UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 40-F
☐
☒
REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13(a) OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 Commission File Number 001-37400
SHOPIFY INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Canada
(Province or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
7372
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number (if applicable))
30-0830605
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number (if applicable))
151 O'Connor Street, Ground Floor Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 2L8
Attention: Joseph A. Frasca, Chief Legal Officer
613-241-2828
(Address and telephone number of Registrant's principal executive offices)
Corporation Service Company
251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, DE 19808-1674
(302) 636-5400
(Name, address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code) of agent for service in the United States)
Copies of all correspondence should be sent to:
Joseph A. Frasca
Chief Legal Officer
Shopify Inc.
151 O’Connor Street, Ground Floor
Ottawa, ON K2P 2L8
Canada
Tel: (613) 241-2828
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.
Title of each class
Class A Subordinate Voting Shares
Trading Symbol
SHOP
Name of each exchange on which registered
New York Stock Exchange
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
(Title of Class)
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:
Class B Multiple Voting Shares
0.125% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2025
(Title of Class)
For annual reports, indicate by check mark the information filed with this Form:
☒ Annual Information Form ☒ Audited Annual Financial Statements
Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.
The Registrant had 110,929,570 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and 11,599,301 Class B Multiple Voting Shares issued and
outstanding as of December 31, 2020.
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12
months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation
S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files).
Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use
the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards
Codification after April 5, 2012.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over
financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit
report: ☒
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRIOR FILINGS MODIFIED AND SUPERSEDED
This Annual Report on Form 40-F of Shopify Inc. ("Shopify", "we", "our", the "Company" or the "Registrant") for the year ended
December 31, 2020, at the time of filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC" or the "Commission"),
modifies and supersedes all prior documents filed pursuant to Sections 13, 14 and 15(d) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(as amended, the "Exchange Act") for purposes of any offers or sales of any securities after the date of this filing pursuant to any
registration statement or prospectus filed pursuant to the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, the "Securities Act") which
incorporates by reference this Annual Report on Form 40-F (or any of the documents filed as Exhibits to this Annual Report on
Form 40-F).
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Shopify has made in this Annual Report on Form 40-F and the documents filed as Exhibits hereto, and from time to time may
otherwise make, forward-looking statements under the provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, and forward-looking information within the meaning of
applicable Canadian securities legislation.
The Company's actual future results may be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-
looking statements.
The forward-looking statements represent the Company's views as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 40-F. The Company
anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause these views to change. However, while the Company may elect to
update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company has no current intention of doing so except to the
extent required by applicable law. Therefore, these forward-looking statements do not represent the Company's views as of any
date other than the date of this Annual Report on Form 40-F.
See Shopify's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020, attached as Exhibit 1.1 to this Annual Report on Form
40-F, under the heading "Forward-Looking Information" and Shopify's management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended
December 31, 2020, attached as Exhibit 1.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F (the "Shopify 2020 MD&A"), under the heading
"Forward-looking statements", for a discussion of forward-looking statements.
A. Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
All control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Accordingly, even disclosure controls and procedures
and internal controls over financial reporting determined to be effective can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving their
control objectives with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Management of the Company, under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined by the Commission in Rule 13a-15(e) under the
Exchange Act) for the Company to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries,
that is required to be made known to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer by others within the Company and
disclosed by the Company in reports filed or submitted by it under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms; and (ii) accumulated and communicated to the
Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure.
We, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure
controls and procedures as of December 31, 2020 and have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were
effective as of December 31, 2020. See “Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting” in the
Shopify 2020 MD&A, filed as Exhibit No. 1.3 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F.
Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management of the Company, under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, is responsible
for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over the Company’s financial reporting. Internal control over financial
reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial
statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles.
We, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting in accordance with Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO"). Based on this assessment, we, including the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have determined that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as at
December 31, 2020. Additionally, based on our assessment, we determined that there were no material weaknesses in the Company's
internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2020. See “Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over
Financial Reporting”, which accompanies Shopify's audited consolidated financial statements as at December 31, 2020 and 2019 and
for the years then ended (the "Shopify 2020 Financial Statements"), filed as Exhibit 1.2 to this Annual Report on Form 40-F.
Attestation Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2020 has been audited by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which accompanies Shopify
2020 Financial Statements, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
During the year ended December 31, 2020, there were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that
have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
B. Identification of the Audit Committee
The board of directors of the Company (the "Board") has a separately designated standing audit committee (the "Audit Committee")
established in accordance with section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act. The Board has appointed three independent directors,
Colleen Johnston (Chair), Robert Ashe, and Gail Goodman, to the Audit Committee.
C. Audit Committee Financial Expert
The Board has determined that Colleen Johnston, the Chair of the Audit Committee, is qualified as an "audit committee financial
expert" within the meaning of Item 407 of Regulation S-K. The Board has further determined that all members of the Audit
Committee are "independent" within the meaning of applicable Commission regulations and the listing standards of the New York
Stock Exchange (the "NYSE").
The Commission has indicated that the designation of a person as an audit committee financial expert does not make such person an
"expert" for any purpose, or impose any duties, obligations or liability on such person that are greater than those imposed on
members of the Audit Committee and the Board who do not carry this designation, or affect the duties, obligations or liability of any
other member of the Audit Committee or Board.
D. Code of Ethics
as amended,
The Company’s code of ethics, the Shopify Code of Conduct, is applicable to all of its directors, officers and employees, including
the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Controller, and persons performing similar functions. The Shopify Code of
Conduct,
https://investors.shopify.com/governance/governance-
documents/default.aspx. Except for the Shopify Code of Conduct, and notwithstanding any reference to Shopify's website or other
websites in this Annual Report on Form 40-F or in the documents incorporated by reference herein or attached as Exhibits hereto, no
information contained on the Company's website or any other site shall be incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form
40-F or in the documents incorporated by reference herein or attached as Exhibits hereto.
is available on the Company’s website at
E. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The aggregate amounts paid or accrued by the Company with respect to fees payable to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the
independent registered public accounting firm of the Company, for audit (including separate audits of wholly-owned and non-wholly
owned entities, financings, regulatory reporting requirements and SOX related services), audit-related, tax and other services in the
years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
Audit Fees
Audit-related Fees
Tax Fees
All Other Fees
Total
Audit Fees
Fiscal 2020
US$
Fiscal 2019
US$
(in thousands)
1,461
—
39
2
1,502
1,133
—
—
3
1,136
Audit fees relate to the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements, the review of our quarterly condensed consolidated
financial statements and services in connection with our Registration Statement on Form F-10 (related to our 2020 and 2019 public
offerings of Class A subordinate voting shares and 2020 offering of 0.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025).
Audit-Related Fees
Audit-related fees consist of aggregate fees for accounting consultations and other services that were reasonably related to the
performance of audits or reviews of our consolidated financial statements and were not reported above under "Audit Fees."
Tax Fees
Tax fees relate to assistance with tax compliance, expatriate tax return preparation, tax planning and various tax advisory services.
All Other Fees
Other fees are any additional amounts for products and services provided by the principal accountants, other than the services
reported above under "Audit Fees,", "Audit-Related Fees" and "Tax Fees".
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
From time to time, management recommends to and requests approval from the Audit Committee for audit and non-audit services to
be provided by the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee considers such requests, if
applicable, on a quarterly basis, and if acceptable, pre-approves such audit and non-audit services. During such deliberations, the
Audit Committee assesses, among other factors, whether the services requested would be considered "prohibited services" as
contemplated by the SEC, and whether the services requested and the fees related to such services could impair the independence of
the Company's registered public accounting firm.
The Audit Committee considered and agreed that the fees paid to the Company's independent registered public accounting firm in
the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are compatible with maintaining the independence of the Company's registered public
accounting firm. The Audit Committee determined that, in order to ensure the continued independence of the registered public
accounting firm, only limited non-audit services will be provided to the Company by our independent registered public accounting
firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Since the implementation of the Audit Committee pre-approval process in November 2015, all audit and non-audit services rendered
by our independent registered public accounting firm have been pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
F. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no material off-balance sheet arrangements, other than operating leases (which have been disclosed under "Contractual
Obligations and Contingencies" in the Shopify 2020 MD&A).
G. Tabular Disclosure of Contractual Obligations
See Shopify 2020 MD&A, under the heading "Contractual Obligations and Contingencies", which section is incorporated by
reference in this Annual Report on Form 40-F, for a tabular disclosure and discussion of contractual obligations.
H. NYSE Exemptions
Section 310.00 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual generally requires that a listed company’s by-laws provide for a quorum for
any meeting of the holders of the company’s common shares that is sufficiently high to ensure a representative vote. Pursuant to the
NYSE corporate governance rules we, as a foreign private issuer, have elected to comply with practices that are permitted under
Canadian law in lieu of the provisions of Section 310.00. Our by-laws provide that the holders of at least 25% of the shares entitled
to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, and at least two persons entitled to vote at the meeting, present in
person or represented by proxy, constitutes a quorum.
Except as stated above, we are in compliance with the rules generally applicable to U.S. domestic companies listed on the NYSE.
We may in the future decide to use other foreign private issuer exemptions with respect to some of the other NYSE listing
requirements. Following our home country governance practices, as opposed to the requirements that would otherwise apply to a
company listed on the NYSE, may provide less protection than is accorded to investors under the NYSE listing requirements
applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
I. Undertaking
Registrant undertakes to make available, in person or by telephone, representatives to respond to inquiries made by the Commission
staff, and to furnish promptly, when requested to do so by the Commission staff, information relating to: the securities registered
pursuant to Form 40-F; the securities in relation to which the obligation to file an annual report on Form 40-F arises; or transactions
in said securities.
The following documents are filed as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 40-F:
EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.
1.1
1.2
1.3
23.1
31.1
32.1
101
104
Document
Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements as at and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2020
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Interactive Data File (formatted an Inline XBRL)
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
Exhibits 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 of this Annual Report on Form 40-F are incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement on Form
F-10 of the Registrant, which was originally filed with the Commission on July 28, 2020 (File No. 333‐240142), the Registration
Statement on Form S-8 of the Registrant, which was originally filed with the Commission on May 29, 2015 (File No. 333-204568),
the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of the Registrant, which was originally filed with the Commission on May 12, 2016 (File
No. 333-211305), and the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of the Registrant, which was originally filed with the Commission on
October 17, 2019 (File No. 333-234241) (together, the "Registration Statements"). Exhibit 23.1 is incorporated by reference as an
exhibit to the Registration Statements.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form
40-F and has duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
SIGNATURES
Date: February 17, 2021
Shopify Inc.
(Registrant)
By:
/s/ Joseph A. Frasca
Name: Joseph A. Frasca
Title: Chief Legal Officer
____________________________________________________________________________________
EXHIBIT 1.1
SHOPIFY INC.
2020 ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM
February 17, 2021
ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM
SHOPIFY INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
General Matters
Forward-Looking Information
Corporate Structure
Description of the Business
General Development of the Business
Risk Factors
Dividends and Distributions
Capital Structure
Market for Securities
Directors and Officers
Legal Proceedings and Regulatory Actions
Interest of Management and Others in Material Transactions
Transfer Agents and Registrars
Material Contracts
Interests of Experts
Additional Information
Exhibit A - Audit Committee Charter
Page Number
3
3
9
9
22
27
65
65
73
74
80
80
80
80
81
81
A-1
ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM
SHOPIFY INC.
GENERAL MATTERS
Information Contained in this Annual Information Form
In this Annual Information Form ("AIF") "we", "our", "Shopify", and the "Company" refer to Shopify Inc. and its consolidated
subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise. References to our "solutions" means the combination of products and services
that we offer to merchants, and references to "our merchants" as of a particular date means the total number of unique shops that
are paying for a subscription to our platform. Words importing the singular, where the context requires, include the plural and vice
versa and words importing any gender include all genders.
Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this AIF is presented as at February 9, 2021, and references to specific years are
references to the fiscal years of Shopify ended December 31.
This AIF should be read in conjunction with the Company's 2020 audited consolidated financial statements and notes ("2020
Financial Statements") and the Company's 2020 Management’s Discussion and Analysis ("2020 MD&A"), but which, for greater
certainty, are not incorporated by reference herein.
Shopify and the associated logo are registered trademarks of Shopify Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other marks used herein are
trademarks or registered trademarks belonging to their respective owners.
Presentation of Financial Information
We prepare and report our consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). Our reporting currency is U.S. dollars, and we express all amounts in this AIF in U.S.
dollars, except where otherwise indicated. All references in this AIF to "dollars", "$" and "US$" refer to United States dollars, and
all references to "CAD$" refer to Canadian dollars, unless otherwise expressly stated. On February 9, 2021, the Bank of Canada
rate of exchange for the conversion of U.S. dollars into Canadian dollars was $1.00 = CAD$1.2719.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This AIF contains forward-looking statements under the provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the "Exchange Act"), and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "might", "will", "should", "could",
"expects", "intends", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "projects", "potential", "continue", "become",
"seek", or the negative of these terms or other similar words. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations,
beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any
3
underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. In particular, forward-looking statements in this AIF include, but are not limited to,
statements about:
our ability to make it easier for merchants to manage their storefronts via their mobile devices;
our exploration of new ways to accelerate checkout;
•
•
• whether a merchant using Shopify will ever need to re-platform;
•
•
•
•
our ability to expand our merchant base;
our plans to localize the Shopify platform;
our ability to offer more sales channels that can connect to our platform;
our ability to invest in and develop new solutions to extend the functionality of our platform to boost adoption and catalyze
merchants' sales growth;
enhancement of our ecosystem and partner programs;
our ability to provide a high level of merchant service and support;
our ability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel;
the ability of Shopify Fulfillment Network partners to increase the speed and reliability of their warehouse operations by
leveraging 6 River Systems, LLC ("6 River Systems") solutions;
our expectation that seasonality will continue to affect our quarterly results;
our expectation that our business may become more seasonal in the future;
the rapid evolution of multi-channel commerce and ecommerce and our ability to bring to market new and better selling
and buying experiences;
our investment in developing online and point of sale assets with a single commerce operating system;
our ability to grow our base of merchants by offering new and better ways to market and sell their products and expanding
the range of our solutions;
the size of our addressable markets and our ability to serve those markets;
our expectation that we will continue to invest in data analytics and machine learning;
our ability to grow our addressable market and meet our merchants' needs;
the intended growth of our business and making investments to drive future growth, and the impact of those investments;
the growth of our merchants’ revenues and our ability to retain merchants as they grow;
our intention to continue strategically investing in marketing programs that enhance the awareness of our brand;
our belief in the importance of establishing relationships with merchants early in the business lifecycle;
our intention to grow our merchant base by inspiring entrepreneurship through marketing programs;
our investment in additional sales capacity;
continued improvement of our platform to help our merchants sell more;
expansion of our platform's capabilities;
the growth and strengthening of our third-party ecosystem and partner program, including formation of strategic
partnerships;
our intention to optimize our cloud-based infrastructure;
our investment in end-to-end automation and comprehensive test suites for our platform;
our expectation of increased competition;
our expectation that leveraging third-party providers of infrastructure will increase engineering velocity;
our expectation that the majority of employees will work remotely permanently;
our intention to support Operation HOPE by providing up to $130 million in in-kind resources;
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
4
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions and actions we may take in response on our
business, financial performance, revenues, and results of operations;
disruption to our operations due to the impact of COVID-19 and the impact of COVID-19 on our employees, suppliers,
partners, and our merchants and their customers, the success of and risk related to new products and initiatives launched in
response to COVID-19, and the effect of economic conditions as a result of COVID-19 on the value of our investments and
our share price;
the trends in commerce and impact on merchants as restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted;
the impact of strategic decisions on short-term revenue or profitability;
the trend in our future growth including volatility related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;
the need to devote additional resources to manage future growth and our ability to satisfy obligations and effectively
manage such growth;
our intention to expand our business and increase headcount;
our plan to continue investing in our network infrastructure;
our expectation that we will incur additional general and administrative expenses as a result of our growth;
the expansion of our platform internationally and our ability to maintain our corporate culture as we grow and shift to a
digital-by-default, remote-first global workforce;
our expectation regarding the continued expansion of Shopify Plus;
an increase in cyberattacks including as attackers exploit any vulnerabilities introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic and
any related changes by business operations;
the evolution of competitive pressure as our business evolves to encompass a wider range of products;
our plan to increase our investments in research and development and maintain our high level of merchant service and
support;
our intention to pursue additional relationships with other third parties, such as technology and content providers and
implementation consultants;
growth in the number of sales personnel and increasing expenses in connection with marketing our brand;
our intention to issue stock options or other equity awards as key components of our overall compensation and employee
attraction and retention efforts;
the evolution of laws governing internet-based platforms and the impact of such laws on our business including as we
develop consumer-facing products and services;
our intention to continue our use and development of open source software;
potential selective acquisitions and investments;
our exploration of other products, models and structures for Shopify Capital;
our operation and future expansion of Shopify Fulfillment Network;
changes in our pricing models;
our transfer pricing procedures;
requirements upon a fundamental change, conversion or maturity of our 0.125% convertible senior notes due 2025 (the
"Notes");
our expectation that we will not pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future; and
our intention to invest our future earnings, if any, to fund our growth.
5
The forward-looking statements contained in this AIF are based on our management’s perception of historic trends, current
conditions and expected future developments, as well as other assumptions that management believes are appropriate in the
circumstances, which include, but are not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
our ability to increase the functionality of our platform;
our ability to offer more sales channels that can connect to the platform;
our belief in the increasing importance of a multi-channel platform that is both fully integrated and easy to use;
our belief that commerce transacted over mobile will continue to grow more rapidly than desktop transactions;
our ability to expand our merchant base, retain revenue from existing merchants as they grow their businesses, and
increase sales to both new and existing merchants;
our ability to manage our growth effectively;
our ability to protect our intellectual property rights;
our belief that our merchant solutions make it easier for merchants to start a business and grow on our platform;
our ability to develop new solutions to extend the functionality of our platform, provide a high level of merchant service
and support;
our ability to build with a focus on long-term value;
our ability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel;
our ability to enhance our ecosystem and partner programs, and the assumption that this will drive growth in our merchant
base, further accelerating growth of the ecosystem;
our belief that our investments and acquisitions will increase our revenue base, improve the retention of this base and
strengthen our ability to increase sales to our merchants and help drive our growth;
our ability to achieve our revenue growth objectives while controlling costs and expenses, and our ability to achieve or
maintain profitability;
our belief that monthly recurring revenue ("MRR") is most closely correlated with the long-term value of our merchant
relationships;
our assumptions regarding the principal competitive factors in our markets;
our ability to predict future commerce trends and technology;
our assumptions that higher-margin solutions such as Shopify Capital and Shopify Shipping will continue to grow through
increased adoption and international expansion;
our expectation that Shopify Payments will continue to expand internationally;
our expectation that Shopify Fulfillment Network will continue to scale and grow;
our belief that our investments in sales and marketing initiatives will continue to be effective in growing the number of
merchants using our platform, in retaining revenue from existing merchants and increasing revenues from both;
our ability to develop processes, systems and controls to enable our internal support functions to scale with the growth of
our business;
our ability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel and to manage our operations in a digital-by-default model;
our belief that the near-term costs of reducing our leased footprint and transitioning our remaining spaces to their future
intended purposes will yield longer-term benefits;
the impact of legislation or governmental action on our platform;
increasing restrictions on the ability of parties to access or use data;
our ability to retain key personnel;
our ability to protect against currency, interest rate, concentration of credit and inflation risks;
our assumptions as to our future expenses and financing requirements;
6
•
•
our assumptions as to our critical accounting policies and estimates; and
our assumptions as to the effects of accounting pronouncements to be adopted.
Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations may include, but are not limited to, risks and
uncertainties that are discussed in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of this AIF, including but not limited to risks relating
to:
sustaining our rapid growth;
•
• managing our growth;
•
•
our potential inability to compete successfully against current and future competitors;
the security of personal information we store relating to merchants and their buyers, as well as consumers with whom we
have a direct relationship including users of our apps;
our history of losses and our potential inability to maintain profitability;
a denial of service attack or security breach;
our limited operating history in new and developing markets and new geographic regions;
our ability to innovate;
international sales and operations and the use of our platform in various countries;
our current reliance on a single supplier to provide the technology we offer through Shopify Payments;
our potential inability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel;
our use of a single cloud-based platform to deliver our services;
the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations including the impact
of measures taken to contain the virus and the impact on the global economy and consumer spending and on our
merchants' and partners' ecosystem;
the reliance of our growth in part on the success of our strategic relationships with third parties;
complex and changing laws and regulations worldwide;
our dependence on the continued services and performance of our senior management and other key employees;
our potential failure to effectively maintain, promote and enhance our brand;
payments processed through Shopify Payments;
serious errors or defects in our software or hardware or issues with our hardware supply chain;
our potential inability to achieve or maintain data transmission capacity;
activities of merchants or partners or the content of merchants' shops;
evolving privacy laws and regulations, cross-border data transfer restrictions, data localization requirements and other
domestic or foreign regulations may limit the use and adoption of our services;
unanticipated changes in tax laws or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income or other tax returns;
being required to collect federal, state, provincial or local business taxes, sales and use taxes or other indirect taxes in
additional jurisdictions on transactions by our merchants;
ineffective operations of our solutions when accessed through mobile devices;
changes to technologies used in our platform or new versions or upgrades of operating systems and internet browsers;
acquisitions and investments;
our ability to successfully scale, optimize and operate Shopify Fulfillment Network;
Shopify Capital and offering financing to merchants;
the impact of worldwide economic conditions, including the resulting effect on spending by small and medium-sized
businesses ("SMBs") or their buyers;
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
7
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
our reliance on computer hardware, purchased or leased, software licensed from and services rendered by third parties, in
order to provide our solutions and run our business, sometimes by a single-source supplier;
potential claims by third parties of intellectual property infringement or other third party or governmental claims,
litigation, disputes, or other proceedings;
our potential inability to obtain, maintain and protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information or prevent
third parties from making unauthorized use of our technology;
our use of open source software;
seasonal fluctuations;
exchange rate fluctuations that may negatively affect our results of operations;
our potential failure to maintain a consistently high level of customer service;
our dependence upon buyers’ and merchants’ access to, and willingness to use, the internet for commerce;
provisions of our financial instruments including the Notes;
our potential inability to raise additional funds as may be needed to pursue our growth strategy or continue our operations,
on favorable terms or at all;
our tax loss carryforwards;
our pricing decisions for our solutions;
ownership of our shares;
our sensitivity to interest rate fluctuations; and
our concentration of credit risk, and the ability to mitigate that risk using third parties, and the risk of inflation.
