Cornerstone OnDemand Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2015 Financial Results

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Talent management software provider Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSOD) today announced results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015.

Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $95.9 million, representing a 26% increase compared to the same period in 2014. Revenue for the full year of 2015 was $339.7 million, representing a 29% increase compared to the same period in 2014.

Non-GAAP revenue for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $96.0 million, representing a 25% increase compared to the same period in 2014.¹ Non-GAAP revenue for the full year of 2015 was $340.6 million, representing a 29% increase compared to the same period in 2014.¹

Bookings, which the Company defines as revenue plus the change in deferred revenue for the period, were $142.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2015, representing a 24% increase compared to the same period in 2014.¹ Bookings for the full year of 2015 were $400.5 million, representing a 27% increase compared to the same period in 2014.¹ Deferred revenue at December 31, 2015 was $252.1 million, representing a 32% increase compared to the balance at December 31, 2014.

“Strong sales for the fourth quarter finished out another year of solid execution for Cornerstone,” said Adam Miller, the Company’s President and CEO. “Despite major headwinds from significant foreign exchange movements, we had an outstanding year at the top end of the market, further expanded our global presence, and enhanced our strategic alliances, all while improving win rates and achieving higher client retention. As the number one talent management player in the world with a massive global market opportunity, we are enthusiastic about the path ahead.”

The Company’s operating loss for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $(14.8) million, yielding an operating loss margin of (15)%, compared to an operating loss of $(14.2) million, yielding an operating loss margin of (19)%, for the fourth quarter of 2014. The Company’s operating loss for the full year of 2015 was $(68.7) million, yielding an operating loss margin of (20)%, compared to an operating loss of $(49.9) million, yielding an operating loss margin of (19)%, for the full year of 2014.

Non-GAAP operating income for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $0.4 million, yielding a non-GAAP operating income margin of 0%, compared to a non-GAAP operating loss of $(2.0) million, yielding a non-GAAP operating loss margin of (3)%, for the fourth quarter of 2014.¹ Non-GAAP operating loss for the full year of 2015 was $(13.5) million, yielding a non-GAAP operating loss margin of (4)%, compared to a non-GAAP operating loss of $(10.3) million, yielding a non-GAAP operating loss margin of (4)%, for the full year of 2014.¹

The Company’s net loss for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $(18.8) million, yielding a net loss margin of (20)%, or a $(0.35) net loss per share, compared to a net loss of $(18.2) million, yielding a net loss margin of (24)%, or a $(0.34) net loss per share, for the fourth quarter of 2014. The Company’s net loss for the full year of 2015 was $(85.5) million, yielding a net loss margin of (25)%, or a $(1.58) net loss per share, compared to a net loss of $(64.9) million, yielding a net loss margin of (25)%, or a $(1.22) net loss per share, for the full year of 2014.

Non-GAAP net loss for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $(1.0) million, yielding a non-GAAP net loss margin of (1)%, or a $(0.02) non-GAAP net loss per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $(3.9) million, yielding a non-GAAP net loss margin of (5)%, or a $(0.07) non-GAAP net loss per share, for the fourth quarter of 2014.¹ Non-GAAP net loss for the full year of 2015 was $(21.2) million, yielding a non-GAAP net loss margin of (6)%, or a $(0.39) non-GAAP net loss per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $(17.0) million, yielding a non-GAAP net loss margin of (6)%, or a $(0.32) non-GAAP net loss per share, for the full year of 2014.¹

For the full year of 2015, net cash provided by operating activities was $43.8 million as compared to $33.0 million for the same period in 2014. For the full year of 2015, non-GAAP net cash provided by operating activities was $45.0 million as compared to $33.3 million for the same period in 2014.¹

The Company ended the quarter with approximately 2,600 clients and over 23.8 million users.²

Quarterly Conference Call

Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. will host a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2015 results at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) today. A live audio webcast of the conference call, together with detailed financial information, can be accessed through the Company’s Investor Relations Web site at http://investors.cornerstoneondemand.com. The live call can be accessed by dialing (877) 445-4619 (U.S.) or (484) 653-6763 (outside the U.S.) and referencing passcode: 33460514. A replay of the call will also be available at http://investors.cornerstoneondemand.com/investors/news-and-events/events/default.aspx or via telephone until 11:59 p.m. PT on February 13, 2016 by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S.) or (404) 537-3406 (outside the U.S.), and referencing passcode: 33460514.

About Cornerstone OnDemand

Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSOD) is a global leader in cloud-based learning and talent management software. The Company’s solutions help organizations realize the potential of a modern workforce. From recruitment, onboarding, training and collaboration, to performance management, compensation, succession planning and analytics, Cornerstone is designed to enable a lifetime of learning and development that is fundamental to the growth of employees and organizations.

