6. REVENUE RECOGNITION

 

Disaggregation of Revenue

The following tables disaggregate our revenue by major source for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 (dollars in thousands):

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2025

 

 

 

CTU (3)

 

 

AIUS (3)

 

USAHS (4)

 

 

Corporate and Other

 

 

Total

 

Tuition and fees, net (1)

 

$

458,645

 

 

$

225,188

 

$

157,569

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

841,402

 

Other revenue(2)

 

 

2,957

 

 

 

1,032

 

 

7

 

 

 

698

 

 

 

4,694

 

Total revenue

 

$

461,602

 

 

$

226,220

 

$

157,576

 

 

$

698

 

 

$

846,096

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2024

 

 

 

CTU (3)

 

 

AIUS (3)

 

USAHS (4)

 

 

Corporate and Other

 

 

Total

 

Tuition and fees, net (1)

 

$

440,183

 

 

$

225,852

 

$

10,036

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

676,071

 

Other revenue(2)

 

 

3,191

 

 

 

1,220

 

 

5

 

 

 

776

 

 

 

5,192

 

Total revenue

 

$

443,374

 

 

$

227,072

 

$

10,041

 

 

$

776

 

 

$

681,263

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2023

 

 

 

CTU (3)

 

 

AIUS (3)

 

USAHS (4)

 

 

Corporate and Other

 

 

Total

 

Tuition and fees, net (1)

 

$

452,063

 

 

$

250,857

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

702,920

 

Other revenue(2)

 

 

4,106

 

 

 

2,200

 

 

-

 

 

 

778

 

 

 

7,084

 

Total revenue

 

$

456,169

 

 

$

253,057

 

$

-

 

 

$

778

 

 

$

710,004

 

__________________

(1)
Tuition and fees, net, includes revenue earned for all degree-granting programs as well as revenue earned for non-degree and professional development programs.
(2)
Other revenue primarily includes contract training revenue and miscellaneous non-student related revenue.
(3)
The prior period operating results for CTU and AIUS were recast to reflect the transition of Hippo Education from CTU to AIUS.
(4)
USAHS includes revenue beginning on the acquisition date of December 2, 2024.

 

Performance Obligations

Our revenue, which is derived primarily from academic programs taught to students who attend our universities, is generally segregated into two categories: (1) tuition and fees, and (2) other. Tuition and fees represent costs to our students for educational services provided by our universities and are reflected net of scholarships and tuition discounts. Our universities charge tuition and fees at varying amounts and bill students a single charge that covers tuition, certain fees and required program materials, such as textbooks and supplies, which we treat as a single performance obligation. Generally, we bill student tuition at the beginning of each academic term for our degree programs and recognize the tuition as revenue on a straight-line basis over the academic term. As part of a student’s course of instruction, certain fees, such as technology fees and graduation fees, are billed separately to students. These fees are generally earned over the applicable term and are not considered separate performance obligations.

Contract Assets

For each term, the portion of tuition and fee payments received from students but not yet earned is recorded as deferred revenue and reported as a current liability on our consolidated balance sheets, as we expect to earn these revenues within the next year. A contract asset is recorded for each student for the current term for which they are enrolled for the amount charged for the current term that has not yet been received as payment and to which we do not have the unconditional right to receive payment because the student has not reached the point in the student’s current academic term at which the amount billed is no longer refundable to the student. On a student by student basis, the contract asset is offset against the deferred revenue balance for the current term and the net deferred revenue balance is reflected within current liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. For certain of our institutions, students are billed as they enroll in courses, including courses related to future periods. Any billings for future periods would meet the definition of a contract asset as we do not have the unconditional right to receive payment as the course has not yet started. Contract assets related to future periods are offset against the respective deferred revenue associated with the future period.

Due to the short-term nature of our academic terms, the contract asset balance which exists at the beginning of each quarter will no longer be a contract asset at the end of that quarter, with the exception of the contract assets associated with future periods. The decrease in contract asset balances are a result of one of the following: it becomes a student receivable balance once a student reaches the point in a student’s academic term where the amount billed is no longer refundable to the student; a refund is made to withdrawn students for the portion entitled to be refunded under each institutions’ refund policy; we receive funds to apply against the contract asset balance; or a student makes a change to the number of classes they are enrolled in which may cause an adjustment to their previously billed amount. As of the end of each quarter, a new contract asset is determined on a student-by-student basis based on the most recently started term and a student’s progress within that term as compared to the date at which the student is no longer entitled to a refund under each institution’s refund policy. Contract assets associated with future periods remain as contract assets until the course begins and the student reaches the point in that course that they are no longer entitled to a refund.

