Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect the application of certain significant accounting policies as described below and elsewhere in these Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Principles of Consolidation The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, TechTarget Securities Corporation (“TSC”), TechTarget Limited, TechTarget (HK) Limited (“TTGT HK”), TechTarget (Beijing) Information Technology Consulting Co. Ltd. (“TTGT Consulting”), TechTarget (Australia) Pty Ltd., TechTarget (Singapore) Pte Ltd., E-Magine Médias SAS (“LeMagIT”) and TechTarget Germany GmbH. TSC is a Massachusetts corporation. TechTarget Limited is a subsidiary doing business principally in the United Kingdom. TTGT HK is a subsidiary incorporated in Hong Kong in order to facilitate the Company’s activities in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, TTGT HK and TTGT Consulting, the Company effectively controls a variable interest entity (“VIE”), Keji Wangtuo Information Technology Co., Ltd., (“KWIT”), which was incorporated under the laws of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). TechTarget (Australia) Pty Ltd. and TechTarget (Singapore) Pte Ltd. are the entities through which the Company does business in Australia and Singapore, respectively; LeMagIT and TechTarget Germany GmbH, both wholly-owned subsidiaries of TechTarget Limited, are entities through which the Company does business in France and Germany, respectively. Bitpipe, Inc., previously a wholly-owned subsidiary, was merged into TechTarget, Inc. in the second quarter of 2016. PRC laws and regulations prohibit or restrict foreign ownership of Internet-related services and advertising businesses. To comply with these foreign ownership restrictions, the Company operates its websites and provides online advertising services in the PRC through KWIT. The Company entered into certain exclusive agreements with KWIT and its shareholders through TTGT HK, which obligated TTGT HK to absorb all of the risk of loss from KWIT’s activities and entitled TTGT HK to receive all of its residual returns. In addition, the Company entered into certain agreements with the authorized parties through TTGT HK, including Management and Consulting Services, Voting Proxy, Equity Pledge and Option Agreements. TTGT HK assigned all of its rights and obligations to the newly formed wholly foreign-owned enterprise (“WFOE”), TTGT Consulting. TTGT Consulting is established and existing under the laws of the PRC, and is wholly-owned by TTGT HK. Based on these contractual arrangements, the Company consolidates the financial results of KWIT as required by Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810-10, Consolidation: Overall, because the Company holds all the variable interests of KWIT through TTGT Consulting, which is the primary beneficiary of KWIT. Despite the lack of technical majority ownership, there exists a parent-subsidiary relationship between the Company and the VIE through the aforementioned agreements, whereby the equity holders of KWIT assigned all of their voting rights underlying their equity interest in KWIT to TTGT Consulting. In addition, through the other aforementioned agreements, the Company demonstrates its ability and intention to continue to exercise the ability to obtain substantially all of the profits and absorb all of the expected losses of KWIT. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions between the Company, its subsidiaries, and KWIT have been eliminated in consolidation. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or “ ” “U.S.” Reclassifications The adoption of a recent accounting pronouncement, described in more detail in the Accounting Guidance Adopted in 2017 section below, resulted in an in immaterial adjustment to the Accumulated Deficit in the prior period Consolidated Balance Sheet and an immaterial reclassification between Operating Activities and Financing Activities in the prior period Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. There was no effect on the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to revenues, long-lived assets, goodwill, the allowance for doubtful accounts, stock-based compensation, earnouts, self-insurance accruals, and income taxes. Estimates of the carrying value of certain assets and liabilities are based on historical experience and on various other assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Revenue Recognition The Company generates substantially all of its revenues from the sale of targeted marketing and advertising campaigns, which are delivered via its network of websites, data analytics solutions, and, historically, events. In all cases, revenues are recognized only when the price is fixed or determinable, persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the service is performed, and collectability of the resulting receivable is reasonably assured. The majority of the Company’s online media sales involve multiple service and product offerings, which are described in more detail below. Because neither vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value nor third-party evidence of fair value exists for all elements in the Company’s bundled product offerings, the Company uses an estimated selling price which represents management's best estimate of the stand-alone selling price for each deliverable in an arrangement. The Company establishes best estimates considering multiple factors including, but not limited to, class of client, size of transaction, available media inventory, pricing strategies and market conditions. The Company believes the use of the best estimate of selling price allows revenue recognition in a manner consistent with the underlying economics of the transaction. The Company uses the