Based in Santa Monica, California, the Company’s solutions are used by approximately 2,600 clients worldwide, spanning more than 23.8 million users across 191 countries and in 42 languages. To learn more about Cornerstone, visit us on Twitter, Facebook and our blog. www.cornerstoneondemand.com

Note: Cornerstone^® and Cornerstone OnDemand^® are registered trademarks of Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release and the quarterly conference call referenced above contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Cornerstone OnDemand’s future financial performance, including the performance of our core business and emerging businesses, market growth, business model, demand for and benefits from the use of Cornerstone OnDemand’s current and future solutions both domestically and internationally, and general business conditions, as well as Cornerstone OnDemand’s expectations regarding dollar retention rates, income tax expense, headcount, revenue, non-GAAP net income or loss, non-GAAP net income or loss per share, non-GAAP free cash flows and the demand for our products relative to our competitors’ products. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the quarterly conference call are based upon Cornerstone OnDemand’s historical performance and its current plans, estimates and expectations and are not a representation that such plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Cornerstone OnDemand’s expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and Cornerstone OnDemand disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements in the future. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from Cornerstone OnDemand’s current expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our ability to attract new clients; the extent to which clients renew their subscriptions for our solution; the timing of when consulting services are delivered to our new and existing clients by our services organization and implementation subcontractors; the complexity of deployments and product implementations, which can impact the timing of when revenue is recognized from new and existing clients; our ability to compete as the talent management provider for organizations of all sizes; changes in the proportion of our client base that is comprised of enterprise or mid-sized organizations; our ability to manage our growth, including additional headcount and entry into new geographies; our ability to expand our enterprise and mid-market sales teams; our ability to maintain stable and consistent quota attainment rates; our ability to exploit Big Data to drive increased demand for our products; continued strong demand for talent management in the U.S., Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America; the timing and success of solutions offered by our competitors; unpredictable macro-economic conditions; the impact of foreign exchange rates; reductions in information technology spending; the success of our new product and service introductions; a disruption in our hosting network infrastructure; costs and reputational harm that could result from defects in our solution; the success of our strategic relationships with third parties; the loss of any of our key employees and our ability to locate qualified replacements; failure to protect our intellectual property; acts of terrorism or other vandalism, war or natural disasters; changes in current tax or accounting rules; unanticipated costs or liabilities related to businesses that we acquire; and other risks and uncertainties. Further information on factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by our forward-looking statements is included in Cornerstone OnDemand’s reports filed with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015, each filed with the SEC.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement its consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, Cornerstone OnDemand has provided in this press release and the quarterly conference call held on the date hereof certain measures that have not been prepared in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures include (i) non-GAAP revenue, which is defined as revenue plus revenue not recognized in the period due to the impact of purchase accounting rules on deferred revenue acquired through acquisitions, (ii) non-GAAP cost of revenue, which is defined as cost of revenue less amortization of intangible assets and stock-based compensation and employer-related taxes, (iii) bookings, which are defined as revenue plus the change in deferred revenue for the period, (iv) non-GAAP net cash provided by operating activities, which excludes payment of acquisition related costs, payment of premium on investments net of related amortization and employer-related taxes from stock-based compensation, (v) non-GAAP net cash provided by operating activities margin, which is defined as non-GAAP net cash used in operating activities divided by non-GAAP revenue, (vi) non-GAAP net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share, which are based on non-GAAP revenue and exclude, for the periods in which they are present, stock-based compensation and employer-related payroll taxes, amortization of intangible assets, adjustments to taxes related to acquisition adjustments, acquisition related costs, accretion of debt discount and amortization of debt issuance costs, other amortization costs, and unrealized fair value adjustment on strategic investment, (vii) non-GAAP net loss margin, which is defined as non-GAAP net loss divided by non-GAAP revenue, (viii) non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin, which are calculated based on non-GAAP revenue and exclude stock-based compensation and employer-related taxes and amortization of certain intangible assets reflected in cost of revenue, (ix) non-GAAP operating income (loss) and non-GAAP operating income (loss) margin, which are calculated based on operating loss and exclude adjustments to revenue, stock-based compensation and employer-related taxes, amortization of intangible assets and acquisition costs, and (x) non-GAAP operating expenses, which exclude stock-based compensation, employer-related taxes, and amortization of intangible assets, and (xi) non-GAAP sales and marketing expense, non-GAAP research and development expense, and non-GAAP general and administrative expense, each of which excludes stock-based compensation and employer-related taxes attributable to the corresponding GAAP financial measures.

Cornerstone OnDemand’s management uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its financial results and believes they are useful to investors, as a supplement to the corresponding GAAP measures, in evaluating Cornerstone OnDemand’s ongoing operational performance and trends and in comparing its financial measures with other companies in the same industry, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to help investors understand the operational performance of their businesses. However, it is important to note that the particular items Cornerstone OnDemand excludes from, or includes in, its non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the items excluded from, or included in, similar non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies in the same industry.

Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. For prior periods, a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to such GAAP measures has been provided in the tables included as part of this press release. A reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to corresponding GAAP measures is not available on a forward-looking basis as a result of uncertainty regarding stock-based compensation expense and other non-recurring expenses.