
	The Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

Business

Guidewire Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation, was incorporated on September 20, 2001. Guidewire Software, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (the “Company”), provides a technology platform which consists of three key elements: core transaction processing, data management and analytics, and digital engagement. The Company’s technology platform supports core insurance operations, including underwriting and policy administration, claim management and billing, enables new insights into data that can improve business decision making and supports digital sales, service and claims experiences for policyholders, agents, and other key stakeholders. The Company’s customers are primarily insurance carriers for property and casualty (“P&C”) insurance.

Public Offerings

In March 2018, the Company closed a public offering of 2,628,571 shares of its common stock, including the underwriters’ exercise in full of their option to purchase additional shares of common stock from the Company. The public offering price of the shares sold in the offering was $87.50 per share. No shares were sold by the Company’s stockholders in this public offering. Concurrently, the Company offered and sold $400.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 1.250% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Convertible Senior Notes”), including the underwriters’ exercise in full of their option to purchase additional Convertible Senior Notes. Net of offering expenses and underwriting discounts (“issuance costs”), the Company received net proceeds of approximately $220.9 million related to the common stock offering and $387.2 million related to the convertible note offering.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes include the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and reflect all adjustments (all of which are normal and recurring in nature) that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the interim periods presented. All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted under the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements and related notes, together with management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations, presented in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2017. There have been no changes in the Company’s significant accounting policies from those that were disclosed in the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2017 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on September 19, 2017, except changes to the income taxes and stock-based compensation policies resulting from the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-09 during the first quarter of fiscal year 2018.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Significant items subject to such estimates include, but are not limited to, revenue recognition, the useful lives of property and equipment and intangible assets, allowance for doubtful accounts, valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, stock-based compensation, annual bonus attainment, income tax uncertainties, convertible senior notes fair value, valuation of goodwill and intangible assets, and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and judgment. Management regularly evaluates its estimates and assumptions using historical experience and other factors; however, actual results could differ from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of cash and highly liquid investments with remaining maturities of 90 days or less at the date of purchase. Cash equivalents primarily consist of commercial paper and money market funds.

Investments

Management determines the appropriate classification of investments at the time of purchase based upon management’s intent with regard to such investments. All investments are classified as available-for-sale.

The Company classifies investments as short-term when they have remaining contractual maturities of one year or less from the balance sheet date, and as long-term when the investments have remaining contractual maturities of more than one year from the balance sheet date. All investments are recorded at fair value with unrealized holding gains and losses included in accumulated other comprehensive loss.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, investments, and accounts receivable. The Company maintains its cash, cash equivalents, and investments with high quality financial institutions. The Company is exposed to credit risk for cash held in financial institutions in the event of a default to the extent that such amounts recorded on the balance sheet are in excess of amounts that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

No customer individually accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s revenues for the three and nine months ended April 30, 2018 and nine months ended April 30, 2017. One customer individually accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s revenues for the three months ended April 30, 2017. No customer individually accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s total accounts receivable as of April 30, 2018. As of July 31, 2017, one customer individually accounted for 11% of the Company’s total accounts receivable.

Revenue Recognition

The Company enters into arrangements to deliver multiple products or services (multiple-elements). For a substantial majority of its sales, the Company applies software revenue recognition rules and allocates the total revenues among elements based on vendor-specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) of the fair value of each element. The Company recognizes revenue on a net basis excluding indirect taxes, such as sales tax and value added tax collected from customers and remitted to government authorities.

Revenues are derived from three sources:


(i)	License fees related to term (or time-based) licenses, software license subscriptions and cloud-based subscriptions (collectively referred to as “subscriptions”), and perpetual software licenses;


(ii)	Maintenance fees associated with term or perpetual licenses relate to email and phone support, bug fixes and unspecified software updates, and upgrades released when, and if, available during the maintenance term; and


(iii)	Services fees from professional services related to the implementation of the Company’s software, reimbursable travel and training expenses.

Revenues are recognized when all of the following criteria are met:


•	Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists. Evidence of an arrangement consists of a written contract signed by both the customer and management prior to the end of the period.


•	Delivery or performance has occurred. The Company’s software is delivered electronically to the customer. Delivery is considered to have occurred when the Company provides the customer access to the software along with login credentials.

