| Summary of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies Description of Business Shutterstock (the “Company” or “Shutterstock”) is a global technology company offering a creative platform, which provides high-quality content, tools and services to creative professionals. The content licensed by the Company’s customers includes: • Images - consisting of photographs, vectors and illustrations. Images are typically used in visual communications, such as websites, digital and print marketing materials, corporate communications, books, publications and other similar uses. • Footage - consisting of video clips, premium footage filmed by industry experts and cinema grade video effects, available in HD and 4K formats. Footage is often integrated into websites, social media, marketing campaigns and cinematic productions. • Music - consisting of high-quality music tracks and sound effects, which are often used to complement images and footage. The Company licenses content to its customers. Contributors upload their content to the Company’s web properties in exchange for royalty payments based on customer download activity. The Company also offered digital asset management services through its cloud-based digital asset management platform (“Webdam”). As discussed in Note 4, on February 26, 2018, the Company completed a sale transaction, pursuant to which the buyer in the transaction acquired certain assets and assumed certain contracts and liabilities which constituted the Company’s digital asset management business (the “Sale of Webdam”). Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain immaterial changes in presentation have been made to conform the prior period presentation to current period reporting. Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Such estimates include, but are not limited to, the determination of the allowance for doubtful accounts, the volume of expected unused licenses for our subscription-based products, the assessment of recoverability of property and equipment, the fair value of acquired goodwill and intangible assets, the grant-date fair value of non-cash equity-based compensation, the assessment of recoverability of deferred tax assets, the measurement of income tax and contingent non-income tax liabilities and the determination of the incremental borrowing rate used to calculate the lease liability. Concentration of Risk Financial instruments that are exposed to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable balances. Cash and cash equivalents are held with financial institutions of high quality. Balances may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. The majority of the Company’s revenues are derived from customers who license content using electronic payments at the time of a transaction. The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily from enterprise customers who require invoicing. The Company performs initial and ongoing credit reviews on these customers, which involve consideration of the customers’ financial information, their location, and other factors to assess the customers’ ability to pay. The Company also performs ongoing financial condition evaluations for its existing customers. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , no single customer accounted for or exceeded 10% of accounts receivable. Additionally, no single customer accounted for or exceeded 10% of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 or 2017 . Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash The following represents the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in thousands): As of December 31, 2019 As of December 31, 2018 Cash and cash equivalents $ 303,261 $ 230,852 Restricted cash 2,613 2,613 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 305,874 $ 233,465 The Company’s cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of (i) cash on hand and bank deposits and (ii) money market accounts, which are stated at cost, which approximates fair value. The Company’s restricted cash relates to security deposits related to the lease for its headquarters in New York City, which expires in 2029 . The carrying value of restricted cash approximates fair value. Restricted cash is included as a component of other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Fair Value Measurements The Company records its financial assets and liabilities at fair value. Fair value is determined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the reporting date. Fair value is estimated by applying inputs which are classified into the following levels of a three-tier hierarchy as follows: Level 1 - quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2- inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3 - unobservable inputs in which little or no market activity exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions regarding what market participants would use in pricing. Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company’s accounts receivable consists of customer obligations due under normal trade terms, carried at their face value less an allowance for doubtful accounts, if required. The Company determines its allowance for doubtful accounts based on an evaluation of the aging of its accounts receivable and on a customer-by-customer basis where appropriate. The Company’s reserve analysis contemplates the Company’s historical loss rate on receivables, specific customer situations and the economic environments in which the Company operates. The following table presents the changes in the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Balance, beginning of period $ 4,697 $ 4,088 $ 5,495 Add: bad debt expense 84 1,175 1,292 Less: write-offs, net of recoveries and other adjustments (1,202 ) (566 ) (2,699 ) Balance, end of period $ 3,579 $ 4,697 $ 4,088 Chargeback and Sales Refund Allowance The Company establishes a chargeback allowance and sales refund reserve allowance based on factors surrounding historical credit card chargeback trends, historical sales refund trends and other information. As of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , the Company’s combined allowance for chargebacks and sales refunds was $0.3 million , which was included as a component of other current liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Generally, the useful lives are as follows: Equipment 3 years Furniture and fixtures 7 years Software 3 years Leasehold improvements Shorter of expected useful life or lease term Capitalized Internal Use Software The Company capitalizes the qualifying costs of computer software developed for internal use, which are incurred during the application development stage, and amortizes them over the software’s estimated useful life. Costs incurred in the preliminary and post-implementation stages of the Company’s products are expensed as incurred. The amounts capitalized include employee’s payroll and payroll-related costs directly associated with the development activities as well as external direct costs of services used in developing internal-use software. The Company’s policy is to amortize capitalized costs using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life, which is currently three years , beginning when the software is substantially complete and ready for its intended use. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets, inclusive of definite lived intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying value of an asset to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying value of an asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized in the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. Assets to be disposed of would be separately presented in the balance sheet and reported at the lower of the carrying value or the fair value less costs to sell, and are no longer depreciated. The assets and liabilities of a disposed group classified as held for sale would be presented separately in the appropriate asset and liability sections of the balance sheet. There were no long-lived asset impairment charges in 2019 , 2018 or 2017 . Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and intangible assets acquired in a business combination and determined to have an indefinite useful life are not amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually on October 1 of each fiscal year or more frequently if events occur or circumstances exist that indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit may be below its carrying value. In 2018, the Company’s goodwill balance was allocated to four reporting units: Bigstock, Editorial, Images and Music. During the second quarter of 2019, due to changes in the Company’s reporting structure, which resulted in a change in the way management monitors the business, as well as key milestones achieved in the continued integration of the Company’s operations and technology platform, management concluded that the Company now operates with a single reporting unit. The Company evaluated its goodwill immediately prior and subsequent to the change in reporting units and concluded that no adjustment to the carrying value of goodwill was necessary. The aggregate goodwill for the legacy reporting units was assigned to the single content business reporting unit. Since inception through December 31, 2019 , the Company has not had any goodwill or indefinite lived intangible asset impairment. Revenue Recognition The majority of the Company’s revenue is earned from the license of content. Content licenses are generally purchased on a monthly or annual subscription basis, whereby a customer pays for a predetermined quantity of content that may be downloaded over a specific period of time, or, on a transactional basis, whereby a customer pays for individual content licenses at the time of download. Prior to the Sale of Webdam, the Company also earned revenue from licensing hosted software services through Webdam’s cloud-based tools for businesses, which were purchased as part of a subscription. Prior to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09”) on January 1, 2018, and reflected in the reported revenue amounts for the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized revenue when all of the following basic criteria were met: there was persuasive evidence of an arrangement, performance or delivery of services had occurred, the sales price was fixed or determinable, and collectability was reasonably assured. The Company considered persuasive evidence of an arrangement to be an electronic order form, or a signed contract, which contained the fixed pricing terms. Performance or delivery for content licenses was considered to have occurred upon the download of the licensed content. Subscription revenue was recognized upon each download using an effective per-license rate and revenue associated with any unused licenses was recognized at the subscription expiration. Revenue attributable to the hosted software services was recognized ratably during the license subscription. Effective January 1, 2018, subsequent to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, the Company recognizes revenue upon the satisfaction of performance obligations, which occurs when (i) content is downloaded by a customer or (ii) hosted software services are provisioned and available to a customer. For content licenses, the Company recognizes revenue on both its subscription-based and transaction-based sales when content is downloaded, at which time the license is provided. In addition, management estimates expected unused licenses for subscription-based products and recognizes the revenue associated with the unused licenses throughout the subscription period. The estimate of unused licenses is based on historical download activity and future changes in the estimate could impact the timing of revenue recognition of the Company’s subscription products. Revenue associated with hosted software services is recognized ratably over the term of the license. ASU 2014-09 has resulted in a change in the timing of recognizing revenue on the Company’s content license subscription products. ASU 2014-09 did not impact revenue recognition on content licenses sold on a transactional basis or license revenue associated with hosted software services. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, the Company deferred certain acquisition costs that were then amortized over a period of less than one year. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company expenses contract acquisition costs as incurred, to the extent that the amortization period would otherwise be one year or less. Collectability is reasonably assured at the time the electronic order or contract is entered. The majority of the Company’s customers purchase products by making electronic payments at the time of the transaction with a credit card. Customer payments received in advance of revenue recognition are contract liabilities and are recorded as deferred revenue. Customers that do not pay in advance are invoiced and are required to make payments under standard credit terms. Collectability for customers who pay on credit terms allowing for payment beyond the date at which service commences, is based on a credit evaluation for certain new customers and transaction history with existing customers. The Company recognizes revenue gross of contributor royalties because the Company is the principal in the transaction as it is the party responsible for the performance obligation and it controls the product or service before transferring it to the customer. The Company also licenses content to customers through third-party resellers. Third-party resellers sell the Company’s products directly to customers as the principal in those transactions. Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue net of costs paid to resellers. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach, and prior period amounts were not restated. The effect of adoption of this guidance on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2018 was to reduce (i) prepaid expenses and other current assets by $3.7 million and (ii) deferred revenues by $9.9 million , with an offsetting $6.2 million increase in 2018 opening retained earnings. Cost of Revenue The Company’s cost of revenue includes contributor royalties, credit card processing fees, content reviewer expenses, hosting and bandwidth expenses, content personnel salaries, non-cash equity-based compensation, amortization of content and technology intangible assets, and depreciation of network equipment, which are the direct costs related to providing content and service to customers. Additionally, the Company includes an allocation of overhead costs primarily related to payroll, insurance, and facilities expenses based on headcount. Contributor Royalties and Internal Sales Commissions The Company expenses contributor royalties in the period a customer download occurs and includes the corresponding contributor royalties in cost of revenue. Contributor royalties are generally paid weekly or monthly. The Company advances certain contributor royalties which are initially deferred and expensed based on the contractual royalty rate at the time of customer download or when the Company determines future recovery is not probable. For the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Company deferred $8.4 million , $6.2 million and $4.7 million , respectively, in royalty advances and amortized $9.2 million , $6.1 million and $4.9 million , respectively, in royalty advance expense which is included in cost of revenue. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , the Company has deferred contributor royalties of $1.9 million and $2.6 million , respectively, which is included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Internal sales commissions are generally paid in the month following collection or invoicing of the commissioned receivable and is reported in sales and marketing expense. Effective January 1, 2018, upon the adoption of ASU 2014-09, the Company expenses contract acquisition costs, including internal sales commissions as incurred, to the extent that the amortization period would otherwise be one year or less. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, i nternal sales commissions were deferred and recognized over the expected future revenue stream which was generally up to 12 months . For the year ended December 31, 2017 , the Company deferred $5.5 million , and amortized $5.0 million , in internal sales commission expense which was included in sales and marketing expense on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Product Development The Company expenses product development costs as incurred, except for costs that are capitalized for certain internal software development projects. Product development costs are primarily comprised of development personnel salaries, non-cash equity-based compensation, equipment costs as well as allocated occupancy costs and related overhead. Advertising Costs The Company expenses the cost of advertising and promoting its products as incurred. Such costs totaled $102.3 million , $91.5 million and $76.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively, which are included in sales and marketing expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Leasing The Company records rent expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the related lease. Prior to the adoption of FASB ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) , as amended (“ASC 842”), the difference between the rent expense recognized and the actual payments made in accordance with the operating lease agreement was recognized as a deferred rent liability on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2018 , the Company had deferred rent of $11.3 million , which is included in other non-current liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 842. In accordance with ASC 842, the Company first determines if an arrangement contains a lease and the classification of that lease, if applicable, at inception. This standard requires the recognition of right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities for the Company’s operating leases. For contracts with lease and non-lease components, the Company has elected not to allocate the contract consideration, and to