NFLX » Topics » Descriptions of Statement of Operations Components

This excerpt taken from the NFLX 10-K filed Feb 28, 2007.

Descriptions of Statement of Operations Components

Revenues:

Revenues include subscription revenues and revenues from the sale of advertising. We generate all our revenues in the United States. We derive substantially all of our revenues from monthly subscription fees and

 

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recognize subscription revenues ratably over each subscriber’s monthly subscription period. We record refunds to subscribers as a reduction of revenues. We offer a variety of subscription plans, starting at $4.99 a month, that allow subscribers to keep either fewer or more titles at the same time.

Cost of Revenues:

Subscription:

We acquire titles for our library through traditional direct purchase and through revenue sharing agreements with content providers. Direct purchases of DVDs normally result in higher upfront costs than titles obtained through revenue sharing agreements. Cost of subscription revenues consists of revenue sharing expenses, amortization of our DVD library, amortization of intangible assets related to equity instruments issued to certain studios in 2000 and 2001 and postage and packaging costs related to shipping titles to paying subscribers. Costs related to free-trial subscribers are allocated to marketing expenses.

Revenue Sharing Expenses.    Our revenue sharing agreements generally commit us to pay an initial upfront fee for each DVD acquired and also a percentage of revenue earned from such DVD rentals for a defined period of time. A portion of the initial upfront fees are non-recoupable for revenue sharing purposes and are capitalized and amortized in accordance with our DVD library amortization policy. The remaining portion of the initial upfront fee represents prepaid revenue sharing and this amount is expensed as revenue sharing expenses as DVDs subject to revenue sharing agreements are shipped to subscribers. The terms of some revenue sharing agreements with studios obligate us to make minimum revenue sharing payments for certain titles. We amortize minimum revenue sharing prepayments (or accrete an amount payable to studios if the payment is due in arrears) as revenue sharing obligations are incurred. A provision for estimated shortfall, if any, on minimum revenue sharing payments is made in the period in which the shortfall becomes probable and can be reasonably estimated. Additionally, the terms of some revenue sharing agreement with studios provide for rebates based on achieving specified performance levels. We accrue for these rebates as earned based on historical title performance and estimates of demand for the titles over the remainder of the title term.

Amortization of DVD Library.    On July 1, 2004, we revised the estimate of useful life for the back-catalog DVD library from one to three years. New releases will continue to be amortized over a one-year period. We also revised our estimate of salvage values on direct purchase DVDs. For those direct purchase DVDs that we expect to sell at the end of their useful lives, a salvage value of $3.00 per DVD has been provided effective July 1, 2004. For those DVDs that we do not expect to sell, no salvage value is provided.

Amortization of Studio Intangible Assets.    In 2000 and 2001, in connection with signing revenue sharing agreements with certain studios, we agreed to issue to each of these studios our Series F Non-Voting Preferred Stock. The studios’ Series F Preferred Stock automatically converted into 3,192,830 shares of common stock upon the closing of our initial public offering. We measured the original issuances and any subsequent adjustments using the fair value of the securities at the issuance and any subsequent adjustment dates. The fair value was recorded as an intangible asset and was amortized to cost of subscription revenues ratably over the remaining term of the agreements which initial terms were either three or five years. At December 31, 2005, all studio intangible assets were fully amortized.

Postage and Packaging.    Postage and packaging expenses consist of the postage costs to mail titles to and from our paying subscribers and the packaging and label costs for the mailers. The rate for first-class postage was $0.37 between June 29, 2002 and January 7, 2006. The U.S. Postal Service increased the rate of first class postage by 2 cents to $0.39 effective January 8, 2006. We receive discounts on outbound postage costs related to our mail preparation practices.

Fulfillment expenses:

Fulfillment expenses represent those expenses incurred in operating and staffing our shipping and customer service centers, including costs attributable to receiving, inspecting and warehousing our library. Fulfillment expenses also include credit card fees.

 

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Operating Expenses:

Technology and Development.    Technology and development expenses consist of payroll and related expenses we incur related to testing, maintaining and modifying our Web site, our recommendation service, developing solutions for the online delivery of content to subscribers, telecommunications systems and infrastructure and other internal-use software systems. Technology and development expenses also include depreciation of the computer hardware and capitalized software we use to run our Web site and store our data.

Marketing.    Marketing expenses consist of payroll and related expenses and advertising expenses. Advertising expenses include marketing program expenditures and other promotional activities, including revenue sharing expenses, postage and packaging expenses and library amortization related to free trial periods.

General and Administrative.    General and administrative expenses consist of payroll and related expenses for executive, finance, content acquisition and administrative personnel, as well as recruiting, professional fees and other general corporate expenses.

Stock-Based Compensation.    Effective January 1, 2006, we adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment (‘SFAS 123R”), using the modified prospective method. We had previously adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, as amended by SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation – Transition and Disclosure, an Amendment of FASB Statement No. 123 in 2003, and restated prior periods at that time.

During the third quarter of 2003, we began granting stock options to our employees on a monthly basis. The vesting periods provide for options to vest immediately, in comparison with the three to four-year vesting periods for stock options granted prior to the third quarter of 2003. As a result of immediate vesting, all stock-based compensation expense determined under SFAS No. 123 is fully recognized upon the grant of the stock option. For those stock options granted prior to the third quarter of 2003 with three to four-year vesting periods, we continue to amortize the deferred compensation related to those stock options over the remaining vesting periods.

Gain on disposal of DVDs.    Gain on disposal of DVDs represents the difference between proceeds from sales of DVDs and associated cost of DVD sales. Cost of DVD sales includes the net book value of the DVDs sold, shipping charges and, where applicable, a contractually specified percentage of the sales value for the DVDs that are subject to revenue sharing agreements.

 

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