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Fees are fixed or determinable. The Company assesses whether a fee is fixed or determinable at the outset of the arrangement, primarily based on the payment terms associated with the transaction. Fees from term licenses are invoiced in advance in annual or quarterly installments over the term of the agreement beginning on the effective date of the license and represent extended payment terms. A significant majority are invoiced annually. As a result, term license fees are not considered to be fixed and determinable until they become due or payment is received. Perpetual license fees are generally due between 30 and 60 days from delivery of software. We offer extended payment terms in limited cases.

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Collectability is probable or reasonably assured. Collectability is assessed on a customer-by-customer basis, based primarily on creditworthiness as determined by credit checks and analysis, as well as customer payment history. Payment terms generally range from 30 to 90 days from invoice date. If it is determined prior to revenue recognition that collection of an arrangement fee is not probable, revenues are deferred until collection becomes probable or reasonably assured, or cash is collected, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are satisfied.

VSOE of fair value does not exist for the Company’s software licenses; therefore, the Company allocates revenues to software licenses using the residual method. Under the residual method, the amount recognized for license fees is the difference between the total fixed and determinable fees and the VSOE of fair value for the undelivered elements under the arrangement.

The VSOE of fair value for elements of an arrangement is based upon the normal pricing and discounting practices for those elements when sold separately. VSOE of fair value for maintenance is established using the stated maintenance renewal rate in the customer’s contract. For term licenses with duration of one year or less, no VSOE of fair value for maintenance exists. VSOE of fair value for services is established if a substantial majority of historical stand-alone selling prices for a service fall within a reasonably narrow price range.

If the undelivered elements are all service elements and VSOE of fair value does not exist for one or more service element, the total arrangement fee is recognized ratably over the longest service period starting at software delivery, assuming all the related services have been made available to the customer.

The Company’s subscriptions are recognized ratably over the term of the arrangement typically upon provisioning the products.

As noted above, the Company generally invoices fees for licenses and maintenance to its customers in annual or, in certain cases, quarterly installments payable in advance. Deferred revenues represent amounts, which are billed to or collected from creditworthy customers for which one or more of the revenue recognition criteria have not been met. The deferred revenues balance does not represent the total contract value of annual or multi-year, non-cancellable arrangements.

Substantially all of the Company’s professional services engagements are billed on a time and materials basis. Services are typically not considered to be essential to the functionality of the software, and the related revenues and costs are recognized in the period incurred.

In select situations, the Company will contract its professional services on a fixed fee basis. In these situations, if reliable estimates of total project costs are available, the Company recognizes services revenues on a proportional performance basis as the performance obligations are completed by using the ratio of labor hours to date as an input measure compared to total estimated labor hours for the consulting services.

In the limited cases where professional services are deemed to be essential to the functionality of the software, the arrangement is accounted for using contract accounting until the essential services are complete. If reliable estimates of total project costs can be made, the Company applies the percentage-of-completion method whereby revenue recognition is measured based on the ratio of service billings to date compared to total estimated service billings for the consulting services. Service billings approximate labor hours as an input measure since they are generally billed monthly on a time and material basis. The fees related to the maintenance are recognized over the period the maintenance is provided.

If reliable estimates of total project costs cannot be made, the zero gross margin or the completed contract method is applied to revenues and direct costs. Under the zero gross margin method, revenues recognized are limited to the direct costs incurred for the professional services. Under the completed contract method, revenues and direct costs are deferred until the project is complete. When the zero gross margin method is applied for lack of reliable project estimates and subsequently project estimates become reliable, the Company switches to the percentage-of-completion method, resulting in a cumulative effect adjustment for deferred license revenues to the extent of progress toward completion, and the related portion of the deferred professional service margin is recognized in full as revenues.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Under this method, the Company determines deferred tax assets and liabilities on the basis of the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities by using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the difference is expected to reverse. All deferred tax assets and liabilities are classified as non-current on its condensed consolidated balance sheets. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance against deferred tax assets is recorded when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of such deferred tax assets will not be realized and is based on the positive and negative evidence about the future including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations.

The effective tax rate in any given financial statement period may differ materially from the statutory rate. These differences may be caused by changes in tax regulations and resulting changes in the deferred tax valuation allowance, changes in the mix and level of income or losses, changes in the expected outcome of tax audits, as well as permanent differences for stock-based compensation, including excess tax benefits, research and development credits, the tax rate differences between the United States and foreign countries, foreign withholding taxes, certain non-deductible expenses including executive compensation, and acquisition-related expenses.

