positions in prior period…………$
Gross increases - tax positions in current period………$
Settlements…………………………………………… $
Lapse of statute of limitations……………………..……$

2010

2009

(In thousands)
4,319
157
-
-
-
(1,454)

$
$
$
$
$
$

8,183
-
(2,165)
-
(532)
(1,167)

Unrecognized tax benefit - ending balance…………… $

3,022

$

4,319

 Included in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2010, are $2.6 million of tax benefits that, if 
recognized,  would  affect  the  effective  tax  rate.  Also  included  in  the  balance  of  unrecognized  tax  benefits  at 
December  31,  2010  are  $400,000  of  tax  benefits  that,  if  recognized,  would  result  in  adjustments  to  other  tax 
accounts, primarily deferred taxes. 

We recognize potential interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. Related 
to  the  uncertain  tax  benefits  noted  above,  we  reduced  penalties  by  $200,000  and  increased  gross  interest  by 
$200,000 during 2010 and in total, as of December 31, 2010, have recognized a liability for penalties of $300,000 
million and gross interest of $700,000.   

We do not anticipate a significant change in unrecognized tax positions within the coming year.  In addition, we 
believe that it is reasonably possible that none of our currently remaining unrecognized tax positions, each of which 
is individually insignificant, may be recognized by the end of 2010 as a result of a lapse of the statute of limitations. 

We are subject to taxation in the US and various states and foreign jurisdictions.  The Company’s tax years for 
2006 through 2009 are subject to examination by the tax authorities.  With few exceptions, we are no longer subject 
to U.S. federal, state, or local examinations by tax authorities for years before 2006.  

(11) Related Party Transactions  

Director Purchase of Retail Note 

In  December  2007,  one  of  our  directors  purchased  a  $4.0  million  subordinated  renewable  note  pursuant  to  our 
ongoing  program  of  issuing  such  notes  to  the  public.    The  note  was  purchased  through  the  registered  agent  and 
under the same terms and conditions, including the interest rate, that were offered to other purchasers at the time the 
note was issued. As of December 31, 2010, $4.0 million remains outstanding on this note. 

(12) Commitments and Contingencies 

Leases 

The Company leases its facilities and certain computer  equipment under non-cancelable operating leases, which 
expire through 2016. Future minimum lease payments at December 31, 2010, under these leases are due during the 
years ended December 31 as follows: 

F-25 

           
          
              
                 
                   
        
                   
                 
                   
           
          
        
           
          
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

2011…………………………………...……………………….……………… $
2012…………………………………...……………………….……………… $
2013…………………………………...……………………….……………… $
2014…………………………………...……………………….……………… $
2015…………………………………...……………………….……………… $
Thereafter…………………………………...……………………….………… $

Amount
(In thousands)
3,185
2,737
2,458
1,973
1,816
1,351

Total minimum lease payments………………………………….………………$

13,520

Rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, was $3.6 million and $4.1 million, respectively. 

Our  facility  leases  contain  certain  rental  concessions  and  escalating  rental  payments,  which  are  recognized  as 

adjustments to rental expense and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases. 

Litigation  

Stanwich Litigation. CPS was for some time a defendant in a class action (the “Stanwich Case”) brought in the 
California Superior Court, Los Angeles County. The original plaintiffs in that case were persons entitled to receive 
regular  payments  (the  “Settlement  Payments”)  pursuant  to  earlier  settlements  of  claims,  generally  personal  injury 
claims,  against  unrelated  defendants.  Stanwich  Financial  Services  Corp.  (“Stanwich”),  an  affiliate  of  the  former 
chairman of the board of directors of CPS, is the entity that was obligated to pay the Settlement Payments. Stanwich 
defaulted on its payment obligations to the plaintiffs and in June 2001 filed for reorganization under the Bankruptcy 
Code, in the federal bankruptcy court in Connecticut. By February 2005, CPS had settled all claims brought against 
it in the Stanwich Case.  

In November 2001, one of the defendants in the Stanwich Case, Jonathan Pardee, asserted claims for indemnity 
against  the  Company  in  a  separate  action,  which  is  now  pending  in  federal  district  court  in  Rhode  Island.  The 
Company  has  filed  counterclaims  in  the  Rhode  Island  federal  court  against  Mr.  Pardee,  and  has  filed  a  separate 
action against Mr. Pardee's Rhode Island attorneys, in the same court. The litigation between Mr. Pardee and CPS is 
stayed,  awaiting  resolution  of  an  adversary  action  brought  against  Mr.  Pardee  in  the  bankruptcy  court,  which  is 
hearing the bankruptcy of Stanwich. 

CPS  has  reached  an  agreement  in  principle  with  the  representative  of  creditors  in  the  Stanwich  bankruptcy  to 
resolve the adversary action.  Under the agreement in principle, CPS is to pay the bankruptcy estate $800,000 and 
abandon  its  claims  against  the  estate,  while  the  estate  is  to  abandon  its  adversary  action  against  Mr.  Pardee.  We 
believe that resolution of the adversary action will result in (i) limitation of its exposure to Mr. Pardee to no more 
than some portion of his attorneys fees incurred and (ii) stays in Rhode Island being lifted, causing those cases to 
become active again. 

