INTUIT INC.INTU
INTUIT INC. Revenue Disclosure
Revenue Recognition | ||
We derive our revenue primarily from the sale of online services such as tax, accounting, payroll, merchant payment processing services, delivery of qualified links, marketing automation, live expert advice, financing for small and mid-market businesses, and desktop software products, desktop software subscriptions, and financial supplies. We enter into contracts with customers that include promises to transfer various products and services, which are generally capable of being distinct and accounted for as separate performance obligations. Revenue is recognized when the promised goods or services are transferred to customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration allocated to the respective performance obligation.
Nature of Products and Services
Online Offerings
Our online offerings include TurboTax Online and TurboTax Live, ProConnect Tax Online, QuickBooks Online, Intuit Enterprise Suite, online payroll, and merchant payment processing services for small and mid-market businesses who use our online offerings. Our Mailchimp offerings include marketing automation.
These online offerings provide customers with the right to use the hosted software over the contract period without taking possession of the software and are billed on either a subscription or consumption basis. Revenue related to our online offerings that are billed on a subscription basis is recognized ratably over the contract period. Revenue related to online offerings that are billed on a consumption basis is recognized when the customer consumes the related service.
Desktop Offerings
Our desktop offerings consist of our subscription-based QuickBooks Desktop products, our consumer and professional tax desktop products, which include TurboTax, Lacerte and ProSeries, our desktop payroll products, and merchant payment processing services for small and mid-market businesses who use our desktop offerings.
Our QuickBooks Desktop software subscriptions include a term software license, version protection updates, when-and-if-available product upgrades and enhancements, support, and various connected services. We recognize revenue for the software license and version protection updates at the time they are delivered and recognize revenue for when-and-if-available product upgrades and enhancements, support, and connected services over the subscription term as services are provided. For subscriptions sold in fiscal 2024, periodic delivery of version protection updates occurred through the first quarter of fiscal 2025, and the associated revenue was recognized upon delivery as noted above. Beginning in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, product upgrades and enhancements are delivered on a when-and-if-available basis, and the associated revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term during which those product upgrades and enhancements are provided. Prior to fiscal 2025, we determined that the enhancements included in our QuickBooks Desktop software subscriptions were not material within the context of the contract.
Our consumer and professional tax desktop software products include an on-premise tax software license, related tax form updates, electronic filing service, and connected services. We recognize revenue for the software license and related tax form updates, as one performance obligation, over the period the forms and updates are delivered. We recognize revenue for our electronic filings service and connected services as services are provided.
We also sell some of our consumer tax desktop software products in non-consignment and consignment arrangements to certain retailers. For these retailers, we begin recognizing revenue when control has transferred to the retailer for non-consignment arrangements or to the customer for consignment arrangements.
Our desktop payroll products are sold as software subscriptions and include a term software license with a stand-ready obligation to maintain compliance with current payroll tax laws, support, and connected services. The term software license and stand-ready obligation to maintain compliance with current payroll tax laws is considered one performance obligation. As a result, revenue is recognized ratably over the subscription term as services are provided.
We offer merchant payment processing services as a separately paid connected service for our QuickBooks Desktop software subscriptions, and revenue is recognized as services are provided to the customers.
Other Solutions
Revenue from our Credit Karma segment is primarily comprised of revenue from the delivery of qualified links that result in completed actions, or cost-per-action transactions. Credit Karma also generates revenue from cost-per-click and cost-per-lead transactions.
Cost-per-action revenue is earned based on a pre-determined fee for approved actions, such as when credit cards are issued or when personal loans and other loans to businesses are funded. Revenue is recognized when a lead is generated that results in one of these approved actions.
Cost-per-click and cost-per-lead revenue is primarily related to mortgage and insurance businesses. Cost-per-click revenue is earned as users click on our customers' advertisements and is recognized based on the number of clicks recorded each month. Cost-per-lead revenue is earned via customer advertisements that allow the generation of leads from consumers interested in the advertised products and is recognized at the time a consumer request or lead is delivered to the customer.
Revenue from the sale of our financial supplies, such as printed check stock, is recognized when control is transferred to the customer, which is generally when the products are shipped.
Interest revenue is earned on term loans originated or purchased and held for investment in accordance with the specified period of time and defined interest rate noted in the term loan contract and is recorded net of amortized deferred origination fees and costs, and term loan discounts. We recognize a gain or loss on the sale of term loans sold to third parties by calculating the difference between the proceeds received and the carrying value of the term loans sold. Interest revenue and gains on sales of term loans were not material for all periods presented.