The Company records interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in its condensed consolidated statement of operations.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation using the fair value method, which requires the Company to measure the stock-based compensation based on the grant-date fair value of the awards and recognize the compensation expense over the requisite service period. The Company recognizes compensation expense net of actual forfeitures. To date, the Company has granted stock options, restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”), performance-based restricted stock units (“PSUs”), and restricted stock units that may be earned subject to the Company’s total shareholder return ranking relative to the software companies in the S&P Software and Services Select Industry Index (“S&P Index”) for a specified performance period or specified performance periods, service periods, and in select cases, subject to certain performance conditions (“TSR PSUs”). RSAs, RSUs, PSUs, and TSR PSUs are collectively referred to as “Stock Awards”.

The fair value of the Company’s RSAs, RSUs, and PSUs equal the market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. These awards are subject to time-based vesting, which generally occurs over a period of four years. The Company recognizes compensation expense for awards which contain only service conditions on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective awards. The Company recognizes the compensation cost for awards that contain either a performance condition, market conditions, or both using the graded vesting method.

The fair value of the Company’s TSR PSUs are estimated at the grant date using a Monte Carlo simulation method. The assumptions utilized in this simulation require judgments and estimates. Changes in these inputs and assumptions could affect the measurement of the estimated fair value of the related compensation expense. Compensation expense associated with these TSR PSUs will be recognized over the vesting period regardless of whether the market condition is ultimately satisfied; however, the expense will be reversed if a grantee terminates prior to satisfying the requisite service period. For TSR PSUs containing an additional performance condition, a portion of the expense may fluctuate depending on the achievement of the performance conditions. All TSR PSUs will vest at the end of a three-year period.

Business Combinations

The Company uses its best estimates and assumptions to assign fair value to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date. Goodwill is calculated as the difference between the acquisition-date fair value of the consideration transferred and the values assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The Company’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. During the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, if new information is obtained about facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date, the Company may record adjustments to the fair value of these assets and liabilities, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the fair value of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, subsequent adjustments, if any, are recorded to the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

Software Development Costs

For qualifying costs incurred for computer software developed for internal use, the Company begins to capitalize its costs to develop software when preliminary development efforts are successfully completed, management has authorized and committed project funding, it is probable that the project will be completed, and the software will be used as intended. These capitalized costs are amortized to expense over the estimated useful life of the related asset, generally estimated to be three years. Costs incurred prior to meeting these capitalization criteria and costs incurred for training and maintenance are expensed as incurred and recorded in research and development expense on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Capitalized software development costs are recorded in property and equipment on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Intangible Assets and Goodwill

The Company evaluates its long-lived assets, consisting of property and equipment and intangible assets, for indicators of possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of certain assets may not be recoverable. Impairment exists if the carrying amounts of such assets exceed the estimates of future net undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by such assets. Should impairment exist, the impairment loss would be measured based on the excess carrying value of the assets over the estimated fair value of the assets. The Company has not written down any of its long-lived assets as a result of impairment during the periods presented.

The Company tests goodwill for impairment annually, during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year and in the interim whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The Company evaluates qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. In performing the qualitative assessment, the Company considers events and circumstances, including but not limited to, macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, overall financial performance, changes in management or key personnel, changes in strategy, changes in customers, changes in the composition or carrying amount of a reporting unit’s net assets, and changes in the price of the Company’s common stock. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, the Company determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, then the two-step goodwill impairment test is not performed. There have been no goodwill impairments during the periods presented.