The reader should consider that an adverse judgment against CPS in the Rhode Island case for indemnification, if 
in an amount materially in excess of any liability already recorded in respect thereof, could have a material adverse 
effect on our financial condition. 

Other Litigation.  

We  are  routinely  involved  in  various  legal  proceedings  resulting  from  our  consumer  finance  activities  and 
practices, both continuing and discontinued. We believe that there are substantive legal defenses to such claims, and 
intend to defend them vigorously. There can be no assurance, however, as to their outcomes. We have recorded a 
liability  as  of  December  31,  2010  that  we  believe  represents  a  sufficient  allowance  for  legal  contingencies.  Any 
adverse  judgment  against  us,  if  in  an  amount  materially  in  excess  of  the  recorded  liability,  could  have  a  material 
adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations. 

 (13) Employee Benefits 

The Company sponsors a pretax savings and profit sharing plan (the “401(k) Plan”) qualified under Section 401(k) 
of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the 401(k) Plan, eligible employees are able to contribute up to 15% of their 
compensation  (subject  to  stricter  limitation  in  the  case  of  highly  compensated  employees).  We  may,  at  our 
discretion, match 100% of employees’ contributions up to $1,500 per employee per calendar year. Our contributions 

F-26 

              
              
              
              
              
              
            
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

to the 401(k) Plan were $74,000 for the year ended December 31, 2010. We did not make any contributions to the 
plan in 2009 rather we utilized the plan’s forfeiture account to match $438,000 in employee contributions. 

We also sponsor the MFN Financial Corporation Pension Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan benefits were frozen June 

30, 2001. 

The following tables  represents a reconciliation of the change in the plan’s benefit obligations, fair value of plan 

assets, and funded status at December 31, 2010 and 2009: 

December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

Change in Projected Benefit Obligation
Projected benefit obligation, beginning of year………………………………….………………… $
Service cost………………………………………………………………………………………… $
Interest cost………………………………………………………………………………………… $
Actuarial gain (loss)……………………………………………………………….…………………$
Settlements……………………………………………………………………………………………$
Benefits paid……………………………………………………………………………………..… $
   Projected benefit obligation, end of year………………………………………………………… $

Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year…………………………………………………………$
Return on assets………………………………………………………………………………………$
Employer contribution………………………………………………………………………..………$
Expenses………………………………………………………………………..………………….. $
Settlements……………………………………………………………………………………………$
Benefits paid…………………………………………………………………………………………$
   Fair value of plan assets, end of year…..………………………………………………………...…$

16,642
-
931
981
(937)
(560)
17,057

10,465
1,391
847
(51)
(937)
(560)
11,155

Funded Status at end of year………………………………………………………………………$

(5,902)

$

$

$

$

$

16,085
-
947
243
-
(633)
16,642

8,515
2,626
-
(43)

(633)
10,465

(6,177)

Additional Information 

Weighted  average  assumptions  used  to  determine  benefit  obligations  and  cost  at  December  31,  2010  and  2009 

were as follows: 

Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations
Discount rate……………………………………………………………………………………… .

5.45%

5.90%

Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost
Discount rate……………………………………………………………………………………… .
Expected return on plan assets……………………………………………………………...……….

5.90%
8.50%

6.00%
8.50%

December, 31

2010

2009

Our  overall  expected  long-term  rate  of  return  on  assets  is  8.50%  per  annum  as  of  December 31,  2010.  The 
expected  long-term  rate  of  return  is  based  on  the  weighted  average  of  historical  returns  on  individual  asset 
categories, which are described in more detail below. 

F-27 

        
        
                 
                 
             
             
             
             
           
                 
           
           
        
        
        
          
          
          
             
                 
             
             
           
           
           
        
        
        
        
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Amounts recognized on Consolidated Balance Sheet
Other assets…………………………………………………………………………………………$
Other liabilities…….…………………………………………………………..…………..……… $
   Net amount recognized……………………………………………………………………………$

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income consists of:
Net loss (gain)………………………………………………………………………………………$
Unrecognized transition asset………………..…………………………………………………… $
   Net amount recognized……………………………………………………………………………$

Components of net periodic benefit cost
Interest Cost………………………………………………………………………..………………$
Expected return on assets…………………………………………………………...………………$
Amortization of transition asset………………………………..……………………………………$
Amortization of net  loss...……………………………………………………………………..……$
Net periodic benefit cost..……………..…..……………………………….……….………………$
Settlement (gain)/loss..……………..…..……………………………….……….…………………$
$
   Total..……………..…..……………………………….……….………………….…….