Although we believe that the plans, intentions, expectations, assumptions and strategies reflected in our forward-looking statements
are reasonable, these statements relate to future events or our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties occur, or
if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those implied or projected by the
forward-looking statements. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future results. You should read this AIF and the
documents that we reference in this AIF completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially
different from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this AIF represent our views as of the date of this AIF. We anticipate that subsequent events and
developments may cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some
point in the future, we have no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable law. Therefore, these
forward-looking statements do not represent our views as of any date other than the date of this AIF.
8
CORPORATE STRUCTURE
Name, Address and Incorporation
The Company was incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "CBCA") on September 28, 2004 under the name
4261607 Canada Ltd. We filed articles of amendment on January 19, 2006 to change our name to Jaded Pixel Technologies Inc., and
again on November 30, 2011 to change our name to Shopify Inc. On April 12, 2013, we filed articles of amendment to split all of
our issued and outstanding common shares and all of our issued and outstanding Series A and Series B preferred shares on a 5-for-1
basis. On May 22, 2015, we filed articles of amendment to amend and re-designate our authorized and issued share capital in
connection with our initial public offering. See “Capital Structure” for more information about our current share capital. On May 27,
2015, we restated our amended articles of incorporation.
Our head and registered office is located at 151 O'Connor Street, Ground floor, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 2L8, and our
telephone number is (613) 241-2828. Our website address is www.shopify.com. Information contained on, or accessible through, our
website is not a part of this AIF.
Intercorporate Relationships
The following chart shows our current material subsidiaries. All of our subsidiaries are, directly or indirectly, wholly owned.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS
Overview
Shopify is a leading global commerce company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any
size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for reliability, while delivering a
better shopping experience for buyers everywhere.
In an era where social media, cloud computing, mobile devices, and data analytics are creating new possibilities for commerce,
Shopify provides differentiated value by offering merchants:
A multi-channel front end. Our software enables merchants to easily display, manage, and sell their products across over a dozen
different sales channels, including web and mobile storefronts, physical retail locations, pop-up shops, social media storefronts,
native mobile apps, buy buttons, and marketplaces. More than two-thirds of our merchants use two or more channels. The Shopify
application program
9
interface ("API") has been developed to support custom storefronts that let merchants sell anywhere, in any language.
A single integrated back end. Our software provides one single integrated, easy-to-use back end that merchants use to manage their
business and buyers across these multiple sales channels. Merchants use their Shopify dashboard, which is available in 20 languages,
to manage products and inventory, process orders and payments, fulfill and ship orders, discover new buyers and build customer
relationships, source products, leverage analytics and reporting, and access financing.
A data advantage. Our software is delivered to merchants as a service, and operates on a shared infrastructure. With each new
transaction processed, we grow our data proficiency. This cloud-based infrastructure not only relieves merchants from running and
securing their own hardware, it also consolidates data generated by the interactions between buyers and merchants’ shops, as well as
those of our merchants on the Shopify platform, providing rich data to inform both our own decisions as well as those of our
merchants.
Shopify also enables merchants to build their own brand, leverage mobile technology, and handle massive traffic spikes with flexible
infrastructure:
Brand ownership. Shopify is designed to help our merchants own their brand, develop a direct relationship with their buyers, and
make their buyer experience memorable and distinctive. We recognize that in a world where buyers have more choices than ever
before, a merchant’s brand is increasingly important. The Shopify platform is designed to allow a merchant to keep their brand
present in every interaction to help build buyer loyalty and competitive advantage. While our platform is designed to empower
merchants first, merchants benefit when buyers are confident that their payments are secure. We believe that an increasing awareness
among buyers that Shopify provides a superior and secure checkout experience is an additional advantage for our merchants in an
increasingly competitive market. For merchants using Shopify Payments, buyers are already getting a superior experience, with
features such as Shop Pay, and with our investments in additional touchpoints with their buyers, such as retail, shipping, fulfillment,
and Shop, our all-in-one mobile shopping assistant app, brands that sell on Shopify can offer buyers an end-to-end, managed
shopping experience that previously was only available to much larger businesses.
Mobile. As ecommerce expands as a percentage of overall retail transactions, a trend that accelerated in 2020 as the global COVID-
19 pandemic necessitated physically distanced commerce, buyers expect to be able to transact anywhere, anytime, on any device
through an experience that is simple, seamless, and secure. As transactions over mobile devices represent the majority of
transactions across online stores powered by Shopify, the mobile experience is a merchant’s primary and most important interaction
with online buyers. Shopify has focused on enabling mobile commerce, and the Shopify platform includes a mobile-optimized
checkout system, designed to enable merchants’ buyers to more easily buy products over mobile websites. Our merchants are able to
offer their buyers the ability to quickly and securely check out by using Shop Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay on the web, and we
continue to explore other new ways to accelerate checkout. Shopify’s mobile capabilities are not limited to the front end: merchants
who are often on-the-go find themselves managing their storefronts via their mobile devices, as Shopify continues to strive to make
it easier to do so.
Infrastructure. We build our platform to address the growing challenges facing merchants and with the aim of making complex tasks
simple. The Shopify platform is engineered to enterprise-level standards and functionality and designed for simplicity and ease of
use. We also design our platform with a robust
10
technical infrastructure able to manage large spikes in traffic that accompany events such as new product releases, holiday shopping
seasons, and flash sales. We are constantly innovating and enhancing our platform, with our continuously deployed, multi-tenant
architecture ensuring all of our merchants are always using the latest technology.
This combination of ease of use with enterprise-level functionality allows merchants to start with a Shopify store and grow with our
platform to almost any size. Using Shopify, merchants may never need to re-platform. Our Shopify Plus subscription plan was
created to accommodate larger merchants, with additional functionality, scalability and support requirements. The Shopify Plus plan
also appeals to larger merchants not already on Shopify who want to migrate from their expensive and complex legacy solutions and
get more functionality.
We believe that our future success depends on many factors, including our ability to expand our merchant base; localize features for
specific geographies; retain merchants as they grow their businesses on our platform and adopt more features; offer more sales
channels that connect merchants with their specific target audience; develop new solutions to extend our platform’s functionality and
catalyze merchants’ sales growth; enhance our ecosystem and partner programs; provide a high level of merchant support; hire,
retain and motivate qualified personnel; and build with a focus on maximizing long-term value.
Our Merchants
Our mission is to make commerce better for everyone, and we believe we can help merchants of nearly all retail verticals and sizes,
from aspirational entrepreneurs to large enterprises, realize their potential at all stages of their business life cycle. Our marketing
efforts primarily focus on selling to small and medium-sized businesses (“SMBs”) and entrepreneurs while our direct sales team
addresses the needs of large merchants. The large majority of our merchants are on subscription plans that cost less than $50 per
month, which is in line with our focus on providing cost-effective solutions for early stage businesses.
As of December 31, 2020, we had approximately 1,749,000 merchants from approximately 175 countries using our platform,
geographically dispersed as follows: 56% North America (50% in the United States and 6% in Canada), 25% Europe Middle East
and Africa (8% in the United Kingdom), 15% Asia Pacific, Australia and China (6% in Australia) and 4% in Latin America (Mexico
and South America).
Our merchants represent a wide array of retail verticals and business sizes and no single merchant has ever represented more than
five percent of our total revenues in a single reporting period.
When our merchants grow their sales and become more successful, they consume more of our merchant solutions, upgrade to higher
subscription plans, and purchase additional apps. We consider our merchants' success to be one of the most powerful drivers of our
business model. The chart below displays the annual revenue for merchant cohorts that joined the Shopify platform at different times
in our history. The strength of our business model lies in the consistent revenue growth coming from each cohort: the increase in
revenue from remaining merchants growing within a cohort offsets the decline in revenue from merchants leaving the platform.
For example, revenue from our pre-2018 cohort expanded in 2019, as the revenue impact from merchants within the cohort leaving
the platform was offset by revenue growth from remaining merchants within that cohort. In 2020, revenue from the pre-2018 cohort
continued its growth as merchant retention improved, and the remaining merchants increased their GMV, with growth amplified by
the accelerated shift to online commerce, and adopted additional solutions provided through the Shopify platform.
11
Moreover, the total combined revenue of all previous cohorts once they have annualized and become comparable to prior years has
also grown consistently.
Merchant Acquisition
Our merchant acquisition strategy is primarily focused on marketing that builds awareness of our offerings. Our approach includes a
strong emphasis on the use of data and analytics while continuously innovating and testing new ideas to drive growth.
Because our merchant base includes a wide array of retail verticals and business sizes, spanning from aspirational startups to long-
established enterprises, we use a broad variety of means to attract new merchants. We actively grow our audience through online
channels, including organic search, paid search, and social media, and employ outbound sales representatives to help drive adoption
of our platform and certain solutions. Our offline channel strategy has included participating in trade shows and local events to
generate awareness of our platform, but was pivoted to virtual events early in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,
where possible. We invest in content marketing, authoring various Shopify blogs, podcasts, video content through Shopify Studios,
eBooks and other free tools, and provide thought leadership to help our merchants succeed and to build their own brand. In 2020,
Shopify Studios debuted "I Quit", its first series on a major television network, featuring real-life entrepreneurs who give up their "9-
5" jobs to focus 100% on launching their own businesses, with an aim to increase awareness of and catalyze entrepreneurship. In
response to the sudden disruption to small businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic restricted walk-in traffic, Shopify partnered with
the Government of Canada as well as the governments of New York and Victoria state in Australia to support efforts to bring
thousands of small businesses online and help them rapidly adapt to a digital economy.
12
In addition to direct channels, we leverage relationships with third-party design agencies, developers, influencers, and freelancers
around the world who actively refer merchants to us.
Partner Ecosystem
A rich ecosystem of app developers, theme designers and other partners, such as digital and service professionals, marketers,
photographers, and affiliates has evolved around the Shopify platform. We believe our partner ecosystem helps drive the growth of
our merchant base in two ways: by referring new merchants, and by extending the functionality of the Shopify platform through the
development of apps. Approximately 42,200 of these partners referred merchants to Shopify over the last year, and this strong,
symbiotic relationship continues to grow. We believe this ecosystem has grown in part due to the platform’s functionality, which is
highly extensible and can be expanded through our API and the approximately 6,000 apps available in the Shopify App Store. The
expansion of the platform’s functionality through apps accelerates the growth of the ecosystem, as more referral partners are
attracted to the broader functionality, and more app developers are attracted to the growing base of potential users.
Our Offerings
Our business model has two revenue streams: a recurring subscription component we call subscription solutions, and a merchant
success-based component we call merchant solutions.
Subscription Solutions
We generate subscription solutions revenues primarily through the sale of subscriptions to our platform, including variable platform
fees, as well as through the sale of subscriptions to our Point-of-Sale ("POS") Pro offering, the sale of themes, the sale of apps, and
the registration of domain names.
We offer pricing plans designed to meet the needs of our current and prospective merchants. Offering different service and pricing
levels allows entrepreneurs to scale without leaving the Shopify platform: as a merchant upgrades to the higher-priced options, they
receive more powerful tools. We believe this ability to retain merchants as they grow is an important factor for our success in
serving the SMB market. While most merchants subscribe to our Basic and Shopify plans, the majority of our GMV comes from
merchants subscribing to our Advanced and Shopify Plus plans. Merchant retention rates are also higher among merchants on
higher-priced plans. Offered at a starting rate that is several times that of our Advanced plan, the Shopify Plus plan solves for the
complexity of merchants as they grow and scale globally, offering additional functionality, and support, including features like
Shopify Flow and Launchpad for ecommerce automation, and dedicated account management where appropriate. Allbirds,
Gymshark, Heinz, and Staples Canada are among the more than 10,000 Shopify Plus merchants leveraging our reliable, cost-
effective, and scalable commerce solution.
Our subscription plans typically have a one-month term, however those who sign on to Shopify Plus initially have annual or multi-
year subscription terms. Subscription terms automatically renew unless notice of cancellation is provided in advance. Merchants
purchase subscription plans directly from us. Subscription fees are paid to us at the start of the applicable subscription period,
regardless of the length of the subscription period, with the exception of Shopify Plus subscription contracts, which are paid in
arrears on a ratable basis. Subscription fees are non-refundable. In 2020, Shopify introduced its all-new POS software with expanded
features and functionality that unify in-store and online sales. The all-new POS software was made available free to eligible
merchants from early May until November 1, 2020 to help merchants adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.
13
Merchant Solutions
We offer a variety of merchant solutions to augment those provided through a subscription to address the broad array of functionality
merchants commonly require, including accepting payments, shipping and fulfillment, and securing working capital. We believe that
offering merchant solutions creates additional value for merchants, saving them time and money by making additional functionality
available within a single centralized commerce platform, and creates additional value for Shopify by increasing merchants’ use of
our platform.
We principally generate merchant solutions revenues from payment processing fees from Shopify Payments. In addition to payment
processing fees from Shopify Payments, we also generate merchant solutions revenue from other transaction fees, referral fees from
partners, advertising revenue on the Shopify App Store, Shopify Capital, Shop Pay Installments, Shopify Shipping, Shopify
Fulfillment Network, the sale of POS hardware and collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions, and Shopify Email.
Shopify Payments is a fully integrated payment processing service that allows our merchants to accept and process payment cards
online and offline, and is also designed to drive higher retention among merchant subscribers. We introduced Shopify Payments in
the United States and Canada in 2013, and have been expanding into additional geographies in subsequent years. Today, more than
two-thirds of our merchants have enabled Shopify Payments, which is available in 17 countries. As a result of introducing Shopify
Payments, our revenues from merchant solutions and associated costs have increased.
Transaction fees are typically charged based in part on a percentage of Gross Merchandise Volume ("GMV") processed on
subscription plans where the merchant has not signed up for Shopify Payments. We generate referral fees from partners to whom we
direct business and with whom we have an arrangement in place. Pursuant to terms of the agreements with our partners, these
revenues can be recurring or non-recurring. Where the agreement provides for recurring payments to us, we typically earn revenues
so long as the merchant that we have referred to the partner continues to use the services of the partner. Non-recurring revenues
generally take the form of one-time payments that we receive when we initially refer the merchant to the partner.
Advertising revenue is earned on the Shopify App Store as merchants click on the apps being advertised by our partners. We
recognize advertising revenues when we are entitled to receive payment from the partner.
Shopify Capital was launched in the United States in 2016, and in the United Kingdom (where we are working with a partner) and
Canada in 2020, to help eligible merchants secure financing and accelerate the growth of their business by providing access to
simple, fast, and convenient working capital. We apply underwriting criteria prior to purchasing the eligible merchant's future
receivables or making a loan to help ensure collectibility. Under Shopify Capital, we purchase a designated amount of future
receivables at a discount or make a loan. The advance, or the loan, is forwarded to the merchant at the time the related agreement is
entered into, and the merchant remits a fixed percentage of their daily sales until the outstanding balance has been remitted. For
Shopify Capital merchant cash advances ("MCA's"), we apply a percentage of the remittances collected against the merchant's
receivable balance, and a percentage, which is related to the discount, as merchant solutions revenue. For Shopify Capital loans,
because there is a fixed maximum repayment term, we calculate an effective interest rate based on the merchant's expected future
payment volume to determine how much of a merchant's repayment to recognize as revenue and how much to apply against the
merchant's receivable balance. We have mitigated some of the risks
14
associated with Shopify Capital by entering into an agreement with a third party to insure some of the MCA's and loans offered by
Shopify Capital in the United States and Canada.
Shop Pay Installments, a "buy now pay later" product, enables merchants to sell to their goods to buyers on an interest-free payment
plan. Merchants receive upfront payment for a sale, net of fees, without the worry associated with collecting future payments from
the buyer. We recognize revenue when a merchant sale is made through the use of the product based on a percentage of the total
order value. We earn and recognize a portion of the revenue from each merchant sale, with the majority of revenue earned and
recognized by our third-party provider that bears the buyer underwriting and buyer credit risk associated with the product.
Shopify Shipping was launched in the United States in September 2015, in Canada in September 2016, and Australia in May 2020,
and allows merchants doing their own fulfillment and shipping to select from available shipping partners to buy and print outbound
and return shipping labels and track orders directly within the Shopify platform. In June 2019, we launched Shopify Fulfillment
Network for merchants looking to outsource fulfillment. Leveraging a partner network of fulfillment centers dispersed across the
United States, Shopify Fulfillment Network is designed to help ensure merchants’ orders are delivered to buyers quickly and cost-
effectively by leveraging Shopify’s scale with deep machine learning tools, including demand forecasting, smart inventory allocation
across warehouses and intelligent order routing. In October 2019, to accelerate the growth of Shopify Fulfillment Network, and to
participate in the rapidly growing warehouse automation space, we acquired 6 River Systems, a provider of collaborative warehouse
fulfillment solutions. Shopify Fulfillment Network partners leveraging 6 River Systems’ cloud-based software and collaborative
mobile robots can increase the speed and reliability of their warehouse operations by empowering on-site associates with daily tasks,
including inventory replenishment, picking, sorting, and packing. 6 River Systems also sells its collaborative warehouse fulfillment
solutions to retail and third-party fulfillment customers independent of Shopify Fulfillment Network.
Shopify POS is a sales channel that lets merchants sell their products and accept payments in person from a mobile device in a
physical or retail setting. While the majority of the POS-compatible hardware we sell has been designed and manufactured by third-
party vendors, we designed our own hardware including our POS card reader and retail stand with expanded functionality to better
meet the needs of our merchant base and increase the visibility of the Shopify brand. Our POS card reader and retail stand are
available in select geographies.
Shopify Email, launched in 2019, is our native email marketing tool designed to enable merchants to create, run, and track email
marketing campaigns from within the merchant admin, and help merchants to build direct relationships with buyers. Shopify Email
was also made available free to all merchants from early April until October 1, 2020 to help merchants adapt during the COVID-19
pandemic and related restrictions.
Seasonality
Our merchant solutions revenues are directionally correlated with the level of GMV that merchants facilitated through our platform.
Our merchants typically process additional GMV during the fourth quarter holiday season. As a result, we have historically
generated higher merchant solutions revenues in our fourth quarter than in other quarters. While we believe that this seasonality has
affected and will continue to affect our quarterly results, our rapid growth has largely masked seasonal trends to date, as has the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As revenue from our merchant solutions offerings has
15
grown faster than revenue from subscription solutions, our business may become more seasonal in the future and historical patterns
in our business may not be a reliable indicator of our future performance.
Research and Development
Multi-channel commerce, including ecommerce, is a relatively new industry that is rapidly evolving, as mobile device makers
continue to innovate on features and functionality, media channels become more interactive, and merchants continually strive to
create new ways to stand out in an increasingly digital economy. In addition, traditional brick and mortar retailers seek to join the
digital revolution by leveraging their brand and physical presence in new and innovative ways, particularly in the wake of the global
COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated physically distanced commerce. Shopify strives on behalf of merchants to not just keep
pace in this dynamic environment, but to bring to market new and better selling and buying experiences by leveraging what
technology and connectivity have made possible.
We look to do this for smaller merchants by simplifying their user experience and arming them with new and innovative ways to
compete with larger, better-funded competitors, as well as for larger merchants seeking technology and support for higher volumes
and global reach. As such, research and development at Shopify is currently focused on product management, product development,
and product design to accomplish these goals. In order to best serve merchants seeking to bridge the gap between in-person and
digital commerce, we invest in developing online and point of sale assets with a single commerce operating system, an area of the
market we feel is currently underserved. We believe that by deepening the capabilities of our current solution set to meet the needs
of more merchants in more geographies, by offering new and better ways for merchants to market and sell their products, and by
expanding the range of solutions we offer, we will be able to grow our addressable market and meet the needs of merchants in years
ahead. Data analytics and machine learning are increasingly informing our product development efforts and we expect to continue
investing in this area.
Growth Strategy
We have focused on rapidly growing our business and plan to continue heavily investing to drive future growth. We believe that our
investments will increase our revenue base, improve the retention of this global base of merchants and strengthen our ability to
increase sales to our merchants. Our growth strategy is driven by our mission: make commerce better for everyone. Key elements of
our strategy include:
• Grow our Base of Merchants. We believe that we have a significant opportunity to increase the size of our current merchant
base. As such we have a dedicated focus on product and brand marketing paired with global earned media efforts and
ongoing content creation and distribution to continue growing this global base. Our continued investments in functionality
to boost adoption of the Shopify platform by merchants around the world include the translation of the Shopify platform,
which is now available in 20 languages, as well as the incorporation of local payment methods into Shopify Payments. We
intend to continue to strategically invest in marketing programs that enhance the awareness of our brand and solutions
among businesses at different stages of their lifecycle. While we believe it is important to establish relationships early in the
business lifecycle and grow along with our merchants, we also see the opportunity from larger businesses looking for faster
time-to-market and better value as they innovate to meet rapidly evolving buyer demands. We intend to grow our base of
merchants primarily by inspiring entrepreneurship through marketing programs. These include awareness-driving brand
campaigns, Shopify blogs, educational and support interactions, as well as merchant affinity programs and documentaries
featuring entrepreneur success stories through Shopify Studios.