We also have revenue-sharing and royalty arrangements with third-party partners and recognize this revenue as earned based upon reporting provided to us by our partners. In instances where we do not have reporting from our partners, we estimate revenue based on information available to us at the time. Adjustments to our estimates based on actual results have not been material to our consolidated financial statements for any period presented.
Types of Revenue
Service revenue includes revenue from: our online offerings discussed above; our Credit Karma offerings; support, electronic filing services, when-and-if-available product upgrades and enhancements, and connected services included with our desktop offerings; merchant payment processing services; certain revenue-sharing and royalty arrangements; and interest on notes receivable.
Product and other revenue includes revenue from: QuickBooks Desktop software licenses and version protection updates; consumer and professional tax desktop licenses and the related tax form updates; desktop payroll licenses and related updates; financial supplies; certain revenue-sharing and royalty arrangements; and interest on amounts held for customers.
We record revenue net of sales tax obligations. For payroll services, we generally require customers to remit payroll tax funds to us in advance of the payroll date via electronic funds transfer. Revenue for electronic payment processing services that we provide to merchants is recorded net of interchange fees charged by credit card associations. We hold customer cash as part of delivering payroll and payment services, and we include in total net revenue the interest earned on these funds from the time they are collected until the time that we remit them to outside parties or merchants.
Judgments and Estimates
We use a five-step process in determining how revenue is recognized, which requires judgment and estimates. These judgments and estimates include identifying performance obligations in the contract, determining whether the performance obligations are distinct, determining the SSP for each distinct performance obligation, determining the timing of revenue recognition for distinct performance obligations, and estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price. Our contracts with customers often include promises to transfer multiple products and services generally capable of being distinct performance obligations. SSPs for distinct performance obligations are based on directly observable pricing, when applicable. In instances where the SSP is not directly observable, such as when we do not sell the product or service separately, we determine the SSP using information that may include market conditions and other observable inputs.
The functionality of the software licenses included in our consumer and professional tax and payroll desktop offerings is dependent on the related enhancements and updates included in these offerings. 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 related updates and recognized over time.
Our consumer and professional tax desktop products include an on-premise tax software license and related tax form updates that are recognized as the forms and updates are delivered. We measure progress toward complete satisfaction of the software license and related tax form updates using an output method based on the timing of when the tax forms are delivered.
We generally provide refunds to customers for product returns and subscription cancellations. We also provide promotional discounts and incentive rebates on retail and distribution sales. These refunds, discounts, and incentive rebates are accounted for as variable consideration when estimating the amount of revenue to recognize. Refunds are estimated based on historical experience and current business and economic indicators and are updated at the end of each reporting period as additional information becomes available to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal of any incremental revenue will not occur. Discounts and incentive rebates are estimated based on distributors' and retailers' performance against the terms and conditions of the rebate programs.
Deferred Revenue
We record deferred revenue when we have entered into a contract with a customer and cash payments are received or due prior to transfer of control or satisfaction of the related performance obligation. Our deferred revenue primarily relates to our subscription offerings. During the twelve months ended July 31, 2025, we recognized revenue of $871 million that was included in deferred revenue at July 31, 2024. During the twelve months ended July 31, 2024, we recognized revenue of $920 million that was included in deferred revenue at July 31, 2023.
Our performance obligations are generally satisfied within 12 months of the initial contract date. As of July 31, 2025 and 2024, the deferred revenue balance related to performance obligations that will be satisfied after 12 months was $4 million and $4 million, respectively, and is included in other long-term obligations on our consolidated balance sheets.
Assets Recognized from the Costs to Obtain a Contract with a Customer
Our sales commissions are considered incremental costs of obtaining the contract with a customer. Sales commissions for subscription offerings where we expect the benefit of those costs to continue longer than one year are capitalized and amortized ratably over the period of benefit, which ranges from to four years. As of July 31, 2025 and 2024, total capitalized costs to obtain a contract were $122 million and $94 million, respectively, and are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets and other assets on our consolidated balance sheets.
We apply a practical expedient to expense costs incurred to obtain a contract with a customer when the period of benefit is less than one year. These costs primarily include internal and external sales commissions for our consumer and professional tax offerings.
Shipping and Handling | ||
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.