Definitive Healthcare Corp. (DH) FY 2021 MD&A
This page reproduces the company's own Item 7 MD&A text from the linked SEC filing. It is filer text, not grepcent analysis, scoring, or investment advice.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion includes a comparison of our results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity and capital resources for fiscal years 2021 and 2020. For a comparison of our results of operations and financial condition, and liquidity and capital resources for fiscal years 2020 and 2019, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Prospectus filed with the SEC on September 16, 2021. This discussion is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our consolidated financial statements and accompanying Notes to the Financial Statements found in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K. It contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties and our actual results may differ materially from those discussed. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in “Risk Factors” under Part I, Item 1A of this Form 10-K.
Overview
Definitive Healthcare provides healthcare commercial intelligence. Our solutions provide accurate and comprehensive information on healthcare providers and their activities to help our customers optimize everything from product development to go-to-market planning and sales and marketing execution. Delivered through our software as a service ("SaaS") platform, our intelligence has become important to the commercial success of our over 2,800 customers as of December 31, 2021. We define a customer as a company that maintains one or more active paid subscriptions to our platform.
Our customers include biopharmaceutical and medical device companies, healthcare information technology companies, healthcare providers and other diversified companies, such as staffing firms, commercial real estate firms, financial institutions and other organizations seeking commercial success in the attractive but complex healthcare ecosystem. Within these organizations, our platform is leveraged by a broad set of functional groups, including sales, marketing, clinical research & product development, strategy, talent acquisition and physician network management. We offer access to our platform on a subscription basis and we generate substantially all of our revenue from subscription fees, which accounted for 99% of revenue in 2021.
We were founded in 2011 by our CEO, Jason Krantz. Mr. Krantz founded the company to provide healthcare commercial intelligence that enables companies that compete within or sell into the healthcare ecosystem to make better, informed decisions and be more successful. Over time, we have expanded our platform with new intelligence modules, innovative analytics, workflow capabilities and additional data sources.
Any company selling or competing within the healthcare ecosystem is a potential customer for us and contributes to our estimated current total addressable market of over $10 billion. In total, we have identified more than 100,000 potential customers that we believe could benefit from our platform.
Recent Developments
Reorganization Transactions
Definitive Healthcare Corp. was incorporated in May 2021, with no operating assets or operations for the purposes of facilitating an IPO of its Class A Common Stock (the “IPO”) and other related transactions in order to carry on the business of Definitive OpCo following the consummation of the Reorganization Transactions.
Following the completion of the Reorganization Transactions, Definitive Healthcare Corp. became a holding company, with its sole material asset being a controlling equity interest in Definitive OpCo. Definitive Healthcare Corp. operates and controls all of our business and affairs, and consolidates the financial results of Definitive OpCo. Accordingly, Definitive Healthcare Corp. reports a non-controlling interest related to the LLC Units held by certain pre-IPO members that continue to hold LLC Units in Definitive OpCo in our consolidated financial statements.
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Initial Public Offering
On September 17, 2021, Definitive Healthcare Corp. completed the IPO, in which it sold 17,888,888 shares of Class A Common Stock (including shares issued pursuant to the exercise in full of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) at a public offering price of $27.00 per share for net proceeds of $452.8 million, after deducting underwriters’ discounts and commissions (but excluding other offering expenses). The IPO was registered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-258990) that was declared effective by the SEC on September 14, 2021.
Definitive Healthcare Corp. used net proceeds from the IPO to (i) acquire 14,222,222 newly issued LLC Units ("LLC Units") from Definitive OpCo, (ii) acquire 1,169,378 LLC Units from certain holders who hold their ownership in Definitive OpCo in the form of LLC Units (the holders of all outstanding LLC Units in Definitive OpCo are collectively referred to herein as the "Unitholders") and (iii) repurchase 2,497,288 shares of Class A Common Stock received by certain of our stockholders in the Reorganization Transactions at a purchase price per LLC Unit and share of Class A Common Stock, in each case equal to the IPO price of Class A Common Stock, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions. Definitive OpCo used net proceeds from the IPO to pay fees and expenses of approximately $11.4 million in connection with the IPO and the Reorganization Transactions and to repay $199.6 million, inclusive of accrued interest expense, of the outstanding borrowings under our 2019 Credit Agreement; and used the remainder for general corporate purposes.
Definitive OpCo Units and Common Stock
In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, the limited liability company agreement of Definitive OpCo was amended and restated to, among other things, give holders of LLC Units prior to the IPO who continued holding LLC Units after the IPO, the right to require Definitive OpCo to exchange all or a portion of their LLC Units for newly issued shares of Class A Common Stock, on a one-for-one basis (subject to customary adjustments, including for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassifications) in accordance with the terms of the Amended LLC. The Amended LLC Agreement also authorizes the cancellation of shares of Class B Common Stock following an exchange by a holder of LLC Units. The holders of vested Reclassified Management Holdings Class B Units (as defined below) will have the right, pursuant to the terms of the amended and restated limited liability company agreement of AIDH Management Holdings, LLC, to exchange their Reclassified Management Holdings Class B Units for Reclassified Class B LLC Units and immediately thereafter Definitive OpCo would exchange such Reclassified Class B LLC Units for newly issued shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis pursuant to the terms of the Amended LLC Agreement.
Prior to the Reorganization Transactions, in addition to Class A LLC Units in AIDH Management Holdings, LLC (the “Management LLC Class A Units”) that correspond to Class A Units in Definitive OpCo (the “Topco Class A Units”) on a one-for-one basis, AIDH Management Holdings, LLC granted Class B Units (the “Management LLC Class B Units”) intended to be treated as “profits interests” for U.S. federal income tax purposes which have economic characteristics similar to SARs and which are subject to vesting. Such Management LLC Class B Units corresponded on a one-for-one basis to Class B Units issued to AIDH Management Holdings, LLC by Definitive OpCo, also intended to be treated as “profits interests” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Management LLC Class B Units only had value to the extent there was appreciation in the value of Definitive OpCo above an applicable floor amount from and after the applicable grant date. In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, the Management LLC Class B Units were exchanged and reclassified into Management LLC Class A Units (the “Reclassified Management Holdings Class B Units”) and the Class B Units issued to AIDH Management Holdings, LLC by Definitive OpCo were exchanged and reclassified into LLC Units (the “Reclassified Class B LLC Units”) subject to vesting. In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, Class B Common Stock was issued to each holder of Management LLC Class A Units and Reclassified Management Holdings Class B Units, on a one-for-one basis to such holder’s Management, LLC Class A Units and Reclassified Management Holdings Class B Units; provided that Class B Common Stock issued to a holder of Reclassified Management Holdings Class B Units is not entitled to any voting rights until such time as such Reclassified Management Holdings Class B Units vest.