16
Additionally, we are investing in additional sales capacity focused on acquiring larger merchants and brick and mortar retail
merchants, as we continue to hire and train outbound sales representatives to reach certain merchant segments and promote
certain of our offerings.
• Grow our Merchants’ Revenue. Our goals are closely aligned with the goals of our merchants. The more a merchant sells on
our platform, the more revenue we generate as they process more transactions, upgrade plans, sell through new sales
channels, ship more products, and use additional solutions. We intend to continue to improve our platform to help our
merchants sell more and expect to continue to use initiatives such as our Shopify blogs, Shopify Compass, Shopify
community forums, and Shop Class programs to educate our merchant base on how they can be even more successful using
our platform. Shopify blogs are now available in nine different languages and engagement with Shopify Compass, a free
training program launched in 2018 to help entrepreneurs build and grow a business, has expanded significantly. COVID-19
accelerated the need to move in-person events online, and in 2020 hundreds of thousands of unique users registered on
Shopify Compass to access a catalog of over 300 unique courses and tutorials and dozens of on-demand recorded events.
• Continuous Innovation and Expansion of our Platform. Our platform is built to support innovation and the rapid technology
changes in commerce and we have consistently expanded the functionality of our platform over the last decade. We foresaw
the rise of mobile and launched our Shopify Mobile application in 2010 and continued to improve mobile functionality of
our merchants' stores. Other platform additions include Shopify Payments in 2013, which eliminates the need for merchants
to set up and maintain a direct relationship with a third-party payment gateway, gives merchants access to low credit card
processing rates, and allows us to cross-sell additional solutions to our merchant base. We added Shopify Shipping in 2015,
which allows merchants to print postage labels and ship products at discounted rates directly through Shopify; Shopify
Capital in 2016, which offers growing merchants working capital directly through the Shopify platform; Shopify
Fulfillment Network in 2019, which provides merchants with a network of distributed fulfillment centres to help ensure
timely deliveries and lower shipping costs, enabling merchants to put their brand and customer experience front and centre;
Shopify Email in 2019, a native email marketing tool designed to enable merchants to create, run, and track email
marketing campaigns to help merchants build direct relationships with buyers; and an early access rollout of Shop Pay
Installments in 2020, Shopify’s ‘buy now pay later’ payment method that eligible merchants can offer to their buyers. We
intend to continue expanding the capabilities of our platform so merchants can not only keep pace with the rapid changes in
commerce, but be among the earliest adopters of commerce innovation. In 2020, we also launched Shop, a mobile shopping
app that creates a more intuitive online shopping experience with the goal of strengthening the relationship between a
merchant and their buyer.
• Continue to Grow and Develop our Ecosystem. We have a thriving third-party ecosystem that includes app developers,
theme designers, and other partners that bolster the functionality of our platform. We host an annual conference to
demonstrate to partners the opportunities that exist to collaborate in building the future of commerce technology, and in
2020, pivoted this in-person event to a virtual format, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This ecosystem has grown in
part due to the platform’s functionality, which is highly extensible and can be expanded through our API. There are
currently approximately 6,000 apps available in the Shopify App Store. We believe that growing our ecosystem makes the
Shopify platform more attractive and stickier, which further expands our merchant base, and in turn drives additional
growth of our ecosystem.
17
• Continue to Expand our Referral Partner Programs. We have strong relationships with thousands of design and marketing
agencies throughout the world. These agencies build merchant web and mobile shops on our platform. Approximately
42,200 active partners referred merchants to us in the past 12 months, and we refer work to them using our services
marketplace. We intend to strengthen our existing relationships with referral partners and create new ones with the goal of
expanding our overall merchant base.
• Continue to Build for the Long-term. We have a culture of iteration and experimentation with a focus on maximizing long-
term value, and many of our investments are made with an eye toward what we believe merchants will require several years
from now. Such longer-term initiatives include localizing the platform for international expansion, promoting our brand,
expanding our existing services, introducing new solutions, and entering into strategic partnerships and acquisitions.
Because we view commerce as a powerful vehicle for positive systemic change, as part of our focus on the long term, in
2019 Shopify launched a sustainability fund committing at least $5 million annually to fund the most promising and
impactful technologies and projects to combat climate change, with a bias toward solutions that remove carbon from the
atmosphere and permanently lock it away, as opposed to traditional offsets that pay others to avoid carbon emissions. In
2020, our sustainability fund offset emissions from shipping every order placed during the 2020 Black Friday/Cyber
Monday shopping weekend, and continuously offset all carbon emissions associated with shipping orders placed using
Shop Pay, our checkout accelerator. Also in 2020, we launched the Offset app, allowing merchants to opt-in to offset the
carbon emissions associated with shipping all their orders.
Technology
The Shopify platform is a multi-tenant cloud-based system that is engineered for high scalability, reliability, and performance. Open
source has played a major role at Shopify from the beginning when our founder was active on the core team that built Ruby on Rails,
the technology that powers much of the Shopify platform. We host the Shopify platform using cloud-based servers. Maintaining the
integrity and security of our technology infrastructure is critical to our business, and we plan to invest further in our infrastructure to
meet our merchants’ needs and maintain their trust. Our investment plans include increasingly optimizing our cloud-based
infrastructure to deliver local performance and global reach to more merchants than ever before, with consistent levels of
availability, performance and resiliency. The key attributes of the Shopify platform are:
•
•
Security. Credit card processing on the Shopify platform is performed by a dedicated, highly scalable, geographically
redundant, high-security environment with specialized policies and procedures in place. The environment is designed to be
highly isolated and secure and exceeds the requirements of PCI DSS. We have been certified as a PCI DSS Level 1-
compliant service provider, which is the highest level of compliance available. We use firewalls, advanced encryption,
intrusion detection systems, two-factor authentication, and other technology to keep our merchants’ data secure.
Scalability. The cloud-based architecture of our platform has been designed to support sudden traffic and order spikes from
our merchants. We use a technology called “containerization” to efficiently scale our computing resources across our
platform. We have benchmarked the Shopify platform to handle at least 250,000 requests per second and 15,000 orders per
minute based on platform load testing.
18
• Reliability. Our platform includes cloud-based servers that are fault-tolerant and ensure that our platform is highly reliable.
Because Shopify is at the heart of our merchants’ businesses, we employ a highly redundant, horizontally scalable, shared
architecture to ensure resiliency and high availability.
• Performance. We believe that the faster and more accessible our merchants’ shops appear to their buyers, the more our
merchants will sell. We have a dedicated team that is constantly profiling and optimizing the performance of the Shopify
platform. We leverage content delivery networks with global points of presence to ensure that content and data is delivered
quickly to users across the globe. In 2020, online shops hosted on our platform had sub-100 millisecond median response
times; our merchants’ shops averaged 386 million unique monthly visitors and almost 5.9 billion monthly browsing sessions,
most of which were from mobile devices; and we processed an average of 121.1 million orders per month.
• Deployment. The Shopify platform is “single branch” software, which means that all of our merchants use the latest version
of Shopify at all times. The result is that we have no overhead in maintaining older versions of our platform. Our software
deployment process enables us to quickly distribute new software as soon as it is ready. This is made possible by our ongoing
investment in end-to-end automation and comprehensive test suites.
Competition
Our market is transforming, competitive, and highly fragmented, and we expect competition to increase in the future. We believe the
principal competitive factors in our market are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
vision for commerce and product strategy;
simplicity and ease of use for merchants and their buyers;
integration of multiple sales channels;
cost-effective solution;
vast and growing app ecosystem;
breadth and depth of functionality;
pace of innovation;
powerful data analytics;
ability to scale;
security and reliability;
support for a merchant’s brand development; and
brand recognition and reputation.
With respect to each of these factors, we believe that we compare favorably to our competitors.
While we believe no competitor currently offers an integrated, multi-channel, cloud-based commerce platform with comparable
functionality to ours, the rapid growth of ecommerce and of independent brands may attract new entrants or new offerings from
existing competitors. Additionally, some merchants may elect to piece together technology that overlaps with our own from other
providers such as:
•
•
•
•
ecommerce software vendors;
content management systems;
payment processors;
POS software providers;
19
domain registrars;
shipping label providers;
fulfillment service providers;
alternative lenders; and
•
•
•
•
• marketplaces.
Intellectual Property
Our intellectual property and proprietary rights are important to our business. In our efforts to safeguard them, we rely on a
combination of copyright, trade secret, trade dress, domain names, trademarks, patents, and other rights in Canada, the United States,
and other jurisdictions in which we conduct our business. We also have confidentiality agreements, assignment agreements, and
license agreements with employees, contractors, merchants, distributors, and other third parties, which limit access to and use of our
proprietary intellectual property. Though we rely, in part, upon these legal and contractual protections, we believe that factors such
as the skills and ingenuity of our employees, as well as the functionality and frequent enhancements to our platform, make our
intellectual property difficult to replicate.
We are subject to certain risks related to our intellectual property. For more information, see "Risk Factors - Risks Related to our
Business and Industry."
Property
We are headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. We do not own any real property. We believe that our current facilities are adequate to
meet our current needs and we expect to continue to adapt our facilities as we respond to the evolving circumstances driven by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Culture and Employees
If you have ambitious goals, you need an equally ambitious team. Shopify is composed of highly talented, deeply caring individuals
all working on making commerce better for everyone. Our culture is continuously being redefined with every person that joins our
company, but, at our core, we value people who:
are impactful;
are merchant-obsessed;
•
•
• make great decisions quickly;
•
•
•
thrive on change;
are constant learners; and
build for the long term.
In those values, there is a focus on continuous learning and personal development. We are a fast-growing company that is constantly
trying to get better. We expect to see similar growth from everyone on our team.
Shopify employees began working remotely in 2020 following the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of COVID-19 led us
to reimagine the way we work, resulting in the decision to be a "digital-by-default" company. Shopify has embraced this digital-first
way of thinking, working, and operating with the intention that the majority of employees will work remotely permanently. We
believe the near-term
20
costs of reducing our leased footprint and transitioning remaining spaces to their future intended purpose, including use for team
collaboration and events, will yield longer-term benefits, including leveling the playing field for employees who already work from
home, helping our employees stay healthy and safe, opening a diverse global talent pool, eliminating unnecessary commutes and
fast-tracking new and better ways to work together that are more productive and rewarding.
We deeply value innovation and experimentation. Every few months we take a break from our regular work for “Hack Days”, three
full days when we encourage our employees to step out of their “day jobs” to tackle a new problem or project that inspires them and
adds value to Shopify. “Hack Days” is an expression of Shopify’s culture of innovation and experimentation. Coming together to
solve problems outside of their day-to-day work, Shopifolk collaborate across different teams and regions, learn together, and have
fun while producing something that will make Shopify better. This global, cross-discipline collaboration promotes a sense of
community and belonging on the Shopify team which is especially important as we grow globally and have more employees
distributed internationally. We continued this tradition in 2020, despite transitioning to a remote-first work environment.
Personal growth and development and constant learning are central to Shopify's culture. We encourage Shopifolk to map their
personal learning journey through our "Own Your Own Development" program. Employees around the world can access courses,
conferences, and workshops to build their skills and mastery, no matter where they're located.
We recruit our employees through multiple avenues including internships, campus recruiting, and global outreach.
As of December 31, 2020, we had more than 7,000 employees and contractors worldwide. None of our employees is represented by
a labor organization or is a party to a collective bargaining arrangement. We are intentional in building a culture and environment
that empowers care and growth in high-impact people. In 2020, our employee survey reflected industry-leading levels of
engagement. We consider our relationship with our employees to be excellent.
Government Regulation
We are subject to a number of foreign and domestic laws and regulations that affect companies conducting business on the internet,
many of which are still evolving and could be interpreted in ways that could harm our business. Concern about the use of software as
a service ("SaaS") platforms for illegal conduct, such as money laundering or supporting terrorist activities, may in the future result
in legislation or other governmental action that could require changes to our platform.
We are subject to U.S. and Canadian laws and regulations that govern or restrict our business and activities in certain countries and
with certain persons, including the economic sanctions regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of
Foreign Assets Control, the sanctions regulations administered or enforced by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial
Institutions in Canada, and the export control laws administered by the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and
Security, the U.S. State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls and the Canadian Export and Import Controls Bureau.
We are currently subject to a variety of laws and regulations in Canada, the United States, the European Economic Area (“EEA”)
and elsewhere related to payment processing and financial services. Depending on how Shopify Payments and our other merchant
solutions evolve, we may be subject to additional laws in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, New
21
Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong Japan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, and
elsewhere.
We are also subject to federal, state, provincial, and foreign laws regarding cybersecurity, privacy, and the protection of data. Some
jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving certain types of
personal information data and our agreements with certain merchants require us to notify them in the event of a security incident.
Additionally, some jurisdictions as well as our contracts with certain merchants require us to use industry-standard or reasonable
measures to safeguard personal information or confidential information, and thereby mitigate the risk of a security incident.
In addition, our reputation and brand may be negatively affected by the actions of merchants or their users or partners that are
deemed to be hostile, offensive, inappropriate or unlawful. While we use technology to monitor for compliance with and eligibility
for certain Shopify offerings, we do not proactively and comprehensively monitor or review the appropriateness of the content of all
of our merchants’ shops in connection with our services, and we do not have control over the activities in which merchants’ buyers
engage. While we have adopted policies regarding illegal or offensive use of our platform, merchants or their customers could
nonetheless engage in these activities without our knowledge. The safeguards we have in place may not be sufficient to avoid harm
to our reputation and brand, especially if such hostile, offensive or inappropriate use was high profile, which could adversely affect
our ability to expand our merchant subscription base and could harm our business and financial results.
We could also be subject to liability related to the content on merchants' shops and the activities of our merchants. In many
jurisdictions, laws relating to the liability of providers of online services for activities of their customers and other third parties are
currently being tested by a number of claims, including actions based on defamation, invasion of privacy and other torts, unfair
competition, copyright and trademark infringement, and other theories based on the nature of the relevant content. Any court ruling
or other governmental regulation or action that imposes liability on providers of online services in connection with the activities of
their customers or their customers’ users could harm our business. In such circumstances we may also be subject to liability under
applicable law, which may not be fully mitigated by our terms of service. Any liability attributed to us could adversely affect our
brand, reputation, ability to expand our subscriber base, and financial results.
GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS
As of December 31, 2020, the Company operated in a single operating and reportable segment.
Three-Year History
In the fourth quarter of 2020:
Shopify began rolling out to a select number of merchants early access to Shop Pay Installments, a ‘buy now, pay later’ product that
lets merchants offer their buyers more payment choice and flexibility at checkout, helping merchants boost sales through increased
cart size and higher conversion.
Shopify began collection subscription revenue for our Retail POS Pro subscription offering, which was launched in the second
quarter.
22
Shopify announced a collaboration with Operation HOPE to support that organization’s goal to create one million new Black-owned
businesses in the U.S. by 2030. Shopify intends to provide up to $130 million of in-kind resources to support Operation HOPE’s
efforts to reduce systemic barriers to entry to entrepreneurship historically faced by the Black community.
Shopify launched the TikTok channel, enabling merchants to market their products using TikTok for Business. Merchants are able to
create in-feed video ads that autoplay between videos while users scroll through their For You page.
Shopify partnered with the Victoria State government in Australia to participate in the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program
and New York State government to participate in Empire State Digital. The aim of both programs is to more easily bring small
businesses online and help them adapt to a digital economy.
In the third quarter of 2020:
Shopify launched Shopify Payments in Belgium, enabling iDEAL as a local payment method and supporting Bancontact debit
payments, expanding the availability of Shopify Payments to 17 countries.
Shopify announced a partnership with the Government of Canada through the ‘Go Digital Canada’ program to bring thousands of
small Canadian businesses online and help them adapt to a digital economy.
Shopify announced that Shopify Payments would be available to Shopify’s U.S. merchants through Buy on Google, the search
engine’s native checkout option.
Shopify Studios debuted its first series with a major television network. ‘I Quit’, which aired on the Discovery channel, is a premium
docuseries featuring real-life entrepreneurs who give up their “9-5” jobs to focus 100% on launching their own businesses.
Shopify issued $920,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 0.125% convertible senior notes due 2025 and sold 1,265,000 Class A
subordinate voting shares at a price to the public of US$900 per share for aggregate gross proceeds, before underwriting discounts
and offering costs, of US$1,138,500,000, to strengthen our balance sheet and provide flexibility to fund our growth strategies.
In the second quarter of 2020:
Shopify held its first virtual partner event, Shopify Reunite, where we announced new products and features to help our merchants
adapt to the future of commerce.
Shopify made the new Shopify Plus Admin generally available to all Shopify Plus merchants, enabling them to operate their
business as an organization by managing multiple stores, analytics, staff accounts, user permissions, and automation tools like
Shopify Flow in one place.
Shopify introduced the Facebook Shops channel, enabling Shopify merchants to customize and merchandise their storefronts within
Facebook and Instagram through Facebook Shops, while managing their products, inventory orders, and fulfillment directly within
Shopify.
23
Shopify launched the Walmart channel, enabling Shopify merchants to sell their products on Walmart.com.
Shopify launched the all-new Shopify POS, a faster, more intuitive, and more scalable POS software designed to meet the needs of
our most complex brick and mortar retailers.
Shopify launched the Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader in Canada, bringing contactless payments hardware to Canadian retailers
using Shopify POS.
Shopify launched Shop, an innovative mobile shopping app that creates a more intuitive online shopping experience, bringing
together our expertise in commerce and proven features from Shop Pay, our accelerated checkout, and Arrive, an app to track online
orders.
Shopify launched Shopify Capital in Canada, expanding the availability of Shopify Capital to three countries.
Shopify launched Shopify Shipping in Australia partnering with courier services company, Sendle.
Shopify launched Shopify Payments in Austria, expanding the availability of Shopify Payments to 16 countries.
Shopify sold 2,127,500 Class A subordinate voting shares at a price to the public of US$700 per share for aggregate gross proceeds,
before underwriting discounts and offering costs, of US$1,489,250,000, to strengthen its balance sheet to support further growth
initiatives.
In the first quarter of 2020:
Shopify introduced a number of initiatives to support our merchants and protect our stakeholders during the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic, including an extended 90-day free trial for all new standard plan signups, availability of gift card capabilities to merchants
on all plans, and introduction of local in-store/curbside pickup and delivery.
Shopify launched Shopify Capital in the UK, working with a UK-based partner, expanding the availability of Shopify Capital to two
countries.
Shopify opened an R&D Centre in Ottawa, Canada to trial new robotics and fulfillment technologies and initially fulfill Canadian-
based orders.
Shopify joined the Libra Association, an independent not-for-profit membership association collaborating to build a simple,
inclusive, and global cryptocurrency.
In the fourth quarter of 2019:
Shopify acquired 6 River Systems, a leading provider of collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions, to accelerate the growth of
Shopify Fulfillment Network while also supporting 6 River Systems to continue building and selling their solution for warehouses.
24
Shopify launched Shopify Email, a native email marketing tool designed to help merchants build direct relationships with shoppers
by enabling merchants to create, run, and track email marketing campaigns within Shopify Marketing.
In the third quarter of 2019:
Shopify surpassed one million merchants worldwide on our platform, hitting a major milestone and reflecting the continued
expansion of Shopify’s global community of entrepreneurs.
Shopify launched the Shopify Sustainability Fund. Shopify intends to spend at least five million dollars annually to invest in areas
like carbon sequestration, neutralizing our carbon footprint, sustainable packaging, and enabling our merchants and their buyers to
participate.
Shopify launched Shopify Chat, our first native chat function that allows merchants to have real-time conversations with customers
visiting their stores and provide a better shopping experience.
Shopify sold 2,185,000 Class A subordinate voting shares at a price to the public of US$317.50 per share for aggregate gross
proceeds, before underwriting discounts and offering costs, of US$693,737,500, to strengthen its balance sheet to support further
growth initiatives.
In the second quarter of 2019:
Shopify announced the expansion of its platform into fulfillment, with the launch of an early access program for Shopify Fulfillment
Network, created to provide merchants with a network of distributed fulfillment centers that utilizes machine learning to ensure
timely deliveries and lower shipping costs, enabling merchants to put their brand and customer experience front and center.
Shopify expanded the platform’s global capabilities by making the platform available in 11 additional languages, while also adding
ways for merchants to reach international shoppers, including a Translations API to store translated buyer-facing content such as
products, collections, and blog posts, and enabling merchants to sell in multiple currencies with Shopify Payments.
Shopify launched Shopify Payments in the Netherlands enabling iDEAL as a local online banking payment method in addition to
credit card payments and in Denmark, Shopify Payments will support Visa Dankort’s debit payments expanding the availability of
Shopify Payments to 13 countries.
In the first quarter of 2019:
Shopify launched Shopify Studios, a full-service TV and film content development and production house, with the goal of redefining
and inspiring entrepreneurship through accessible, relevant, and entertaining content, paving the path for future business owners and
innovators.