Benefit Obligation Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income
Net loss (gain)……………………………………………………………………..……………… $
Prior service cost (credit)…………………………………………………………………………. $
Amortization of prior service cost…………………………………………………….……………$
   Net amount recognized in other comprehensive income……………..…..………………………$

December 31,

2010

2009

(In thousands)

-
(5,902)
(5,902)

8,575
-
8,575

931
(851)
-
475
555
471
1,026

(454)
-
-
(454)

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

-
(6,177)
(6,177)

9,029
-
9,029

947
(697)
-
675
925
-
925

(2,318)
-
-
(2,318)

The weighted average asset allocation of our pension benefits at December 31, 2010 and 2009 were as follows:

Weighted Average Asset Allocation at Year-End
Asset Category
Equity securities……………………………………………………………………...…………$
Debt securities……………………………………………………….…………………………$
Cash and cash equivalents……………………………………………………….………………$
   Total……………………………………………………………………………………………$

December 31,

2010

2009

81%
19%
0%
100%

76%
24%
0%
100%

   Our  investment  policies  and  strategies  for  the  pension  benefits  plan  utilize  a  target  allocation  of  75%  equity 
securities  and  25%  fixed  income  securities.  Our  investment  goals  are  to  maximize  returns  subject  to  specific  risk 
management  policies.  We  address  risk  management  and  diversification  by  the  use  of  a  professional  investment 
advisor  and  several  sub-advisors  which  invest  in  domestic  and  international  equity  securities  and  domestic  fixed 
income securities. Each sub-advisor focuses its investments within a specific sector of the equity or fixed income 
market.  For  the  sub-advisors  focused  on  the  equity  markets,  the  sectors  are  differentiated  by  the  market 
capitalization and the relative valuation of the underlying issuer. For the sub-advisors focused on the fixed income 
markets,  the  sectors  are  differentiated  by  the  credit  quality  and  the  maturity  of  the  underlying  fixed  income 
investment.  The  investments  made  by  the  sub-advisors  are  readily  marketable  and  can  be  sold  to  fund  benefit 
payment obligations as they become payable. 

F-28 

                 
                 
        
        
        
      
          
          
                 
                 
          
        
             
             
           
           
                 
                 
             
             
             
             
             
                 
          
           
           
        
                 
                 
                 
                 
           
      
 
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Cash Flows

Estimated Future Benefit Payments (In thousands)
2011…………………………………………………………………………...…………………$
2012…………………………………………………………………………...…………………$
2013…………………………………………………………………………...…………………$
2014…………………………………………………………………………...…………………$
2015…………………………………………………………………………...…………………$
Years 2016 - 2020………………………………………………………………………..…… $

Anticipated Contributions in 2011……………………………………………..………………$

666
699
749
791
899
4,896

653

  The fair value of plan assets at December 31, 2010, by asset category, is as follows: 

Level 1 (1)

Level 2 (2)

Level 3 (3)

Total

Investment Name:
Core Bond……………………………………… $
Fundamental Value………………………………$
Mid Cap Growth…………………………………$
Focus Value………………………………………$
Small Co. Value…………………………………$
Growth……………………………………………$
Income……………………………………………$
International Growth…………………………… $
Inflation Protected Bond…………………………$
Money Market……………………………………$
Company Common Stock……………………… $
   Total……………………………………………$

$

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

11
1,039
1,050

$

________________________ 

(1)  Assets with quoted prices in active markets for identical assets  

(2)  Assets with significant observable inputs 

(3)  Assets with significant unobservable inputs    

 (14) Fair Value Measurements  

$
$

(in thousands)
1,371
1,843
555
555
548
2,386
290
2,143
371
43

-
10,105

$
$
$

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

$

$

1,371
1,843
555
555
548
2,386
290
2,143
371
54
1,039
11,155

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, "Fair Value Measurements" ("SFAS No. 157") (ASC 820 10 
65).  SFAS No. 157  (ASC  820  10  65)  clarifies  the  principle  that  fair  value  should  be  based  on  the  assumptions 
market participants would use when pricing an asset or liability and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes 
the  information  used  to  develop  those  assumptions.  Under  the  standard,  fair  value  measurements  would  be 
separately disclosed by level within the fair value hierarchy.  

SFAS No. 157 (ASC 820 10 65) defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, establishes a 
three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value  measurement  and enhances disclosure requirements for 
fair value measurements. The three levels are defined as follows: level 1 - inputs to the valuation methodology are 
quoted  prices  (unadjusted)  for  identical  assets  or  liabilities  in  active  markets;  level  2  –  inputs  to  the  valuation 
methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable 
for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument; and 
level 3 – inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement. 

