Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Segments - Financial Highlights by Operating Segment (Detail)

v3.20.2
Segments - Financial Highlights by Operating Segment (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Apr. 20, 2020
Apr. 30, 2020
Jan. 31, 2020
Oct. 31, 2019
Jul. 31, 2019
Apr. 30, 2019
Jan. 31, 2019
Oct. 31, 2018
Jul. 31, 2018
Apr. 30, 2020
Apr. 30, 2019
Apr. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   $ 1,977,330 $ 1,973,862 $ 1,819,519
Net income attributable to Korn Ferry   $ (802) $ 19,993 $ 42,804 $ 42,951 $ 50,264 $ 44,964 $ 46,034 $ (38,611) 104,946 102,651 133,779
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest                   2,071 2,145 2,118
Other loss (income), net                   2,879 (10,405) (11,416)
Interest expense, net                   22,184 16,891 13,832
Income tax provision                   43,945 29,544 70,133
Operating income (loss)   22,227 31,595 61,869 60,334 62,275 62,683 70,987 (55,119) 176,025 140,826 208,446
Depreciation and amortization                   55,311 46,489 48,588
Other income (loss), net                   (2,879) 10,405 11,416
EBITDA                   228,457 197,720 268,450
Integration/acquisition costs                   12,152 6,746 9,430
Tradename write-offs                     106,555  
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net $ 40,500                 58,559   78
Separation costs                   1,783    
Adjusted EBITDA                   300,951 311,021 277,958
Fee Revenue                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue   $ 440,469 $ 515,325 $ 492,389 $ 484,549 $ 490,756 $ 474,504 $ 495,205 $ 465,568 1,932,732 1,926,033 1,767,217
Operating Segments | Consulting                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   557,255 585,893 556,521
Operating income (loss)                   17,695 (34,115) 22,408
Depreciation and amortization                   17,567 16,172 18,954
Other income (loss), net                   1,326 2,203 2,127
EBITDA                   36,588 (15,740) 43,489
Integration/acquisition costs                     5,304 7,724
Tradename write-offs                     76,967  
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   24,504   (122)
Adjusted EBITDA                   61,092 66,531 51,091
Operating Segments | Digital                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   294,261 252,727 244,484
Operating income (loss)                   46,909 39,732 78,127
Depreciation and amortization                   19,261 12,885 12,573
Other income (loss), net                   485 995 374
EBITDA                   66,655 53,612 91,074
Integration/acquisition costs                   5,937 1,255 1,427
Tradename write-offs                     29,588  
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   10,481   (119)
Adjusted EBITDA                   83,073 84,455 92,382
Operating Segments | Executive Search                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   749,208 793,377 727,273
Operating income (loss)                   156,939 179,090 149,612
Depreciation and amortization                   7,658 6,982 7,482
Other income (loss), net                   (2,850) 7,734 1,864
EBITDA                   161,747 193,806 158,958
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   17,549   313
Separation costs                   1,783    
Adjusted EBITDA                   181,079 193,806 159,271
Operating Segments | Executive Search | North America                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   447,528 469,743 421,260
Operating income (loss)                   113,080 120,754 100,397
Depreciation and amortization                   3,452 3,890 3,930
Other income (loss), net                   (3,051) 6,699 1,142
EBITDA                   113,481 131,343 105,469
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   7,244    
Adjusted EBITDA                   120,725 131,343 105,469
Operating Segments | Executive Search | EMEA                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   172,978 186,131 177,234
Operating income (loss)                   21,085 29,974 26,768
Depreciation and amortization                   1,713 1,254 1,689
Other income (loss), net                   139 432 168
EBITDA                   22,937 31,660 28,625
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   6,347    
Separation costs                   1,783    
Adjusted EBITDA                   31,067 31,660 28,625
Operating Segments | Executive Search | Asia Pacific                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   99,209 105,543 98,062
Operating income (loss)                   17,914 24,364 18,425
Depreciation and amortization                   1,311 1,428 1,408
Other income (loss), net                   11 281 373
EBITDA                   19,236 26,073 20,206
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   3,649   313
Adjusted EBITDA                   22,885 26,073 20,519
Operating Segments | Executive Search | Latin America                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   29,493 31,960 30,717
Operating income (loss)                   4,860 3,998 4,022
Depreciation and amortization                   1,182 410 455
Other income (loss), net                   51 322 181
EBITDA                   6,093 4,730 4,658
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   309    
Adjusted EBITDA                   6,402 4,730 4,658
Operating Segments | RPO & Professional Search                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   376,606 341,865 291,241
Operating income (loss)                   50,438 50,884 39,396
Depreciation and amortization                   3,906 3,255 3,054
Other income (loss), net                   82 268 152
EBITDA                   54,426 54,407 42,602
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   5,742   6
Adjusted EBITDA                   60,168 54,407 42,608
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | Consulting                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   543,095 568,321 540,529
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | Digital                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   292,366 252,727 244,484
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | Executive Search                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   732,470 774,842 709,042
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | Executive Search | North America                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   434,624 455,826 408,098
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | Executive Search | EMEA                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   170,314 182,829 173,725
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | Executive Search | Asia Pacific                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   98,132 104,291 96,595
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | Executive Search | Latin America                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   29,400 31,896 30,624
Operating Segments | Fee Revenue | RPO & Professional Search                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Total revenue                   364,801 330,143 273,162
Corporate                        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                        
Operating income (loss)                   (95,956) (94,765) (81,097)
Depreciation and amortization                   6,919 7,195 6,525
Other income (loss), net                   (1,922) (795) 6,899
EBITDA                   (90,959) (88,365) (67,673)
Integration/acquisition costs                   6,215 187 279
Restructuring (recoveries) charges, net                   283    
Adjusted EBITDA                   $ (84,461) $ (88,178) $ (67,394)