Follow-On Offering
On November 15, 2021, Definitive Healthcare Corp. completed a follow-on offering, in which it sold 11,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock at a public offering price of $36.00 per share for net proceeds of $382.1 million, after deducting underwriters’ discounts and commissions (but excluding other offering expenses and reimbursements).
Definitive Healthcare Corp. used net proceeds from the follow-on offering to (i) acquire 7,000,000 LLC Units from Definitive OpCo; (ii) purchase 1,766,762 LLC Units from certain unitholders; and (iii) repurchase 2,233,238 shares of Class A Common Stock received by certain of our stockholders at a purchase price per LLC Unit and share of Class A Common Stock, in each case equal to the follow-on price of Class A Common Stock, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions. Definitive OpCo used net proceeds from the follow-on offering to pay fees and expenses of approximately $1.6 million in connection with the follow-on offering and used the remainder for general corporate purposes.
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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve and its impact on the economy and healthcare ecosystem have been vast. However, other than a brief slowdown in new bookings during the second quarter of 2020 at the outset of the pandemic, the pandemic has not adversely affected our business, results of operations or financial condition. We continued to invest in our sales force and the business and have not experienced any known business disruptions as a result of the pandemic. Most of our services are already delivered remotely or are capable of being delivered remotely. We have demonstrated our agility to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by introducing information on telehealth adoption, COVID-19 analytics and more. We also benefitted from reduced travel expenses and continued to invest in talent and technology. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may impact our financial condition or results of operations over the medium-to-long term, however, remains uncertain. We will continue to actively monitor the pandemic and may take further actions that alter our business operations as may be required by federal, state or local authorities, or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers and stockholders.
Key Factors Affecting Our Performance
We believe that the growth and future success of our business depends on many factors, including the following:
Acquiring New Customers
We plan to continue to organically grow the number of customers that use our platform by increasing demand for our platform and penetrating our addressable market. Our results of operations and growth prospects will depend in part on our ability to attract new customers. We intend to drive new customer acquisition with our efficient go-to-market engine by continuing to invest in our sales and marketing efforts and developing new use cases for our platform. As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, we had over 2,800 and 2,600 customers, respectively. We define a customer as a company that maintains one or more active paid subscriptions to our platform. We have identified more than 100,000 potential customers across the healthcare ecosystem that we believe could benefit from our platform. Our ability to attract and acquire new customers is dependent on the strength of our platform and effectiveness of our go-to-market strategy.
Expanding Relationships with Existing Customers
We believe there is a significant opportunity to generate additional revenue from our existing customer base.
Our customers have historically increased their spending by adding intelligence modules and expanding use-cases across departments. Our customers are typically assigned to one of our vertically-focused teams, which is responsible for driving usage and increasing adoption of the platform, identifying expansion opportunities and driving customer renewals. Real-time input from these customer centric teams feeds directly into our product innovation teams, enhancing the development of new intelligence modules. We believe this feedback loop and our ability to innovate creates significant opportunities for continual existing customer expansion.
Our platform currently offers 16 intelligence modules. Our success in expanding usage of our platform with our existing customers is demonstrated by our NDR (see "Key Metrics"). For the year ended December 31, 2021, our NDR for customers generating more than $100,000 in ARR ("Enterprise Customers") was 120% and our NDR for all customers over $17,500 ARR was 111%. For the year ended December 31, 2020, our NDR for Enterprise Customers was 124% and our NDR for all customers over $17,500 ARR was 108%.
Continuing to Innovate and Expand Our Platform
The growth of our business is driven in part by our ability to apply our deep healthcare domain expertise to innovate and expand our platform. We have continually created new products since our founding in 2011 and have launched 16 highly integrated intelligence modules to date. We plan to continue to invest significantly into our engineering and research and development efforts to enhance our capabilities and functionality and facilitate the expansion of our platform to new use cases and customers. In addition, we work to continuously release updates and new features. While we are primarily focused on organic investments to drive innovation, we will also evaluate strategic acquisitions and investments that further expand our platform.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to our results determined in accordance with GAAP, we believe certain non-GAAP measures are useful in evaluating our operating performance. Non-GAAP measures include, but are not limited to, Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. We believe these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors because they eliminate certain items that affect period-over-period comparability and provide consistency with past
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financial performance and additional information about our underlying results and trends by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of our business, results of operations, or outlook.
We view Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin as operating performance measures. As such, we believe the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Gross Margin is GAAP Gross Profit, and the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin is GAAP net loss.
Non-GAAP measures are supplemental financial measures of our performance, and should not be considered substitutes for net loss, gross profit or any other measure derived in accordance with GAAP. This information should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. There are limitations to these non-GAAP financial measures because they are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies due to potential differences in methods of calculation and items or events being adjusted. In addition, other companies may use different measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our non-GAAP financial measures as tools for comparison. A reconciliation is provided below for each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable financial measure stated in accordance with GAAP.
Adjusted Gross Profit
We define Adjusted Gross Profit as revenue less cost of revenue (excluding acquisition-related depreciation and amortization and equity compensation costs) and Adjusted Gross Margin represents Adjusted Gross Profit as a percentage of revenue. Adjusted Gross Profit differs from gross profit, in that gross profit includes acquisition-related depreciation and amortization expense and equity compensation costs. Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Gross Margin are key metrics used by management and our board of directors to assess our operations.
We exclude acquisition-related depreciation and amortization expense as they have no direct correlation to the cost of operating our business on an ongoing basis. A small quantity of equity-based compensation is included in cost of revenue in accordance with GAAP but is excluded from our Adjusted Gross Profit calculations due to its non-cash nature.