Shopify launched a multi-currency feature for Shopify Plus merchants using Shopify Payments, enabling these merchants to sell in
multiple currencies and get paid in their local currency.
25
In the fourth quarter of 2018:
Shopify launched its centralized marketing section on the Shopify dashboard where merchants can leverage apps to create,
implement, and evaluate marketing campaigns faster and more efficiently, all directly from their Shopify dashboard, helping them
reach the right audiences and sell more.
Shopify launched Fraud Protect, a chargeback protection product available to merchants using Shopify Payments that automates
order reviews and covers chargeback costs on eligible orders.
Shopify opened its first-ever brick-and-mortar space in Los Angeles featuring Shopify’s products, services, and new technology, and
serving as a hub where merchants can visit to receive support, inspiration, and education to help grow their business.
Shopify sold 2,600,000 Class A subordinate voting shares at a price to the public of US$154.00 per share, for aggregate gross
proceeds to the Company, before underwriting discounts and offering costs, of US$400,400,000, to strengthen its balance sheet to
support further growth initiatives.
In the third quarter of 2018:
Shopify announced a partnership with Nest. Shopify merchants can now access camera footage via the newly released Store Cam for
Shopify app and purchase Nest Cams and Google Wifi routers directly from the Shopify Hardware Store.
Shopify launched Locations, a multi-location inventory platform that enables merchants to update and track inventory quantities
across multiple locations from their Shopify account.
Shopify introduced the new App Store, redesigned to make it easier for merchants to search for, evaluate, and install apps that help
them grow their business. It also benefits our partner ecosystem by offering faster discovery of apps by the right merchants.
Shopify launched Shopify AR, making selling with Augmented Reality (AR) accessible for small businesses. Shopify AR has the
potential to revolutionize mobile shopping by bringing products to life through 3D models shoppers can size up, examine from all
angles, and even place in the environment around them, directly through the Safari browser on iOS 12 devices - without the need for
a separate mobile app.
Shopify launched Shopify Payments and a local payment method in Germany, which allows for bank transfers in addition to credit
card payments.
In the second quarter of 2018:
Shopify announced enhancements to our POS solution including announcement of (not release of) a new premium Tap and Chip
reader as well as upgrades enabling multi-channel returns and exchanges, in-store pickup, tipping options, a companion app for a
customer-facing checkout experience, and a developer SDK.
Shopify announced simplifications to merchants’ marketing processes, including a native marketing dashboard, easy-to-use BOGO
and quantity discounts, and Dynamic Checkout, which surfaces the buyer’s
26
preferred payment method directly on the product page and allows transactions to happen with a single tap using Shopify Pay, Apple
Pay, and other wallets.
At our partner conference, Shopify Unite, Shopify announced back office workflow efficiencies like multi-location inventory
management, Fraud Protect for protection from fraudulent chargebacks, Kit Skills app extensions, Shopify Ping to centralize
business and marketing activities and conversations, and localization of the Shopify platform for native languages and payment
methods.
In the first quarter of 2018:
Shopping on Instagram was expanded beyond the U.S. to the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Brazil.
Shopify launched an integration with Google Pay on Shopify stores, allowing hundreds of millions of shoppers to experience an
accelerated checkout.
In February 2018, Shopify sold 4,800,000 Class A subordinate voting shares at a price to the public of US$137.00 per share, for
aggregate gross proceeds to the Company, before underwriting discounts and offering costs, of US$657,600,000, to strengthen its
balance sheet to support further growth initiatives.
Shopify appointed Amy Shapero as its new Chief Financial Officer to replace Russ Jones, who retired after serving as Shopify’s
CFO since 2011.
Shopify launched Shopify Payments in Japan.
RISK FACTORS
In addition to any other risks contained in this AIF, as well as our "Management’s Discussion and Analysis" and our audited
financial statements and related notes, the risks described below are the principal risks that could have a material and adverse effect
on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, future prospects or the trading price of our Class A
subordinate voting shares. This AIF also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results
could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including the risks
described below. See "Forward-Looking Information."
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
Our rapid growth may not be sustainable and depends on our ability to attract new merchants, retain revenue from existing
merchants and increase sales to both new and existing merchants.
We principally generate revenues through the sale of subscriptions to our platform and the sale of additional solutions to our
merchants. Our subscription plans typically have a one-month term, although a small percentage of our merchants have annual or
multi-year subscription terms. Our merchants have no obligation to renew their subscriptions after their subscription term expires.
As a result, even though the number of merchants using our platform has grown rapidly in recent years, and in particular in 2020 in
connection with the shift to online commerce accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions and lockdowns, there
can be no assurance that we will be able to retain these merchants.
27
We have historically experienced merchant turnover as a result of many of our merchants being SMBs that are more susceptible than
larger businesses to general economic conditions and other risks affecting their businesses. Many of these SMBs are in the
entrepreneurial stage of their development and there is no guarantee that their businesses will succeed. Such merchants may be
particularly susceptible to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, related restrictions, and general economic conditions. New
merchants joining our platform may also decide not to continue or renew their subscription for reasons outside of our control. For
example, the restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift from physical commerce to online or
multi-channel commerce, which contributed to growth in the use of our platform in 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic abates and
these restrictions are lifted, commerce may shift away from online purchases and our merchant's online stores may experience
decreases in transaction volume, which would negatively affect our growth and business, financial condition, and operating results.
Our costs associated with subscription renewals are substantially lower than costs associated with generating revenue from new
merchants or costs associated with generating sales of additional solutions to existing merchants. Therefore, if we are unable to
retain revenue from existing merchants or if we are unable to increase revenues from existing merchants, even if such losses are
offset by an increase in new merchants or an increase in other revenues, our operating results could be adversely impacted.
We may also fail to attract new merchants, retain revenue from existing merchants or increase sales to both new and existing
merchants as a result of a number of other factors, including: reductions in our current or potential merchants’ spending levels; a
shift away from ecommerce as restrictions imposed in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted; competitive factors
affecting the software as a service ("SaaS") business software applications market, including the introduction of competing
platforms, discount pricing and other strategies that may be implemented by our competitors; our ability to execute on our growth
strategy and operating plans including initiatives such as Shopify Fulfillment Network and new solutions offerings; concerns relating
to actual or perceived data incidents and security breaches; the frequency and severity of any system outages; technological changes
or problems; our ability to expand into new market segments and internationally; a decline in the number of entrepreneurs; a decline
in our merchants’ level of satisfaction with our platform and merchants’ usage of our platform; the difficulty and cost to switch to a
competitor may not be significant for many of our merchants; changes in our relationships with third parties, including our partners,
app developers, theme designers, referral sources and payment processors; the timeliness and success of new products and services
we may offer in the future; and our focus on long-term value over short-term results, meaning that we may make strategic decisions
that may not maximize our short-term revenue or profitability if we believe that the decisions are consistent with our mission and
will improve our financial performance over the long-term. Due to these factors and the continued evolution of our business, our
historical revenue growth rate and operating margin may not be indicative of future performance.
We expect our growth rate may be influenced in the near term by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns and
restrictions, although we are unable to predict the extent of the impact of our growth rate. In the long term, we anticipate that our
growth rate will decline over time to the extent that the number of merchants using our platform increases and we achieve higher
market penetration rates. If our growth rate is negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions or declines,
investors' perception of our business may be adversely affected and the trading price of our Class A subordinate voting shares could
decline as a result. To the extent our growth rate slows, our business performance will become increasingly dependent on our ability
to retain revenue from existing merchants and increase sales to existing merchants.
28
Our business could be harmed if we fail to manage our growth effectively.
The rapid growth we have experienced in our business places significant demands on our operational infrastructure. The scalability
and flexibility of our platform depends on the functionality of our technology and network infrastructure and its ability to handle
increased traffic and demand for bandwidth. The growth in the number of merchants using our platform and the number of orders
processed through our platform has increased the amount of data and requests that we process. Any problems with the transmission
of increased data and requests could result in harm to our brand or reputation. Moreover, as our business grows, we will need to
devote additional resources to improving our operational infrastructure and continuing to enhance its scalability in order to
maintain the performance of our platform.
Our growth has placed, and will likely continue to place, a significant strain on our managerial, administrative, operational,
financial and other resources. We have grown from approximately 5,000 employees and contractors at December 31, 2019 to over
7,000 employees and contractors at December 31, 2020. We intend to further expand our overall business, including significantly
increasing headcount in the future, with no assurance that our revenues will continue to grow. As we grow, we will be required to
continue to improve our operational and financial controls and reporting procedures, in particular to fully transition our work force
to operating through a remote-first, digital-by-default model, and we may not be able to do so effectively. Furthermore, some
members of our management do not have significant experience managing a large global business operation, so our management
may not be able to manage such growth effectively. As such, we may be unable to manage our expenses effectively in the future,
which may negatively impact our gross profit or operating expenses. We are also subject to the risks of over-hiring and/or over-
compensating our employees and over-expanding our operating infrastructure.
In addition, we believe that an important contributor to our success has been our corporate culture, which we believe fosters
innovation, teamwork and passion for our merchants, and a focus on attractive design and technologically advanced and well-
crafted software and products. Most of our employees have been with us for fewer than two years as a result of our rapid growth
and many have joined after we shifted to a remote work environment. As we continue to grow, we must effectively integrate,
develop, and motivate a growing number of new employees, in different areas of the business who are working remotely and based
in various countries around the world, and we must effectively preserve our ability to execute quickly on new features and
initiatives. As a result, we may find it difficult to maintain our corporate culture, which could limit our ability to innovate and
operate effectively. Any failure to preserve our culture could also negatively affect our ability to retain and recruit personnel, to
continue to perform at current levels, or to execute on our business strategy effectively and efficiently. Additionally, while most of
our operations can be performed remotely, there is no guarantee that we will be as productive while working remotely over the long
term or that we will be able to fully scale our operations to support effective global remote work.
Our business is highly competitive. We may not be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors.
We face competition in various aspects of our business and we expect such competition to intensify in the future, as existing and
new competitors introduce new services or enhance existing services and as our business continues to evolve. We have competitors
with longer operating histories, larger customer bases, greater brand recognition, greater experience and more extensive commercial
relationships in certain jurisdictions, and greater financial, technical, marketing, and other resources than we do. Our potential
29
new or existing competitors may be able to develop products and services better received by merchants or may be able to respond
more quickly and effectively than we can to new or changing opportunities, technologies, regulations or merchant requirements. In
addition, some of our larger competitors may be able to leverage a larger installed customer base and distribution network to adopt
more aggressive pricing policies and offer more attractive sales terms, which could cause us to lose potential sales or to sell our
solutions at lower prices. We also face competition from niche companies that offer particular products that attempt to address
certain of the problems that our platform solves or certain merchant needs. As our business evolves, the competitive pressure to
innovate will encompass a wider range of products and services including hardware devices and fulfillment solutions. We expect to
continue to invest significant resources in resources and development to continue to enhance our platform, but there is no assurance
that we can satisfy merchant and buyer demands.
Competition may intensify as our competitors enter into business combinations or alliances or raise additional capital, or as
established companies in other market segments or geographic markets expand into our market segments or geographic markets. For
instance, certain competitors could use strong or dominant positions in one or more markets to gain a competitive advantage against
us in areas where we operate including: by integrating competing platforms, applications, or features into products they control such
as search engines, web browsers, mobile device operating systems or social networks; by making acquisitions; or by making access
to our platform more difficult including by changing the terms of service related to their products, which could impact any
relationship we have with those competitors and adversely impact our results of operations and those of our merchants. For example,
many large technology platforms have started to impose, and will likely continue to impose, restrictions on the ability of other
parties to access or use data from their customers and users. Google and Apple have announced changes to the ways that third parties
can use web browsers to obtain user information and Apple has announced similar changes to iOS 14 that will impact how
applications and third parties can access user information. These increasingly restrictive practices could affect our merchants' ability
to sell or market their offerings, which could affect the demand for our platform and lead to the loss of current or prospective
merchants or other business relationships. Further, current and future competitors could choose to offer a different pricing model or
to undercut prices, or devote significant resources to product development or marketing in an effort to increase their market share.
Local competitors may also be more established in international markets with a better understanding of local customs, providing
them a competitive advantage. We also expect new entrants to offer competitive services. If we cannot compete successfully against
current and future competitors, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be negatively impacted.
We store personal information including of our merchants and their buyers and users of our apps. If the security of this
information is compromised or is otherwise accessed without authorization, our reputation may be harmed and we may be
exposed to liability and loss of business.
We store personal information, credit card information and other confidential information of our merchants and their buyers, our
partners, and consumers with whom we have a direct relationship. Mobile applications integrated with Shopify and the third-party
apps available for our platform may also store personal information, credit card information and/or other confidential information.
We do not generally proactively and comprehensively monitor the content that all of our merchants upload and store, or the
information provided to us through the applications integrated with Shopify, and, therefore, we do not control the substance of the
content on our servers, which may include personal information. Additionally, we use dozens of third party service providers and
subprocessors to help us deliver services to merchants and their buyers. These service providers and subprocessors may store or
access personal information, credit card information and/or other confidential information. There have been in the past and there
may
30
be in the future successful attempts to obtain or to provide unauthorized access to the personal or confidential information of our
partners, our merchants, our merchants’ buyers, and consumers with whom we have a direct relationship including as a result of
breaches of a secure network by an unauthorized party, software vulnerabilities or coding errors, human error or malfeasance
including employee, contractor or vendor theft or misuse or other misconduct. The unauthorized release, unauthorized access or
compromise of personal or confidential information could in the future have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
Even if such a data breach did not arise out of our actions or inaction, or if it were to affect one or more of our competitors or our
merchants’ competitors, rather than Shopify itself, the resulting consumer concern could negatively affect our merchants and/or our
business. In general, cyberattacks and other malicious internet-based activity may increase if attackers seek to target any
vulnerabilities that could be created by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes to businesses and operating
procedures and we may be the target of such attacks.
We are also subject to federal, state, provincial and foreign laws regarding cybersecurity and the protection of data. Some
jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals and government regulators of security breaches involving
certain types of personal information and our agreements with certain merchants and partners require us to notify them in the event
of certain security incidents. Additionally, some jurisdictions, as well as our contracts with certain merchants, require us to use
industry-standard or reasonable measures to safeguard personal information or confidential information. These laws, which tend to
focus around individuals’ financial and payment related information, are increasingly relevant to us, as we continue to collect and
store more payment information from buyers directly through services such as Shop Pay.
Our failure to comply with legal or contractual requirements around the security of personal information could lead to significant
fines and penalties imposed by regulators, as well as claims by our merchants, their buyers, or other relevant stakeholders. These
proceedings or violations could force us to spend money in defense or settlement of these proceedings, result in the imposition of
monetary liability or injunctive relief, divert management’s time and attention, increase our costs of doing business, and materially
adversely affect our reputation and the demand for our solutions. In addition, if our security measures fail to protect credit card
information adequately, we could be liable to our partners, our merchants, their buyers, and consumers with whom we have a direct
relationship, for their losses, as well as our payments processing partners under our agreements with them. As a result, we could be
subject to fines and higher transaction fees, we could face regulatory or other legal action, and our merchants could end their
relationships with us. There can be no assurance that the limitations of liability in our contracts would be enforceable or adequate or
would otherwise protect us from any such liabilities or damages with respect to any particular claim. We also cannot be sure that our
existing insurance coverage and coverage for errors and omissions will continue to be available on acceptable terms or will be
available in sufficient amounts to cover one or more large claims, or that our insurers will not deny coverage as to any future claim.
The successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that exceeds our available insurance coverage, or changes in our
insurance policies, including premium increases or the imposition of large deductible or co-insurance requirements, could have an
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have a history of losses and we may be unable to maintain profitability.
While we generated net income of $319.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, we incurred net losses of $124.8 million
in 2019, $64.6 million in 2018, and $40.0 million in 2017. In prior years, we
31
have also had an accumulated deficit.These losses and such accumulated deficit are and were a result of the substantial investments
we made to grow our business and we expect to make significant expenditures to expand our business in the future. We expect to
increase our investment in sales and marketing as we continue to spend on marketing activities and expand our partner referral
programs. We plan to increase our investment in research and development as we continue to introduce new products and services
to extend the functionality of our platform. We also intend to invest in maintaining our high level of merchant service and support,
which we consider critical for our continued success. In order to support the continued growth of our business and to meet the
demands of continuously changing security and operational requirements, we plan to continue investing in our network
infrastructure. These increased expenditures will make it harder for us to maintain profitability and we cannot predict if we will
maintain profitability in the near term or at all. Historically, our costs have increased each year due to these factors and we expect
to continue to incur increasing costs to support our anticipated future growth. We also expect to incur additional general and
administrative expenses as a result of our growth. If the costs associated with acquiring new merchants materially rise in the future,
including the fees we pay to third parties to market our platform, our expenses may rise significantly. If we are unable to generate
adequate revenue growth and manage our expenses, we may incur significant losses in the future and may not maintain profitability
on a consistent basis and this could cause the trading price of Class A subordinate voting shares to decline.
We may make decisions that would reduce our short-term operating results if we believe those decisions will improve the
experiences of our merchants and their buyers and if we believe such decisions will improve our operating results over the long
term. These decisions may not be consistent with the expectations of investors and may not produce the long-term benefits that we
expect, in which case our business may be materially and adversely affected.
Security breaches, denial of service attacks, or other hacking and phishing attacks on our systems or other security breaches
could delay or interrupt service to our merchants, their buyers, and others who use our services, harm our reputation or subject
us to significant liability, and adversely affect our business and financial results.
We operate in an industry that is prone to cyberattacks. Failure to prevent or mitigate security breaches and improper access to or
disclosure of our data, our merchants' data, or their buyers' data, could result in the loss or misuse of such data, which could harm
our business and reputation. The security measures we have integrated into our internal networks and platform, which are designed
to prevent or minimize security breaches, may not function as expected or may not be sufficient to protect our internal networks and
platform against certain attacks and the cost of improving such measures could affect our results of operations. In addition,
techniques used to sabotage or to obtain unauthorized access to networks in which data is stored or through which data is transmitted
change frequently. As a result, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures to
prevent an electronic intrusion into our networks.
Our merchants’ storage and use of data concerning their shops and their buyers is essential to their use of our platform, which stores,
transmits and processes our merchants’ proprietary information and personal information relating to them and their buyers.
Similarly, all of our apps collect, store, and process personal information about users. We have been in the past and could in the
future be subject to litigation claims if a data incident or security breach were to occur, as a result of third-party action, employee
error, malfeasance, or otherwise, and the confidentiality integrity or availability of our merchants’ data was disrupted, even if such
disruption was due to the independent conduct of a third party, merchant or partner. Such claims could cause us to incur significant
liability to our merchants and to individuals whose
32
information was being stored by our merchants, and our platform may be perceived as less desirable, which could negatively affect
our business and damage our reputation.
In the past, we have been subject to system interruptions and delays including as a result of distributed denial of service ("DDoS
attacks"), a technique used by hackers to take an internet service offline by overloading its servers. A DDoS attack or security breach
could delay or interrupt service to our merchants and their buyers and may deter buyers from visiting our merchants’ shops. Our
platform, our apps, and third-party apps may be subject to such attacks in the future and we cannot guarantee that applicable
recovery systems, security protocols, network protection mechanisms and other procedures are or will be adequate to prevent
network and service interruption, system failure or data loss. In addition, computer malware, viruses, and hacking and phishing
attacks by third parties are prevalent in our industry. We have experienced such attacks in the past and may experience such attacks
in the future. Such attacks may result in an interruption of service on our platform or the loss or unauthorized disclosure of
confidential information. As a result of our increased visibility, the size of our merchant base, and the increasing amount of
confidential information we process, we believe that we are increasingly a target for such breaches and attacks, in particular because
attackers tend to focus their efforts on popular offerings with a large user base. Our shift to a remote-first work environment could
also impact the security of our platform and systems as well as our ability to prevent against attacks and respond to them quickly. In
addition, as new remote employees join our company, the risk of fraud and security breaches may also increase.
Moreover, our platform, our apps, and third-party apps available for our platform have in the past been, and in the future could be,
breached if vulnerabilities in our platform or third-party apps are exploited by unauthorized third parties or due to employee,
contractor or vendor error, malfeasance, or otherwise. Further, third parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees,
contractors, merchants, or partners into disclosing sensitive information such as user names, passwords or other information or
otherwise compromise the security of our internal networks, electronic systems and/or physical facilities in order to gain access to
our data or our merchants’ data. Since techniques used to obtain unauthorized access change frequently and the size and severity of
DDoS attacks and security breaches are increasing, we may be unable to implement adequate preventative measures or stop DDoS
attacks or security breaches while they are occurring.
In addition to our own platform and apps, some of the third parties we work with, including service providers we use and third-party
apps or other services used by our merchants, may receive information provided by us, by our merchants, or by our merchants'
buyers through web or mobile applications integrated with Shopify. If these third parties fail to adhere to adequate data security
practices, or in the event of a breach of their networks, our own and our merchants' data may be improperly accessed, used or
disclosed. Similarly, merchants and partners may not adequately secure their accounts and may become the subject of an attack that
compromises their account. Such compromise could result in the unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of our merchants' or their
buyers' data. Even if such a failure or breach is unrelated to our own action or inaction, an incident could negatively affect our
business and damage our reputation.
Any actual or perceived DDoS attack or security breach could damage our reputation and brand, expose us to a risk of litigation and
possible liability and require us to expend significant capital and other resources to respond to and/or alleviate problems caused by
the DDoS attack or security breach. Some jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals or government
regulators of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data and our agreements with certain merchants and partners
require us to notify them in the event of a security incident. Such mandatory disclosures are costly, could
33
lead to negative publicity, and may cause our merchants to lose confidence in the effectiveness of our data security measures.
