LIVEPERSON INCLPSN
LIVEPERSON INC Revenue Disclosure
Revenue Recognition
The majority of the Company’s revenue is generated from hosted service revenues, including platform access, usage and related professional services. Revenues are recognized when control of these services is transferred to the Company’s customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those services.
The Company determines revenue recognition through the following steps:
•identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer;
•identification of the performance obligations in the contract;
•determination of the transaction price;
•allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and
•recognition of revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
Total revenue of $312.5 million, $402.0 million, and $514.8 million was recognized during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. No single customer accounted for 10% or more of total revenue for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022.
None of the Company’s contracts contain a significant financing component.
Hosted Services Revenue
Hosted services revenue is reported at the amount that reflects the ultimate consideration expected to be received and primarily consist of fees that provide customers access to the LivePerson Platform, the Company’s enterprise-class digital customer conversation platform. The Company has determined such access represents a stand-ready service provided continually throughout the contract term. As such, control and satisfaction of this stand-ready performance obligation is deemed to occur over time. The Company recognizes this revenue over time on a ratable basis over the contract term, beginning on the date that access to the LivePerson Platform is made available to the customer. The passage of time is deemed to be the most faithful depiction of the transfer of control of the services as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit provided by the Company’s performance. Subscription contracts are generally one year or longer in length, billed monthly, quarterly or annually in advance. There is no significant variable consideration related to these arrangements.
Professional Services Revenue
Professional Services revenue is reported at the amount that reflects the ultimate consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for such services. The Company’s professional services revenue consists of fees that provide customers with product support and updates during the term of the arrangement, which is typically one year or longer in length, billed monthly, quarterly, or annually in advance. Revenue is generally recognized ratably over the contract term. Professional services revenue also includes custom support services, which differ from standard product support. The professional services revenues are recognized as the services are completed.
Disaggregated Revenue
The following table presents the Company’s revenues disaggregated by revenue source:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
| Revenue: | |||||||||||||||||
Hosted services (1) | $ | 261,682 | $ | 332,971 | $ | 412,467 | |||||||||||
| Professional services | 50,792 | 69,012 | 102,333 | ||||||||||||||
| Total revenue | $ | 312,474 | $ | 401,983 | $ | 514,800 | |||||||||||
(1) On March 20, 2023, the Company completed the sale of Kasamba and therefore ceased recognizing revenue related to Kasamba effective on the transaction close date. This sale eliminated the entire Consumer segment, as a result of which revenue is presented within a single consolidated segment. Hosted services included $7.1 million and $37.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, relating to Kasamba.
Remaining Performance Obligation
As of December 31, 2024, the aggregate amount of the total transaction price allocated in contracts with original duration of one year or greater to the remaining performance obligations was $232.3 million. Approximately 96% of the Company’s remaining performance obligations is expected to be recognized during the next 24 months, with the balance recognized thereafter. The aggregate balance of unsatisfied performance obligations represents contracted revenue that has not yet been recognized, and does not include contract amounts that are cancellable by the customer, amounts associated with optional renewal periods, and any amounts related to performance obligations, which are billed and recognized as they are delivered. The Company has elected the optional exemption, which allows for the exclusion of the amounts for remaining performance obligations that are part of contracts with an original expected duration of less than one year. Such remaining performance obligations represent unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied performance obligations pursuant to ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.
Contracts with Multiple Performance Obligations
Most of the Company’s contracts with customers contain multiple performance obligations. For these contracts, the Company accounts for individual performance obligations separately if they are distinct. The transaction price is allocated to the separate performance obligations on a relative standalone selling price (“SSP”) basis. Judgment is required to determine the SSP for each distinct performance obligation. The Company determines the SSP based on its overall pricing objectives, taking into
consideration market conditions and other factors, including the value of its contracts, product offerings and the cloud applications sold.
Revenue by Geographic Location
The Company is domiciled in the United States and has international operations around the globe. The following table presents the Company’s revenues attributable to operations by region for the periods presented:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
Americas (1) | $ | 219,288 | $ | 286,924 | $ | 363,057 | |||||||||||
EMEA (2) | 57,698 | 62,613 | 74,298 | ||||||||||||||
APAC (3) | 35,488 | 52,446 | 77,445 | ||||||||||||||
| Total revenue | $ | 312,474 | $ | 401,983 | $ | 514,800 | |||||||||||
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(1)United States, Canada, Latin America and South America (“Americas”).
(2)Europe, the Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”).
(3)Asia-Pacific (“APAC”).
Information about Contract Balances
The Company defers all incremental commission costs to obtain the contract. These contract acquisition costs, which are comprised of prepaid sales commissions, have balances at December 31, 2024 and 2023 of $33.6 million and $37.4 million, respectively. The Company amortizes these costs over the related period of benefit using the customer expected life that the Company determined to be four years, which is consistent with the transfer to the customer of the services to which the asset relates. The Company classifies contract acquisition costs as long-term.
The deferred revenue balance consists of services, which have been invoiced upfront, and are recognized as revenue only when the revenue recognition criteria are met.
In some arrangements, the Company allows customers to pay for access to the LivePerson Platform over the term of the software subscription. Amounts recognized as revenue in excess of amounts billed are recorded as unbilled receivables. Unbilled receivables, anticipated to be invoiced in the next twelve months, are included in Accounts receivable, net of allowances for credit losses on the consolidated balance sheets.
The Company recognized revenue of $81.4 million, $86.8 million and $98.3 million for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively, which was included in the corresponding deferred revenue balance at the beginning of the year.
The Company’s long-term deferred revenues are included in Other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. The opening and closing balances of the Company’s contract acquisition costs, net, and deferred revenues are as follows:
| Contract Acquisition Costs (Non-current) | Deferred Revenue (Current) | Deferred Revenue (Non-current) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of December 31, 2022 | $ | 43,804 | $ | 84,494 | $ | 174 | |||||||||||||||||
| (Decrease) increase, net | (6,450) | (2,636) | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2023 | $ | 37,354 | $ | 81,858 | $ | 183 | |||||||||||||||||
(Decrease) increase, net | (3,795) | (23,878) | 140 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of December 31, 2024 | $ | 33,559 | $ | 57,980 | $ | 323 | |||||||||||||||||
The decrease in deferred revenue during the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily driven by changes in customer renewal patterns and contract structures, including the timing of renewals and shifts in service commitments. Amortization expense in connection with contract acquisition costs was $18.3 million, $27.6 million and $36.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and was included in Cost of revenue in the consolidated statements of operations.
Accounts Receivable, Net
Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for credit losses is the Company’s estimate of the amount of expected credit losses in the Company’s existing accounts receivable, based on both specific and general reserves. The Company maintains general reserves on a collective basis by considering factors such as historical experience, creditworthiness, the age of the trade receivable balances, and current economic conditions. Account balances are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. The Company does not have any off-balance sheet credit exposure related to its customers. The activity in the allowance for credit loss as of the dates presented is as follows:
December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, beginning of year | $ | 9,290 | $ | 9,239 | $ | 6,338 | ||||||||||||||
| Additions charged to costs and expenses | 14,959 | 3,319 | 5,644 | |||||||||||||||||
| Deductions/write-offs | (15,622) | (3,268) | (2,743) | |||||||||||||||||
| Balance, end of year | $ | 8,627 | $ | 9,290 | $ | 9,239 | ||||||||||||||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mar 14, 2025 | Showing above |
| 2023 | Mar 4, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Mar 16, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 28, 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.