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Revenue Recognition, Contracts with Customers | 12 Months Ended
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Apr. 30, 2026
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract] |
Revenue Recognition, Contracts with Customers | Revenue Recognition, Contracts with Customers Disaggregation of Revenue The following tables present our revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by segment and product type.
|  |  |  |  | For the Years Ended April 30, |
|  |  |  |  | 2026 |  | 2025 |  | 2024 |
Research: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Research Publishing |  |  |  |  | $ | 965,767 |  |  | $ | 922,553 |  |  | $ | 892,784 |  |
Research Solutions |  |  |  |  | 164,175 |  |  | 152,906 |  |  | 149,921 |  |
Total Research |  |  |  |  | 1,129,942 |  |  | 1,075,459 |  |  | 1,042,705 |  |
Learning: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Academic |  |  |  |  | 318,757 |  |  | 333,693 |  |  | 323,541 |  |
Professional |  |  |  |  | 227,829 |  |  | 251,075 |  |  | 251,198 |  |
Total Learning |  |  |  |  | 546,586 |  |  | 584,768 |  |  | 574,739 |  |
Held for Sale or Sold |  |  |  |  | — |  |  | 17,382 |  |  | 255,543 |  |
Total Revenue |  |  |  |  | $ | 1,676,528 |  |  | $ | 1,677,609 |  |  | $ | 1,872,987 |  |
The following information describes our disaggregation of revenue by segment and product type. Overall, the majority of our revenue is recognized over time. Research Total Research revenue was $1,129.9 million in the year ended April 30, 2026. Research products are sold and distributed globally through multiple channels. The majority of revenue generated from Research products is recognized over time. We disaggregated revenue by Research Publishing and Research Solutions to reflect the different types of products and services provided. Research Publishing Products Research Publishing products provide scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, as well as related content and services, to academic, corporate, and government libraries, learned societies, and individual researchers and other professionals. Research Publishing revenue was $965.8 million in the year ended April 30, 2026, and the majority is recognized over time. In the year ended April 30, 2026, Research Publishing produc ts generated approximately 88% of its revenue from contracts with its customers from Journal Subscriptions (pay to read) and Transformational Agreements (read and publish) under multiyear arrangements, and Open Access (pay to publish). The remaining revenue is from Licensing and ancillary products. Journal Subscriptions and Transformational Models Journal Subscription contracts are negotiated by us directly with customers or their subscription agents. Subscription periods typically cover calendar years. In a typical Journal Subscription sale, there is a written agreement between us and our customer that covers multiple years. However, we typically account for these agreements as one-year contracts because our enforceable rights under the agreements are subject to an annual confirmation and negotiation process with the customer. In Journal Subscriptions, there are generally two performance obligations: a functional intellectual property license with a stand-ready obligation to provide access to new content for one year, which includes online hosting of the content (collectively referred to as Read) which is recognized over time, and a functional intellectual property perpetual license for access to historical journal content (Perpetual License) which is recognized at the point in time when access to the historical content is initially granted. The transaction price consists of fixed consideration. Journal Subscription revenue is generally collected in advance when the annual license is granted. The total transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation based on its relative stand-alone selling price. We allocate revenue to the stand-ready obligation to provide access to new content for one year based on its observable stand-alone selling price to provide the right of access to additional intellectual property. The allocation of revenue to the perpetual licenses for access to historical journal content is done using the expected cost plus a margin approach, as applicable. Transformational Agreements (read and publish) blend Journal Subscription and Open Access offerings. Generally, for a single fee, a national or regional consortium of libraries pays for and receives full read access to our journal portfolio and the ability to publish under an open access arrangement. Transformational Agreements include multiple performance obligations and depending upon the model, can include a combination of Read which is recognized over time; a Perpetual License which is recognized at a point in time; and a publishing right that allows for articles to be published in hybrid and/or gold open access journals, which is recognized point in time or over time depending upon the model. The total transaction price is generally fixed and allocated to each performance obligation based on its relative stand-alone selling price using a combination of observable and estimated stand-alone selling prices. Estimated stand-alone selling prices include the expected cost plus a margin approach, and a residual approach. Open Access Under the open access business model, there is generally one performance obligation whereby accepted research articles are published and all open articles are immediately free to access online. The transaction price is fixed based on payment of an article publication charge (APC). Revenue is recognized at a point in time which is upon publication which is when Wiley’s obligation is complete. Licensing and Ancillary Products Within licensing, the revenue derived from these contracts primarily consist of advance payments, including minimum guarantees and sales- or usage-based royalty agreements. Our intellectual property is considered to be functional intellectual property. Due to the stand-ready obligation to provide updates during the subscription period, which is generally an annual period, revenue for the minimum guarantee is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the agreement. For our sales- or usage-based royalty agreements, we recognize