In  September  2008  we  sold  automobile  contracts  in  a  securitization  that  was  structured  as  a  sale  for  financial 
accounting  purposes.    In  that  sale,  we  retained  both  securities  and  a  residual  interest  in  the  transaction  that  are 
measured at fair value.  We describe below the valuation methodologies we use for the securities retained and the 
residual  interest  in  the  cash  flows  of  the  transaction,  as  well  as  the  general  classification  of  such  instruments 
pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.  The securities retained, which is included in Other Assets as of December 31, 
2009, were sold in September 2010 in the re-securitization transaction described in Note 1. In the same transaction, 
the residual interest was reduced by $1.5 million. The residual interest in such securitization is $3.9 million as of 

F-29 

             
             
             
             
             
          
             
 
             
          
             
          
             
          
             
          
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
          
             
          
             
             
             
             
             
          
             
          
             
             
             
             
               
               
             
               
          
             
             
          
          
        
             
        
 
 
 
 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

December 31, 2010 and is classified as level 3 in the three-level valuation hierarchy. We determine the value of that 
residual interest using a discounted cash flow model that includes estimates for prepayments and losses.  We use a 
discount  rate  of  20%  per  annum  and  a  cumulative  net  loss  rate  of  13%.  The  assumptions  we  use  are  based  on 
historical  performance  of  automobile  contracts  we  have  originated  and  serviced  in  the  past,  adjusted  for  current 
market conditions. No gain or loss was recorded as a result of the re-securitization transaction described above. 

Repossessed vehicle inventory, which is included in Other Assets on our balance sheet, is measured at fair value 
using  Level  2 assumptions  based  on our  actual  loss  experience  on  sale  of repossessed  vehicles. At  December  31, 
2010, the finance receivables related to the repossessed vehicles in inventory totaled $21.0 million. We have applied 
a valuation adjustment of $16.3 million, resulting in an estimated fair value and carrying amount of $4.7 million. 

The  table  below  presents  a  reconciliation  for  Level  3  assets  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  recurring  basis  using 

significant unobservable inputs: 

Residual Interest in Securitizations:
Balance at January 1……………………………………………………$
Reduction of residual interest as a result of re-securitization……………$
Included in earnings…………………………………………………… $
Balance at December 31…………………………………………………$

2010
(in thousands)
$                
4,316
(1,497)
1,022
3,841

$                

2009
(in thousands)
$                
3,582
-
734
4,316

$                

The  following  summary  presents  a  description  of  the  methodologies  and  assumptions  used  to  estimate  the  fair 
value of our financial instruments. Much of the information used to determine fair value is highly subjective. When 
applicable, readily available market information has been utilized. However, for a significant portion of our financial 
instruments, active markets do not exist. Therefore, considerable judgments were required in estimating fair value 
for certain items. The subjective factors include, among other things, the estimated timing and amount of cash flows, 
risk  characteristics,  credit  quality  and  interest  rates,  all  of  which  are  subject  to  change.  Since  the  fair  value  is 
estimated  as  of  December  31,  2010  and  2009,  the  amounts  that  will  actually  be  realized  or  paid  at  settlement  or 
maturity  of  the  instruments  could  be  significantly  different.  The  estimated  fair  values  of  financial  assets  and 
liabilities at December 31, 2010 and 2009, were as follows: 

December 31,

2010

2009

Carrying
Value

Fair 
Value

Carrying  
Value

Fair 
Value

$

16,252
123,958
552,453
3,841
6,165
45,564
3,897
39,440
567,722
44,873
20,337

$
$
$
$
$
$

(In thousands)
16,252
123,958
551,652
3,841
6,165
45,564
3,897
39,440
593,041
44,873
20,337

$
$
$
$

$

12,433
128,511
840,092
4,316
8,573
4,932
4,267
56,930
904,833
26,118
21,965

12,433
128,511
806,154
4,316
8,573
4,932
4,267
56,930
942,075
26,118
21,965

Financial Instrument

Cash and cash equivalents………………………$
Restricted cash and equivalents…………………$
Finance receivables, net…………………….… $
Residual interest in securitizations………...……$
Accrued interest receivable…………….………$
Warehouse lines of credit…………………….. $
Accrued interest payable……………………. $
Residual interest financing………………..……$
Securitization trust debt……………...…………$
Senior secured debt………………….…………$
Subordinated renewable notes…………………$

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash  

The carrying value equals fair value. 

Finance Receivables,net 

The fair value of finance receivables is estimated by discounting future cash flows expected to be collected using 

current rates at which similar receivables could be originated. 

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CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

Residual Interest in Securitizations 

The fair value is estimated by discounting future cash flows using credit and discount rates that we believe reflect 

the estimated credit, interest rate and prepayment risks associated with similar types of instruments. 

Accrued Interest Receivable and Payable 

The carrying value approximates fair value because the related interest rates are estimated to reflect current market 

conditions for similar types of instruments. 

Warehouse Lines of Credit, Notes Payable, Residual Interest Financing, and Senior Secured Debt and Subordinated 
Renewable Notes 

The carrying value approximates fair value because the related interest rates are estimated to reflect current market 

conditions for similar types of secured instruments. 

Securitization Trust Debt 

The fair value is estimated by discounting future cash flows using interest rates that we believe reflects the current 

market rates. 