The following table presents a reconciliation of Gross Profit to Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Gross Margin for the periods presented:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||
| Reported gross profit | $ | 125,465 | $ | 87,849 | ||||
| Amortization of intangible assets resulting from acquisition- related purchase accounting adjustments (a) | 20,220 | 19,169 | ||||||
| Equity-based compensation | 277 | 62 | ||||||
| Adjusted Gross Profit | 145,962 | 107,080 | ||||||
| Revenue | $ | 166,154 | $ | 118,317 | ||||
| Adjusted Gross Margin | 88 | % | 91 | % |
(a)
Amortization of intangible assets resulting from purchase accounting adjustments represents non-cash amortization of acquired intangibles, primarily resulting from the Advent Acquisition.
Adjusted EBITDA
We present “Adjusted EBITDA” as a measure of our operating performance. EBITDA is defined as earnings before (i) debt-related costs, including interest expense and loss on extinguishment of debt, (ii) interest income, (iii) income taxes and (iv) depreciation and amortization. Management further adjusts EBITDA in its presentation of Adjusted EBITDA to exclude (i) other (income) expense, (ii) equity-based compensation, (iii) transaction expenses and (iv) other non-recurring expenses. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are key metrics used by management and our board of directors to assess the profitability of our operations. We believe these metrics provide useful measures to investors to assess our operating performance because these metrics eliminate non-recurring and unusual items and non-cash expenses, which we do not consider indicative of ongoing operational performance. We believe that these metrics are helpful to investors in measuring the profitability of our operations on a consolidated level.
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The following table presents a reconciliation of Net loss to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||
| Net loss | $ | (61,257 | ) | $ | (51,157 | ) | ||
| Interest expense, net | 25,871 | 36,490 | ||||||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt | 9,873 | — | ||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 675 | — | ||||||
| Depreciation & amortization | 59,947 | 59,580 | ||||||
| EBITDA | 35,109 | 44,913 | ||||||
| Other (income) expense, net (a) | (143 | ) | 222 | |||||
| Equity-based compensation (b) | 9,957 | 1,747 | ||||||
| Transaction expenses (c) | 6,287 | 3,776 | ||||||
| Other non-recurring items (d) | 4,780 | 2,847 | ||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 55,990 | $ | 53,505 | ||||
| Revenue | $ | 166,154 | $ | 118,317 | ||||
| Adjusted EBITDA Margin | 34 | % | 45 | % |
(a)
Primarily represents foreign exchange remeasurement gains and losses.
(b)
Equity-based compensation represents non-cash compensation expense recognized in association with equity awards made to employees and directors.
(c)
Transaction expenses primarily represent legal, accounting and consulting expenses and fair value adjustments for contingent consideration related to our acquisitions.
(d)
Non-recurring items represent expenses that are typically one-time or non-operational in nature. One-time expenses are comprised primarily of professional fees and other costs related to IPO readiness for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Key Metrics
We monitor the following key metrics to help us evaluate our business performance, identify financial trends, formulate business plans, and make strategic operational decisions.
Net Dollar Retention Rate
We believe the growth in use of our platform by our existing customers is an important measure of the health of our business and our future growth prospects. We evaluate and report on our NDR on an annual basis to measure this growth.
Current Remaining Performance Obligations ("cRPO")
We monitor current remaining performance obligations as a metric to help us evaluate the health of our business and identify trends affecting our growth. cRPO represents the amount of contracted future revenue that has not yet been recognized, including both deferred revenue and non-cancelable contracted amounts that will be invoiced and recognized as revenue within the next twelve months. cRPO is not necessarily indicative of future revenue growth. cRPO is influenced by several factors, including seasonality, the timing of renewals, and disparate contract terms. Due to these factors, it is important to review cRPO in conjunction with revenue and other financial metrics.
The following table presents our remaining performance obligations, including cRPO as of December 31, 2021 and 2020:
| December 31, | December 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | |||||
| Current (cRPO) | $ | 155,134 | $ | 114,284 | |||
| Non-current | 95,354 | 58,250 | |||||
| Total remaining performance obligation | $ | 250,488 | $ | 172,534 |
Impact of Acquisitions and Investments
We seek to enhance our platform, data and business through internal development and through acquisitions of and investments in businesses that broaden and strengthen our platform. In December 2021, we made a $40.0 million investment in Analytical Wizards Inc., a company that specializes in automating complex analytic models using tools that expedite efficient big data mining through A.I. and M.L. power to uncover deep insights. In October 2020, we acquired Monocl, a cloud-based platform with millions of expert profiles. In December 2019, we acquired HSE, a software analytics firm that helps life science
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companies and healthcare providers find patient clusters who would most benefit from their products and services. In January 2019, we acquired HIMSS Analytics, a global healthcare advisor providing guidance and market intelligence solutions. In June 2016, we acquired Billian’s HealthDATA, a provider of data and analytics on U.S. healthcare organizations. In October 2015, we acquired US Lifeline, a provider of real- world data and intelligence for the healthcare supply chain. These acquisitions and investments have strengthened our data platform and our business. Acquisitions can result in transaction costs, amortization expense and other adjustments as purchase accounting requires that all assets acquired and liabilities assumed be recorded at fair value on the acquisition date.
Components of our Results of Operations
Revenue
For the year ended December 31, 2021, we derived approximately 99% of our revenue from subscription services and the remainder from professional services. Our subscription services consist primarily of subscription fees for access to our platform. Our subscription contracts typically have a term ranging from 1 to 3 years and are non-cancellable. We typically bill for services in advance annually, and we typically require payment at the beginning of each annual period. Our subscription revenue is recognized ratably over the contract term. Our professional services revenue typically is derived from consulting services which are generally capable of being distinct and can be accounted for as separate performance obligations. Revenue related to these professional services is insignificant and is recognized at a point in time, when the performance obligations under the terms of the contract are satisfied and control has been transferred to the customer.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of Revenue. Cost of revenue, excluding amortization of acquired technology and data, consists of direct expenses related to the support and operations of our SaaS platform, such as data and infrastructure costs, personnel costs for our professional services, customer support and data research teams, such as salaries, bonuses, stock-based compensation, and other employee-related benefits, as well as allocated overheads. We anticipate that we will continue to invest in cost of revenue and that cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue will stay consistent or modestly increase as we add to our existing intelligence modules and invest in new products and data sources. Cost of data is included in the cost of revenue and is a fundamental driver of innovation.
