“Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.” - Winston Churchill
By David Burton
Chief Executive Officer
As we approach the close of this year, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our exceptional team, valued clients, and trusted partners for contributing to another year of success at Jefferson Capital. This year has been transformative for our organization, marked by significant achievements that have strengthened our position in the receivables management industry. Some of our more notable accomplishments include:
- Conn’s and Badcock Bankruptcy Portfolio Purchase: We were named the stalking horse bidder in a Ch. 11 Bankruptcy proceeding for Conn’s Home Furnishings and Badcock Furniture, and then awarded the opportunity to invest approximately $360M in their performing and charged off portfolios.
- New Deployment Record: In 2024, we achieved a new record level of deployments, exceeding the previous record level we had achieved in 2023.
- Credit Facility Expansion: We successfully expanded our revolving credit facility by another $75M, after adding one of the top 15 largest banks in the world to our bank group for a total of $825M in 2024.
- New Bond Issuance: Earlier this year, we also issued our second corporate bond, raising an additional $400M for investments this past year.
Beyond these very visible and noteworthy accomplishments, I am equally proud of some of our lesser-known achievements. For one of our strengths, and an important secret to our success over each of the past 22 years, is our ability to quietly, confidently, and continuously identify opportunities to improve our operations. Some examples of our lesser-known achievements over the past year include:
- Performance Optimization: Through focused initiatives, we saw remarkable improvements in operational performance across our platforms and enhanced efficiencies.
- Reduced Cost to Collect: By refining our strategies in several key geographies, we continued to closely manage and reduce our cost to collect, reinforcing our commitment to delivering value to both our clients with enhanced pricing as well as our stakeholders.
- Diversified Sourcing Across Geographies: Our emphasis on diversified sourcing has been a cornerstone of our growth. By broadening our sourcing across our geographical reach, we not only mitigated risk but also unlocked new opportunities to benefit our portfolio.
- Digital Collections Enhancements: Recognizing the importance of innovation, we made concerted strides in continuing to enhance our digital collections capabilities. These advancements improved the consumer experience while also delivering measurable results for our company and clients.
As we look back on the year and celebrate our achievements, I’m reminded of the words of Winston Churchill that, “Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.”
None of our achievements over the past year came easy. If I’ve learned anything over the past 22 years it is that growth and profitability also often bring their own unique challenges and difficulties - whether it’s navigating new markets, improving processes, or developing innovative solutions. But those challenges also create opportunities for us to learn, adapt, and emerge stronger. This past year, we’ve once again embraced our challenges and turned them into significant achievements.
In closing, I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together this past year. None of this would be possible without the dedication, creativity, and resilience of our team. To our associates, I thank you for your tireless commitment to excellence. To our clients and partners, I thank you for placing your trust in Jefferson Capital—we are honored to serve you.
Wishing you and your families a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!