 (15) Liquidity, Results of Operations and Management’s Plans 

Our business requires substantial cash to support purchases of automobile contracts and other operating activities. 
Our    primary  sources  of  cash  have  been  cash  flows  from  operating  activities,  including  proceeds  from  term 
securitization  transactions  and  other  sales  of  automobile  contracts,  amounts  borrowed  under  warehouse  credit 
facilities,  servicing  fees  on  portfolios  of  automobile  contracts  previously  sold  in  securitization  transactions  or 
serviced for third parties, customer payments of principal and interest on finance receivables, fees for origination of 
automobile  contracts,  and  releases  of  cash  from  securitized  portfolios  of  automobile  contracts  in  which  we  have 
retained a residual ownership interest and from the spread accounts associated with such pools. Our primary uses of 
cash  have  been  the  purchases  of  automobile  contracts,  repayment  of  amounts  borrowed  under  warehouse  credit 
facilities and otherwise, operating expenses such as employee, interest, occupancy expenses and other general and 
administrative  expenses,  the  establishment  of  spread  accounts  and  initial  overcollateralization,  if  any,  and  the 
increase of credit enhancement to required levels in securitization transactions, and income taxes. There can be no 
assurance that internally generated cash will be sufficient to meet our cash demands. The sufficiency of internally 
generated  cash  will  depend  on  the  performance  of  securitized  pools  (which  determines  the  level  of  releases  from 
those portfolios and their related spread accounts), the rate of expansion or contraction in our managed portfolio, and 
the terms upon which we are able to purchase, sell, and borrow against automobile contracts. 

We purchase automobile contracts from dealers for a cash price approximating their principal amount, adjusted for 
an acquisition fee which may either increase or decrease the automobile contract purchase price. Those automobile 
contracts generate cash flow, however, over a period of years. As a result, we have been dependent on warehouse 
credit  facilities  to  purchase  automobile  contracts,  and  on  the  availability  of  cash  from  outside  sources  in  order  to 
finance our continuing operations, as well as to fund the portion of automobile contract purchase prices not financed 
under revolving warehouse credit facilities.  

On September 25, 2009 we established a $50 million secured revolving credit facility with Fortress Credit Corp., 
which will mature on September 25, 2011.  The facility is structured to allow us to fund a portion of the purchase 
price  of  automobile  contracts  by  drawing  against  a  floating  rate  variable  funding  note  issued  by  our  consolidated 
subsidiary Page Four Funding LLC.  The facility provides for advances up to 75% of eligible finance receivables 
and the notes under it accrue interest at a rate of one-month LIBOR plus 12.00% per annum, with a minimum rate of 
14.00%  per  annum.    At  December  31,  2010,  $45.6  million  was  outstanding  under  this  facility.    As  part  of  the 
consideration  given  to  Fortress  for  committing  to  make  loans  under  this  facility,  we  issued  a  10-year  warrant  to 
purchase  up  to  1,158,087  of  our  common shares,  at  an  exercise  price  of  $0.879 per  share  (we  refer  to  this  as  the 
Fortress Warrant).  Issuance of the Fortress Warrant required an adjustment to the terms of an existing outstanding 
warrant  regarding  1,564,324  shares,  reducing  the  exercise  price  of  that  other  warrant  from  $1.44  per  share  to 
$1.40702 per share and increasing the number of shares available for purchase to 1,600,991. 

In  December  2010  we  entered  into  a  $100  million  two-year  warehouse  credit  line  with  affiliates  of  Goldman, 
Sachs & Co. and Fortress Investment Group.   The facility is structured to allow us to fund a portion of the purchase 
price  of  automobile  contracts  by  drawing  against  a  floating  rate  variable  funding  note  issued  by  our  consolidated 
subsidiary Page Six Funding, LLC.  The facility provides for advances up to 75% of eligible finance receivables and 

F-31 

 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

the  notes  under  it  accrue  interest  at  a  rate  of  one-month  LIBOR  plus  5.00%  per  annum,  with  a  minimum  rate  of 
6.5% per annum.  There were no amounts outstanding under this facility at December 31, 2010.     

Subsequent  to  the  reporting  period  covered  by  this  report,  on  February  24,  2011,  we  entered  into  an  additional 
$100 million two-year warehouse credit line with UBS Real Estate Securities, Inc.  The facility revolves during the 
first  year  and  amortizes  during  the  second  year.      The  facility  is  structured  to  allow  us  to  fund  a  portion  of  the 
purchase  price  of  automobile  contracts  by  drawing  against  a  floating  rate  variable  funding  note  issued  by  our 
consolidated  subsidiary  Page  Seven  Funding,  LLC.    The  facility  provides  for  advances  up  to  76.5%  of  eligible 
finance receivables and the notes under it accrue interest at one-month LIBOR plus 6.00% per annum.   