Amortization. Includes amortization expense for technology and data acquired in business combinations and asset purchase agreements. We anticipate that amortization will only increase if we make additional acquisitions in the future.
Gross Profit
Gross profit is revenue less cost of revenue, and gross margin is gross profit as a percentage of revenue. Gross profit and gross margin have been and will continue to be affected by various factors, including the costs associated with third-party data and third-party hosting services, leveraging economies of scale, and the extent to which we introduce new intelligence modules, features or functionality or expand our customer support and service organizations, hire additional personnel or complete additional acquisitions. We expect that our gross profit and gross margin will fluctuate from period to period depending on the interplay of these various factors.
Operating Expenses
The most significant component of our operating expenses is personnel costs, which consist of salaries, bonuses, sales commissions, equity-based compensation, and other employee-related benefits. Operating expenses also include non-personnel costs such as facilities, technology, professional fees, and marketing.
Sales and marketing. Sales and marketing expenses primarily consist of personnel costs such as salaries, bonuses, sales commissions, equity-based compensation, and other employee-related benefits for our sales and marketing teams, as well as non-personnel costs including overhead costs, technology and marketing costs. We expect that sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of revenue may stay consistent in 2022 and moderately decrease thereafter, as we realize operating leverage in the business. We continue to hire additional sales and marketing personnel, enhance our digital marketing infrastructure and invest in marketing programs targeting our major vertical markets.
Product development. Product development expenses primarily consist of personnel costs such as salaries, bonuses, equity-based compensation, and other employee-related benefits for our engineering, data science and product teams, as well as non-personnel costs including overhead costs. We believe that our core technologies and ongoing innovation represent a significant competitive advantage for us, and we expect our product development expenses to continue to increase as we further strengthen and enhance our solutions. We anticipate that product development expense as a percentage of revenue will stay consistent or modestly increase as we continue to invest in systems optimization and module improvements for our
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customers, enhance our software development team and continue to invest in automation and A.I. to drive higher quality data and deeper insights.
General and administrative. General and administrative expenses primarily consist of personnel costs such as salaries, bonuses, equity-based compensation, and other employee-related benefits for our executive, finance, legal, human resources, IT and other administrative teams, as well as non-personnel costs including overhead costs, professional fees, expenses associated with preparation for the IPO and other corporate expenses. We anticipate that general and administrative costs will significantly increase relative to prior periods due to the incremental costs associated with operating as a public company, including corporate insurance costs, additional accounting and legal expenses, and additional resources associated with controls, reporting, and disclosure. Due primarily to the costs associated with operating as a public company, we expect general and administrative costs as a percentage of revenue to increase in 2022 and then stay consistent, or modestly decrease thereafter, as we realize operating leverage in the business.
Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization expenses consist primarily of amortization of customer relationships and trade names primarily as a result of the accounting for the Advent Acquisition, as well as depreciation of property and equipment. We anticipate depreciation of property and equipment as a percentage of revenue to moderately decrease, although amortization will increase if we make additional acquisitions in the future.
Transaction expenses. Transaction expenses are costs directly associated with various acquisition and integration activities we have undertaken, primarily accounting and legal due diligence, and consulting and advisory fees.
Other Expense, Net
Other expense, net consists primarily of interest expense, net, loss on extinguishment of debt, and foreign currency transaction gains or loss.
Interest expense, net consists primarily of interest expense on our debt obligations and the amortization of debt discounts and debt issuance costs, less interest income. We expect to realize a reduction in our interest expense during 2022 over prior periods as a result of a loan refinancing that occurred in conjunction with our IPO in September 2021.
Loss on extinguishment of debt consists of losses resulting from the write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs associated with loan repayments in conjunction with the September 2021 refinancing.
Foreign currency transaction loss consists primarily of realized and unrealized gains and losses related to the impact of transactions denominated in a foreign currency. We do not have significant exposure to foreign exchange volatility and do not anticipate foreign currency transaction gains or losses to materially impact our results of operations.
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Results of Operations
The following table sets forth a summary of our consolidated statements of operations for the periods presented:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||
| Revenue | $ | 166,154 | $ | 118,317 | ||||
| Cost of revenue: | ||||||||
| Cost of revenue exclusive of amortization shown below | 19,421 | 11,085 | ||||||
| Amortization | 21,268 | 19,383 | ||||||
| Total cost of revenue | 40,689 | 30,468 | ||||||
| Gross profit | 125,465 | 87,849 | ||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||
| Sales and marketing | 56,387 | 34,332 | ||||||
| Product development | 18,565 | 11,062 | ||||||
| General and administrative | 30,528 | 12,927 | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 38,679 | 40,197 | ||||||
| Transaction expenses | 6,287 | 3,776 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | 150,446 | 102,294 | ||||||
| (Loss) Income from operations | (24,981 | ) | (14,445 | ) | ||||
| Other expense, net: | ||||||||
| Foreign currency transaction gain (loss) | 143 | (222 | ) | |||||
| Interest expense, net | (25,871 | ) | (36,490 | ) | ||||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt | (9,873 | ) | — | |||||
| Total other expense, net | (35,601 | ) | (36,712 | ) | ||||
| Loss before income taxes | (60,582 | ) | (51,157 | ) | ||||
| Provision for income taxes | (675 | ) | — | |||||
| Net loss | (61,257 | ) | (51,157 | ) | ||||
| Less: Net loss attributable to Definitive OpCo prior to the Reorganization Transactions | (33,343 | ) | (51,157 | ) | ||||
| Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests | (10,237 | ) | — | |||||
| Net loss attributable to Definitive Healthcare Corp. | $ | (17,677 | ) | $ | — |
Year Ended December 31, 2021 compared to Year Ended December 31, 2020
Revenue
Revenue increased $47.8 million, or 40%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the same period in the prior year, driven almost entirely by higher subscription revenue. This increase was primarily due to net expansion with existing customers as well as organic addition of new customers, and to a lesser extent, new customers acquired through the acquisition of Monocl.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue increased $10.2 million, or 34%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the same period in the prior year, primarily due to:
•
An increase in cost of revenue exclusive of amortization expense of $8.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due primarily to additional data subscription contracts, increased hosting fees associated with additional product offerings, and, to a lesser extent, incremental personnel costs resulting from additional hiring during the year;
•
An increase in amortization expense of $1.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 driven primarily by technology and data acquired in the Monocl acquisition in October 2020.
