Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.CCSI
Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. Revenue Disclosure
Revenues
The Company earns revenue from contracts with customers, primarily through the provision of cloud-based communication and digital signature solutions that allow customers to access the Company’s software without taking possession. The contracts include both recurring subscription and usage-based fees, and the total transaction price is allocated to performance obligations in each contract as appropriate. Revenue for cloud-based services is recognized over time in the period earned. The contracts may be terminated early. Fees collected in advance are non-refundable, and they are deferred and recognized in revenue when the related performance obligations are satisfied. Standard Corporate contracts billed monthly include a termination charge equal to the minimum fees payable through the last day of the contract term.
Revenues from external customers classified by revenue source are as follows (in thousands):
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Corporate | $ | 222,682 | $ | 209,112 | $ | 199,621 | |||||||||||
| Small office home office (“SoHo”) | 127,002 | 141,258 | 162,916 | ||||||||||||||
| Other | 12 | 12 | 25 | ||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | $ | 349,696 | $ | 350,382 | $ | 362,562 | |||||||||||
| Timing of revenue recognition | |||||||||||||||||
| Point in time | $ | 2,287 | $ | 1,064 | $ | 427 | |||||||||||
| Over time | 347,409 | 349,318 | 362,135 | ||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | $ | 349,696 | $ | 350,382 | $ | 362,562 | |||||||||||
The Company has recorded $20.1 million and $22.0 million of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, that was previously included in the deferred revenue balance as of the beginning of each respective year.
Performance Obligations
Generally, the Company’s contracts with customers include one performance obligation, however, certain contracts may include multiple performance obligations. For such arrangements, revenues are allocated to each performance obligation based on their relative standalone selling price.
The Company satisfies its performance obligations upon delivery of products or services to its customers. Payment terms vary by type and location of the Company’s customers and the products and services offered. The time between invoicing and when payment is due is not significant. Due to the nature of the services provided, there are no obligations for returns.
Significant Judgments
Determining whether products and services are considered distinct performance obligations may require significant judgment. When a contract includes both on-premises software licenses and cloud-based services, judgment is required to determine whether the software license is considered distinct and accounted for separately, or not distinct and accounted for together with the cloud-based service and recognized over time.
Judgment is also required to determine the standalone selling price for each distinct performance obligation when there are multiple performance obligations. In certain cases, the Company is able to establish the standalone selling price based on observable prices of products or services sold or priced separately in comparable circumstances to similar customers. The Company uses a range of amounts to estimate the standalone selling price when each of the products and services is sold separately to determine whether there is a discount to be allocated based on the relative standalone selling price of the various products and services.
Performance Obligations Satisfied Over Time
The Company’s business consists primarily of performance obligations that are satisfied over time based on the fact that the nature of the cloud-based services offered is subscription based where the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit of the services provided regardless of whether the customer uses the services or not. Depending on the individual contracts with the customer, revenue for these services is recognized over the contract period when services are provided. The Company expects to recognize revenue for Corporate contracts typically in a range from month-to-month up to 36 months and recognize revenue for SoHo contracts in a range from month-to-month up to one year. Revenue from usage-based fees is recognized in proportion to the amount for which the Company has the right to invoice for services performed, which corresponds with the utilization of the services by the customer.
The Company has concluded that the best measure of progress toward the complete satisfaction of the performance obligations over time is a time-based measure. The Company recognizes revenue on a straight-line basis throughout the subscription period and believes that the method used is a faithful depiction of the transfer of goods and services.
Practical Expedients
Existence of a Significant Financing Component in a Contract
As a practical expedient, the Company has not assessed whether a contract has a significant financing component because the Company expects at contract inception that the period between payment by the customer and the transfer of promised goods or services by the Company to the customer will be one year or less. In addition, the Company has determined that the payment terms the Company provides to its customers are structured primarily for reasons other than the provision of finance to the Company. The Company typically charges an upfront subscription amount for services, or an amount for usage in arrears, or a combination thereof, as other payment terms would affect the nature of the risk assumed by the Company due to the costs of the customer acquisition and the highly competitive and commoditized nature of the business the Company operates.
Costs to Obtain a Contract
The Company’s revenues are primarily generated from customer contracts that are for one year or less. Costs primarily consist of incentive compensation paid based on the achievements of sales targets in a given period for related revenue streams and are recognized in the month when the revenue is earned. Incentive compensation is paid upon the issuance or renewal of the
customer contract. As a practical expedient, for amortization periods that are determined to be one year or less, the Company expenses any incremental costs of obtaining the contract with a customer when incurred. For those customer contracts greater than one year, the Company capitalizes and amortizes the expenses, when appropriate, over the period of benefit.
Revenues Invoiced
The Company has applied the practical expedient for certain revenue streams to exclude the value of remaining performance obligations for (i) contracts with an original expected term of one year or less or (ii) contracts for which the Company recognizes revenue in proportion to the amount it has the right to invoice for services performed.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 13, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 20, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 28, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Mar 31, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Apr 15, 2022 | |
About Revenue Disclosures
Revenue disclosures under ASC 606 explain how a company identifies performance obligations, allocates transaction prices, and determines when revenue is recognized. This section is essential for understanding whether reported revenue reflects genuine economic activity or aggressive accounting choices. Analysts examine the mix of point-in-time versus over-time recognition, which directly affects revenue timing and comparability.
Key signals: rising contract liabilities (deferred revenue) suggest strong future revenue visibility, while declining contract assets may indicate slowing project milestones. Watch for variable consideration estimates — rebates, returns, and performance bonuses that require management judgment. Significant changes in disaggregated revenue by geography or product line can reveal shifting business mix before it appears in headline numbers. Compare revenue growth against contract liability growth to assess sustainability, and scrutinize any changes in the timing of recognition that coincide with earnings pressure.