revenue in the period of usage based on the amounts earned. We record revenue under these arrangements for the amounts due and not yet reported to us based on estimates of the sales or usage of these customers and pursuant to the terms of the contracts. We also have certain licenses whereby we receive a non-refundable minimum guarantee in advance (recorded over time as described above) against a volume-based royalty throughout the term of the agreement. When the cumulative consideration exceeds the minimum guarantee, it is recognized as the subsequent sales or usage occurs. We also license content for artificial intelligence (AI) generally at a fixed transaction price, with revenue recognized at a point in time or a combination of point in time and over time. Research Solutions Products and Services Research Solutions revenue was $164.2 million in the year ended April 30, 2026, and the majority is recognized over time. In the year ended April 30, 2026, Research Solutions products and services generated approximately 48% of their revenue from contracts with customers that include corporate solutions such as managed services which includes advertising, and full sales and marketing services for publishers and societies; recruitment platform and services; spectral databases; and projects which includes content creation and distribution, digital events, and webinars. The remainder of the revenue within Research Solutions from contracts with customers includes platform and workflow solutions for societies and publishers, which includes production and content hosting, submissions and peer review support, editorial, and copy-editing services. We also license content, including for AI which includes content licensed from other publishers. Included within platforms is our Atypon® publishing platform for societies and publishers which includes a single performance obligation for the implementation and hosting of subscription services. The transaction price is fixed, which may include price escalators that are fixed increases per year. Revenue is recognized upon the initiation of the subscription period and recognized on a straight-line basis over the time of the contractual period. The duration of these contracts is generally multiyear ranging from 2 to 5 years. Learning Total Learning revenue was $546.6 million in the year ended April 30, 2026. We disaggregated revenue by Academic and Professional to reflect the different types of products and services provided. Academic Academic products revenue was $318.8 million in the year ended April 30, 2026. Products and services include scientific, professional, and education print and digital books, and digital courseware to libraries, corporations, students, professionals, and researchers. Products are developed for worldwide distribution through multiple channels, including chain and online booksellers, libraries, colleges and universities, corporations, direct to consumer, websites, distributor networks and other online applications. In the year ended April 30, 2026, Academic products generated approximately 54% of their revenue from contracts with their customers for print and digital publishing, which is recognized at a point in time. Digital Courseware products generate approximately 35% of their revenue from contracts with their customers which is recognized over time. The remainder of their revenues were from Licensing, and ancillary products which have a mix of revenue recognized at a point in time and over time. Print and Digital Publishing Our performance obligations as they relate to print and digital publishing are primarily book products delivered in both print and digital form which could include single or multiple performance obligations based on the number of print or digital books purchased. Each is represented by an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), with each ISBN representing a performance obligation. Each ISBN has an observable stand-alone selling price as Wiley sells the books separately. This revenue stream also includes variable consideration as it relates to returns for both print and digital books. Revenue is recognized at the point when control of the product transfers, which for print is upon shipment or for digital when fulfillment of the products has been rendered. Digital Courseware Products Courseware customers purchase access codes to utilize the product. Revenue is recognized over time in the period from when the access codes are activated over the applicable semester term to which such product relates. Licensing and Ancillary Products Revenue derived from our licensing contracts is primarily comprised of advance payments and sales- or usage-based royalties. Revenue for advance payments is recognized at the point in time that the functional intellectual property license is granted. For sales- or usage-based royalties, we record revenue under these arrangements for the amounts due and not yet reported to us based on estimates of the sales or usage of these customers and pursuant to the terms of the contracts. We also have certain licenses whereby we receive a non-refundable minimum guarantee (recognized at a point in time as described above) against a volume-based royalty throughout the term of the agreement. We recognize volume-based royalty income only when cumulative consideration exceeds the minimum guarantee and the subsequent sales or usage occurs. We also license content for AI which includes training large language models (LLM) at a fixed transaction price and the revenue is recognized at a point in time. Professional Professional products revenue was $227.8 million in the year ended April 30, 2026. Professional provides learning, development, publishing, and assessment services for businesses and professionals. Our professional publishing produces books, which includes business and finance, technology, professional development for educators, test preparation books and other professional categories, as well as the For Dummies® brand. Products are sold to brick-and-mortar and online retailers, wholesalers who supply such bookstores, college bookstores, individual practitioners, corporations, and government agencies. In the year ended April 30, 2026, Professional products generated approximately 53% of their revenue from contracts with their customers for