Moreover, if a high profile security breach occurs with respect to another SaaS provider, merchants may lose trust in the security of
the SaaS business model generally, which could adversely impact our ability to retain revenue from existing merchants or attract
new ones. Similarly, if a high profile security breach occurs with respect to a retailer or commerce platform, buyers may lose trust in
ecommerce more generally, which could adversely impact our merchants’ businesses. Any of these events could harm our reputation
or subject us to significant liability, and materially and adversely affect our business and financial results.
Our limited operating history in new and developing markets and new geographic regions makes it difficult to evaluate our
current business and future prospects and may increase the risk that we will not be successful.
We have experienced rapid revenue growth in recent years, which makes it difficult to accurately assess our future prospects. We
also operate in new and developing markets that may not develop as we expect. You should consider our future prospects in light
of the challenges and uncertainties that we face, including the fact that our business has grown rapidly and it may not be possible to
fully discern the trends that we are subject to, that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions may mask such
trends, that we operate in new and developing markets, and that elements of our business strategy are new and subject to ongoing
development. We have encountered and will continue to encounter risks and difficulties frequently experienced by growing
companies in rapidly changing industries, including increasing and unforeseen expenses as we continue to grow our business. If we
do not manage these risks successfully, our business, results of operations and prospects will be harmed.
Our future success will depend in part upon our ability to continue to expand into new geographic regions and solutions and we will
face risks entering markets in which we have limited or no experience, which have additional complexity and in which we do not
have any brand recognition. It is costly to establish, develop and maintain international operations, and to promote our brand
internationally. In addition, continuing to expand into new geographic regions including those where the main language is not
English requires substantial expenditures and will take considerable time and attention, and we may not be successful enough in
these new markets to recoup our investments in a timely manner, or at all. Our efforts to expand into new geographic regions may
not be successful, which could limit our ability to grow our business.
If we fail to improve and enhance the functionality, performance, reliability, design, security and scalability of our platform and
innovate and introduce new solutions in a manner that responds to our merchants’ evolving needs, our business may be
adversely affected.
The markets in which we compete are characterized by constant change and innovation and we expect them to continue to evolve
rapidly. Our success has been based on our ability to identify and anticipate the needs of our merchants and design and maintain a
platform that provides them with the tools they need to operate their businesses. Our ability to attract new merchants, retain revenue
from existing merchants, and increase sales to both new and existing merchants will depend in large part on our ability to continue to
improve and enhance the functionality, performance, reliability, design, security, and scalability of our platform and to innovate and
introduce new solutions. If we fail to anticipate merchants' rapidly changing needs and expectations or adapt to emerging trends, our
market share and operating results and financial condition could suffer.
34
Furthermore, we expect that the number of merchants on our Shopify Plus plan will continue to expand and as the number of our
merchants with higher volume sales increases, so does the need for us to offer increased functionality, scalability and support, which
requires us to devote additional resources to such efforts. To the extent we are not able to enhance our platform’s functionality in
order to maintain its utility, enhance our platform’s scalability in order to maintain its performance and availability, or improve our
support function in order to meet increased demands, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely
affected.
We may experience difficulties with software development that could delay or prevent the development, introduction or
implementation of new solutions and enhancements. Software development involves a significant amount of time for our research
and development team, as it can take our developers months to update, code and test new and upgraded solutions and integrate them
into our platform. We must also continually update, test and enhance our software platform. For example, our design team spends a
significant amount of time and resources incorporating various design enhancements, such as customized colors, fonts, content and
other features, into our platform. The continual improvement and enhancement of our platform requires significant investment and
we may not have the resources to make such investment. Our improvements and enhancements may not result in our ability to
recoup our investments in a timely manner, or at all. We may make significant investments in new solutions or enhancements that
may not achieve expected returns. The improvement and enhancement of the functionality, performance, reliability, design, security
and scalability of our platform is expensive and complex, and to the extent we are not able to perform it in a manner that responds to
our merchants’ evolving needs, our business, operating results and financial condition will be adversely affected.
Our business is susceptible to risks associated with international operations, including international sales and the use of our
platform in various countries.
We currently have merchants in approximately 175 countries and we expect to continue to expand our international operations and
penetration in international markets in the future and to expand our workforce globally in a remote-first, digital-by-default work
environment. However, our international sales and the use of our platform in various countries subject us to risks that we do not
generally face with respect to domestic sales within North America. These risks include, but are not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
greater difficulty in enforcing contracts, including our universal terms of service and other agreements;
burdens, complexity, and potential delays involved with compliance with foreign laws and regulations and laws and
regulations applicable to international or cross-border operations including tariffs and customs, export controls, taxation,
copyright, consumer protection, international trade, anti-money laundering, sanctions laws, and data privacy and data
localization laws that may require that merchant and buyer data and data of consumers with whom we have a direct
relationship be stored and processed in a designated territory;
potentially restrictive actions by foreign governments or regulators, including actions that prevent or limit our access to our
platform, services, apps, or websites and uncertainty regarding liability for services and content;
difficulties in managing systems integrators and technology partners;
differing technology standards and different strategic priorities for merchants in various jurisdictions and costs and
difficulties associated with localizing our platform and solutions including developing products in multiple languages and
tailored for local preferences;
potentially adverse tax consequences, including the complexities of foreign value-added tax (or other tax) systems and
restrictions on the repatriation of earnings;
35
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
increased financial accounting and reporting burdens and complexities;
different employee/employer relationships and labor regulations including the existence of work councils and labor unions
and statutory equity requirements and other challenges caused by distance, language, and cultural differences, making it
harder to do business in certain jurisdictions;
difficulties in managing an increasingly dispersed workforce including the need to implement appropriate systems,
policies, benefits and compliance programs;
uncertain political and economic climates and increased exposure to global political, economic, and social risks that may
impact our operations or our merchants' operations and/or decrease consumer spending, in particular on goods, including
the impact of global health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorism, war, natural disasters and foreign
events such as the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union and the resulting uncertainties and instability
in European and global markets and increased regulatory costs and challenges;
lower levels of credit card usage and increased payment risks;
currency exchange rates and restrictions related to foreign exchange controls;
reduced or uncertain protection for intellectual property rights in some countries and risks associated with operating in
locations with higher incidence of corruption or fraudulent business practices;
new and different sources of competition;
lower levels of consumer spending; and
restricted access to and/or lower levels of use of the internet.
These factors may cause our international costs of doing business to exceed our comparable domestic costs and may also require
significant management attention and financial resources. Any negative impact from our international business efforts could
adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Some of our partners also have international operations
and are also subject to these risks and if such partners are unable to appropriately manage these risks, our business may be harmed.
We currently rely on a single supplier to provide the technology we offer through Shopify Payments.
At present, we have payment service provider agreements with Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe"), which automatically renew every 12 months,
unless either party terminates the agreement earlier upon 180 days' notice. These agreements are integral to Shopify Payments and,
at this time, any disruption or problems with Stripe or its services could have an adverse effect on our reputation, results of
operations and financial results. We have the ability, under our current agreements, to integrate alternative payment service providers
for Shopify Payments. However, if Stripe were to terminate its relationship with us before an alternative payment service provider
was fully integrated, we could incur substantial delays and expense, and the quality and reliability of such alternative payment
service provider may not be comparable.
If we are unable to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel, our business will suffer.
Our future success depends, in part, on our ability to continue to attract and retain highly skilled personnel. Our ability to identify,
hire, develop, motivate and retain qualified personnel will directly affect our ability to maintain and grow our business, and such
efforts will require significant time, expense and attention. The inability to attract or retain qualified personnel or delays in hiring
required personnel may seriously harm our business, financial condition and operating results. Our ability to continue to attract and
retain highly skilled personnel, specifically employees with technical and engineering skills and employees with high levels of
experience in designing and developing software, hardware and internet-related services,
36
will be critical to our future success and the demand and competition for such talent is high. Our shift to a digital-by-default work
model may negatively impact our ability to attract, train, and retain talent.
Decreases in the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar and other currencies could make it more difficult for us to offer
compensation packages to new employees that are competitive with packages in the United States or elsewhere and could increase
our costs of acquiring and retaining qualified personnel, especially as our workforce becomes increasingly global. In addition, to the
extent we hire personnel from competitors, we may be subject to allegations that they have been improperly solicited or divulged
proprietary or other confidential information. While we intend to issue stock options or other equity awards as key components of
our overall compensation and employee attraction and retention efforts, we are required under U.S. GAAP to recognize
compensation expense in our operating results for employee stock-based compensation under our equity grant programs which may
increase the pressure to limit stock-based compensation. Additionally, our compensation arrangements, such as our equity award
programs, may not always be successful in attracting new employees and retaining and motivating our existing employees and we
may be required to grant additional awards or offer alternative forms of compensation to attract and retain highly skilled personnel.
We use a single cloud service provider to deliver our platform services. Any disruption of services from our cloud service
provider could harm our business.
We currently manage our platform services and serve all of our merchants through a third-party cloud computing service, Google
Cloud Platform ("GCP"). If, for any reason, we are required to migrate our computing to another cloud service provider, such a
transition could incur significant time and expense and our business could be adversely impacted.
GCP does not guarantee that access to our platform will be uninterrupted or error-free. Any damage to, or failure of, our provider's
systems could result in interruptions to our platform. Interruptions in our services would reduce our revenue, subject us to potential
liability and adversely affect our ability to retain our merchants or attract new merchants and would also impact our relationships
with partners and consumers using applications integrated into our platform. The performance, reliability and availability of our
platform is critical to our reputation and our ability to attract and retain merchants, partners, and consumers with whom we have a
direct relationship. Merchants, partners or buyers could share information about bad experiences on social media, which could result
in damage to our reputation and loss of future sales. The property and business interruption insurance coverage we carry may not be
adequate to compensate us fully for losses that may occur. In addition, the hosting costs for our cloud services have increased over
time and may increase further if we continue to require more computing or storage capacity and such capacity may not be available
on the same terms or with the same costs or at all. These costs could adversely impact our business and financial condition.
The COVID-19 pandemic could materially adversely affect our business, financial position and results of operations.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the measures attempting to contain and mitigate the effects of the virus, including travel bans
and restrictions, quarantines, shelter-in-place orders, shutdowns and restrictions on trade, and the resulting changes in merchant and
consumer behaviours have impacted and continue to impact our operations and our employees, suppliers, partners, merchants and
their customers. We modified our business practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including shifting the majority of our
employees to a primarily digital work-from-home centric model, permanently transitioning our workforce to a remote work-from-
home model, restricting business travel and shifting events to a
37
virtual format and we may take further actions as required by government authorities or that we determine are warranted. However,
there is no certainty that such measures will be sufficient to mitigate the direct and indirect effects of the virus and our business,
financial condition and results of operations could be affected. For example, in the second quarter of 2020, Shopify recorded an
impairment of right-of-use assets and leasehold improvements due our future plans for leased office space. However, our plans may
continue to change as we adapt to the evolving circumstances driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to remote-work may
also impact productivity including research and development and marketing efforts, our ability to enter into agreements with
merchants or partners and to recruit and retain employees. In addition, our management team has spent, and will likely continue to
spend, significant time, attention, and resources monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated impacts including the
economic impact, and seeking to manage its effects on our business and on our workforce.
Additionally, the impact of new products and initiatives launched in response to COVID-19 and other future initiatives on our
operations and results is uncertain and we may be subject to additional risks in connection with such products and initiatives. The
degree to which COVID-19 will affect our results and operations will depend on future developments that are uncertain and cannot
currently be predicted, including, but not limited to, the duration, extent and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, actions taken to
contain the virus, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions on economic activity and domestic and
international trade, and the extent of the impact of these and other factors on our employees, partners and suppliers and our
merchants and their customers. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions could limit our merchants’ ability to continue to
operate (limiting their abilities to obtain inventory, generate sales, or make timely payments) and thereby decrease our revenues, lead
to disruption in our supply chain (including in the supply chain for the collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions provided by
6RS and the supply chain for technology and products used by our employees), disrupt or delay the ability of employees to work
because they become sick or are required to care for those who become sick or dependents for whom external care is not available or
because of the impact of the pandemic and related restrictions on employee mental health and wellbeing, cause delays or disruptions
in services provided by key suppliers and vendors, cause increased demand for Shopify Fulfillment Network which we may not be
able to satisfy, increase vulnerability of Shopify and our partners and service providers to security breaches, denial of service attacks
or other hacking or phishing attacks, or cause other unpredictable events. Since the onset of COVID-19, we have seen and may
continue to see an increase in merchants engaging in illegal or prohibited activities in violation of the terms of our Acceptable Use
Policy and our results of operations may be negatively impacted if a large number of stores are terminated from the platform or these
activities may subject us to liability or damage our brand.
COVID-19 has also caused heightened uncertainty in the global economy. If economic growth slows further or if a recession
develops, consumers may not have the financial means to make purchases from our merchants and may delay or reduce discretionary
purchases, negatively impacting our merchants (many of which are SMBs that may be more susceptible than larger businesses to
general economic conditions) and our results of operations. Uncertain and adverse economic conditions may also lead to increased
refunds and chargebacks or increased losses for Shopify Capital, which could adversely affect our business and may require us to
recognize an impairment related to our assets in our financial statements. Since the impact of COVID-19 is ongoing, the effect of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the related impact on the global economy may not be fully reflected in our results of operations until
future periods and may negatively impact our ability to forecast our results. Further, volatility in the capital markets has been
heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic and such volatility may continue, which may cause declines in the price of our Class A
subordinate voting shares, increasing the risk that securities class action litigation could be instituted against us, and may also impact
our investment portfolio of marketable securities, which is subject to general credit, liquidity, market, foreign exchange, and interest
38
rate risks. To the extent that the COVID-19 pandemic harms our business and results of operations, many of the other risks described
in this “Risk Factors” section may be heightened.
Our growth depends in part on the success of our strategic relationships with third parties.
We anticipate that the growth of our business will continue to depend on third-party relationships, including strategic partnerships
and relationships with our app developers, theme designers, referral sources, affiliates, payment processors, providers of online sales
channels and other partners. We have entered into agreements with, and intend to pursue additional relationships with, other third
parties, such as technology, content providers, fulfillment and shipping partners, and implementation consultants. Identifying,
negotiating and documenting relationships with third parties requires significant time and resources as does integrating third-party
content and technology. Some of the third parties that sell our services have the direct contractual relationships with the merchants,
and therefore we risk the loss of such merchants if the third parties fail to perform their obligations. Our agreements with providers
of cloud hosting, technology, content and consulting are typically non-exclusive and do not prohibit such service providers from
working with our competitors or from offering competing services. These third-party providers may choose to terminate their
relationship with us or to make material changes to their businesses, products or services.
The success of our platform depends, in part, on our ability to integrate third-party apps, themes and other offerings into our third-
party ecosystem. Third-party developers may also change the features of their offering of apps and themes or alter the terms
governing the use of their offerings in a manner that is adverse to us. If third-party apps and themes change such that we do not or
cannot maintain the compatibility of our platform with these apps and themes, or if we fail to ensure there are third-party apps and
themes that our merchants desire to add to their shops, demand for our platform could decline. If we are unable to maintain technical
inter-operation, our merchants may not be able to effectively integrate our platform with other systems and services they use. We
may also be unable to maintain our relationships with certain third-party vendors if we are unable to integrate our platform with their
offerings. In addition, third-party developers may refuse to partner with us or limit or restrict our access to their offerings. Partners
may also impose additional restrictions on the ability of third parties like Shopify and our merchants to access or use data from their
customers or users. Such changes could functionally limit or terminate our ability to use these third-party offerings with our
platform, which could negatively impact our solution offerings and harm our business. If we fail to integrate our platform with new
third-party offerings that our merchants need for their shops, or do not adapt to the data transfer requirements of such third-party
offerings, we may not be able to offer the functionality that our merchants and their buyers expect, which would negatively impact
our offerings and, as a result, harm our business.
Our competitors may be effective in providing incentives to third parties to favor their products or services or to prevent or reduce
subscriptions to our platform. In addition, third-party service providers may not perform as expected under our agreements or under
their agreements with our merchants, and we or our merchants may in the future have disagreements or disputes with such providers.
If we lose access to products or services from a particular supplier, or experience a significant disruption in the supply of products or
services from a current supplier, especially a single-source supplier, it could have an adverse effect on our business and operating
results.
39
Our business is subject to complex and changing laws and regulations worldwide, which may expose us to liability, increase costs
or have other adverse effects that could harm our business.
We are subject to varied and complex laws, regulations and customs, both in Canada and the United States as well as internationally.
These laws and regulations include but are not limited to data privacy and data localization, copyright or similar laws, anti-spam,
competition laws, online platform liability, laws related to content moderation, consumer protection, counterfeiting, financial
services, product liability, employment, taxation, anti-money laundering, sanctions, anti-corruption, and export control laws.
Compliance with such laws is costly and can require changes to our business practices and significant management time and effort.
These laws are continuously evolving, particularly as they relate to internet and multi-channel commerce platforms as many of these
laws do not address the unique issues raised by online platforms and ecommerce and those that do are often meant to target
consumer-facing marketplaces that are differently situated than Shopify. New laws governing online platforms, potential
amendments to existing laws, and ongoing regulatory and judicial interpretation of existing laws imposing liability on online
platforms for conduct by or content from customers of a platform may be interpreted overly-broadly or in a manner that restricts the
scope of applicable protections and create liability, costs or uncertainty for Shopify and our merchants. Similarly, new, amended, or
re-interpreted competition laws may be interpreted in a manner that restricts our ability to operate our platform or offer some of our
products, and may place us at a competitive disadvantage that could negatively impact our business and such laws could also subject
our partners to restrictions that may impact our operations. Finally, as we continue to develop and improve consumer-facing
products and services, and as those offerings grow in popularity, the risk that additional laws and regulations will impact our
business will continue to increase.
Additionally, if merchants, partners, or third parties with whom we work violate applicable laws or our policies, those violations
could result in other liabilities for us and could harm our business. Such violations may also negatively impact our reputation and
brand in ways that could cause additional harm to our business, for example creating a negative consumer or regulatory perception
around use of our products.
We are dependent on the continued services and performance of our senior management and other key employees, the loss of
any of whom could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
Our future performance depends on the continued services and contributions of our senior management, including our Chief
Executive Officer, Tobias Lütke, and other key employees to execute on our business plan and to identify and pursue new
opportunities and product innovations. The failure to properly manage succession plans, develop leadership talent, and/or the loss of
services of senior management or other key employees (including any limitation on the performance of their duties or short or long
term absences as a result of COVID-19) could significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our strategic objectives. From time
to time, there may be changes in our senior management team resulting from the hiring or departure of executives, which could
disrupt our business. We do not maintain key person life insurance policies on any of our employees. The loss of the services of one
or more of our senior management or other key employees for any reason could adversely affect our business, financial condition
and operating results and require significant amounts of time, training and resources to find suitable replacements and integrate them
within our business, and could affect our corporate culture.
40
Our brand is integral to our success. If we fail to effectively maintain, promote and enhance our brand, our business and
competitive advantage may be harmed.
We believe that maintaining, promoting and enhancing the Shopify brand is critical to expanding our business. Maintaining and
enhancing our brand will depend largely on our ability to continue to provide high-quality, well-designed, useful, reliable and
innovative solutions, which we may not do successfully. Errors, defects, disruptions or other performance problems with our
platform, including with third-party apps, or with our other products, may harm our reputation and brand. We may introduce new
solutions or terms of service that our merchants and their buyers do not like, which may negatively affect our brand. Additionally, if
our merchants or their buyers have a negative experience using our products or solutions or third-party solutions integrated with
Shopify, such an experience may affect our brand, especially as we continue attract larger merchants to our platform and expand our
offerings. Our Shopify Experts directory enables independent designers, developers, and marketers to offer their services to
merchants who engage them directly. Our reputation may be harmed if any of the services provided by these third parties does not
meet our merchants’ expectations.
We receive media coverage globally. Any unfavorable media coverage or negative publicity about our industry or our company, for
example, the quality and reliability of our platform, our privacy and security practices, our product changes, litigation, or regulatory
activity, or regarding the actions of our partners or our merchants, could seriously harm our reputation. Such negative publicity could
also adversely affect the size, demographics, engagement, and loyalty of our merchants and result in decreased revenue, which could
seriously harm our business. Critics of our industry, and others who may want to pursue an agenda have in the past and may in the
future utilize the internet, the press and other means to publish criticisms of our industry, our company and our competitors, or make
allegations regarding our business and operations, or the business and operations of our competitors. We or others in our industry
may receive similar negative publicity or allegations in the future, and it could be costly, time consuming, distracting to
management, cause fluctuations in the market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares, and harm our business and reputation.
We believe that the importance of brand recognition will continue to increase as competition in our market increases. In addition to
our ability to provide reliable and useful solutions at competitive prices, successful promotion of our brand will depend on the
effectiveness of our marketing efforts. While we market our platform primarily through advertisements on search engines and social
networking and media sites, and paid banner advertisements on other websites, our platform is also marketed through our partner
and affiliate channels and through a number of free traffic sources, including customer referrals, word-of-mouth and search engines.