Convertible Senior Notes

In March 2018, the Company issued $400.0 million aggregate principal amount of 1.250% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025. The Company accounts for the issued Convertible Senior Notes as separate liability and equity components. The carrying amount of the equity component, representing the conversion option, was determined by deducting the fair value of the liability component from the par value of the Convertible Senior Notes as a whole. This difference represents a debt discount that is amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the term of the Convertible Senior Notes. The carrying amount of the liability component was calculated by measuring the fair value of a similar liability that does not have an associated convertible feature. The equity component of the Convertible Senior Notes is recorded at its initial fair value and will not be remeasured as long as it continues to meet the requirements for equity classification. The equity component is net of issuance costs and recorded in additional paid in capital.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Share-Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718): Improvements on Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No.2016-09, Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”), which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions for both public and nonpublic entities, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-09 on August 1, 2017. For the three and nine months ended April 30, 2018, the provision for income taxes included tax benefits of $2.9 million and $8.0 million, respectively, in tax effects related to settled stock-based awards.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Income Statement, Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement, Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2018-02”), which allows a reclassification of stranded tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings, as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Act”). ASU 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the new standard for its 2019 fiscal year and subsequent periods.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09”), which provides guidance for revenue recognition. This ASU affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of non-financial assets. This ASU will supersede the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance.

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date of this standard. As a result, the ASU and related amendments will be effective for the Company for its fiscal year beginning August 1, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, Principal Versus Agent Consideration (or Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net), ASU No. 2016-10, Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing in April 2016, and ASU No. 2016-12, Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients in May 2016. These amendments clarified certain aspects of Topic 606 and have the same effective date as ASU 2014-09.

The Company will adopt these ASUs (collectively, Topic 606) on August 1, 2018. Topic 606 permits two methods of adoption: retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented (the “Full Retrospective Method”), or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance recognized at the date of initial application (the “Modified Retrospective Method”). The Company currently intends to apply the Modified Retrospective Method.

The Company has evaluated the potential impact of Topic 606 on its revenue recognition policy and practices and has concluded that Topic 606 will impact the pattern of its revenue recognition associated with its term software licenses, software subscriptions, and to a lesser extent, cloud-based subscriptions. The Company’s term licenses require payments to be made annually or quarterly in advance and are subject to extended payment terms. Currently, revenues associated with the payment for term software licenses are recognized in the earlier of the period in which the payments are due or are actually made. Under Topic 606, the Company will be required to recognize the revenue associated with such payments not when they are made or due, but when control of the software license is transferred to the customer, which occurs at or near the time a contract with a customer is executed. As a result, under Topic 606, all contractually obligated payments under a term license that the Company reasonably expects to collect would be recognized upon delivery. In conjunction with its evaluation of this new standard, the Company began revising its contracting practices and amending existing agreements with certain customers primarily by shortening the initial, non-refundable term of its licenses. Since fiscal 2016, a substantial majority of new contracts feature a two-year initial term with subsequent one-year auto renewal options.

The Company currently anticipates that the impact of Topic 606 on its cloud-based subscriptions, will be more modest than for term licenses and will impact, primarily, those subscriptions that contractually provide for increasing annual subscription payments during the term of the arrangement.

The Company continues to evaluate the other potential impacts that Topic 606 will have on its consolidated financial statements, internal controls, business processes, and information technology systems including, for example, how to account for commission expenses, and the accounting for new cloud-based subscription offerings, including new revenue models acquired from recent acquisitions.

Share-Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Scope of Modification Accounting (Topic 718) (“ASU 2017-09”), which amends the scope of modification accounting for share-based payment arrangements. ASU 2017-09 provides guidance on the types of changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity would be required to apply modification accounting under ASC 718. Specifically, an entity would not apply modification accounting if the fair value, vesting conditions, and classification of the awards are the same immediately before and after the modification. The new standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The standard will be effective for the Company beginning August 1, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its consolidated financial statements.

Leases (Topic 842): Accounting for Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”), which requires lessees to put most leases on their balance sheets but recognize the expenses on their income statements in a manner similar to current practice. ASU 2016-02 states that a lessee would recognize a lease liability for the obligation to make lease payments and a right-to-use asset for the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. The standard will be effective for the Company beginning August 1, 2019. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its consolidated financial statements.

Financial Instruments (Topic 825): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments (Topic 825) (“ASU 2016-01”), which impacts certain aspects of recognition, measurement, and presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. Under ASU 2016-01, unconsolidated non-equity method investments shall be measured at fair value. If such investments do not have a readily determinable fair value, an election may be made to measure them at cost after considering observable price changes for similar instruments. The standard will be effective for the Company beginning August 1, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its strategic equity investment in a privately-held company.

Other recent accounting pronouncements that are or will be applicable to the Company did not, or are not expected to, have a material impact on the Company's present or future financial statements.