U.S. Debt Collections Industry Worth $15 Billion. Pandemic Did Not Hurt The Business

Marketdata LLC a leading independent market research publisher of “off-the-shelf” studies about service industries since 1979, has released a new 145-page report entitled: U.S. Debt Collection Agencies: An Industry Analysis. This 9^th edition best-selling study contains the latest survey highlights, facts, and forecasts from the: U.S. Census Bureau, FTC, Federal Reserve, IRS, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and more. According to Research Director, John LaRosa: “Debt collections is a tough business, but it can be lucrative. This industry is attractive to investors, but growth is constrained by federal and state regulations that make it harder to collect. Skilled collectors are in high demand, now aided by tools such as A.I”   Major Findings:

• Industry Size … Marketdata estimates that U.S. Collection Agency revenues grew just 2.7% to $14.99 billion in 2020 and were flat in 2021. From 2022 to 2025, we forecast moderate 2.8% average annual growth.
• The Covid-19 pandemic really didn’t affect the industry that much, since consumers cut spending, received stimulus payments and enhanced unemployment benefits, and had the cash to settle debts and respond to collectors’ requests. Debt buyers experienced a very positive environment.
• The Covid-19 pandemic really didn’t affect the industry that much, since consumers cut spending, received stimulus payments and enhanced unemployment benefits, and had the cash to settle debts and respond to collectors’ requests. Debt buyers experienced a very positive environment.
• The 50 largest companies in the industry capture 52% of total revenues, up from 46% in 2007. Single-unit operations capture about 35% of industry sales now, down from 45% in 2007.
• Competition is fierce, based on recovery rates and technology. Profitability has fallen for smaller competitors. The big are getting bigger, fueled by acquisitions and greater capability to harness artificial intelligence, as well as moving into international markets.
• Major industry trends include: consolidation, declining profits, the emergence of artificial intelligence in collections, outsourcing of business (to the IRS), increased compliance pressures (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act), shortage of skilled collectors, the growth of debt buying, and moving collections offshore.
• The industry still has a bad public relations image. The Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report that debt collection topped the list of consumer complaints in 2020, logging 82,700 of them, up 10% over 2019. Regulations hamper the recovery rate. Most complaints are related to attempts to collect debts not owed (phantom debt collectors). New CFPB rules took effect in Nov. 2021.
• Five large collection companies are estimated to have generated $3.5 billion in sales during 2021, a 6.8% increase over 2020 levels. This $3.5 billion represents 23.5% of total industry revenues.

  Only two of the five companies are public. Encore Capital and Portfolio Recovery Associates. The others are Transworld Systems, the Kaplan Group, and Alorica Global Solutions.   About The Report U.S. Debt Collection Agencies: An Industry Analysis, published in February 2022, is an independently researched study.  It contains 46 tables and is 145 pages long.  It costs $1,495, but is sold by individual chapters at lower cost.  A free brochure is available by mail, Fax, or email:  Contact:  Marketdata LLC, 7210 Wareham Drive, Tampa, FL 33647, or www.marketdataenterprises.com Marketdata studies are available via resellers such as: Profound (Dialog), Marketresearch.com and Marketsandmarkets.com How To Order This Report: Go to: Marketdataenterprises.com, Buy Reports Tab, in the list, choose report FS 9, add to cart. For a description of report contents, click on the title. For the $99 Overview summary, choose report OV9. For a detailed Table of Contents, see Services tab, choose Studies, scroll to find listing for the report. Click on View Table of Contents link. Or, contact Marketdata by email or phone and we’ll email a Pdf to you. Marketdata Enterprises, Inc. 7210 Wareham  Drive Tampa FL  33647 www.marketdataenterprises.com

Tags: revenues, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Debt Collection Agencies, Marketdata, Financial Protection Bureau