We also hire sales personnel to market certain aspects of our platform and intend to grow the number of sales personnel marketing
our platform, introducing additional costs and challenges including hiring, retaining, motivating and training these personnel with no
assurance of success. Our efforts to market our brand have involved significant expenses, which we expect to increase. Additionally,
promotion of our brand is partly dependent on our visibility on third-party advertising platforms and changes in the way these
platforms operate or changes in their terms or data use practices could make marketing and promotion of our platform and brand
more expensive and difficult. Our marketing spend may not yield increased revenue, and even if it does, any increased revenue may
not offset the expenses we incur in building and maintaining our brand.
41
Payment transactions on Shopify Payments may subject us to regulatory requirements, additional fees, and other risks that could
be costly and difficult to comply with or that could harm our business.
We are subject to a number of risks related to payments processed through Shopify Payments, our integrated payment processing
solution that allows merchants to accept payments on major payment cards and payment networks. Such risks include:
• we pay interchange and other fees on these transactions, which may increase our operating expenses;
•
if we are unable to maintain our chargeback rate at acceptable levels, or comply with other applicable network rules, our
credit card fees may increase, we may receive fines from credit card networks, or credit card issuers may terminate their
relationship with us or with particular merchants on our platform;
increased costs and diversion of management time and effort and other resources to deal with fraudulent transactions or
chargeback disputes, which may increase in an economic downturn if merchants become insolvent, bankrupt or otherwise
unable to fulfill their commitments;
potential fraudulent or otherwise illegal activity by merchants, their buyers, developers, employees or third parties which
could lead to increased fines or liabilities;
restrictions on funds or required reserves related to payments; and
additional disclosure and other requirements, including new onboarding authentication, reporting regulations and new
credit card association rules.
•
•
•
•
We are required by our payment processors to comply with payment card network operating rules and we have agreed to reimburse
our payment processors for any fees or fines they are assessed by payment card networks as a result of any rule violations by us or
our merchants. The payment card networks have discretion to both set and interpret the card rules. In addition, we face the risk that
one or more payment card networks or other processors may, at any time, assess penalties against us, against our merchants, or
terminate our ability to accept credit card payments or other forms of online payments from buyers, which would have an adverse
effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.
If we fail to comply with the payment card network rules, including the PCI DSS, we would be in breach of our contractual
obligations to our payment processors, financial institutions, partners and merchants. Such failure to comply may subject us to fines,
penalties, damages, higher transaction fees and civil liability, and could eventually prevent us from processing or accepting payment
cards or could lead to a loss of payment processor partners, even if there is no compromise of customer information.
We are currently subject to a variety of laws and regulations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, and
elsewhere related to payment processing, including those governing cross-border and domestic money transmission, prepaid and
other payment access instruments, electronic funds transfers, foreign exchange, anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing,
banking and import and export restrictions. Depending on how Shopify Payments and our other merchant solutions evolve, we may
be subject to additional laws, either in existing or new jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions, the application or interpretation of these
laws and regulations is not clear. Our efforts to comply with these laws and regulations could be costly and result in diversion of
management time and effort and may still not guarantee compliance. In the event that we are found to be in violation of any such
legal or regulatory requirements, we may be subject to monetary fines or other penalties such as a cease and desist order, or we may
be required to make changes to our platform, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
42
If our software or hardware contain serious errors or defects or if we experience issues with our hardware supply chain, we may
lose revenue and market acceptance and may incur costs to defend or settle claims with our merchants or other claimants.
Software such as ours often contains errors, defects, security vulnerabilities or software bugs that are difficult to detect and correct,
particularly when first introduced or when new versions or enhancements are released. Despite internal testing, our platform may
contain serious errors or defects, security vulnerabilities or software bugs that we may be unable to successfully correct in a timely
manner or at all, which could result in lost revenue, significant expenditures of capital, a delay or loss in market acceptance, and
damage to our reputation and brand, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations. Furthermore, our platform is a multi-tenant cloud based system that allows us to deploy new versions and enhancements
to all of our merchants simultaneously. To the extent we deploy new versions or enhancements that contain errors, defects, security
vulnerabilities or software bugs to all of our merchants simultaneously, the consequences would be more severe than if such versions
or enhancements were only deployed to a smaller number of our merchants. Additionally, our hardware products, including our
collaborative mobile robots, may have defects in design, manufacture, or associated software. These defects may expose us to
product liability claims, product replacements or modifications, write-offs of inventory, litigation, or regulatory action including
claims due to personal injury, death, and environmental or property damage. We could incur significant expenses, lost revenue, and
reputational harm as a result of recalls, safety alerts, product liability claims, or regulatory actions, particularly if we fail to prevent,
detect, or address such issues through design, testing, or warranty repairs.
Since our merchants use our services for processes that are critical to their businesses, errors, defects, security vulnerabilities, service
interruptions or software bugs in our platform could result in losses to our merchants. Our merchants may seek significant
compensation from us for any losses they suffer or cease conducting business with us altogether. Further, a merchant could share
information about bad experiences on social media, which could result in damage to our reputation and loss of future sales. There
can be no assurance that provisions typically included in our agreements with our merchants that attempt to limit our exposure to
claims would be enforceable or adequate or would otherwise protect us from liabilities or damages with respect to any particular
claim. Even if not successful, a claim brought against us by any of our merchants would likely be time-consuming and costly to
defend and could seriously damage our reputation and brand, making it harder for us to sell our solutions.
We rely on third parties to manufacture our hardware products, including our collaborative mobile robots and obtain certain
components from single or limited sources. These third parties are generally based outside of North America. We may experience
supply shortages, pricing fluctuations, or other disruptions in logistics or the supply chain in the future that could result in shipping
delays and negatively impact our operations. In the event of a shortage or supply interruption from our suppliers or manufacturers,
we may not be able to develop alternate sources quickly, cost-effectively, or at all especially for components that are only available
from one or limited sources. Manufacturing and supply may also be negatively impacted by geopolitical challenges, trade disputes,
or other actions by governments that result in supply shortages, increased costs, labor shortages, or supply chain or manufacturing
disruptions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions. We expect the suppliers of our products to
comply with laws and standards on labor, health and safety, the environment, and business ethics, but we do not control them or their
practices or standards. If any of these suppliers violates laws or implements practices or standards regarded as unethical, corrupt, or
non-compliant, we could experience supply chain disruptions, government actions or fines, canceled orders, or damage to our
reputation.
43
We may be unable to achieve or maintain data transmission capacity.
Our merchants often draw significant numbers of buyers to their shops over short periods of time, including from events such as new
product releases, holiday shopping seasons and flash sales, which significantly increases the traffic and volume of transactions
processed on our platform. Our servers may be unable to achieve or maintain data transmission capacity high enough to handle
increased traffic or process orders in a timely manner. Our failure to achieve or maintain high data transmission capacity could
significantly reduce demand for our platform and solutions and may require us to issue credits to merchants, which could negatively
impact our financial position. Further, as we continue to attract larger merchants, the volume of transactions processed on our
platform will increase, especially if such merchants draw significant numbers of buyers over short periods of time. In the future, we
may be required to allocate resources, including spending substantial amounts of money, to build, purchase or lease additional
equipment and upgrade our technology and network infrastructure in order to handle the increased load. Our ability to deliver our
solutions also depends on the development and maintenance of internet infrastructure by third parties, including by our cloud service
provider. Such development and maintenance includes the maintenance of reliable networks with the necessary speed, data capacity
and bandwidth. If one of these third parties suffers from capacity constraints, our business may be adversely affected. In addition,
because we and our merchants generate a disproportionate amount of revenue in the fourth quarter, any disruption in our merchants’
ability to process and fulfill customer orders in the fourth quarter could have a disproportionately negative effect on our operating
results.
Activities of merchants or partners or the content of our merchants' shops could damage our brand, subject us to liability, and
harm our business and financial results.
Our terms of service and acceptable use policy prohibit our merchants and our partners from using our platform to engage in illegal
or otherwise prohibited activities and our terms of service and acceptable use policy permit us to terminate a merchant’s shop or a
partner's account if we become aware of such use. Merchants or partners may nonetheless engage in prohibited or illegal activities or
upload store content in violation of applicable laws, without our knowledge, which could subject us to liability. Furthermore, our
brand may be negatively impacted by the actions of merchants or partners that are deemed to be hostile, offensive, inappropriate or
illegal. While we use technology to monitor for compliance with or eligibility for certain Shopify offerings, we do not proactively
and comprehensively monitor or review the appropriateness of the content of all our merchants’ shops in connection with our
services and we do not have control over merchant activities or the activities in which our merchants' buyers engage. The safeguards
we have in place may not be sufficient for us to avoid liability or avoid harm to our brand, especially if such hostile, offensive,
inappropriate or illegal use is high profile, which could adversely affect our business and financial results. Merchants using the
platform may also operate businesses in regulated industries, which are subject to additional scrutiny, increasing the potential
liability we could incur. In addition, due to our international expansion, we may be subject to international actions alleging that
merchants’ store content violate laws in foreign jurisdictions, which could negatively effect our business and operations. The laws
relating to the liability of online service providers are evolving and subject to challenge including claims related to defamation, libel,
breach of contract, invasion of privacy, negligence, copyright or trademark infringement. Developments in these laws in various
jurisdictions could subject us to liability, penalties or restrictions on our business.
44
Evolving privacy laws and regulations, cross-border data transfer restrictions, data localization requirements, and other domestic
or foreign laws or regulations may limit the use and adoption of our services, expose us to liability, or otherwise adversely affect
our business.
Laws and regulations related to data privacy and the collection, processing, and disclosure of consumer personal information are
constantly evolving. Many of these laws and regulations, including Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic
Documents Act, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), and the California Consumer Privacy Act of
2018 ("CCPA") contain detailed requirements regarding collecting and processing personal information, and impose certain
limitations on how such information may be used, the length for which it may be stored, with whom it may be shared, and the
effectiveness of consumer consent. Such laws and regulations could restrict our ability to store and process personal data (in
particular, our ability to use certain data for purposes such as risk or fraud avoidance, marketing, or advertising), to control our costs
by using certain vendors or service providers, and to offer certain services in certain jurisdictions. Moreover, such laws could restrict
our merchants’ ability to run their businesses, for example by limiting their ability to effectively market or advertise to interested
buyers and, in general, by increasing the resources required to operate their business. This could reduce our revenues and the general
demand for our services. Additionally, such laws and regulations are often inconsistent and may be subject to amendment or re-
interpretation, which may cause us to incur significant costs and expend significant effort to ensure compliance. Given that
requirements may be inconsistent and evolving, how we choose to respond to these requirements globally may not meet the
expectations of individual merchants, their buyers, or other stakeholders, which could thereby reduce the demand for our services.
Finally, some merchants, partners, or other service providers may respond to these evolving laws and regulations by asking us to
make certain privacy or data related contractual commitments that we are unable or unwilling to make or by placing restrictions on
how data may be used. Restrictions imposed by our partners or other third parties may also impair our merchant's ability to sell or
market their products, which could affect the demand for our platform. Any of these responses or restrictions could lead to a loss of
current or prospective merchants or other business relationships.
Certain laws and regulations also include restrictions on the transfer of personal information across borders. Because our services are
accessible worldwide, certain foreign jurisdictions may claim that we are required to comply with such laws even in jurisdictions
where we have no local entity, employees or infrastructure. Some of these laws include strict localization provisions that require
certain data to be stored within a particular region or jurisdiction. We rely on a globally distributed infrastructure in order to be able
to provide our services efficiently, and consequently may not be able to meet the needs of merchants who are located in or otherwise
subject to such localization requirements, which may reduce the demand for our services. In addition, while the United Kingdom
enacted legislation in May 2018 that substantially implements the GDPR, the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union,
commonly referred to as "Brexit", has created uncertainty with regard to the regulation of data protection in the United Kingdom.
Other laws and regulations, like the GDPR, presumptively prohibit cross-border data transfers absent an “adequacy mechanism” that
provides some assurances as to the treatment and protection of such data. We rely on a variety of these adequacy mechanisms,
including the European Commission Decision 2002/2/EC regarding the adequacy of Canadian law, and eventually intend to rely on
Binding Corporate Rules, to enable us to provide our services around the globe at scale. If we are no longer able to rely on a
particular adequacy mechanism or are otherwise unable to transfer personal information across borders, we may not be able to
operate in certain jurisdictions, which may reduce the demand for our services and limit our opportunities for international growth.
Recently the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the
45
EU-U.S. Privacy Shield is an invalid adequacy mechanism and the validity of other adequacy mechanisms remains subject to legal,
regulatory, and political developments in Europe and other jurisdictions.
Beyond impacting the demand for our services, our failure to comply with these privacy laws or regulations could expose us to
significant fines and penalties imposed by regulators and has in the past and could in the future expose us to legal claims by our
merchants, or their buyers, or other relevant stakeholders. Some of these laws, such as the CCPA, permit individual or class action
claims for certain alleged violations, increasing the likelihood of such legal claims. Similarly, many of these laws require us to
maintain an online privacy policy, terms of service, and other informational pages that disclose our practices regarding the
collection, processing, and disclosure of personal information. If these disclosures contain any information that a court or regulator
finds to be inaccurate, we could also be exposed to legal or regulatory liability. Any such proceedings or violations could force us to
spend money in defense or settlement of these proceedings, result in the imposition of monetary liability or demanding injunctive
relief, divert management’s time and attention, increase our costs of doing business, and materially adversely affect our reputation.
Unanticipated changes in tax laws or adverse outcomes resulting from tax examinations could adversely affect our operating
results and financial condition.
With sales and operations in various countries, we are subject to taxation in many jurisdictions around the world with increasingly
complex tax laws, the application of which can be uncertain. The amount of taxes we pay in these jurisdictions could increase
substantially as a result of changes in the applicable tax principles, including increased tax rates, new tax laws or revised
interpretations of existing tax laws and precedents, which could have an adverse impact on our liquidity and results of operations.
In particular, the application of tax laws to solutions provided over the internet is unclear and continuously evolving. New laws,
statutes, rules, regulations or ordinances could be enacted at any time, possibly with retroactive effect, and could be applied solely
or disproportionately to solutions provided over the internet. Such enactments could affect our effective tax rates and overall tax
liability as well as the taxes applicable to our merchants or require us or our merchants to pay fines or penalties, as well as interest
for past amounts. It is possible that the increased costs associated with these liabilities could negatively impact our operations.
Our business is complex and the tax laws applicable to our business are subject to change and uncertain interpretation. We are
subject to review and audit by the Canada Revenue Agency and various tax authorities around the world. Although we believe that
our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of any tax audits or litigation could be materially different from our
historical tax provisions and accruals, the content of our tax filings or tax positions, which could result in additional tax, interest
and penalties on us, which could have an impact on our results of operations. For example, we have previously participated in
government programs with both the Canadian federal government and the Government of Ontario that provide investment tax
credits based upon qualifying research and development expenditures. We are eligible for non-refundable tax credits under the
Canadian federal Scientific Research and Experimental Development Program, which may be applied to reduce future income
taxes payable. If Canadian taxation authorities successfully challenge such expenses or the correctness of such income tax credits
claimed, our historical operating results could be adversely affected.
46
Our future effective tax rates could be subject to volatility or adversely affected by a number of factors, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
changes in business operations including entry into new businesses and geographies and increased hiring in new
geographies;
changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities;
tax effects of stock-based compensation including as a result of the price of our Class A subordinate voting shares;
costs related to intercompany restructurings;
changes in tax laws, regulations or interpretations thereof; or
future earnings being lower than anticipated in countries where we have lower statutory tax rates and higher than
anticipated earnings in countries where we have higher statutory tax rates.
We currently conduct activities in the United States, Ireland, Singapore, and other jurisdictions through our subsidiaries pursuant to
transfer pricing arrangements that require affiliated companies to deal at that transfer prices that would be the same as those
between unrelated companies. While we believe that we operate in compliance with applicable transfer pricing laws and intend to
continue to do so, our transfer pricing policies are not binding on applicable tax authorities. If tax authorities in any of these
countries were to disagree with positions we have taken and successfully challenge our transfer pricing as not reflecting arm’s
length principles, they could require us to adjust our transfer prices and reallocate income, which may result in a higher tax
liability.
Taxing authorities may successfully assert that we should have collected or in the future should start collecting state, provincial
or local business taxes, sales and use taxes or other indirect taxes on transactions by our merchants. If we are subject to liability
for past or future sales by our merchants, it could harm our results of operations.
The application of indirect taxes, such as sales and use taxes, value-added taxes, state or provincial taxes, goods and services taxes,
digital service taxes, and gross receipt taxes, to businesses like ours and to our merchants and their buyers is a complex and
evolving issue. Many of the fundamental statutes and regulations that impose these taxes were established before the adoption and
growth of the Internet and online commerce. In many cases, it is not clear how existing statutes apply to commerce services
provided over the Internet. There is a risk that various jurisdictions could assert that we are liable for indirect taxes or digital
service taxes, which could be levied upon income or gross receipts, or for the collection of local sales and use taxes, value-added or
other indirect taxes. This risk exists regardless of whether we are subject to U.S. federal, state, provincial, or city income tax or
other foreign taxes. Tax authorities are becoming increasingly active in asserting nexus for business activity tax purposes and
imposing sales and use taxes and other indirect taxes on products and services provided over the internet. We may be subject to
indirect taxes if a local tax authority asserts that our activities or the activities of any of our subsidiaries are sufficient to establish
nexus, including with respect to the distribution of solutions over the internet. Similarly, we may be subject to income tax in
jurisdictions if tax authorities argue that our in country activities could constitute a permanent establishment.
Each jurisdiction has different rules and regulations governing indirect sales and use taxes, and these rules and regulations are
subject to varying interpretations that change over time. Various jurisdictions (including the U.S. and E.U. member states) are
seeking to impose additional reporting, record-keeping, or indirect tax collection and remittance obligations on certain platforms
that facilitate online commerce. In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. that U.S. states may
collect internet sales tax on online purchases made outside of the state. Legislation adopted in the wake of this
47
decision could require our merchants to incur substantial costs in order to comply, which could adversely affect buyer behaviour,
adversely affect some of our merchants and indirectly harm our business. Similar laws are being considered in other jurisdictions,
where the application of value-added tax or other indirect taxes on online commerce is complex and evolving. We review U.S.,
Canadian, and other foreign rules and regulations periodically and, when we believe we are subject to indirect taxes in a particular
state or jurisdiction we undertake necessary steps to comply with the applicable rules and regulations. If a tax authority asserts that
distribution of our solutions is subject to such taxes or additional reporting or record-keeping obligations, we or our merchants may
need to incur additional costs and such additional costs may decrease the likelihood that merchants would purchase our solutions or
continue to renew their subscriptions. We cannot assure you that we will not be subject to indirect taxes or additional income taxes
for past sales in jurisdictions where we currently believe no such taxes are required. New obligations to collect or pay taxes of any
kind would increase our cost of doing business.
Mobile devices are continually being used to conduct commerce, and if our solutions do not operate as effectively when
accessed through these devices, our merchants and their buyers may not be satisfied with our services, which could harm our
business.
Commerce transacted over mobile devices continues to represent the majority of orders. In 2020, 63% of the orders on our
merchants' shops were from mobile devices. We are dependent on the interoperability of our platform with third-party mobile
devices and mobile operating systems as well as web browsers that we do not control. We also rely on application stores to make
Shop, our all-in-one mobile shopping assistant application, available to buyers. Any changes or technical issues in such devices,
systems, web browsers or application stores or changes in their terms of service that degrade the functionality of our platform or
solutions, reduce our ability to update or distribute solutions, or give preferential treatment to competitive services could adversely
affect usage of our platform. Mobile commerce is a key element in Shopify's strategy and effective mobile functionality is integral to
our long-term development and growth strategy. In the event that our merchants and their buyers have difficulty accessing and using
our platform on mobile devices, our business and operating results could be adversely affected.
Our business and prospects would be harmed if changes to technologies used in our platform or new versions or upgrades of
operating systems and internet browsers adversely impact the process by which merchants and buyers interface with our
platform.
We believe the simple and straightforward interface for our platform has helped us to expand and offer our solutions to merchants
with limited technical expertise. In the future, providers of internet browsers could introduce new features that would make it
difficult for merchants to use our platform. In addition, internet browsers for desktop or mobile devices could introduce new
features, change existing browser specifications such that they would be incompatible with our platform, or prevent buyers from
accessing our merchants’ shops. Any changes to technologies used in our platform, to existing features that we rely on, or to
operating systems or internet browsers that make it difficult for merchants to access our platform or buyers to access our merchants’
shops, may make it more difficult for us to maintain or increase our revenues and could adversely impact our business and prospects.
48
We have in the past made and in the future may make acquisitions and investments, which could divert management’s attention,
result in operating difficulties and dilution to our shareholders and otherwise disrupt our operations and adversely affect our
business, operating results or financial position.
From time to time, we evaluate potential strategic acquisition or investment opportunities to support strategic business initiatives.
Any transactions that we enter into could be material to our financial condition and results of operations. The process of acquiring
and integrating another company or technology could create unforeseen operating difficulties and expenditures. Acquisitions and
investments involve a number of risks, such as:
•
•
•
diversion of management time and focus from operating our business;
use of resources that are needed in other areas of our business;
in the case of an acquisition:
◦
◦
◦
◦
implementation or remediation of controls, procedures and policies of the acquired company;
difficulty integrating the accounting systems and operations of the acquired company, including potential risks to
our corporate culture;
coordination of product, engineering and selling and marketing functions, including difficulties and additional
expenses associated with supporting legacy services and products and hosting infrastructure of the acquired
company, as applicable, difficulties associated with supporting new products or services, difficulty converting the
customers of the acquired company onto our platform and difficulties associated with contract terms, including
disparities in the revenues, licensing, support or professional services model of the acquired company; and
retention and integration of employees from the acquired company;
•
•
•
•
•
•
unforeseen costs or liabilities;
adverse effects to our existing business relationships with partners and merchants as a result of the acquisition or
investment;
the possibility of adverse tax consequences;
impairment to the value of our investment or the failure to realize a return on such investments;
litigation or other claims arising in connection with the acquired company or investment; and
in the case of foreign acquisitions, the need to integrate operations across different cultures and languages and to address
the particular economic, currency, political and regulatory risks associated with specific countries.
