CS Disco(LAW) - 2021 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q3 revenue was $29.9 million, representing a 67% year-over-year growth [32] - Total gross margin increased to 74%, up from 69% in Q3 of the prior year [33] - Operating loss was $8 million, with a margin of negative 27%, compared to negative 20% in Q3 of the prior year [36] - Net loss was $8.2 million, compared to $3.7 million in the prior year, with net loss per share at $0.17 versus $0.28 in Q3 of the prior year [36] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The ediscovery business continued to grow, with strong performance in the Review business [16] - The company saw an increasing number of customers using more than one solution, contributing to revenue growth [15][101] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The legal services market is valued at $767 billion, with ongoing transformation driven by software [10] - The company is experiencing broad-based momentum across a large number of customers [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to leverage trends in the legal services market, including the rising volume of enterprise data and increasing regulation [10] - Continuous investment in product innovation and go-to-market strategies is planned to capture a larger market share [40][76] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's growth trajectory and the ability to transform the legal industry [40] - The company anticipates operational costs to continue to grow as it invests in product development and market expansion [39] Other Important Information - The company ended Q3 with $258.5 million in cash and cash equivalents, including IPO proceeds [37] - The launch of Disco University aims to enhance customer engagement and education [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: What percentage of users are in corporate legal departments versus outside law firms? - Management indicated that the split varies, with roughly 50% of decisions made by corporate legal departments and 50% by law firms [48] Question: How does the backlog of pending cases affect the company? - Management noted that while a backlog could create a tailwind, it has not been a significant topic of discussion with customers [72] Question: What is the impact of the IPO on brand awareness? - Management reported a significant increase in inbound RFPs and sustained higher win rates since the IPO [91] Question: How is the company tracking relative to hiring goals? - Management confirmed aggressive investments in go-to-market strategies, including hiring sales and marketing personnel [76] Question: What is the allocation of R&D spending? - R&D spending is primarily focused on enhancing existing products and platform capabilities [86]