NETSCOUT SYSTEMS INC Leases Disclosure
NOTE 18 – LEASES
The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Right-of-use (ROU) assets represent the Company's right to use an underlying asset for the duration of the lease term. Lease liabilities represent the Company's contractual obligation to make lease payments over the lease term. The Company's policy is to combine lease and non-lease components and to not recognize ROU assets and lease liabilities for short-term leases. Leases with an initial term of twelve months or less are classified as short-term leases. ROU assets are recorded and recognized at commencement for the lease liability amount, plus initial direct costs incurred less lease incentives received. Lease liabilities are recorded at the present value of future lease payments over the lease term at commencement. The discount rate used is generally the Company's estimated incremental borrowing rate unless the lessor's implicit rate is readily determinable. Incremental borrowing rates are calculated periodically to estimate the rate the Company would pay to borrow the funds necessary to obtain an asset of similar value over a similar term. Lease expenses relating to operating leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
The Company has operating leases for administrative, research and development, sales and marketing and manufacturing facilities and equipment under various non-cancelable lease agreements. The Company's leases have remaining lease terms ranging from 1 year to 6 years. The Company's lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease where it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise those options. The Company considers several economic factors when making this determination, including but not limited to, the significance of leasehold improvements incurred in the office space, the difficulty in replacing the asset, underlying contractual obligations, or specific characteristics unique to a particular lease. The Company's lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.
The Company has asset retirement obligations (ARO) to return certain leased facilities to their original condition at the end of the respective lease term. The estimated fair value of these ARO liabilities is recognized in the period in which the liability is generated and a corresponding increase to the carrying value of the related asset is recorded and depreciated over the useful life of the asset. The Company's estimates of its ultimate AROs could change because of changes in regulations, the extent of environmental remediations required, the means of reclamation, cost estimates, exit or disposal activities or time period estimates. ARO liabilities totaled $2.3 million and $2.2 million at March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. There was an ARO liability balance of $0.2 million included in accrued other, and a balance of $2.1 million included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, and a balance of $2.2 million included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance
sheets for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. Accretion expense related to these liabilities was not material for any periods presented.
Most of the Company's lease agreements contain variable payments, primarily for common area maintenance, which are expensed as incurred and not included in the measurement of the ROU assets and lease liabilities.
The components of operating lease cost for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 were as follows (in thousands):
|
|
Fiscal Years Ended March 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2026 |
|
|
2025 |
|
||
Lease cost under long-term operating leases |
|
$ |
11,188 |
|
|
$ |
11,773 |
|
Lease cost under short-term operating leases |
|
|
1,602 |
|
|
|
1,334 |
|
Variable lease cost under short-term and long-term operating leases |
|
|
3,802 |
|
|
|
4,148 |
|
Total operating lease cost |
|
$ |
16,592 |
|
|
$ |
17,255 |
|
The table below presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 (in thousands):
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|
Fiscal Years Ended March 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2026 |
|
|
2025 |
|
||
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities |
|
$ |
7,464 |
|
|
$ |
5,660 |
|
At March 31, 2026 and 2025, the weighted average remaining lease term in years and weighted average discount rate were as follows:
|
|
March 31, 2026 |
|
|
March 31, 2025 |
|
||
Weighted average remaining lease term in years - operating leases |
|
4.18 |
|
|
4.77 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Weighted average discount rate - operating leases |
|
|
4.4 |
% |
|
|
4.4 |
% |
Future minimum payments under non-cancellable leases at March 31, 2026 are as follows (in thousands):
Fiscal Years Ended March 31, |
|
|
|
|
2027 |
|
$ |
10,390 |
|
2028 |
|
|
10,410 |
|
2029 |
|
|
9,313 |
|
2030 |
|
|
8,019 |
|
2031 |
|
|
4,484 |
|
Thereafter |
|
|
651 |
|
Total lease payments |
|
$ |
43,267 |
|
Less imputed interest |
|
|
(3,675 |
) |
Present value of lease liabilities |
|
$ |
39,592 |
|
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | May 14, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2025 | May 15, 2025 | |
| 2024 | May 16, 2024 | |
| 2023 | May 16, 2023 | |
| 2022 | May 19, 2022 | |
| 2021 | May 20, 2021 | |
| 2020 | May 20, 2020 | |
About Leases Disclosures
Lease disclosures under ASC 842 provide a comprehensive view of a company's leased asset portfolio, including the split between operating and finance leases, discount rates used to present-value future payments, and the maturity schedule of lease obligations. This section reveals a significant source of off-balance-sheet commitments that were largely hidden before the current standard.
Key signals: the weighted-average discount rate affects the size of recorded lease liabilities — a higher rate reduces the reported obligation, so compare the chosen rate against the company's incremental borrowing rate. The operating versus finance lease mix affects both EBITDA and operating income presentation. Watch the maturity table for concentration risk: large payment cliffs in specific years may create cash flow pressure. Variable lease payments excluded from the liability measurement represent real obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet. Compare total lease costs against prior-year operating lease expense to assess the true economic burden.