In addition, a significant portion of the purchase price of companies we acquire may be allocated to acquired goodwill and other
intangible assets, which must be assessed for impairment at least annually. In the future, if our acquisitions do not yield expected
returns or if the valuations supporting our acquisitions or investments change, we may be required to take charges to our operating
results based on this impairment assessment process, which could adversely affect our results of operations.
Acquisitions and investments may also result in dilutive issuances of equity securities, which could adversely affect our share price,
or result in issuances of securities with superior rights and preferences to the Class A subordinate voting shares or the incurrence of
debt with restrictive covenants that limit our future uses of capital in pursuit of business opportunities.
We may not be able to identify acquisition or investment opportunities that meet our strategic objectives, or to the extent such
opportunities are identified, we may not be able to negotiate terms with respect to
49
the acquisition or investment that are acceptable to us. At this time we have made no commitments or agreements with respect to
any such material transactions.
If we do not successfully scale, optimize and operate Shopify Fulfillment Network, our business could be harmed.
We may be unable to operate and scale Shopify Fulfillment Network successfully to provide fast and affordable fulfillment to our
merchants. Our inability to successfully optimize and operate Shopify Fulfillment Network could result in excess or insufficient
fulfillment capacity, increased costs, damage to our relationships with our merchants or our reputation, or harm to our business in
other ways. Additionally, as we continue to lay the foundation for Shopify Fulfillment Network and add fulfillment capability,
operating it may become more challenging. Our ability to receive inbound inventory efficiently and ship completed orders to our
merchants’ customers and manage our operations also may be negatively affected by inclement weather, fire, flood, power loss,
earthquakes, labor disputes, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, acts of God, and similar factors, including the impact of the COVID-
19 pandemic and related lock-downs, restrictions and potential shortages. Shopify Fulfillment Network relies on a limited number of
shipping companies to deliver inventory and complete orders. The inability to negotiate acceptable terms with these companies or
performance problems or other difficulties could negatively impact our operations and merchant experience. Our failure to
efficiently handle such inventory, including as a result of delays in shipping, may result in unexpected costs and other harm to our
business and reputation. Additionally, we may be subject to liability due to accident or injury within Shopify Fulfillment Network or
in connection with our collaborative mobile robots. There can be no assurance that we will be able to operate Shopify Fulfillment
Network effectively or scale to adequately meet the demands of our merchants.
Shopify Capital is subject to additional risks relating to the availability of capital to fund merchants, the ability of our
merchants to generate sales to remit receivables, general macroeconomic conditions and the risk of fraud.
The merchant cash advance ("MCA") and loan programs offered by Shopify Capital are subject to additional risks. If we cannot
source capital to fund MCAs or loans for our merchants, we might have to reduce the availability of this service, or cease offering it
altogether. In the United Kingdom, we are working with a partner to offer Shopify Capital. If this partner were unable to continue to
issue capital, we would have to incur costs to find an alternate partner or build our own program and or cease offering Shopify
Capital in the United Kingdom. Additionally, a decline in macroeconomic conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic and related restrictions, could lead to a decrease in the number of merchants eligible for an MCA or loan, and/or increase
the risk of fraud or non-payment. If more of our merchants cease operations, experience a decline in their sales, or engage in
fraudulent behavior, it would make it more difficult for us to obtain the receivables we have purchased via MCAs or to obtain
repayment of loans we have made. In addition, if we fail to correctly predict likely remittances for MCAs or the likelihood of timely
repayment of loans, our business may be materially and adversely affected. In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we
increased our funding commitment of Shopify Capital above the March 31, 2020 level by $200 million. If we are unable to properly
manage the risks of offering MCAs or loans to merchants our business may be materially and adversely affected.
The legal and regulatory environment also subjects us to risk related to Shopify Capital and these risks increase with expansion into
new geographies. For example, in 2020 we expanded Shopify Capital into the United Kingdom (where we are working with a
partner) and Canada. If we are unable to maintain third party insurance our exposure to losses increases, which could have an
adverse impact on our results. If
50
laws and regulations change subjecting MCAs or loans to licensing or other issuing requirements, our costs associated with Shopify
Capital may increase or we may decide to discontinue the program altogether or in part, and our business and results of operations
would be negatively impacted.
We intend to continue to explore other products, models, structures, and additional markets for Shopify Capital. Some of those
models, structures, and markets may require, or be deemed to require, additional procedures, partnerships, licenses, regulatory
approvals or capabilities. Should we fail to expand and evolve Shopify Capital in this manner, or should these new products, models,
structures, or markets or new regulations or interpretations of existing regulations, impose requirements on us that are impractical or
that we cannot satisfy, the future growth and success of Shopify Capital may be materially and adversely affected.
The impact of worldwide economic conditions, including the resulting effect on spending by merchants or their buyers, may
adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
A majority of the merchants that use our platform are SMBs and many of our merchants are in the entrepreneurial stage of their
development. Our performance is subject to worldwide economic conditions and their impact on levels of spending by merchants,
including SMBs, and their buyers. These conditions are impacted by events outside of our control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
which may have long-term impact on the global economy. SMBs and entrepreneurs may be disproportionately affected by economic
downturns, especially if they sell discretionary goods. SMBs and entrepreneurs frequently have limited budgets and may choose to
allocate their spending to items other than our platform, especially in times of economic uncertainty or recessions.
Economic downturns or financial market volatility may impact buyer confidence and spending and adversely impact retail sales,
which could result in merchants who use our platform going out of business or deciding to stop using our services in order to
conserve cash. Weakening economic conditions may also adversely affect third parties with whom we have entered into
relationships and upon which we depend in order to grow our business. Uncertain and adverse economic conditions may also lead to
increased refunds and chargebacks, any of which could adversely affect our business.
Furthermore, we hold marketable securities in an investment portfolio through our cash management program that is subject to
general credit, liquidity, market, foreign exchange, and interest rate risks, which may be exacerbated by certain events that affect the
global financial markets. If global credit and equity markets decline for extended periods, or if there is a downgrade of the securities
within our cash management program portfolio, including due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global financial markets,
the investment portfolio may be adversely affected and we could determine that our investments have experienced an other-than-
temporary decline in fair value, requiring impairment charges that could adversely affect our financial results. Thus, if general
macroeconomic conditions deteriorate, our business and financial results could be adversely affected.
We rely on computer hardware, purchased or leased, and software licensed from and services rendered by third parties in order
to provide our solutions and run our business, sometimes by a single-source supplier.
We rely on computer hardware, purchased or leased, and software licensed from and services rendered by third parties in order to
provide our solutions and run our business, sometimes by a single-source supplier. Third-party hardware, software and services may
not continue to be available on commercially reasonable
51
terms, or at all. Any loss of the right to use or any failures of third-party hardware, software or services could result in delays in our
ability to provide our solutions or run our business until equivalent hardware, software or services are developed by us or, if
available, identified, obtained and integrated, which could be costly and time-consuming and may not result in an equivalent
solution, any of which could cause an adverse effect on our business and operating results. Further, merchants could assert claims
against us in connection with such service disruption or cease conducting business with us altogether. Even if not successful, a claim
brought against us by any of our merchants would likely be time-consuming and costly to defend and could seriously damage our
reputation and brand, making it harder for us to sell our solutions.
We may be subject to claims by third parties of intellectual property infringement or other third party or governmental claims,
litigation, disputes, or other proceedings.
The software, computer hardware and robotics industries are characterized by the existence of a large number of patents and frequent
claims and related litigation regarding patents and other intellectual property rights. Third parties have in the past asserted, and may
in the future assert, that our platform, hardware, solutions, technology, methods or practices infringe, misappropriate or otherwise
violate their intellectual property or other proprietary rights. Additionally, third parties have in the past asserted, and may in the
future assert, that we are secondarily liable because a merchant or partner sold products or services, or engaged in other conduct that
infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise violates their intellectual property or other proprietary rights. Such claims may be made by
our competitors seeking to obtain a competitive advantage or by other parties. Additionally, non-practicing entities purchasing
intellectual property assets for the purpose of making claims of infringement may attempt to extract settlements from us. The risk of
claims may increase as the number of solutions that we offer and competitors in our market increases and overlaps occur. In
addition, to the extent that we gain greater visibility and market exposure, we face a higher risk of being the subject of intellectual
property infringement claims.
Any such claims, regardless of merit, that result in litigation could result in substantial expenses, divert the attention of management,
cause significant delays in introducing new or enhanced services or technology, materially disrupt the conduct of our business and
have a material and adverse effect on our brand, business, financial condition and results of operations. Although we do not believe
that our proprietary technology, processes and methods have been patented by any third party, it is possible that patents have been
issued to third parties that cover all or a portion of our business. As a consequence of any patent or other intellectual property claims,
we could be required to pay substantial damages, develop non-infringing technology, enter into royalty-bearing licensing
agreements, stop selling or marketing some or all of our solutions or re-brand our solutions. We may also be obligated to indemnify
our merchants or partners or pay substantial settlement costs, including royalty payments, in connection with any such claim or
litigation and to obtain licenses, modify applications or refund fees, which could be costly. If it appears necessary, we may seek to
secure license rights to intellectual property that we are alleged to infringe at a significant cost, potentially even if we believe such
claims to be without merit. If required licenses cannot be obtained, or if existing licenses are not renewed, litigation could result.
Litigation is inherently uncertain and can cause us to expend significant money, time and attention to it, even if we are ultimately
successful. Any adverse decision could result in a loss of our proprietary rights, subject us to significant liabilities, require us to seek
licenses for alternative technologies from third parties, prevent us from offering all or a portion of our solutions and otherwise
negatively affect our business and operating results.
We may also become subject to claims, lawsuits (including class action or individual lawsuits), government or regulatory
investigations, inquiries or audits, and other proceedings. The number and
52
significance of legal disputes have increased as we have grown larger, as our business has expanded in scope and geographic reach,
and as our platform and solutions have increased in complexity, and we expect we will continue to face additional legal disputes. We
also receive significant media attention, which could result in increased litigation or other legal or regulatory reviews and
proceedings. Such investigations and legal proceedings may have a material and adverse impact on us due to their costs, diversion of
our resources, and other factors.
We may be unable to obtain, maintain and protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information or prevent third
parties from making unauthorized use of our technology.
Our trade secrets, trademarks, trade dress, domain names, copyrights and other intellectual property rights are important to our
business. We rely on a combination of confidentiality clauses, assignment agreements and license agreements with employees and
third parties, patents, trade secrets, copyrights and trademarks to protect our intellectual property and competitive advantage, all of
which offer only limited protection. The steps we take to protect our intellectual property require significant resources and may be
inadequate. We will not be able to protect our intellectual property if we are unable to enforce our rights or if we do not detect
unauthorized use of our intellectual property. We may be required to use significant resources to monitor and protect these rights.
Despite our precautions, it may be possible for unauthorized third parties to copy our platform and use information that we regard as
proprietary to create services that compete with ours. Some license provisions protecting against unauthorized use, copying, transfer
and disclosure of our proprietary information may be unenforceable under the laws of certain jurisdictions and foreign countries.
Further, we hold a small number of issued patents and thus, in many cases, would not be entitled to exclude or prevent our
competitors from using our proprietary technology, methods and processes to the extent independently developed by our
competitors. We expect to continue to expand internationally and, in some foreign countries, the mechanisms to enforce intellectual
property rights may be inadequate to protect our technology, which could harm our business. In addition, we may not be able to
acquire or maintain appropriate domain names in all countries in which we do business, or prevent third parties from acquiring
domain names that are similar to, infringe upon, or diminish the value of our trademarks and other proprietary rights. Furthermore,
regulations governing domain names may not protect our trademarks or similar proprietary rights.
We enter into confidentiality and intellectual property agreements with our employees and consultants and enter into confidentiality
agreements with the parties with whom we have strategic relationships and business alliances. No assurance can be given that these
agreements will be effective in securing ownership of our intellectual property or controlling access to our proprietary information
and trade secrets. The confidentiality agreements on which we rely to protect certain technologies may be breached, may not be
adequate to protect our confidential information, trade secrets and proprietary technologies and may not provide an adequate remedy
in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure of our confidential information, trade secrets or proprietary technology. Further, these
agreements do not prevent our competitors or others from independently developing software that is substantially equivalent or
superior to our software. In addition, others may independently discover our trade secrets and confidential information, and in such
cases, we likely would not be able to assert any trade secret rights against such parties. Additionally, we may from time to time be
subject to opposition or similar proceedings with respect to applications for registrations of our intellectual property, including our
trademarks. While we aim to acquire adequate protection of our brand through trademark registrations in key markets, occasionally
third parties may have already registered or otherwise acquired rights to identical or similar marks for services that also address our
market. We rely on our brand and trademarks to identify our platform and to differentiate our platform and services from those of
our competitors, and if we are unable to adequately protect our trademarks third parties may use our brand names or trademarks
similar to ours
53
in a manner that may cause confusion in the market, which could decrease the value of our brand and adversely affect our business
and competitive advantages.
Policing unauthorized use of our intellectual property and misappropriation of our technology and trade secrets is difficult and we
may not always be aware of such unauthorized use or misappropriation. Despite our efforts to protect our intellectual property rights,
unauthorized third parties may attempt to use, copy or otherwise obtain and market or distribute our intellectual property rights or
technology or otherwise develop services with the same or similar functionality as our platform. If our competitors infringe,
misappropriate or otherwise misuse our intellectual property rights and we are not adequately protected, or if our competitors are
able to develop a platform with the same or similar functionality as ours without infringing our intellectual property, our competitive
advantage and results of operations could be harmed. Litigation brought to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights could
be costly, time consuming and distracting to management and could result in the impairment or loss of portions of our intellectual
property. As a result, we may be aware of infringement by our competitors, but may choose not to bring litigation to enforce our
intellectual property rights due to the cost, time and distraction of bringing such litigation. Furthermore, if we do decide to bring
litigation, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights may be met with defenses, counterclaims and countersuits
challenging or opposing our right to use and otherwise exploit particular intellectual property, services and technology or the
enforceability of our intellectual property rights. Our inability to protect our proprietary technology against unauthorized copying or
use, as well as any costly litigation or diversion of our management’s attention and resources, could delay further sales or the
implementation of our solutions, impair the functionality of our platform, prevent or delay introductions of new or enhanced
solutions, result in our substituting inferior or more costly technologies into our platform, or injure our reputation. Furthermore,
many of our current and potential competitors have the ability to dedicate substantially greater resources to developing and
protecting their technology or intellectual property rights than we do.
Our use of open source software could negatively affect our ability to sell our solutions and subject us to possible litigation.
Our solutions incorporate and are dependent to a significant extent on the use and development of open source software and we
intend to continue our use and development of open source software in the future. Such open source software is generally licensed
by its authors or other third parties under open source licenses and is typically freely accessible, usable and modifiable. Pursuant to
such open source licenses, we may be subject to certain conditions, including requirements that we offer our proprietary software
that incorporates the open source software for no cost, that we make available source code for modifications or derivative works we
create based upon, incorporating or using the open source software and that we license such modifications or derivative works
under the terms of the particular open source license. If an author or other third party that uses or distributes such open source
software were to allege that we had not complied with the conditions of one or more of these licenses, we could be required to
incur significant legal expenses defending against such allegations and could be subject to significant damages, enjoined from the
sale of our solutions that contained or are dependent upon the open source software, and required to comply with the foregoing
conditions, which could disrupt the distribution and sale of some of our solutions. Litigation could be costly for us to defend, have
a negative effect on our operating results and financial condition or require us to devote additional research and development
resources to change our platform. The terms of many open source licenses to which we are subject have not been interpreted by
U.S. or foreign courts. As there is little or no legal precedent governing the interpretation of many of the terms of certain of these
licenses, the potential impact of these terms on our business is uncertain and may result in unanticipated obligations regarding our
solutions and technologies. It is our view that we do not distribute our core software offering, since no installation of
54
our software is necessary and our platform is accessible solely through the cloud. Nevertheless, this position could be challenged.
Any requirement to disclose our proprietary source code, termination of open source license rights or payments of damages for
breach of contract could be harmful to our business, results of operations or financial condition, and could help our competitors
develop products and services that are similar to or better than ours.
In addition to risks related to license requirements, usage of open source software can lead to greater risks than the use of third-
party commercial software, as open source licensors generally do not provide warranties, controls on the origin or development of
the software, or remedies against the licensors. Many of the risks associated with usage of open source software cannot be
eliminated and could adversely affect our business.
Although we believe that we have complied with our obligations under the various applicable licenses for open source software, it
is possible that we may not be aware of all instances where open source software has been incorporated into our proprietary
software or used in connection with our solutions or our corresponding obligations under open source licenses. We do not have
robust open source software usage policies or monitoring procedures in place. We rely on multiple software programmers to design
our proprietary software and we cannot be certain that our programmers have not incorporated open source software into our
proprietary software that we intend to maintain as confidential or that they will not do so in the future. To the extent that we are
required to disclose the source code of certain of our proprietary software developments to third parties, including our competitors,
in order to comply with applicable open source license terms, such disclosure could harm our intellectual property position,
competitive advantage, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, to the extent that we have failed to comply with
our obligations under particular licenses for open source software, we may lose the right to continue to use and exploit such open
source software in connection with our operations and solutions, which could disrupt and adversely affect our business.
Our operating results are subject to seasonal fluctuations.
Our merchant solutions revenues are directionally correlated with the level of GMV that merchants facilitate through our platform.
Our merchants typically process additional GMV during the fourth quarter holiday season. As a result, we have historically
generated higher merchant solutions revenues in our fourth quarter than in other quarters. While we believe that this seasonality has
affected and will continue to affect our quarterly results, our rapid growth has largely masked seasonal trends to date. As a result of
the continued growth of our merchant solutions offerings, we believe that our business may become more seasonal in the future and
that historical patterns in our business may not be a reliable indicator of our future performance. Fluctuations in quarterly results
may materially and adversely affect the predictability of our business and the price of our Class A subordinate voting shares.
Exchange rate fluctuations may negatively affect our results of operations.
While most of our revenues are denominated in U.S. dollars, a significant portion of our operating expenses are incurred in Canadian
dollars. As a result, our results of operations will be adversely impacted by an increase in the value of the Canadian dollar relative to
the U.S. dollar. Exchange rate fluctuations may also affect our merchant solutions. For example, we generate revenue through
Shopify Payments in the local currency of the country in which the applicable merchant is located. As a result, we will be further
exposed to currency fluctuations to the extent non-U.S. dollar revenues from Shopify Payments increase. The value of the Canadian
dollar relative to the U.S. dollar has varied significantly in the past
55
and investors are cautioned that past and current exchange rates are not indicative of future exchange rates.
If we fail to maintain a consistently high level of customer service or if we fail to manage our reputation, our brand, business
and financial results may be harmed.
We believe our focus on customer service and support is critical to onboarding new merchants and retaining our existing merchants
and growing our business. As a result, we have invested heavily in the quality and training of our support team along with the tools
they use to provide this service. If we are unable to maintain a consistently high level of customer service, we may lose existing
merchants or fail to increase revenues from existing merchants. In addition, our ability to attract new merchants is highly dependent
on our reputation and on positive recommendations from our existing merchants. Any failure to maintain a consistently high level of
customer service, or a market perception that we do not maintain high-quality customer service, could adversely affect our reputation
and the number of positive merchant referrals that we receive.
We are dependent upon buyers’ and merchants’ continued and unimpeded access to the internet, and upon their willingness to
use the internet for commerce.
Our success depends upon the general public’s ability to access the internet and its continued willingness to use the internet as a
means to pay for purchases, communicate, access social media, research and conduct commercial transactions, including through
mobile devices. The adoption of any laws or regulations that adversely affect the growth, popularity or use of the internet, including
changes to laws or regulations impacting internet neutrality, or restrictions imposed by companies with significant market power in
the broadband and internet marketplace could decrease the demand for our products, increase our operating costs, or otherwise
adversely affect our business. Given uncertainty around these rules, we could experience discriminatory or anti-competitive practices
that could impede both our and our merchants’ growth, increase our costs or adversely affect our business. If buyers or merchants
become unable, unwilling or less willing to use the internet for commerce for any reason, including lack of access to high-speed
communications equipment, congestion of traffic on the internet, internet outages or delays, disruptions or other damage to
merchants’ and buyers’ computers, increases in the cost of accessing the internet and security and privacy risks or the perception of
such risks, our business could be adversely affected.
Provisions of our financial instruments may restrict our ability to pursue our business strategies or to pay cash upon conversion
or purchase of the Notes and we may not have funds necessary to settle the Notes in cash, to purchase the Notes upon a
fundamental change, or repay the Notes at maturity.
Under the indenture governing the Notes, we are not restricted from paying dividends, incurring additional indebtedness or issuing
or purchasing securities (by us or any of our subsidiaries). However, any debt instruments we may enter into in the future may
require us, to comply with various covenants that limit our ability to, among other things:
dispose of assets;
complete mergers or acquisitions;
incur indebtedness;
encumber assets;
pay dividends or make other distributions to holders of our shares;
•
•
•
•
•
• make specified investments;
56
•
•
•
change certain key management personnel;
engage in any business other than the businesses we currently engage in; and
engage in transactions with our affiliates.