relative selling price method to allocate consideration at the inception of the arrangement to each deliverable in a multiple element arrangement. The relative selling price method allocates any discount in the arrangement proportionately to each deliverable on the basis of the deliverable's best estimated selling price. Revenues are then recognized as delivery occurs. The Company typically offers standard 30 day cancellation terms under its agreements. The Company evaluates all deliverables of an arrangement at inception and each time an item is delivered, to determine whether they represent separate units of accounting. Based on this evaluation, the arrangement consideration is measured and allocated to each of these elements. Additionally, the Company offers sales incentives to certain customers, primarily in the form of volume rebates, which are classified as a reduction of revenues and are calculated based on the terms of the specific customer’s contract. The Company accrues for these sales incentives based on contractual terms and historical experience. Online Offerings IT Deal Alert™. This suite of products and services includes IT Deal Alert: Qualified Sales Opportunities™, which profiles specific in-progress purchase projects, IT Deal Alert: Priority Engine™, which is a subscription service powered by the Company’s Activity Intelligence™ platform that integrates into salesforce.com and delivers information to allow marketers and sales personnel to identify those accounts who are actively researching new technology purchases, IT Deal Alert: Deal Data™, which is a customized solution aimed at sales intelligence and data scientist functions that makes the Company’s Activity Intelligence data directly consumable by the customer’s internal applications, and IT Deal Alert: TechTarget Research™, which is a subscription product that sources proprietary information about purchase transactions from IT professionals who are making and have recently completed these purchases. Qualified Sales Opportunities revenues are recognized when the Qualified Sales Opportunity is delivered to the Company’s customer, Priority Engine revenues are recognized ratably over the duration of the service, Deal Data revenues are recognized upon delivery of the data to the Company’s customer, and TechTarget Research revenues are recognized when the report is delivered. Core Online. The Company’s core online offerings enable its customers to reach and influence prospective buyers through content marketing programs designed to generate demand for their solutions, and through display advertising and other brand programs that influence consideration by prospective buyers. Demand Solutions. As part of its demand solutions campaign offerings, the Company may guarantee a minimum number of sales leads to be delivered over the course of the campaign. The Company determines the content necessary to achieve performance guarantees. Scheduled end dates of campaigns sometimes need to be extended, pursuant to the terms of the arrangement, to satisfy lead guarantees. The Company estimates a revenue reserve necessary to adjust revenue recognition for extended campaigns. These estimates are based on the Company’s experience in managing and fulfilling these offerings. The customer generally has cancellation privileges which normally require advance notice by the customer and require proportional payment by the customer for the portion of the campaign services provided by the Company. The Company recognizes revenues on duration-based campaigns ratably over the duration of the campaigns, which is usually less than six months and recognizes revenues on contracts where pricing is based on cost per lead during the period in which leads are delivered to its customers. Brand Solutions. Brand solutions consist mostly of banner revenue, which is recognized in the period in which the banner impressions, engagements or clicks occur and microsite revenue, which is recognized over the period during which the microsites are live. Custom Content Creation. Custom content revenues are recognized when the creation is completed and delivered to the customer. Other. Includes list rental revenue, which is recognized in the period in which the Company delivers the customer’s content to a list of the Company’s registered members, and revenues from third-party revenue sharing arrangements, which is primarily recognized on a net basis in the period in which the services are performed . Events Revenues from vendor-sponsored events, whether sponsored exclusively by a single vendor or in a multi-vendor sponsored event, are recognized upon completion of the event in the period the event occurs. Historically, the majority of the Company’s events were free to qualified attendees and certain events were based on a paid attendee model, but the Company announced on February 14, 2017 that it will be phasing out its events products. The Company recognizes revenues for paid attendee events upon completion of the events. Amounts collected or billed prior to satisfying the above revenue recognition criteria are recorded as deferred revenue. The Company excludes from its deferred revenue and accounts receivable balances amounts for which it has billed in advance prior to the start of a campaign or the delivery of services. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and long-term debt. With the exception of long-term debt, the carrying value of these instruments approximates their estimated fair values due to their short-term nature and liquidity. See Note 3 for further information on the fair value of the Company’s investments. The Company classifies all of its short-term and long-term investments as available-for-sale. Amounts outstanding under the Company’s long-term debt are subject to variable rates of interest based on market rates, and as such, the Company believes the carrying amount of these obligations approximates fair value. Long-lived Assets, Goodwill and Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets Long-lived assets consist primarily of property and equipment, capitalized software, goodwill and other intangible assets. The Company reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment and finite intangible assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Conditions that would trigger an impairment assessment include, but are not limited to, a significant adverse change in legal factors or business climate that could affect the value of an asset or an adverse action or a significant decrease in the market price. A specifically identified intangible asset must be recorded as a separate asset from goodwill if either of the following two criteria is met: (1) the intangible asset acquired arises from contractual or other legal rights; or (2) the intangible asset is separable. Accordingly, intangible assets consist of specifically identified intangible assets. Goodwill is the excess of any purchase price over the estimated fair value of net tangible and intangible assets acquired. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized but are reviewed annually for impairment or more frequently if impairment indicators arise. Separable intangible assets that are not deemed to have an indefinite life are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which range from five to ten years, using methods of amortization that are expected to reflect the estimated pattern of economic use, and are reviewed for impairment when events or changes in circumstances suggest that the assets may not be recoverable. Consistent with the Company’s determination that it has only one reporting segment, it has been determined that there is a single reporting unit and goodwill is therefore tested for impairment at the entity level. The Company performs its annual test of impairment of goodwill as of December 31st of each year and whenever events or changes in circumstances suggest that the carrying amount may not be recoverable using the two step process required by ASC 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (“ASC 350”). The first step of the impairment test is to identify potential impairment by comparing the reporting unit’s fair value with its net book value (or carrying amount), including goodwill. The fair value is estimated based on a market value approach. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, the reporting unit’s goodwill is not considered to be impaired and the second step of the impairment test is not performed. Whenever indicators of impairment become present, the Company would perform the second step and compare the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill, as defined by ASC 350, to its carrying value to determine the amount of the impairment loss, if any. As of December 31, 2016, there were no indications of impairment based on the step one analysis, and the Company’s estimated fair value exceeded its goodwill carrying value by a significant margin. There were no indications of impairment as of March 31, 2017. Based on the aforementioned evaluation, the Company believes that, as of the balance sheet dates presented, none of the Company’s goodwill or other long-lived assets were impaired. The Company did not have any intangible assets with indefinite lives as of March 31, 2017 or December 31, 2016. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company reduces gross trade accounts receivable for an allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in its existing accounts receivable. The allowance for doubtful accounts is reviewed on a regular basis, and all past due balances are reviewed individually for collectability. Account balances are charged against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. Provisions for doubtful accounts are recorded in general and administrative expense. Property and Equipment and Other Capitalized Assets Property and equipment and other capitalized assets are stated at cost. Property and equipment acquired through acquisitions of businesses are initially recorded at fair value. Depreciation is calculated on the straight-line method based on the month the asset is placed in service. Internal-Use Software and Website Development Costs The Company capitalizes costs incurred during the development of its website applications and infrastructure as well as certain costs relating to internal-use software. The estimated useful life of costs capitalized is evaluated for each specific project. Capitalized internal-use software and website development costs are reviewed for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized only if the carrying amount of the asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. The Company capitalized internal-use software and website development costs of $0.8 million and $0.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Income Taxes The Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on temporary differences between the financial reporting and income tax bases of assets and liabilities using statutory rates. A valuation allowance is established against net deferred tax assets if, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company records a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return using a “more likely than not” threshold as required by the provisions of ASC 740-10, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if any, in income tax expense. Stock-Based Compensation The Company has two stock-based employee compensation plans which are more fully described in Note 9. Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income using the straight-line method over the vesting period of the award. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the fair value of stock option awards. Comprehensive Income Comprehensive income includes all changes in equity during a period, except those resulting from investments by stockholders and distributions to stockholders. The Company's comprehensive income includes changes in the fair value of the Company’s unrealized gains on available for sale securities and foreign currency translation adjustments. There were no reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income in the periods ended March 31, 2017 or 2016. Foreign Currency The functional currency for each of the Company’s subsidiaries is the local currency of the country in which it is incorporated. All assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the exchange rate in effect on the balance sheet date or at a historical rate. Revenues and expenses are translated at average exchange rates. Translation gains or losses are recorded in stockholders’ equity as an element of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Net Loss Per Share Basic earnings per share is computed based on the weighted average number of common shares and vested restricted stock awards outstanding during the period. Because the holders of unvested restricted stock awards do not have nonforfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, the Company does not consider these awards to be participating securities that should be included in its computation of earnings per share under the two-class method. Diluted earnings per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and vested, undelivered restricted stock awards outstanding during the period, plus the dilutive effect of potential future issuances of common stock relating to stock option and restricted stock award programs using the treasury stock method. In calculating diluted earnings per share, the dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock awards is computed using the average market price for the respective period. In addition, the assumed proceeds under the treasury stock method include the average unrecognized compensation expense of stock options and restricted stock awards that are in-the-money. This results in the “assumed” buyback of additional shares, thereby reducing the dilutive impact of stock options and restricted stock awards. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Accounting Guidance Adopted in 2017 In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”). The updated guidance changes how companies account for certain aspects of share-based payment awards to employees, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the provisions of the new standard on January 1, 2017. Implementing the new pronouncement resulted in the Company recognizing tax benefits and tax deficiencies related to stock compensation deductions as a component of the provision for income tax expense in the reporting period in which they occur. Additionally, the Company has applied the modified retrospective adoption approach, which resulted in the Company recording deferred tax assets of approximately $0.2 million with an offsetting entry to retained earnings. ASU 2016-09 also requires the presentation of excess tax benefit from stock options as an operating activity on the consolidated statement of cash flows instead of as a financing activity, which resulted in an immaterial reclassification in the consolidated statement of cash flows for the first quarter of 2016. Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09”), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. ASU 2014-09 is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date (“ASU 2015-14”). The amendments in ASU 2015-14 defer the effective date of ASU 2014-09 for all entities by one year. As a result, this guidance is now effective for annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2017 (January 1, 2018 for the Company) and early adoption is permitted only as of annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those reporting periods) beginning after December 15, 2016. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, , which further clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations contained in ASU 2014-09. In April and May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, , and ASU 2016-12, Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, respectively, each of which provide further implementation guidance for ASU 2014-09. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 establishes a right-of-use (“ROU”) model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for lessees for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. However, the Company anticipates that this standard will have a material impact on its financial position, primarily due to office space operating leases, for which the company will be required to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on its Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company will continue to assess the potential impacts of this standard, including the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on its results of operations or cash flows, if any. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350), Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2017-04"). ASU 2017-04 eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge (step 2 of the goodwill impairment test) and instead requires only a one-step quantitative impairment test, performed by comparing the fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount. ASU 2017-04 is effective on a prospective basis effective for goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. |