account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. The Company has also elected not to recognize a lease liability or ROU asset for leases with a term of 12 months or less, and recognize lease payments for those short-term leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Operating leases are included in ROU assets, other current liabilities and lease liabilities (net of current portion) on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments under the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. The implicit rate within the Company’s leases is generally not determinable and therefore the incremental borrowing rate at the lease commencement date is utilized to determine the present value of lease payments. The determination of the incremental borrowing rate requires judgment. Management determines the incremental borrowing rate for each lease using the Company’s estimated borrowing rate, adjusted for various factors including level of collateralization, term and currency to align with the terms of the lease. The ROU asset also includes any lease prepayments, offset by lease incentives. Certain of the Company’s leases include options to extend or terminate the lease. An option to extend the lease is considered in connection with determining the ROU asset and lease liability when the Company is reasonably certain that the option will be exercised. An option to terminate is considered unless the Company is reasonably certain the option will not be exercised. Equity-Based Compensation The Company measures and recognizes non-cash equity-based compensation expense for all stock-based awards granted to employees based on estimated fair values. The value portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as expense over the requisite service period. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur. For awards with a change of control condition, an evaluation is made at the grant date and future periods as to the likelihood of the condition being met. Compensation expense is adjusted in future periods for subsequent changes in the expected outcome of the change of control conditions until the vesting date. Compensation expense related to awards with a market condition is recognized ratably over the requisite service period regardless of the achievement of the market condition. Compensation expense related to awards with a performance condition is recognized ratably over the requisite service period based on the expected levels of achievement. To the extent that the expected levels of achievement change, stock-based compensation expense is adjusted and recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and the remaining unrecognized stock-based compensation is recognized over the remaining requisite service period. The Company uses the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant to determine the fair value of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) including performance-based restricted stock units (“PRSUs”). The Company uses the Black Scholes option pricing model, to determine the fair value of stock options on the date of grant. The Monte Carlo simulation model is used if the award has a market condition. All awards are granted pursuant to the 2012 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”), which is discussed further in Note 10, Equity-Based Compensation. The determination of the grant date fair value using an option-pricing model and simulation model requires judgment as well as assumptions regarding a number of other complex and subjective variables. These variables include the Company’s closing market price at the grant date, the expected stock price volatility over the expected term of the awards, awards’ exercise and cancellation behaviors, risk-free interest rates, and expected dividends, which are estimated as follows: • Fair Value of Common Stock. The grant date fair value for stock-based awards is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the NYSE on the date of grant and fair value for all other purposes related to stock-based awards shall be the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the NYSE on the relevant date. • Expected Term. The expected term is estimated using the simplified method allowed under Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) guidance. In certain cases for market based awards, the Company’s expected term is based on a combination of historical data and estimates of the period of time the award will be outstanding. • Volatility. The volatility is estimated based on historical price volatility of the Company’s common stock. • Risk-free Interest Rate. The risk-free interest rate is based on the yields of U.S. Treasury securities with maturities similar to the expected term of each award group. • Dividend Yield. The Company determines the dividend yield based on management’s expectations of future dividends. The Company used an expected dividend yield of zero for options granted through 2019. If any of the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes pricing model or Monte Carlo simulation model changes significantly, the fair value for future awards may differ materially compared with the awards granted previously. The awards granted pursuant to the 2012 Plan are subject to a time-based vesting requirement and certain award grants may also include market based or performance based vesting conditions. Stock option awards granted under the 2012 Plan vest over three or four years while the majority of the restricted stock units granted under the 2012 Plan vest over three years . Employee Benefit Plans The Company offers a 401(k) defined contribution plan and provides for discretionary employer matching contributions. All matching contributions are recognized as an expense in the Statement of Operations, as incurred. The Company recorded employer matching contributions of $3.7 million , $3.2 million and $1.