Match Group, Inc.MTCH
Match Group, Inc. Revenue Disclosure
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, services are rendered or merchandise is delivered to customers, the fee or price charged is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. Deferred revenue is recorded when payments are received, or contractually due, in advance of the Company's rendering of services, availability of media content (films, television, or digital content) for broadcast or exhibition or delivery of merchandise.
Match Group
Match Group's revenue is primarily derived directly from users in the form of recurring subscriptions. Subscription revenue is presented net of credits and credit card chargebacks. Subscribers pay in advance, primarily by using a credit card or through mobile app stores, and, subject to certain conditions identified in our terms and conditions, all purchases are final and nonrefundable. Fees collected, or contractually due, in advance for subscriptions are deferred and recognized using the straight-line method over the terms of the applicable subscription period, which primarily range from one to six months, and corresponding mobile app store fees incurred on such transactions, if any, are deferred and expensed over the same period. Deferred revenue at Match Group is $198.3 million and $161.1 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Revenue is also earned from online advertising, the purchase of à la carte features and offline events. Online advertising revenue is recognized every time an advertisement is displayed. Revenue from the purchase of à la carte features is recognized based on usage. Revenue and the related expenses associated with offline events are recognized when each event occurs.
ANGI Homeservices
ANGI Homeservices revenue is primarily derived from (i) consumer connection revenue, which comprises fees paid by service professionals for consumer matches (regardless of whether the professional ultimately provides the requested service), and (ii) membership subscriptions fees paid by service professionals. Consumer connection revenue varies based upon certain factors including the service requested, type of match (such as Instant Booking, Instant Connect, same day service or next day service) and geographic location of service. Effective with the Combination, revenue is also derived from Angie's List (i) sales of time-based advertising to service professionals and (ii) membership subscription fees from consumers.
ANGI Homeservices consumer connection revenue is generated and recognized when an in‑network service professional is delivered a consumer match. Membership subscription revenue is generated through subscription sales to service professionals and is deferred and recognized over the term of the applicable membership. Membership agreements can be one month, three months, or one year. Angie's List service professionals generally pay for advertisements in advance on a monthly or annual basis at the option of the service professional, with the average advertising contract term being approximately one year. These contracts include an early termination penalty. Angie's List revenue from the sale of website, mobile and call center advertising is recognized ratably over the period during which the advertisements run. Revenue from the sale of advertising in the Angie’s List Magazine is recognized in the period in which the publication is published and distributed. Angie's List prepaid consumer membership subscription fees are recognized as revenue ratably over the term of the associated subscription, which is typically one year.
Deferred revenue at ANGI Homeservices is $64.1 million and $18.8 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The balance at December 31, 2017 includes Angie's List deferred revenue of $37.7 million.
Video
Revenue of businesses included in this segment is generated primarily through subscriptions, media production and distribution, and advertising. Production revenue is recognized when the production is available for the customer to broadcast or exhibit, subscription fee revenue is recognized over the terms of the applicable subscriptions, which are one month or one year, and advertising revenue is recognized when an ad is displayed or over the period earned. Deferred revenue at Vimeo is $49.4 million and $36.7 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Deferred revenue at Electus totals $12.8 million and $23.1 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Applications
Substantially all of Applications' revenue consists of advertising revenue generated principally through the display of paid listings in response to search queries. The substantial majority of the paid listings displayed by our Applications businesses are supplied to us by Google Inc. ("Google") pursuant to our services agreement with Google.
Pursuant to this agreement, those of our Applications businesses that provide search services transmit search queries to Google, which in turn transmits a set of relevant and responsive paid listings back to these businesses for display in search results. This ad-serving process occurs independently of, but concurrently with, the generation of algorithmic search results for the same search queries. Google paid listings are displayed separately from algorithmic search results and are identified as sponsored listings on search results pages. Paid listings are priced on a price per click basis and when a user submits a search query through one of our Applications businesses and then clicks on a Google paid listing displayed in response to the query, Google bills the advertiser that purchased the paid listing directly and shares a portion of the fee charged to the advertiser with us. We recognize paid listing revenue from Google when it delivers the user's click. In cases where the user’s click is generated due to the efforts of a third party distributor, we recognize the amount due from Google as revenue and record a revenue share or other payment obligation to the third party distributor as traffic acquisition costs.
To a significantly lesser extent, Applications' revenue also consists of fees related to subscription downloadable applications, which are recognized over the terms of the applicable subscriptions, primarily one to two years, and fees related to paid mobile downloadable applications and display advertisements, which are recognized at the time of the sale and when the ad is displayed, respectively. Deferred revenue at Applications is $23.6 million and $26.1 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Publishing
Publishing's revenue consists principally of advertising revenue, which is generated primarily through the display of paid listings in response to search queries, display advertisements (sold directly and through programmatic ad sales) and fees related to paid mobile downloadable applications. The substantial majority of the paid listings that our Publishing businesses display are supplied to us by Google in the manner and pursuant to the services agreement with Google, which is described above under "Applications."
Other
The Princeton Review's revenue consisted primarily of fees received directly from students for in-person and online test preparation classes, access to online test preparation materials and individual tutoring services. Fees from classes and access to online materials were recognized over the period of the course and the period of the online access, respectively. Tutoring fees were recognized based on usage.
ShoeBuy's revenue consisted of merchandise sales, reduced by incentive discounts and sales returns, and was recognized when delivery to the customer had occurred. Delivery was considered to have occurred when the customer took title and assumed the risks and rewards of ownership, which was on the date of shipment. Accruals for returned merchandise were based on historical experience. Shipping and handling fees billed to customers was recorded as revenue. The costs associated with shipping goods to customers were recorded as cost of revenue.
PriceRunner's revenue consisted principally of advertising revenue that, depending on the terms of the arrangement, was recognized when a user clicked on an ad, or when a user clicked-through on the ad and took a specified action on the destination site.
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.