The amount of deferred revenue balances which are being offset with contract assets balances as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

As of December 31,

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Gross deferred revenue

$

80,290

 

 

$

61,291

 

Gross contract assets

 

(42,446

)

 

 

(24,551

)

Deferred revenue, net

 

$

37,844

 

 

$

36,740

 

Deferred Revenue

Changes in our deferred revenue balances for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2025

 

 

CTU (2)

 

 

AIUS (2)

 

USAHS (3)

 

 

Total

 

Gross deferred revenue, January 1, 2025

$

33,168

 

 

$

26,555

 

 

$

1,568

 

 

$

61,291

 

Revenue earned from prior balances

 

(29,814

)

 

 

(25,599

)

 

 

(455

)

 

 

(55,868

)

Billings during period (1)

 

463,059

 

 

 

240,197

 

 

 

157,510

 

 

 

860,766

 

Revenue earned for new billings during the period

 

 

(428,831

)

 

 

(199,589

)

 

 

(157,114

)

 

 

(785,534

)

Other adjustments

 

(162

)

 

 

(91

)

 

 

(112

)

 

 

(365

)

Gross deferred revenue, December 31, 2025

$

37,420

 

 

$

41,473

 

$

1,397

 

 

$

80,290

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2024

 

 

CTU (2)

 

 

AIUS (2)

 

USAHS (3)

 

 

Total

 

Gross deferred revenue, January 1, 2024

$

36,409

 

 

$

27,561

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

63,970

 

Business acquisition, beginning balance

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

10,137

 

 

 

10,137

 

Revenue earned from prior balances

 

(33,472

)

 

 

(26,976

)

 

 

(10,036

)

 

 

(70,484

)

Billings during period (1)

 

437,961

 

 

 

224,813

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

662,774

 

Revenue earned for new billings during the period

 

 

(406,711

)

 

 

(198,876

)

 

 

-

 

 

 

(605,587

)

Other adjustments

 

(1,019

)

 

 

33

 

 

 

1,467

 

 

 

481

 

Gross deferred revenue, December 31, 2024

$

33,168

 

 

$

26,555

 

$

1,568

 

 

$

61,291

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________

(1)
Billings during period includes adjustments for prior billings.
(2)
The prior period amounts for CTU and AIUS were recast to reflect the transition of Hippo Education from CTU to AIUS.
(3)
USAHS includes deferred revenue starting from the acquisition date on December 2, 2024.

Tuition Refunds

If a student withdraws from one of our academic institutions prior to the completion of the academic term, we refund the portion of tuition and fees already paid that, pursuant to our refund policy and applicable federal and state law and accrediting agency standards, we are not entitled to retain. Generally, the amount to be refunded to a student is calculated based upon the percent of the term attended and the amount of tuition and fees paid by the student as of their withdrawal date. In certain circumstances, we have recognized revenue for students who have withdrawn that we are not entitled to retain. We have estimated a reserve for these limited circumstances based on historical evidence in the amount of $2.3 million and $2.1 million as of December 31, 2025 and 2024,

respectively. Students are typically entitled to a partial refund until approximately a little more than halfway through their term. Pursuant to each university’s policy, once a student reaches the point in the term where no refund is given, the student would not have a refund due if withdrawing from the university subsequent to that date.

Significant Judgments

We analyze revenue recognition on a portfolio approach under ASC Topic 606. Significant judgment is used in determining the appropriate portfolios to assess for meeting the criteria to recognize revenue under ASC Topic 606. We have determined that all of our students can be grouped into one portfolio. Based on our past experience, students at different universities, in different programs or with different funding all behave similarly. Enrollment agreements all contain similar terms, refund policies are similar across all institutions and students work with the university to obtain some type of funding, for example, Title IV Program funds, Veterans Administration funds, military funding, employer tuition assistance or self-pay. We have significant historical data for our students which allows us to analyze collectability. We do not expect that revenue earned for the portfolio is significantly different as compared to revenue that would be earned if we were to assess each student contract separately.

Significant judgment is also required to assess collectability, particularly as it relates to students seeking funding under Title IV Programs. Because students are required to provide documentation, and in some cases extensive documentation, to the Department to be eligible and approved for funding, the timeframe for this process can sometimes span between 90 to 120 days. We monitor the progress of students through the eligibility and approval process and assess collectability for the portfolio each reporting period to monitor that the collectability threshold is met.

For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, we received a majority of our universities’ cash receipts for tuition payments from various government agencies as well as our corporate engagements. These cash receipts represent a substantial portion of our consolidated revenues and all have low risk of collectability.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 19, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 18, 2025
2023Feb 21, 2024
2022Feb 23, 2023
2021Feb 24, 2022
2020Feb 24, 2021
2019Feb 19, 2020
2018Feb 20, 2019

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.