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , respectively. Income Taxes The Company’s income tax expense includes U.S. (federal and state) and foreign income taxes. Deferred income tax balances reflect the effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax basis, and are stated at enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when taxes are actually paid or recovered. The Company accounts for unrecognized tax benefits using a more-likely-than-not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company establishes reserves for tax-related uncertainties based on estimates of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes may be due. The Company records an income tax liability for the difference, if any, between the benefit recognized and measured and the tax position taken or expected to be taken on the Company’s tax returns. To the extent that the assessment of such tax positions changes, the change in estimate is recorded in the period in which the determination is made. The reserves are adjusted in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the outcomes of tax audits or lapses in statutes of limitations. Any reserve for uncertain tax provisions and related penalties and interest is included in the income tax provision. The Company assessed the realizability of deferred tax assets and determined, based on the available evidence including a history of taxable income, estimates of future taxable income and planning strategies, that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized. The Company will continue to evaluate its ability to realize deferred tax assets on a quarterly basis. Significant management judgment is required in determining the provision for income taxes and deferred tax assets and liabilities. In the event that actual results differ from these estimates, the Company will adjust these estimates in future periods which may result in a change in the effective tax rate in a future period. Except as required under U.S. tax laws, the Company does not provide for U.S. taxes on the undistributed earnings and profits of its foreign subsidiaries. With the enactment of the TCJA, the Company is required to treat the undistributed earnings and profits of its foreign subsidiaries accumulated through a measurement period that should not extend more than one year beyond the date of the enactment of the TCJA as if they were repatriated to the U.S., and pay a current U.S. tax amount as a result of such “deemed” repatriation. The Company’s tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2017 included provisional amounts for such taxes. The Company has not recorded any provision for potential deferred U.S. income taxes or foreign withholding taxes that otherwise may be payable if it were to repatriate such earnings, since the Company does not intend to repatriate such amounts. In January 2018, the FASB released guidance on the accounting for tax on the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) provisions of the TCJA. The GILTI provisions impose a tax on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of foreign corporations. In the first quarter of 2018, the Company elected to treat any potential GILTI inclusions as a period cost. During 2017, the Company recorded provisional estimates for the accounting impacts of the TCJA, including the transition tax, deferred tax re-measurements, and other items, due to the uncertainty regarding how these provisions were to be implemented and additional anticipated forthcoming guidance. Management completed its analysis of the TCJA during 2018, and has not made any significant adjustments to estimates previously recorded. The Company continues to assess the impacts of the TCJA on future fiscal years and is monitoring the Internal Revenue Service guidance intended to interpret the provisions of the TCJA. Other Non-income Taxes The Company is subject to certain non-income taxes, including value added taxes, sales taxes and royalty withholding taxes. Where appropriate, the Company has made accruals for these taxes, which are reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. These accruals are subject to statute of limitations requirements and review by governmental authorities. Treasury Stock The Company accounts for treasury stock under the cost method and is included as a component of stockholders’ equity. Treasury stock held by the Company may be reissued in the future. The Company’s policy is to account for reissued shares as a reduction of Treasury stock on a first-in, first-out basis. Net Income Per Share Basic net income per share is computed by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Any potential issuance of common shares, including those that are contingent and do not participate in dividends, is excluded from weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Income available to common stockholders is computed by deducting income allocated to participating securities, if any, including unvested shares for the restricted award holder since these unvested shares have participating rights. Diluted net income per share is computed by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average common shares outstanding and all potential common shares, if they are dilutive. Reportable Segments For the year ended December 31, 2019 , the Company has identified one operating segment, which has also been determined to be the Company’s primary reportable business segment. Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise for which separate financial information is available and is evaluated regularly by the Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The non-reportable segment classified in the Other Category previously included the Company’s digital asset management operating segment, which fails to meet the quantitative or qualitative thresholds for separate segment reporting and was sold on February 26, 2018. Contingent Consideration The Company records a liability for contingent consideration at the date of a business combination and reassesses the fair value of the liability each period until it is settled. Upon settlement of these liabilities, the portion of the contingent consideration payment that is attributable to the initial amount recorded as part of the business combination is classified as a cash |
