Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business	Description of Business Digimarc Corporation (“Digimarc” or the “Company”), an Oregon corporation, enables governments, banks, retailers, consumer brands, and other businesses around the world to automatically and reliably identify and interact with virtually any form of media. The Company has pioneered the Digimarc Platform, featuring three core functions for the identification, discovery and verification of digitally enhanced media. Digimarc provides objects with an indelible, imperceptible data carrier: Digimarc Barcode. Data in the carrier uniquely identifies the object. The Digimarc Platform also provides software for relevant devices to “discover” objects (i.e., decode data from that carrier) using Digimarc software, known as Digimarc Discover. Digimarc Verify, a suite of verification and quality control tools, assesses signal quality and validates data at critical stages of production when the Digimarc Barcode is applied to an object. Together, these core functions enable organizations, application developers, and other solution providers to build new features, functionality and additional value on the Digimarc Platform.
Interim Consolidated Financial Statements	Interim Consolidated Financial Statements Our significant accounting policies are detailed in “Note 1: Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Significant changes to our accounting policies as a result of adopting Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842, “Leases,” effective January 1, 2019, are discussed in Note 11 below. The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared from the Company’s records without audit and, in management’s opinion, include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to fairly reflect the financial condition and the results of operations for the periods presented. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2020. The results of operations for the interim periods presented in these consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain prior period amounts in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation, including the reclassification of revenue and expense accounts to better align with the presentation provided by our peers in the software industry. These reclassifications had no material effect on the results of operations or financial position for any period presented.
Accounting Pronouncements	Accounting Pronouncements Adopted In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, “Leases (ASC 842),” which supersedes “Leases (ASC 840).” ASU No. 2016-02 increases the transparency and comparability of organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This guidance required that operating leases recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability measured at the present value of the lease payments in the statement of financial position, recognize a single lease cost allocated over the lease term on a straight-line basis, and classify all cash payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. The amendments in this update were effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2018, and interim periods beginning in the first interim period within the year of adoption. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (ASC 842) Targeted Improvements,” to provide a transition election to not restate comparative periods for the effects of applying the new standard. This transition election permitted entities to change the date of initial application to the beginning of the year of adoption and to recognize the effects of applying the new standard as a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-01, “Leases (ASC 842) Codification Improvements,” to increase transparency and comparability about disclosing essential information about leasing transactions. Collectively, ASUs 2016-02, 2018-11 and 2019-01 are defined as “ASC 842.” The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2019, and elected not to restate comparative periods. Upon adoption, the Company concluded no adjustment was required to the opening balance of retained earnings to reflect the impact of adopting the new standard. In addition, the Company recorded right of use assets of $2,709 and lease liabilities of $3,792 and reversed the previously recorded deferred rent liability of $1,083. See Note 11 for further information. Accounting Pronouncements Issued But Not Yet Adopted In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (ASC 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which amends the guidance on the impairment of financial instruments. The amendments in this update removes the thresholds that entities apply to measure credit losses on financial instruments measured at amortized cost, such as loans, trade receivables, reinsurance recoverables, off-balance-sheet credit exposures, and held-to-maturity securities. Under current U.S. GAAP, entities generally recognize credit losses when it is probable that the loss has been incurred. The guidance removes all current recognition thresholds and introduces the new current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model which will require entities to recognize an allowance for credit losses for the difference between the amortized cost basis of a financial instrument and the amount of amortized cost that an entity expects to collect over the instrument’s contractual life. The new CECL model is based upon expected losses rather than incurred losses. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its financial condition, results of operations and disclosures. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, “Income Taxes (ASC 740) Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes,” that removes certain exceptions to the general principles and also improves consistent application of and simplifies U.S. GAAP. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the impact of the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations and disclosures.
Earnings Per Share	The Company calculates basic and diluted earnings per common share in accordance with ASC 260 “Earnings Per Share,” using the two-class method because the Company’s unvested restricted stock is a participating security since these awards contain non-forfeitable rights to receive dividends. Under the two-class method, earnings are allocated to each class of common stock and participating security as if all of the earnings for the period had been distributed.