In March 2010, we entered into a $50 million term funding facility with a syndicate of note purchasers including 
affiliates of Angelo, Gordon & Co., L.P. and an affiliate of Cohen & Company Securities.  Under the term funding 
facility, the note purchasers agreed to purchase up to $50 million in asset-backed notes through December 31, 2010, 
subject to collateral eligibility and other terms and conditions, through the end of 2010. Amounts outstanding bear 
interest  at  a  fixed  rate  of  11.00%,  which  may  be  decreased  to  9.00%  should  the  notes  receive  investment  grade 
ratings  from  at  least  two  of  the  following  three  credit  rating  agencies:    Moody's,  Standard  &  Poor's,  or  Fitch. 
Principal payments on the notes are due as the underlying receivables are paid or charged off, and the final maturity 
is  July  17,  2017.    In  connection  with  the  establishment  of  this  term  funding  facility,  we  paid  a  closing  fee  of 
$750,000 and issued to certain of the note purchasers or their designees warrants to purchase 500,000 shares of our 
common stock at an exercise price of $1.41 per share (we refer to this as the Page Five Warrant).  Issuance of the 
Page Five Warrant required adjustments to the terms of two existing outstanding warrants.  The first warrant related 
to 1,600,991 shares, on which the exercise price was decreased from $1.407 per share to $1.398 per share and the 
number of shares available for purchase was increased to 1,611,114.  The second affected warrant related to 283,985 
shares,  which  was  increased  to  285,781  shares.    As  of  December  31,  2010,  there  was  $42.5  million  outstanding 
under the facility and no additional advances are expected to be made. 

In  July  2007,  we  established  a  combination  term  and  revolving  residual  credit  facility  and  have  used  eligible 
residual  interests  in  securitizations  as  collateral  for  floating  rate  borrowings.    The  amount  that  we  were  able  to 
borrow  was  computed  using  an  agreed  valuation  methodology  of  the  residuals,  subject  to  an  overall  maximum 
principal amount of $120 million, represented by (i) a $60 million Class A-1 variable funding note (the “revolving 
note”), and (ii) a $60 million Class A-2 term note (the “term note”).  The term note was fully drawn in July 2007 and 
was originally due in July 2009.  As of July 2008, we had drawn $26.8 million on the revolving note.  The facility’s 
revolving  feature  expired  in  July  2008.    On  July  10,  2008  we  amended  the  terms  of  the  combination  term  and 
revolving  residual  credit  facility,  (i)  eliminating  the  revolving  feature  and  increasing  the  interest  rate,  (ii) 
consolidating  the  amounts  then  owing  on  the  Class  A-1  note  with  the  Class  A-2  note,  (iii)  establishing  an 
amortization  schedule  for  principal  reductions  on  the  Class  A-2  note,  and  (iv)  providing  for  an  extension,  at  our 
option if certain conditions were met, of the Class A-2 note maturity from June 2009 to June 2010.  In June 2009 we 
met all such conditions and extended the maturity.  In conjunction with the amendment, we reduced the principal 
amount outstanding to $70 million by delivering to the lender (i) warrants valued as being equivalent to 2,500,000 
common shares, or $4,071,429, and (ii) cash of $12,765,244.  The warrants represent the right to purchase 2,500,000 
CPS common shares at a nominal exercise price, at any time prior to July 10, 2018.  In May 2010, we extended the 
maturity date from June 2010 to May 2011.  As of December 31, 2010 the aggregate indebtedness under this facility 
was $39.4 million.    

On  June  30,  2008,  we  entered  into  a  series  of  agreements  pursuant  to  which  an  affiliate  of  Levine  Leichtman 
Capital  Partners  purchased  a  $10  million  five-year,  fixed  rate,  senior  secured  note  from  us.    The  indebtedness  is 
secured by substantially all of our assets, though not by the assets of our special-purpose financing subsidiaries.  In 
July  2008,  in  conjunction  with  the  amendment  of  the  combination  term  and  revolving  residual  credit  facility  as 
discussed above, the lender purchased an additional $15 million note with substantially the same terms as the $10 
million note.  Pursuant to the June 30, 2008 securities purchase agreement, we issued to the lender 1,225,000 shares 
of common stock.  In addition, we issued the lender two warrants: (i) warrants that we refer to as the FMV Warrants, 
which are exercisable for 1,611,114 shares of our common stock, at an exercise price of $1.39818 per share, and (ii) 
warrants  that we  refer  to  as the  N Warrants,  which  are  exercisable  for 285,781 shares  of our  common stock,  at  a 
nominal exercise price. Both the FMV Warrants and the N Warrants are exercisable in whole or in part and at any 
time  up  to  and  including  June  30,  2018.    We  valued  the  warrants  using  the  Black-Scholes  valuation  model  and 
recorded their value as a liability on our balance sheet because the terms of the warrants also included a provision 
whereby  the  lender  could  require  us  to  purchase  the  warrants  for  cash.  That  provision  was  eliminated  by  mutual 
agreement  in  September  2008.    The  FMV  Warrants  were  initially  exercisable  to  purchase  1,500,000  shares  for 

