Portfolio Recovery Associates Named One of Forbes' Best Small Companies in America

For the fifth consecutive year, Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRAA), a specialized financial services company and market leader in the consumer debt purchase and collection industry, has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s 100 Best Small Companies.

Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) is ranked 63rd among the top 100 small businesses in this year’s annual listing. PRA was previously named to the Forbes 100 list in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by Forbes as one of the 100 Best Small Companies in America,” said Steve Fredrickson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of PRA. “It’s an honor not only to be recognized as a leader within the consumer debt purchase and collection industry, but across all business sectors.”

Fredrickson added, “I’d like to thank all of our employees for their outstanding contributions to our company. They are each responsible for our continuing success, and are the reason PRA has once again been named to this prestigious list.”

Forbes‘ 100 Best Small Companies in America recognizes companies with significant sales and earnings growth. To be considered for the list, companies must have been publicly traded for at least one year and generate annual revenue between $5 million and $1 billion, with a stock price minimum of $5 per share. Forbes ranks the 100 Best Small Companies based upon two evaluations: a 12-month snapshot and a historical five-year review of earnings growth, sales growth and return on equity. The full list of this year’s recipients can be found in its entirety online at http://www.forbes.com/best-small-companies/list/.

Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRAA), a specialized financial services company, is a market leader in the consumer debt purchase and collection industry. The Company, which has purchased more than $56 billion of defaulted consumer debt since its inception, has operations in 10 states, approximately 25 million customer accounts and more than 2,500 employees. Portfolio Recovery Associates also provides a broad range of fee-based services through its subsidiaries: PRA Government Services, LLC; MuniServices, LLC; PRA Location Services, LLC; and Claims Compensation Bureau, LLC. Portfolio Recovery Associates has a longstanding culture of compliance, and for five consecutive years has been named to the Forbes 100 Best Small Companies in America annual rankings list (2007 – 2011).