professional publishing, which is recognized at a point in time. Our assessments offering in the year ended April 30, 2026 generates approximately 32% of their revenue from contracts with its customers, which has a mix of revenue recognized at a point in time and over time. The remainder of Professional revenues were from Licensing and ancillary revenue streams, which has a mix of revenue recognized at a point in time and over time. Professional Publishing Professional publishing has the same performance obligations as Academic print and digital publishing which is described above. Revenue is recognized at the point when control of the product transfers, which for print is upon shipment or for digital when fulfillment of the products has been rendered. Assessments Our assessments offering includes high-demand soft-skills training solutions that are delivered to organizational clients through online digital delivery platforms, either directly or through an authorized distributor network of independent consultants, trainers, and coaches. Our assessments product offering includes multiple performance obligations which includes annual memberships which are recognized over time, and the assessments and related products or services which are recognized at a point in time. We allocate revenue based on observable stand-alone selling prices of each performance obligation. Licensing and Ancillary Products See the description of Licensing and Ancillary Products in the Academic section above, which also applies to the Professional reporting line. Held for Sale or Sold The Held for Sale or Sold segment had no operating results for the year ended April 30, 2026, as all businesses within this segment were sold prior to this fiscal year. These businesses included Wiley Edge, sold on May 31, 2024, except for its India operations which sold on August 31, 2024, CrossKnowledge, sold on August 31, 2024, and University Services and Tuition Manager, which were sold in fiscal year 2024. Accounts Receivable, Net and Contract Liability Balances When consideration is received, or such consideration is unconditionally due, from a customer prior to transferring goods or services to the customer under the terms of a contract, a contract liability is recorded. Contract liabilities are recognized as revenue when, or as, control of the products or services are transferred to the customer and all revenue recognition criteria have been met. The following table provides information about accounts receivable, net and contract liabilities from contracts with customers.
| April 30, 2026 |  | April 30, 2025 |  | (Decrease)/ Increase |
Balances from contracts with customers: |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net | $ | 244,164 |  |  | $ | 228,410 |  |  | $ | 15,754 |  |
Contract liabilities (1) | 451,423 |  |  | 462,693 |  |  | (11,270) |  |
Contract liabilities (included in Other long-term liabilities) | $ | 17,230 |  |  | $ | 16,725 |  |  | $ | 505 |  |
(1) | The sales return reserve recorded in Contract liabilities is $11.8 million and $15.1 million as of April 30, 2026 and April 30, 2025, respectively. See Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Recently Issued, and Recently Adopted Accounting Standards” for further details of the sales return reserve.
For the years ended April 30, 2026 and 2025, we recognized as revenue substantially all of the current contract liability balance at April 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The decrease in contract liabilities, excluding the sales return reserve, was primarily driven by revenue earned on journal subscription agreements, transformational agreements, and open access, partially offset by renewals of journal subscription agreements, transformational agreements, and open access. Remaining Performance Obligations included in Contract Liability As of April 30, 2026, the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to the remaining performance obligations is approximately $468.6 million, which includes the sales return reserve of $11.8 million. Excluding the sales return reserve, we expect that approximately $439.6 million will be recognized in the next twelve months with the remaining $17.2 million to be recognized thereafter. Assets Recognized for the Costs to Fulfill a Contract Costs to fulfill a contract are directly related to a contract that will be used to satisfy a performance obligation in the future and are expected to be recovered. These costs are amortized on a systematic basis that is consistent with the transfer to the customer of the goods or services to which the asset relates. These types of costs are incurred in Research Solutions services which includes customer specific implementation costs per the terms of the contract. Our assets associated with incremental costs to fulfill a contract were $1.3 million and $2.2 million at April 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively, and are included within Other non-current assets on our Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. We recorded amortization expense related to these assets within Cost of sales on the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) as follows:
|  |  |  |  | For the Years Ended April 30, |
|  |  |  |  | 2026 |  | 2025 |  | 2024 |
Amortization expense |  |  |  |  | $ | 1,324 |  |  | $ | 1,385 |  |  | $ | 4,527 |  |
In the year ended April 30, 2024, amortization expense for costs to fulfill includes the amortization related to the University Services business which was sold on January 1, 2024. Sales and value-added taxes are excluded from revenues. Shipping and handling costs, which are primarily incurred within the Learning segment, occur before the transfer of control of the related goods. Therefore, in accordance with the revenue standard, it is not considered a promised service to the customer and would be considered a cost to fulfill our promise to transfer the goods. Costs incurred for third-party shipping and handling are primarily reflected in Operating and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) and were incurred as follows:
|  |  |  |  | For the Years Ended April 30, |
|  |  |  |  | 2026 |  | 2025 |  | 2024 |
Shipping and handling costs |  |  |  |  | $ | 23,122 |  |  | $ | 23,644 |  |  | $ | 25,853 |  |

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