NORFOLK, VA, Nov 04, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --

For the fourth consecutive year, Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRAA) is named among the 100 Best Small Companies in America, according to the prestigious annual rankings list sponsored by global business magazine, Forbes.

Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) is ranked 56 among the top 100 small businesses listed in the Nov. 8, 2010 edition of the publication. PRA was also named to the list in 2009, 2008 and 2007.

"We're thrilled to be recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the 100 Best Small Companies in America for the fourth year running," said Steve Fredrickson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of PRA. "This designation by one of the best, global business publications says that PRA is a company to be noted for its continued success."

The methodology Forbes uses for consideration includes: candidates that 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. Rankings are based on earnings growth, sales growth and return on equity in the past 12 months and over five years.

About Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. (PRA) is the parent of companies whose business revolves around the detection, collection, and processing of both unpaid and normal-course receivables originally owed to credit grantors, governments, retailers and others. PRA's primary business is the purchase, collection and management of portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables. These are the unpaid obligations of individuals to credit originators, which include banks, credit unions, consumer and auto finance companies, and retail merchants. Subsidiaries of PRA also provide fee-based services, including collateral-location services for credit originators via its IGS subsidiary, revenue administration, audit and debt discovery/recovery services for government entities through both its RDS and MuniServices businesses and class action claims recovery services and related payment processing through its CCB subsidiary.

Media Contact:
Tanya M. Madison
Vice President, Corporate Communications
tmmadison@portfoliorecovery.com
757-961-3525

SOURCE: Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc.

mailto:tmmadison@portfoliorecovery.com