F-32 

 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

$2.573 per share, were adjusted in connection with the July 2008 issuance of other warrants to become exercisable 
to  purchase  1,564,324  shares  at  $2.4672  per  share,  and  were  further  adjusted  in  connection  with  a  July  2009 
amendment of our option plan to become exercisable at $1.44 per share.  Upon issuance in September 2009 of the 
Fortress Warrant, the FMV Warrant was further adjusted to become exercisable to purchase 1,600,991 shares at an 
exercise price of $1.407 per share.  Upon issuance in March 2010 of the Page Five Warrant, the FMV Warrant was 
further adjusted to become exercisable to purchase 1,611,114 shares at an exercise price of $1.39818 per share.  In 
November 2009 we entered into an additional agreement with this lender whereby they purchased an additional $5 
million  note.    The  note  accrued  interest  at  15.0%  and  was  repaid  in  December  2010  at  which  time  the  lender 
purchased  a  new  $27.8  million  note  under  substantially  the  same  terms  as  the  $10  million  and  $15  million  notes 
already outstanding.  The $27.8 million note accrues interest at 16.0% and matures in December 2013.  Concurrent 
with the issuance of the $27.8 million note, the terms of the $10 and $15 million notes were amended to change their 
maturity  dates  to  December  2013.    In  conjunction  with  the  issuance  of  the  $27.8  million  note,  we  issued  to  the 
lender 880,000 shares of common stock and 1,870 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock.  Each share of the 
Series  B  convertible  preferred  stock  may  become  exchangeable  for  1,000  shares  of  our  common  stock,  upon 
shareholder approval of such exchange, but not without shareholder approval.  At the time of issuance, the value of 
the common stock and Series B preferred stock was $753,000 and $1.6 million, respectively.   

The  acquisition  of  automobile  contracts  for  subsequent  sale  in  securitization  transactions,  and  the  need  to  fund 
spread  accounts  and  initial  overcollateralization,  if  any,  and  increase  credit  enhancement  levels  when  those 
transactions  take  place,  results  in  a  continuing  need  for  capital.  The  amount  of  capital  required  is  most  heavily 
dependent  on  the  rate  of  our  automobile  contract  purchases,  the  required  level  of  initial  credit  enhancement  in 
securitizations,  and  the  extent  to  which  the  previously  established  trusts  and  their  related  spread  accounts  either 
release  cash  to  us  or  capture  cash  from  collections  on  securitized  automobile  contracts.  Of  those,  the  factor  most 
subject to our control is the rate at which we purchase automobile contracts.  

We are and may in the future be limited in our ability to purchase automobile contracts due to limits on our capital.  
As  of  December  31,  2010,  we  had  unrestricted  cash  of  $16.3  million.    We  had  $4.4  million  available  under  our 
Fortress  facility  and  $100  million  available  under  the  Goldman  facility  (in  both  facilities  advances  are  subject  to 
available  eligible  collateral).    As  stated  above,  we  established  a  second  $100  million  revolving  credit  facility  in 
February  2011.    In  September  2010  we  completed  a  securitization  of  previously  securitized  receivables,  and  we 
intend to complete securitizations regularly beginning in 2011, although there can be no assurance that we will be 
able  to  so.    Our plans  to  manage our  liquidity  include  maintaining  our rate  of  automobile  contract  purchases  at a 
level that matches our available capital, and, wherever appropriate, reducing our operating costs.  If we are unable to 
complete  such  securitizations,  we  may  be  unable  to  increase  our  rate  of  automobile  contract  purchases,  in  which 
case our interest income and other portfolio related income would decrease. 

Our liquidity will also be affected by releases of cash from the trusts established with our securitizations.  While 
the  specific  terms  and  mechanics  of  each  spread  account  vary  among  transactions,  our  securitization  agreements 
generally  provide  that  we  will  receive  excess  cash  flows,  if  any,  only  if  the  amount  of  credit  enhancement  has 
reached specified levels and/or the delinquency, defaults or net losses related to the automobile contracts in the pool 
are below certain predetermined levels. In the event delinquencies, defaults or net losses on the automobile contracts 
exceed such levels, the terms of the securitization: (i) may require increased credit enhancement to be accumulated 
for the particular pool; (ii) may restrict the distribution to us of excess cash flows associated with other pools; or (iii) 
in certain circumstances, may permit the insurers to require the transfer of servicing on some or all of the automobile 
contracts  to  another  servicer.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  collections  from  the  related  trusts  will  continue  to 
generate sufficient cash.   Moreover, most of our spread account balances are pledged as collateral to our residual 
interest financing.  As such, most of the current releases of cash from our securitization trusts are directed to pay the 
obligations of our residual interest financing. 

Certain of our securitization transactions, our warehouse credit facilities and our residual interest financing contain 
various  financial  covenants  requiring  certain  minimum  financial  ratios  and  results.  Such  covenants  include 
maintaining minimum levels of liquidity and net worth and not exceeding maximum leverage levels and maximum 
financial  losses.  In  addition,  certain  securitization  and  non-securitization  related  debt  contain  cross-default 
provisions that would allow certain creditors to declare a default if a default occurred under a different facility.  