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Operating Expenses
Operating expenses increased $48.2 million, or 47%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to:
•
An increase in sales and marketing expense of $22.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due primarily to increased personnel costs resulting from additional hiring, including sales and marketing resources added through the Monocl acquisition;
•
An increase in general and administrative expense of $17.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due primarily to increased personnel costs arising from additional hiring and the Monocl acquisition, incremental costs associated with preparing for an IPO and additional accounting, legal and insurance expenses. The increase was also driven by higher equity-based compensation relating to awards under a new post-IPO equity incentive plan and from the acceleration of an equity award associated with the retirement of an executive officer during the third quarter of 2021;
•
An increase in product development expense of $7.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due primarily to increased personnel costs resulting from additional hiring, including product development resources added through the Monocl acquisition;
•
An increase in transaction expenses of $2.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due primarily to fair value adjustments for contingent consideration arising from the Monocl acquisition and increased costs associated with prospective acquisitions and investments;
•
These increases were partially offset by decreases in depreciation and amortization expense of $1.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Other Expense, Net
Other expense, net decreased $1.1 million, or 3%, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared with the same period in the prior year, primarily due to a decrease in interest expense, net of $10.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The decrease was primarily attributable to lower outstanding debt in 2021 as well as lower interest rates as a result of a refinancing that occurred in September 2021. This was partially offset by a loss on the extinguishment of debt of $9.9 million resulting from the repayment in full of our term loan under the September 2021 refinancing.
Net loss
Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased by $10.1 million, or 20%, compared with the same period in the prior year, which was driven by the factors described above.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
As of December 31, 2021, we had $387.5 million of cash and cash equivalents and $75.0 million available under our revolving credit facility. Our principal sources of liquidity are cash and cash equivalents on hand, primarily from our IPO and follow-on offerings that occurred in September and November 2021, respectively, as well as the cash flows we generate from operations. Our principal uses of liquidity have been primarily for investment in long-term growth of the business through capital expenditures and acquisitions as well as debt service and distributions to members of Definitive OpCo..
Definitive Healthcare Corp. is a holding company and its sole material asset is its ownership interest in Definitive OpCo. All of our business is conducted through Definitive OpCo and its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates, and the financial results are included in the consolidated financial statements of Definitive Healthcare Corp. Definitive Healthcare Corp. has no independent means of generating revenue. The amended limited liability company agreement of Definitive OpCo, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.3, and the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference, provides that certain distributions will be made to cover Definitive Healthcare Corp.'s taxes and such tax distributions are also expected to be used by Definitive Healthcare Corp. to satisfy its obligations under the TRA. We have broad discretion to make distributions out of Definitive OpCo. In the event Definitive Healthcare Corp. declares any cash dividend, we expect to cause Definitive OpCo to make distributions to us, in an amount sufficient to cover such cash dividends declared by us. Deterioration in the financial condition, earnings, or cash flow of Definitive OpCo and its subsidiaries for any reason could limit or impair their ability to pay such distributions. In addition, the terms of our 2021 Credit Agreement contain covenants that may restrict DH Holdings and its subsidiaries from paying such distributions, subject to certain exceptions. Further, Definitive OpCo and Definitive Healthcare Corp. are generally prohibited under Delaware law from making a distribution to a member to the extent that, at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, liabilities of Definitive OpCo and DH Holdings (with certain
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exceptions), as applicable, exceed the fair value of its assets. Subsidiaries of DH Holdings are generally subject to similar legal limitations on their ability to make distributions to DH Holdings.
We believe that our cash flow from operations, availability under the 2021 Credit Agreement and available cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to meet our short-term and long-term cash requirements relating to our current operations. We anticipate that to the extent that we require additional liquidity, it will be funded through the incurrence of additional indebtedness, the issuance of additional equity, or a combination thereof. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to obtain this additional liquidity on reasonable terms, or at all.
Additionally, our liquidity and our ability to meet our obligations and fund our capital requirements are also dependent on our future financial performance, which is subject to general economic, financial and other factors that are beyond our control. See “Risk Factors” include elsewhere in this report. Accordingly, we cannot provide assurance that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future borrowings will be available from additional indebtedness or otherwise to meet our liquidity needs. If we decide to pursue one or more significant acquisitions, we may incur additional debt or sell or issue additional equity to finance such acquisitions, which could possibly result in additional expenses or dilution.
Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods presented:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||
| Cash provided by (used in): | ||||||||
| Operating activities | $ | 25,212 | $ | 23,217 | ||||
| Investing activities | (46,731 | ) | (23,862 | ) | ||||
| Financing activities | 384,372 | 16,655 | ||||||
| Change in cash and cash equivalents (excluding effect of exchange rate changes) | $ | 362,853 | $ | 16,010 |
Cash Flows provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operations was $25.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2021, resulting primarily from a net loss of $61.3 million and a $4.8 million net decrease in our operating assets and liabilities, offset by non-cash charges of $91.3 million. The non-cash charges were primarily comprised of amortization of intangible assets of $58.2 million, a loss on the extinguishment of the previous debt facility of $9.9 million, equity compensation costs of $10.0 million, changes in fair value of contingent consideration of $3.8 million, amortization of deferred contract costs of $4.8 million, amortization of debt issuance costs of $1.7 million, and deferred income tax expense of $0.7 million. The change in operating assets and liabilities was primarily the result of an increase in deferred contract costs of $14.4 million, an increase in accounts receivable of $10.7 million, and an increase in prepaid expenses and other assets of $3.7 million. These factors were partially offset by an increase in deferred revenue of $23.0 million due to the timing of billings and cash received in advance of revenue recognition for subscription services and an increase in accounts payable of $1.0 million due to the timing of invoices received and payments made.