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Digimarc Corporation (“Digimarc” or the “Company”), an Oregon corporation, enables governments, banks, retailers, consumer brands, and other businesses around the world to automatically and reliably identify and interact with virtually any form of media. The Company has pioneered the Digimarc Platform, featuring three core functions for the identification, discovery and verification of digitally enhanced media. Digimarc provides objects with an indelible, imperceptible data carrier: Digimarc Barcode. Data in the carrier uniquely identifies the object. The Digimarc Platform also provides software for relevant devices to “discover” objects (i.e., decode data from that carrier) using Digimarc software, known as Digimarc Discover. Digimarc Verify, a suite of verification and quality control tools, assesses signal quality and validates data at critical stages of production when the Digimarc Barcode is applied to an object. Together, these core functions enable organizations, application developers, and other solution providers to build new features, functionality and additional value on the Digimarc Platform.

Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

Our significant accounting policies are detailed in “Note 1: Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Significant changes to our accounting policies as a result of adopting Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842, “Leases,” effective January 1, 2019, are discussed in Note 11 below.

The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared from the Company’s records without audit and, in management’s opinion, include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to fairly reflect the financial condition and the results of operations for the periods presented. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2020. The results of operations for the interim periods presented in these consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year.

Reclassifications

Certain prior period amounts in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation, including the reclassification of revenue and expense accounts to better align with the presentation provided by our peers in the software industry. These reclassifications had no material effect on the results of operations or financial position for any period presented.

Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, “Leases (ASC 842),” which supersedes “Leases (ASC 840).” ASU No. 2016-02 increases the transparency and comparability of organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This guidance required that operating leases recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability measured at the present value of the lease payments in the statement of financial position, recognize a single lease cost allocated over the lease term on a straight-line basis, and classify all cash payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. The amendments in this update were effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2018, and interim periods beginning in the first interim period within the year of adoption. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (ASC 842) Targeted Improvements,” to provide a transition election to not restate comparative periods for the effects of applying the new standard. This transition election permitted entities to change the date of initial application to the beginning of the year of adoption and to recognize the effects of applying the new standard as a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-01, “Leases (ASC 842) Codification Improvements,” to increase transparency and comparability about disclosing essential information about leasing transactions. Collectively, ASUs 2016-02, 2018-11 and 2019-01 are defined as “ASC 842.” The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2019, and elected not to restate comparative periods. Upon adoption, the Company concluded no adjustment was required to the opening balance of retained earnings to reflect the impact of adopting the new standard. In addition, the Company recorded right of use assets of $2,709 and lease liabilities of $3,792 and reversed the previously recorded deferred rent liability of $1,083. See Note 11 for further information.

Accounting Pronouncements Issued But Not Yet Adopted

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (ASC 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which amends the guidance on the impairment of financial instruments. The amendments in this update removes the thresholds that entities apply to measure credit losses on financial instruments measured at amortized cost, such as loans, trade receivables, reinsurance recoverables, off-balance-sheet credit exposures, and held-to-maturity securities. Under current U.S. GAAP, entities generally recognize credit losses when it is probable that the loss has been incurred. The guidance removes all current recognition thresholds and introduces the new current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model which will require entities to recognize an allowance for credit losses for the difference between the amortized cost basis of a financial instrument and the amount of amortized cost that an entity expects to collect over the instrument’s contractual life. The new CECL model is based upon expected losses rather than incurred losses. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its financial condition, results of operations and disclosures.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, “Income Taxes (ASC 740) Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes,” that removes certain exceptions to the general principles and also improves consistent application of and simplifies U.S. GAAP. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the impact of the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations and disclosures.

Earnings Per Share

The Company calculates basic and diluted earnings per common share in accordance with ASC 260 “Earnings Per Share,” using the two-class method because the Company’s unvested restricted stock is a participating security since these awards contain non-forfeitable rights to receive dividends. Under the two-class method, earnings are allocated to each class of common stock and participating security as if all of the earnings for the period had been distributed.