The  agreements  under  which  we  receive  periodic  fees  for  servicing  automobile  contracts  in  securitizations  are 
terminable by the respective insurance companies upon defined events of default, and, in some cases, at the will of 
the insurance company.  We have received waivers regarding the potential breach of certain such covenants relating 

F-33 

 
CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

to  minimum  net  worth,  financial  loss  in  any  one  period  and  maintenance  of  active  warehouse  credit  facilities.  
Without  such  waivers,  certain  credit  enhancement  providers  would  have  had  the  right  to  terminate  us  as  servicer 
with respect to certain of our outstanding securitization pools.  Although such rights have been waived, such waivers 
are  temporary,  and  there  can  be  no  assurance  as  to  their  future  extension.  We  do,  however,  believe  that  we  will 
obtain such future extensions because it is generally not in the interest of any party to the securitization transaction 
to  transfer  servicing.    Nevertheless,  there  can  be  no  assurance  as  to  our  belief  being  correct.    Were  an  insurance 
company in the future to exercise its option to terminate such agreements, such a termination could have a material 
adverse  effect  on  our  liquidity  and  results  of  operations,  depending  on  the  number  and  value  of  the  terminated 
agreements. Our note insurers continue to extend our term as servicer on a monthly and/or quarterly basis, pursuant 
to the servicing agreements. 

The  agreements  for  our  residual  interest  financing,  revolving  credit  facility  and  term  funding  facility  include 
financial  covenants  which,  if  breached,  would  be  an  event  of  default.    We  have  entered  into  an  amendment  that 
avoided  the  potential  breach  of  a  minimum  net  worth  covenant  on  the  revolving  credit  facility.    Without  such 
amendment, the lender could have, among other things, ceased providing funding to us for new contract purchases, 
terminated us as servicer of the pledged receivables and sold the pledged contracts to satisfy the debt.   

Our  plan  for  future  operations  and  meeting  the  obligations  of  our  financing  arrangements  includes  returning  to 
profitability by gradually increasing the amount of our contract purchases with the goal of increasing the balance of 
our outstanding managed portfolio.  Our plans also include financing future contract purchases with credit facilities 
and term securitizations that offer a lower overall cost of funds compared to the facilities we used in 2009 and 2010.  
To illustrate, in the last six months of 2009 we purchased $6.1 million in contracts and our sole credit facility had a 
minimum  interest rate of 14.00% per annum.  By comparison, in 2010, we purchased $113.0 million in contracts 
and,  in  March  2010,  entered  into  the  $50  million  term  funding  facility  which  has  an  interest  rate  of  11.00%  per 
annum and the ability to decrease such rate to 9.00% per annum if certain conditions are met.  In December 2010 we 
entered into a $100 million credit facility with an interest rate of one-month LIBOR plus 5.00% per annum, with a 
minimum  rate  of  6.5%  per  annum  and  in  February  2011,  we  added  another  $100  million  credit  facility  with  an 
interest rate of one-month LIBOR plus 6.00% per annum.    

Moreover, the weighted average effective coupon of our September 2010 term securitization was 3.21% and did 
not include a financial guaranty policy.  This transaction demonstrates our ability to access the lower cost of funds 
available  in  the  current  market  environment  without  the  financial  guaranties  we  historically  incorporated  into  our 
term securitization structures.  We expect to complete one or more term securitizations in 2011.  In addition, less 
competition  in  the  auto  financing  marketplace  has  resulted  in  better  terms  for  our  recent  contract  purchases 
compared to prior years. For the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, the average acquisition fee we 
charged per automobile contract purchased under our CPS programs was $1,382, $1,508 and $592, respectively, or 
9.2%, 11.7%, and 3.9%, respectively, of the amount financed.  Similarly, the weighted average annual percentage 
rate of interest payable by our customers on newly purchased contracts has increased significantly: to 20.05% for 
2010 from 19.9%, and 18.5% in 2009 and 2008, respectively. 

We  have  and  will  continue  to  have  a  substantial  amount  of  indebtedness.  At  December  31,  2010,  we  had 
approximately $717.9 million of debt outstanding. Such debt consisted primarily of $567.7 million of securitization 
trust debt, and also included $45.6 million of a warehouse line of credit, $39.4 million of residual interest financing, 
$44.9  million  of  senior  secured  related  party  debt  and  $20.3  million  owed  in  subordinated  notes.    We  are  also 
currently  offering  the  subordinated  notes  to  the  public  on  a  continuous  basis,  and  such  notes  have  maturities  that 
range from three months to 10 years.  The residual interest financing facility matures in May 2011 and we are in 
discussions  with  the  lender  regarding  the  extension  or  restructuring  of  the  facility,  as  to  which  there  can  be  no 
assurance.   

Our recent operating results include net losses of $33.8 million and $57.2 million in 2010 and 2009, respectively.  
We believe that our results have been materially and adversely affected by the disruption in the capital markets that 
began in the fourth quarter of 2007, by the recession that began in December 2007, and by related high levels of 
unemployment.  Our ability to repay or refinance maturing debt may be adversely affected by prospective lenders’ 
consideration of our recent operating losses.   

Although we believe we are able to service and repay our debt, there is no assurance that we will be able to do so. 
If  our  plans  for  future  operations  do  not  generate  sufficient  cash  flows  and  operating  profits,  our  ability  to  make 
required payments on our debt would be impaired.  Failure to pay our indebtedness when due could have a material 
adverse effect and may require us to issue additional debt or equity securities. 

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