Net cash provided by operations was $23.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, resulting from a net loss of $51.2 million and a $1.6 million net decrease in our operating assets and liabilities, offset by non-cash charges of $76.0 million. The non-cash charges were primarily comprised of amortization of intangible assets of $58.4 million, non-cash paid in kind interest expense of $7.4 million, changes in fair value of contingent consideration of $2.6 million and amortization of debt issuance costs of $2.1 million. The change in operating assets and liabilities was primarily the result of increases in accounts receivable of $8.3 million and deferred contract costs of $7.7 million, partially offset by an increase in deferred revenue of $12.1 million due to the timing of billings and cash received in advance of revenue recognition for subscription services.
Cash Flows used in Investing Activities
Cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $46.7 million, primarily consisting of a $40.0 million cash investment in Analytical Wizards, LLC ("Analytical Wizards"), a privately-held data analytics company. This investment includes a 35% ownership stake in the company and an option to purchase the remaining 65%. Cash used in investing activities for the period also includes $6.7 million of capital expenditures, primarily relating to purchases of data and expenditures associated with the buildout of leased office facilities.
Cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $23.9 million, primarily as a result of cash payments for the acquisition of Monocl of $15.5 million, $6.9 million paid to former members in conjunction with the Advent Acquisition and purchases of property and equipment of $1.4 million.
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Cash Flows provided by Financing Activities
Cash provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $384.4 million, primarily consisting of proceeds received from the Company's IPO and follow-on offering transactions (net of underwriting discounts and commissions) of $835.0 million, proceeds of $275.0 million from term loan borrowings under the 2021 Credit Agreement executed in the third quarter of 2021 and member contributions of $5.5 million. These cash inflows were partially offset by repurchases of shares and Definitive OpCo units in conjunction with the IPO and follow-on offerings of $231.8 million, repayments on our term and delayed draw term loans of $474.5, including the full repayment of the loans under the 2019 Credit Agreement, payments of deferred IPO costs of $11.7 million, distributions paid to members of $8.1 million, payments of contingent consideration of $1.5 million and payments of debt issuance costs of $3.5 million.
Cash provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $16.7 million, primarily consisting of proceeds from the Delayed Draw Term Loan of $18.0 million and contributions from members of $6.4 million, partially offset by distributions to members of $2.9 million and repayments on the 2019 Term Loan and debt issuance costs of $4.8 million.
Debt Obligations
On September 17, 2021, DH Holdings entered into the 2021 Credit Agreement pursuant to which the lenders thereunder agreed to provide the 2021 Term Loan and the 2021 Revolving Line of Credit. The 2021 Credit Agreement includes certain financial covenants and the 2021 Credit Facilities thereunder are guaranteed by all of DH Holdings' wholly-owned domestic restricted subsidiaries and AIDH Buyer, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the direct parent company of DH Holdings, in each case, subject to customary exceptions, and are secured by a lien on substantially all of the assets of DH Holdings and the guarantors, including a pledge of the equity of DH Holdings, in each case, subject to customary exceptions.
The 2021 Term Loan is for $275.0 million and has a maturity date of September 17, 2026. The 2021 Term Loan was recorded net of $3.5 million in issuance costs. The issuance costs are amortized to interest expense over the term of the 2021 Term Loan using the effective interest method.
The 2021 Term Loan is subject to annual amortization of principal, payable in equal quarterly installments on the last day of each fiscal quarter, commencing on the Initial Amortization Date, equal to approximately 2.5% per annum of the principal amount of the term loans in the first year and second year after the Initial Amortization Date and approximately 5.0% per annum of the principal amount of the term loans in the third year, fourth year, and fifth year after the Initial Amortization Date. A balloon payment of approximately $220.0 million will be due at the maturity of the 2021 Term Loan. There was $273.3 million outstanding on the 2021 Term Loan at December 31, 2021.
The 2021 Revolving Line of Credit is committed for $75.0 million and has a maturity date of September 17, 2026. There was no outstanding balance on the 2021 Revolving Line of Credit as of December 31, 2021.
On September 17, 2021, DH Holdings repaid the outstanding principal balances of the 2019 Term Loan of $452.5 million and the 2019 Delayed Draw Term Loan of $17.9 million.
DH Holdings was compliant with its financial covenants under both the 2021 and 2019 Credit Agreements.
Financing Obligations
Financing obligations generally include repayment of principal amounts of our term loan (as detailed above in "Debt Obligations"), lease payments and purchase obligations. The leases relate to office facilities and expire at various times through 2030. The lease obligations include $3.1 million to be paid in 2022 and $13.3 million thereafter. Estimated purchase commitments, which currently run through 2025, are $6.1 million in 2022 and $15.8 million thereafter.
Tax Receivable Agreement ("TRA")
In connection with the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO, the Company entered into the TRA with certain of our pre- IPO Unitholders and the former shareholders of certain Blocker Companies. The TRA provides for the payment by Definitive Healthcare Corp. of 85.0% of the amount of any tax benefits that it actually realizes, or in some cases is deemed to realize, as a result of (i) certain favorable tax attributes it acquired from the Blocker Companies in the Reorganization Transactions (including net operating losses and the unamortized portion of the increase in tax basis in the tangible and intangible assets of Definitive OpCo and its subsidiaries resulting from the prior acquisitions of interests in Definitive OpCo by the Blocker Companies), (ii) tax basis adjustments resulting from the acquisition of LLC Units by Definitive Healthcare Corp. and (iii) certain payments made under the TRA.
