Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Fee Revenue

v3.20.2
Fee Revenue
12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2020
Revenue From Contract With Customer [Abstract]  
Fee Revenue

 

7. Fee Revenue

Contract Balances

A contract asset (unbilled receivables) is recorded when the Company transfers control of products or services before there is an unconditional right to payment. A contract liability (deferred revenue) is recorded when cash is received in advance of performance of the obligation. Deferred revenue represents the future performance obligations to transfer control of products or services for which we have already received consideration. Deferred revenue is presented in other accrued liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet.

The following table outlines our contract asset and liability balances as of April 30, 2020 and 2019:

 

 

April 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Contract assets-unbilled receivables

 

$

65,370

 

 

$

60,595

 

Contract liabilities-deferred revenue

 

$

133,128

 

 

$

112,999

 

 

During the year ended April 30, 2020 and 2019, we recognized revenue of $94.1 million and $97.0 million, respectively, that were included in the contract liabilities balance at the beginning of the period.

Performance Obligations

The Company has elected to apply the practical expedient to exclude the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with a duration of one year or less, which applies to all executive search and professional search fee revenue. As of April 30, 2020, the aggregate transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied for contracts with an expected duration of greater than one year at inception was $608.5 million. Of the $608.5 million of remaining performance obligations, we expect to recognize approximately $307.7 million in fiscal 2021, $158.6 million in fiscal 2022, $77.3 million in fiscal 2023 and the remaining $64.9 million in fiscal 2024 and thereafter. However, this amount should not be considered an indication of the Company’s future revenue as contracts with an initial term of one year or less are not included. Further, our contract terms and conditions allow for clients to increase or decrease the scope of services and such changes do not increase or decrease a performance obligation until the Company has an enforceable right to payment.

Disaggregation of Revenue

The Company disaggregates its revenue by line of business and further by region for Executive Search. This information is presented in Note 11—Segments.

The following table provides further disaggregation of fee revenue by industry:

 

 

 

Year Ended April 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

 

Dollars

 

 

%

 

 

Dollars

 

 

%

 

 

Dollars

 

 

%

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

Industrial

 

$

556,189

 

 

 

28.8

%

 

$

557,284

 

 

 

28.9

%

 

$

529,188

 

 

 

30.0

%

Life Sciences/Healthcare

 

 

343,955

 

 

 

17.8

 

 

 

322,574

 

 

 

16.7

 

 

 

295,300

 

 

 

16.7

 

Financial Services

 

 

334,433

 

 

 

17.3

 

 

 

348,460

 

 

 

18.1

 

 

 

306,216

 

 

 

17.3

 

Consumer Goods

 

 

285,927

 

 

 

14.8

 

 

 

295,900

 

 

 

15.4

 

 

 

277,904

 

 

 

15.7

 

Technology

 

 

285,562

 

 

 

14.8

 

 

 

261,176

 

 

 

13.6

 

 

 

226,004

 

 

 

12.8

 

Education/NonProfit/General

 

 

126,666

 

 

 

6.5

 

 

 

140,639

 

 

 

7.3

 

 

 

132,605

 

 

 

7.5

 

Fee Revenue

 

$

1,932,732

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

1,926,033

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

1,767,217

 

 

 

100.0

%