v3.26.1
Fee Revenue
12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2026
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
Fee Revenue Fee Revenue
Contract Balances
A contract asset (unbilled receivables) is recorded when the Company transfers control of products or services before there is an unconditional right to payment. A contract liability (deferred revenue) is recorded when cash is received in advance of performance of the obligation. Deferred revenue represents the future performance obligations to transfer control of products or services for which the Company has already received consideration. Deferred revenue is presented in other accrued liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.
The following table outlines the Company’s contract asset and liability balances as of April 30, 2026 and 2025:
April 30,
20262025
(in thousands)
Contract assets-unbilled receivables$106,286 $113,743 
Contract liabilities-deferred revenue$247,519 $245,379 
During fiscal 2026, 2025, and 2024 the Company recognized revenue of $188.3 million, $184.9 million and $195.2 million, respectively, that were included in the contract liabilities balance at the beginning of the period.
Performance Obligations
The Company has elected to apply the practical expedient to exclude the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with a duration of one year or less, which applies to all executive search, professional search and to most of the fee revenue from the interim business. As of April 30, 2026, the aggregate transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied for contracts with an expected duration of greater than one year at inception was $1,287.7 million. Of the $1,287.7 million of remaining performance obligations, the Company expects to recognize approximately $610.7 million in fiscal 2027, $394.0 million in fiscal 2028, $149.5 million in fiscal 2029 and the remaining $133.5 million in fiscal 2030 and thereafter. However, this amount should not be considered an indication of the Company’s future revenue as contracts with an initial term of one year or less are not included. Further, the Company's contract terms and conditions allow clients to increase or decrease the scope of services and such changes do not increase or decrease a performance obligation until the Company has an enforceable right to payment.
Disaggregation of Revenue
The Company disaggregates its revenue by solution area and further by region for Executive Search. This information is presented in Note 12—Segments.
The following table provides further disaggregation of fee revenue by industry:
Year Ended April 30,
202620252024
Dollars% Dollars% Dollars%
(dollars in thousands)
Industrial$910,507 31.3 %$814,619 29.9 %$813,919 29.5 %
Financial Services547,351 18.8 516,742 18.9 491,761 17.8 
Life Sciences/Healthcare485,878 16.7 475,779 17.4 485,321 17.6 
Technology
432,549 14.9 396,027 14.5 404,569 14.6 
Consumer Goods
348,360 12.0 349,196 12.8 382,175 13.8 
Education/Non–Profit/General182,824 6.3 177,725 6.5 184,926 6.7 
Fee Revenue$2,907,469 100.0 %$2,730,088 100.0 %$2,762,671 100.0 %