In each case, these tax basis adjustments generated over time may increase (for tax purposes) the Definitive Healthcare Corp.’s depreciation and amortization deductions and, therefore, may reduce the amount of tax that the Definitive Healthcare Corp. would otherwise be required to pay in the future, although the IRS may challenge all or part of the validity of that tax
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basis, and a court could sustain such a challenge. The anticipated tax basis adjustments upon redemptions or exchanges of LLC Units may also decrease gains (or increase losses) on future dispositions of certain assets to the extent tax basis is allocated to those assets. The payment obligations under the TRA are an obligation of Definitive Healthcare Corp., but not of Definitive OpCo. Definitive Healthcare Corp. expects to benefit from the remaining 15% of realized cash tax benefits. For purposes of the TRA, the realized cash tax benefits will be computed by comparing the actual income tax liability of Definitive Healthcare Corp. (calculated with certain assumptions) to the amount of such taxes that Definitive Healthcare Corp. would have been required to pay had there been no tax basis adjustments of the assets of Definitive Healthcare Corp. as a result of redemptions or exchanges and no utilization of certain tax attributes of the Blocker Companies, and had Definitive Healthcare Corp. not entered into the TRA. The term of the TRA will continue until all such tax benefits have been utilized or expired, unless (i) Definitive Healthcare Corp. exercises its right to terminate the TRA for an amount based on the agreed payments remaining to be made under the agreement, (ii) Definitive Healthcare Corp. breaches any of its material obligations under the TRA in which case all obligations (including any additional interest due relating to any deferred payments) generally will be accelerated and due as if Definitive Healthcare Corp. had exercised its right to terminate the TRA, or (iii) there is a change of control of Definitive Healthcare Corp., in which case, all obligations (including any additional interest due relating to any deferred payments) generally will be accelerated and due as if Definitive Healthcare Corp. had exercised its right to terminate the TRA as described above in clause (i). Estimating the amount of payments that may be made under the TRA is by its nature imprecise, insofar as the calculation of amounts payable depends on a variety of factors. The amount of the anticipated tax basis adjustments, as well as the amount and timing of any payments under the TRA, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the timing of exchanges, the price of shares of our Class A Common Stock at the time of an exchange, the extent to which such exchanges are taxable, the amount of tax attributes, and the amount and timing of our income.
We expect that as a result of the size of the anticipated tax basis adjustment of the tangible and intangible assets of Definitive OpCo upon the exchange or redemption of LLC Units and our possible utilization of certain tax attributes, the payments that Definitive Healthcare Corp. may make under the TRA will be substantial. The payments under the TRA are not conditioned upon continued ownership of us by the exchanging holders of LLC Units. See Note 15 in our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K.
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures increased by $5.3 million to $6.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $1.4 million for the same period in the prior year, primarily due to the purchases of data and expenditures related to the buildout of one of our office facilities.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements and notes have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our critical accounting policies are those that are reflective of uncertainties resulting from significant, complex and subjective judgements, though the accounting treatment for the majority of our revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities is specifically dictated by GAAP, with no need for the application of judgement.
In certain circumstances, the preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts. The estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience, current conditions, and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Our actual results may differ from those estimates, though we believe such differences are not likely to be material. We review these estimates on a periodic basis to ensure reasonableness and adequacy.
While our significant accounting policies are discussed more fully in Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, the following topics pertain to accounting policies we believe are most critical to the preparation of our financial statements and that require our more significant, difficult, subjective or complex judgments or estimates. Other companies in similar businesses may use different estimation policies and methodologies, which may affect the comparability of our financial statements, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows to those of other companies.
Revenue Recognition
We derive revenue primarily from subscription license fees charged for access to the Company’s database platform, and professional services. The customer arrangements include a promise to allow customers to access subscription license to the database platform which is hosted by the Company over the contract period, without allowing the customer to take possession of the subscription license or transfer hosting to a third party.
We recognize revenue in accordance with ASC 606–Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which provides a five-step model for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those services.
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Revenue related to hosted subscription license arrangements, which often include non-distinct professional services, is recognized ratably over the contract term as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by our performance. These subscription contracts typically have a term of one to three years and are non-cancellable.
We also enter into a limited number of contracts that can include various combinations of professional services, which are generally capable of being distinct and can be accounted for as separate performance obligations. Revenue related to these professional services is insignificant and is recognized at a point in time, when the performance obligations under the terms of the contract are satisfied and control has been transferred to the customer.
When a contract contains multiple performance obligations, the contract transaction price is allocated on a relative standalone selling price (“SSP”) basis to each performance obligation. We typically determine SSP based on observable selling prices of its products and services. In instances where SSP is not directly observable, SSP is determined using information that may include market conditions and other observable inputs, or by using the residual approach.
We account for an arrangement when it has approval and commitment from both parties, the rights are identified, the contract has commercial substance, and collectability of consideration is probable. The Company generally obtains written purchase contracts from its customers for a specified service at a specified price, with a specified term, which constitutes an arrangement. Revenue is recognized at the amount expected to be collected, net of any taxes collected from customers, which are subsequently remitted to governmental authorities. The timing of revenue recognition may not align with the right to invoice the customer, but the Company has determined that in such cases, a significant financing component generally does not exist. The Company has elected the practical expedient that permits an entity not to recognize a significant financing component if the time between the transfer of a good or service and payment is one year or less. Payment terms on invoiced amounts are typically 30 days. The Company does not offer rights of return for its products and services in the normal course of business, and contracts generally do not include customer acceptance clauses.
Our arrangements typically do not contain variable consideration. However, certain contracts with customers may include service level agreements that entitle the customer to receive service credits, and in certain cases, service refunds, when defined service levels are not met. These arrangements represent a form of variable consideration, which is considered in the calculation of the transaction price. The Company estimates the amount of variable considerations at the expected value based on its assessment of legal enforceability, anticipated performance and a review of specific transactions, historical experience and market and economic conditions.
The Company historically has not experienced any significant incidents that affected the defined levels of reliability and performance as required by the contracts.
Acquisitions
We account for business combinations using the acquisition method in accordance with ASC 805—Business Combinations. Each acquired company’s results of operations are included in our consolidated financial statements starting on the date of acquisition. We allocate purchase consideration to the tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired, and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values. The purchase price is determined based on the fair value of the assets transferred, liabilities assumed, and equity interests issued, after considering any transactions that are separate from the business combination. The excess of fair value of purchase consideration over the fair values of the identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the date of acquisition are recorded at the acquisition date fair value. Such valuations require management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets and contingent liabilities. Significant estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from acquired customer bases, acquired technology and acquired trade names, useful lives, royalty rates, and discount rates.
The estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to revision as additional information is obtained during the measurement period for an acquisition, which may last up to one year from the acquisition date. During the measurement period, we may record adjustments to the fair value of tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with a corresponding offset to goodwill. After the conclusion of the measurement period or the final determination of the fair value of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to earnings.
In addition, uncertain tax positions and tax-related valuation allowances assumed in connection with a business combination are initially estimated as of the acquisition date. We reevaluate these items based upon the facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date, with any revisions to our preliminary estimates being recorded to goodwill, provided that the timing is within the measurement period. Subsequent to the measurement period, changes to uncertain tax positions and tax related valuation allowances will be recorded to earnings.
For any given acquisition, we may identify certain pre-acquisition contingencies. We estimate the fair value of such contingencies, which are included as part of the assets acquired or liabilities assumed, as appropriate. Differences from these estimates are recorded in the consolidated statement of operations in the period in which they are identified.
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Impairment of Goodwill
Goodwill is not amortized and is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level, at least annually, and more frequently if events or circumstances occur that would indicate a potential decline in fair value. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a component of an operating segment. We first assess qualitative factors to evaluate whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the carrying amount, or it may elect to bypass such assessment. If it is determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, or if we elect to bypass the qualitative assessment, management will perform a quantitative test by determining the fair value of the reporting unit. The estimated fair value of the reporting unit is based on a projected discounted cash flow model that includes significant assumptions and estimates, including the discount rate, growth rate, and future financial performance. Valuations of similarly situated public companies are also evaluated when assessing the fair value of the reporting unit. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, then an impairment loss is recognized for the difference.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
We review the carrying value of long-lived assets, including definite-lived intangible assets and property and equipment, for impairment whenever events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. If estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from its use and eventual disposition are not expected to be adequate to recover the asset’s carrying value, an impairment charge is recorded for the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its estimated fair value.
Equity-Based Compensation
Equity instruments issued in exchange for services performed by officers, employees, consultants, and directors of the Company are accounted for using a fair-value based method, and the fair value of such equity instruments are recognized as expense in the consolidated statements of operations. The Company has issued restricted stock units ("RSUs"), the fair values of which are determined by the closing stock price on the date of grant, and prior to the IPO, issued profit interest units ("PIUs") to certain employees and officers with a return threshold that was set based on the fair value of the Company.
For PIUs, fair value was determined using a two-step process. First, the Company’s enterprise value was established using generally accepted valuation methodologies, including discounted cash flow analysis, guideline comparable public company analysis, and comparable transaction method. Second, the enterprise value was allocated among the securities that comprise the capital structure of the Company using an option-pricing method based on the Black-Scholes model. For performance-based units, the Company used a Monte Carlo simulation analysis, which captures the impact of the performance vesting conditions to value the performance-based units. The use of the Black-Scholes model and the Monte Carlo simulation required the Company to make estimates and assumptions, such as expected volatility, expected term and expected risk-free interest rate.
Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2018-07 and, as a result, accounts for RSUs and PIUs in accordance with ASC 718—Compensation—Stock Compensation. Equity-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date of the awards and is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. For the units which had a performance condition, we recognized compensation expense based on the Company's assessment of the probability that the performance condition(s) would be achieved. Any related compensation expense was recognized when the probability of the event was likely and performance criteria were met. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur.
Accounting for Income Taxes
Definitive OpCo is taxed as a partnership. DH Holdings is a wholly owned subsidiary of Definitive OpCo and is treated as a disregarded entity for income tax purposes. Accordingly, for federal and state income tax purposes, income, losses, and other tax attributes not generated by the HSE or Monocl subsidiaries pass through to the Definitive OpCo members’ individual income tax returns. Definitive OpCo may be subject to certain taxes on behalf of its members in certain states. Definitive Healthcare Corp. was not subject to any federal income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2021 or 2020.
HSE and the Monocl US subsidiaries are taxed as corporations. Accordingly, these entities account for income taxes by recognizing tax assets and liabilities for the cumulative effect of all the temporary differences between financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. The foreign tax provision pertains to foreign income taxes due at the Swedish Monocl subsidiaries. Deferred taxes for the HSE, Monocl US and Swedish subsidiaries are determined using enacted federal, state, or foreign income tax rates in effect in the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided if based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Definitive Healthcare Corp. is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its allocable share of any taxable income of Definitive OpCo and will be taxed at the prevailing corporate tax rates. In addition to tax expenses, we will also make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, which we expect to be significant. We anticipate that we will
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account for the income tax effects and corresponding Tax Receivable Agreement’s effects resulting from future taxable exchanges of LLC Units of Unitholders by us or Definitive OpCo by recognizing an increase in our deferred tax assets, based on enacted tax rates at the date of the purchase or exchange.
Further, we will evaluate the likelihood that we will realize the benefit represented by the deferred tax asset and, to the extent that we estimate that it is more likely than not that we will not realize the benefit, we will reduce the carrying amount of the deferred tax asset with a valuation allowance. The amounts to be recorded for both the deferred tax assets and the liability for our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement will be estimated at the time of any purchase or exchange as a reduction to shareholders’ equity, and the effects of changes in any of our estimates after this date will be included in net loss. Similarly, the effect of subsequent changes in the enacted tax rates will be included in net income. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized and, when necessary, a valuation allowance is established. The ultimate realization of the deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences become deductible. A change in the assessment of such consequences, such as realization of deferred tax assets, changes in tax laws or interpretations thereof could materially impact our results.
Under the provisions of ASC 740—Income Taxes, as it relates to accounting for uncertainties in tax positions, we recognize the tax benefit of tax positions to the extent that the benefit will more likely than not be realized. The determination as to whether the tax benefit will more likely than not be realized is based upon the technical merits of the tax position as well as consideration of the available facts and circumstances. For the tax years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we did not have any uncertain tax positions.
JOBS Act Accounting Election
We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act. Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date we (i) are no longer an emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
For a summary of recent accounting pronouncements applicable to our consolidated financial statements, refer to Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K.