Furthermore, the indenture for the Notes prohibits us from engaging in certain consolidations, mergers, amalgamations,
arrangements, binding share exchanges or transfers or leases of all or substantially all of our assets unless, among other things, the
resulting or surviving entity assumes our obligations under the Notes. Even if such transactions are permitted, they be a
fundamental change under the indenture. These restrictions could inhibit our ability to pursue our business strategies. We may incur
additional indebtedness in the future, some of which may be secured debt. The instruments governing such indebtedness could
contain provisions that are as, or more, restrictive than our existing debt instruments, including the indenture governing the Notes.
Any such restrictions could have the effect of further restricting our ability to pursue business strategies and diminishing our ability
to make payments on the Notes when due. If we are unable to repay, refinance or restructure additional future indebtedness when
payment is due, the lenders could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure such indebtedness, as applicable, or force
us into bankruptcy or liquidation. In certain events of bankruptcy, or liquidation involving us or our assets, 100% of the principal of
and accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes will automatically become due and payable.
We will, subject to limited exceptions, be required to offer to purchase all of the outstanding Notes upon the occurrence of a
fundamental change before the maturity date of the Notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to
be purchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Upon conversion of the Notes, we will pay or deliver, as the case may be,
cash, our Class A subordinate voting shares or a combination thereof, at our election. We are also required to repay the Notes at
maturity, unless earlier converted or repurchased. We may not have sufficient funds available to purchase the Notes or pay cash on
conversion as required. Our failure to offer to purchase Notes (or to purchase such Notes) when required by the indenture or to pay
cash upon conversions of Notes as required by the indenture would constitute a default under the indenture. A default under the
indenture or the fundamental change itself could also lead to a default under agreements governing any future indebtedness.
Moreover, the occurrence of a fundamental change under the indenture could constitute an event of default under any agreement
for future indebtedness and if such event of default is not cured or waived, future lenders could terminate commitments to lend and
cause all amounts outstanding to be due and payable immediately. If the payment of the related indebtedness were to be accelerated
after any applicable notice or grace periods, we may not have sufficient funds to repay the indebtedness and purchase the Notes or
to pay cash upon conversions of Notes and, if applicable, lenders could proceed against any collateral granted to them to secure
such indebtedness or force us into bankruptcy or liquidation.
57
We may need to raise additional funds to pursue our growth strategy or continue our operations, and we may be unable to raise
capital when needed or on acceptable terms.
From time to time, we may seek additional equity or debt financing to fund our growth, enhance our platform, respond to
competitive pressures or make acquisitions or other investments. Our business plans may change, general economic, financial or
political conditions in our markets may deteriorate or other circumstances may arise, in each case that have a material adverse
effect on our cash flows and the anticipated cash needs of our business. Any of these events or circumstances could result in
significant additional funding needs, requiring us to raise additional capital. We cannot predict the timing or amount of any such
capital requirements at this time. If financing is not available on satisfactory terms, or at all, we may be unable to expand our
business at the rate desired and our results of operations may suffer. Financing through issuances of equity securities would be
dilutive to holders of our shares.
We may not be able to utilize a significant portion of our non-capital loss carryforwards, net operating loss carryforwards and
other tax credits, which could adversely affect our profitability.
As of December 31, 2020, we had Canadian non-capital loss carryforwards, and investment tax credits. These non-capital loss
carryforwards and tax credits could expire unused and be unavailable to offset future income tax liabilities, which could adversely
affect our profitability.
Additionally, as of December 31, 2020, we had U.S. state net operating loss carryforwards as well as operating loss carryforwards in
other jurisdictions, due to prior period losses. These net operating loss carryforwards could expire unused and be unavailable to
offset future income tax liabilities, which could adversely affect our profitability.
Our pricing decisions may adversely affect our ability to attract new merchants and retain existing merchants.
We have changed our pricing model from time to time and expect to do so in the future. If our pricing model is not optimal, it may
result in our solutions not being profitable or not gaining market share. As competitors introduce new solutions that compete with
ours, especially in the payments space where we face significant competition, we may be unable to attract new merchants at the
same price or based on the same pricing models as we have used historically. Pricing decisions may also impact the mix of
adoption among our plans and negatively impact our overall revenue. Moreover, SMBs, which comprise the majority of merchants
using our platform, may be quite sensitive to price increases or prices offered by competitors. As a result, in the future we may be
required to reduce our prices, which could adversely affect our revenue, gross profit, profitability, financial position and cash
flows.
Risks Related to Ownership of our Shares
Our dual class structure has the effect of concentrating voting control and the ability to influence corporate matters with those
shareholders who held our shares prior to our initial public offering.
Our Class B multiple voting shares have 10 votes per share and our Class A subordinate voting shares have one vote per share. As
of February 9, 2021, shareholders who hold Class B multiple voting shares, including our executive officers and our directors and
their affiliates, together hold approximately 51.10% of the voting power of our outstanding voting shares and therefore have
significant influence over our management and affairs and over all matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election of
directors and significant corporate transactions. Each of our directors and officers owes a
58
fiduciary duty to Shopify and must act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of Shopify. However, any
director and/or officer that is a shareholder, even a controlling shareholder, is entitled to vote his or her shares in his or her own
interests, which may not always be in the interests of our shareholders generally.
In addition, because of the 10-to-1 voting ratio between our Class B multiple voting shares and Class A subordinate voting shares,
the holders of our Class B multiple voting shares collectively continue to control a substantial percentage of the combined voting
power of our voting shares even where the Class B multiple voting shares represent a substantially reduced percentage of our total
outstanding shares. The concentrated voting control of holders of our Class B multiple voting shares limits the ability of our Class
A subordinate voting shareholders to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, including the election of directors as
well as with respect to decisions regarding amendment of our share capital, creating and issuing additional classes of shares,
making significant acquisitions, selling significant assets or parts of our business, merging with other companies and undertaking
other significant transactions. As a result, holders of Class B multiple voting shares have the ability to influence many matters
affecting us and actions may be taken that our Class A subordinate voting shareholders may not view as beneficial. The market
price of our Class A subordinate voting shares could be adversely affected due to the significant influence and voting power of the
holders of Class B multiple voting shares. Additionally, the significant voting interest of holders of Class B multiple voting shares
may discourage transactions involving a change of control, including transactions in which an investor, as a holder of the Class A
subordinate voting shares, might otherwise receive a premium for the Class A subordinate voting shares over the then-current
market price, or discourage competing proposals if a going private transaction is proposed by one or more holders of Class B
multiple voting shares.
Our restated articles of incorporation amend certain default rights provided for under the CBCA for holders of Class B multiple
voting shares and Class A subordinate voting shares to vote separately as a class for certain types of amendments to our restated
articles of incorporation. Specifically, neither the holders of the Class B multiple voting shares nor Class A subordinate voting
shares shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon a proposal to amend our restated articles of incorporation to (1) increase
or decrease any maximum number of authorized shares of such class, or increase any maximum number of authorized shares of a
class having rights or privileges equal or superior to the shares of such class; or (2) create a new class of shares equal or superior to
the shares of such class, which rights are otherwise provided for in paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection 176(1) of the CBCA.
Pursuant to our restated articles of incorporation, neither holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares nor holders of our Class
B multiple voting shares are entitled to vote separately as a class on a proposal to amend our restated articles of incorporation to
effect an exchange, reclassification or cancellation of all or part of the shares of such class pursuant to Section 176(1)(b) of the
CBCA unless such exchange, reclassification or cancellation: (a) affects only the holders of that class; or (b) affects the holders of
Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares differently, on a per share basis, and such holders are not
already otherwise entitled to vote separately as a class under applicable law or our restated articles of incorporation in respect of
such exchange, reclassification or cancellation.
Pursuant to our restated articles of incorporation, holders of Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares
are treated equally and identically, on a per share basis, in certain change of control transactions that require approval of our
shareholders under the CBCA, unless different treatment of the shares of each such class is approved by a majority of the votes cast
by the holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares, each voting separately as a class.
59
The market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares may be volatile.
The market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares has fluctuated in the past and we expect it to fluctuate in the future, and it
may decline. For example, from January 1, 2020 to February 9, 2021, our closing share price on the New York Stock Exchange
("NYSE") has ranged from $322.29 to $1,432.99. We cannot assure you that an active trading market for our Class A subordinate
voting shares will be sustained, and we therefore cannot assure you that you will be able to sell your Class A subordinate voting
shares when you would like to do so, or that you will obtain your desired price for your shares, and you could lose all or part of your
investment. Some of the factors that may cause the market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares to fluctuate include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
significant volatility in the market price and trading volume of comparable companies;
actual or anticipated changes or fluctuations in our operating results or in the expectations of market analysts;
adverse market reaction to any indebtedness we may incur or securities we may issue in the future;
short sales, hedging and other derivative transactions in our shares;
announcements of technological innovations, new products, strategic alliances or significant agreements by us or by our
competitors;
changes in the prices of our solutions or the prices of our competitors’ solutions;
litigation or regulatory action against us;
breaches of security or privacy incidents, and the costs associated with any such breaches and remediation;
investors’ general perception of us and the public’s reaction to our press releases, our other public announcements and our
filings with the SEC and Canadian securities regulators;
fluctuations in quarterly results;
publication of research reports or news stories about us, our competitors or our industry, or positive or negative
recommendations or withdrawal of research coverage by securities analysts;
changes in general political, economic, industry and market conditions and trends;
sales of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares by our directors, executive officers and
existing shareholders;
recruitment or departure of key personnel; and
the other risk factors described in this section of our AIF.
In addition, the stock markets have historically experienced substantial price and volume fluctuations, particularly in the case of
shares of technology companies, and such fluctuations may be driven by factors other than our operations or results. Such
fluctuations and other broad market and industry factors may harm the market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares.
Hence, the price of our Class A subordinate voting shares could fluctuate based upon factors that have little or nothing to do with
us, and these fluctuations could materially reduce the share price of our Class A subordinate voting shares regardless of our
operating performance. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class
action litigation has been instituted against that company. If we were involved in any similar litigation, we could incur substantial
costs, our management’s attention and resources could be diverted and it could harm our business, operating results and financial
condition.
60
The trading volume of the Notes, the terms of the Notes including the conversion feature, if triggered, and the applicable
accounting treatment thereof may impact the trading price of the Class A subordinate voting shares and adversely affect our
financial condition and operating results.
The market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares could also be affected by possible sales of our Class A subordinate voting
shares by investors who view the Notes as a more attractive means of equity participation in us and by hedging or arbitrage trading
activity that we expect to develop involving the Notes. Additionally, the market price of the Class A subordinate voting shares could
adversely impact the trading price of the Notes.
In the event the conditional conversion feature of the Notes is triggered, holders of the Notes will be entitled to convert their Notes at
any time during specified periods at their option. If one or more holders elect to convert their Notes, unless we elect to satisfy our
conversion obligation by delivering solely our Class A subordinate voting shares (other than paying cash in lieu of delivering any
fractional share), we would be required to settle a portion or all of our conversion obligation in cash, which could adversely affect
our liquidity. If we elect to satisfy our conversion obligation by delivering Class A subordinate voting shares, the issuance could
cause dilution to our existing shareholders and cause the market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares to decline. In
addition, the accounting method for reflecting the Notes on our balance sheet, accruing interest expense for the Notes and reflecting
the underlying Class A subordinate voting shares in our reported diluted earnings per share, including the impact of the Accounting
Standards Update published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board in August 2020, may adversely affect our reported
earnings and financial condition.
Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A subordinate voting shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales
may occur, could cause the market price of our shares to decline.
Certain of our shareholders have certain rights to require us to file registration statements in the United States or prospectuses in
Canada covering their shares or to include their shares in registration statements or prospectuses that we may file for ourselves or
on behalf of other shareholders.
Further, we cannot predict the size of future issuances of our Class A subordinate voting shares or the effect, if any, that future
issuances and sales of our Class A subordinate voting shares will have on the market price of our Class A subordinate voting
shares. Sales of substantial amounts of our shares, or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing
market prices for our Class A subordinate voting shares.
Risks associated with our internal controls over financial reporting.
Any failure of our internal controls could have an adverse effect on our stated results of operations and harm our reputation. As a
result, we may experience higher than anticipated operating expenses, as well as higher independent auditor fees during and after
the implementation of these changes. If we are unable to implement any of the required changes to our internal control over
financial reporting effectively or efficiently or are required to do so earlier than anticipated, it could adversely affect our operations,
financial reporting and results of operations. If we fail to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control
over financial reporting, our ability to produce timely and accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations could
be adversely impacted.
61
Because we do not expect to pay any dividends on our Class A subordinate voting shares for the foreseeable future, investors
may never receive a return on their investment.
We have never declared or paid any dividends on our securities. We do not have any present intention to pay cash dividends on our
Class A subordinate voting shares and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our Class A subordinate voting shares in
the foreseeable future. We currently intend to invest our future earnings, if any, to fund our growth. Any future determination as to
the declaration and payment of dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial
condition, operating results, contractual restrictions, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of
directors may deem relevant.
As a foreign private issuer, we are subject to different U.S. securities laws and rules than a domestic U.S. issuer, which may
limit the information publicly available to our shareholders.
We are a "foreign private issuer," as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and are not subject to the same
requirements that are imposed upon U.S. domestic issuers by the SEC. Under the Exchange Act, we are subject to reporting
obligations that, in certain respects, are less detailed and less frequent than those of U.S. domestic reporting companies. As a result,
we do not file the same reports that a U.S. domestic issuer would file with the SEC, although we are required to file or furnish to
the SEC the continuous disclosure documents that we are required to file in Canada under Canadian securities laws. In addition, our
officers, directors, and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and "short swing" profit recovery provisions of Section
16 of the Exchange Act. Therefore, our shareholders may not know on as timely a basis when our officers, directors and principal
shareholders purchase or sell shares, as the reporting deadlines under the corresponding Canadian insider reporting requirements
are longer.
As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules and regulations under the Exchange Act related to the furnishing and
content of proxy statements. We are also exempt from Regulation FD, which prohibits issuers from making selective disclosures of
material non-public information. While we will comply with the corresponding requirements relating to proxy statements and
disclosure of material non-public information under Canadian securities laws, these requirements differ from those under the
Exchange Act and Regulation FD and shareholders should not expect to receive the same information at the same time as such
information is provided by U.S. domestic companies. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file annual and
quarterly reports with the SEC as promptly as U.S. domestic companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.
In addition, as a foreign private issuer, we have the option to follow certain Canadian corporate governance practices, except to the
extent that such laws would be contrary to U.S. securities laws, and provided that we disclose the requirements we are not
following and describe the Canadian practices we follow instead. We currently rely on this exemption with respect to requirements
regarding the quorum for any meeting of our shareholders. We may in the future elect to follow home country practices in Canada
with regard to other matters. As a result, our shareholders may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of U.S.
domestic companies that are subject to all U.S. corporate governance requirements.
62
We may lose foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses to us.
We may in the future lose our foreign private issuer status if a majority of our shares are held in the United States and we fail to
meet the additional requirements necessary to avoid loss of foreign private issuer status, such as if: (1) a majority of our directors or
executive officers are U.S. citizens or residents; (2) a majority of our assets are located in the United States; or (3) our business is
administered principally in the United States. Although we have elected to comply with certain U.S. regulatory provisions, our loss
of foreign private issuer status would make such compliance mandatory. The regulatory and compliance costs to us under securities
laws as a U.S. domestic issuer will be significantly more than the costs incurred as a Canadian foreign private issuer. If we were not
a foreign private issuer, we would not be eligible to use foreign issuer forms and would be required to file periodic and current
reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms with the SEC, which are generally more detailed and extensive
than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. In addition, we may lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain
corporate governance requirements on U.S. stock exchanges that are available to foreign private issuers.
Provisions of Canadian law may delay, prevent or make undesirable an acquisition of all or a significant portion of our shares
or assets.
The Investment Canada Act (Canada) subjects an acquisition of control of us by a non-Canadian to government review if the value
of our assets as calculated pursuant to the legislation exceeds a threshold amount. A reviewable acquisition may not proceed unless
the relevant Minister is satisfied that the investment is likely to be of net benefit to Canada. This could prevent or delay a change of
control and may eliminate or limit strategic opportunities for shareholders to sell their Class A subordinate voting shares.
It may be difficult to enforce civil liabilities in Canada under U.S. securities laws.
We were incorporated in Canada, and our corporate headquarters are located in Canada. A majority of our directors and executive
officers and certain of the experts named in our Annual Report reside or are based principally in Canada and the majority of our
assets and all or a substantial portion of the assets of these persons is located outside the United States. It may be difficult for
investors who reside in the United States to effect service of process upon these persons in the United States, or to enforce a U.S.
court judgment predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us or any of these persons.
There is substantial doubt whether an action could be brought in Canada in the first instance predicated solely upon U.S. federal
securities laws. Canadian courts may refuse to hear a claim based on an alleged violation of U.S. securities laws against us or these
persons on the grounds that Canada is not the most appropriate forum in which to bring such a claim. Even if a Canadian court
agrees to hear a claim, it may determine that Canadian law and not U.S. law is applicable to the claim. If U.S. law is found to be
applicable, the content of applicable U.S. law must be proved as a fact, which can be a time-consuming and costly process. Certain
matters of procedure will also be governed by Canadian law.
Our by-laws provide that any derivative actions, actions relating to breach of fiduciary duties and other matters relating to our
internal affairs will be required to be litigated in Canada, which could limit investors’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial
forum for disputes with us.
We have adopted a forum selection by-law that provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum,
the Superior Court of Justice of the Province of Ontario, Canada and
63
appellate Courts therefrom (or, failing such Court, any other "court" as defined in the CBCA having jurisdiction, and the appellate
Courts therefrom), will be the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any
action or proceeding asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us; (3) any
action or proceeding asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the CBCA or our restated articles or by-laws; or (4) any
action or proceeding asserting a claim otherwise related to our "affairs" (as defined in the CBCA). Our forum selection by-law also
provides that our securityholders are deemed to have consented to personal jurisdiction in the Province of Ontario and to service of
process on their counsel in any foreign action initiated in violation of our by-law. Therefore, it may not be possible for
securityholders to litigate any action relating to the foregoing matters outside of the Province of Ontario.
Our forum selection by-law seeks to reduce litigation costs and increase outcome predictability by requiring derivative actions and
other matters relating to our affairs to be litigated in a single forum. While forum selection clauses in corporate charters and by-
laws are becoming more commonplace for public companies in the United States and have been upheld by courts in certain states,
they are untested in Canada. It is possible that the validity of our forum selection by-law could be challenged and that a court could
rule that such by-law is inapplicable or unenforceable. If a court were to find our forum selection by-law inapplicable to, or
unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated
with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions and we may not obtain the benefits of limiting jurisdiction to the courts selected.
Provisions of our charter documents, certain Canadian legislation, and the indenture governing the Notes could delay or deter
a change of control, limit attempts by our shareholders to replace or remove our current senior management and affect the
market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares.
Our restated articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to issue an unlimited number of preferred shares without
shareholder approval and to determine the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions granted to or imposed on any unissued
series of preferred shares. Those rights may be superior to those of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple
voting shares. For example, preferred shares may rank prior to Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting
shares as to dividend rights, liquidation preferences or both, may have full or limited voting rights and may be convertible into
Class A subordinate voting shares or Class B multiple voting shares. If we were to issue a significant number of preferred shares,
these issuances could deter or delay an attempted acquisition of us or make the removal of management more difficult, particularly
in the event that we issue preferred shares with special voting rights. Issuances of preferred shares, or the perception that such
issuances may occur, could cause the trading price of our Class A subordinate voting shares to drop.
In addition, provisions in the CBCA and in our restated articles of incorporation and by-laws may have the effect of delaying or
preventing changes in our senior management, including provisions that:
•
•
•
require that any action to be taken by our shareholders be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting and not by
written consent;
establish an advance notice procedure for shareholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting, including
proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors; and
require the approval of a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy in order to
amend certain provisions of our restated articles of incorporation, including, in some circumstances, by separate class
votes of holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares.
64
Furthermore, the indenture governing the Notes prohibits us from engaging in certain consolidations, mergers, amalgamations,
arrangements, binding share exchanges or transfers or leases of all or substantially all of our assets unless, among other things, the
resulting or surviving entity assumes our obligations under the Notes.
These provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our shareholders to launch a proxy contest or replace or remove our
current senior management by making it more difficult for shareholders to replace members of our board of directors, which is
responsible for appointing the members of our senior management. Any of these provisions could have the effect of delaying,
preventing or deferring a change in control which could limit the opportunity for our Class A subordinate voting shareholders to
receive a premium for their Class A subordinate voting shares, and could also affect the price that investors are willing to pay for
Class A subordinate voting shares.
Our constating documents permit us to issue an unlimited number of Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple
voting shares.
Our restated articles of incorporation permit us to issue an unlimited number of Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B
multiple voting shares. We anticipate that we will, from time to time, issue additional Class A subordinate voting shares in the
future. Subject to the requirements of the NYSE and the TSX, we will not be required to obtain the approval of shareholders for the
issuance of additional Class A subordinate voting shares. Although the rules of the TSX generally prohibit us from issuing
additional Class B multiple voting shares, there may be certain circumstances where additional Class B multiple voting shares may
be issued, including upon receiving shareholder approval and pursuant to the exercise of stock options under our fourth amended
and restated option plan (the "Legacy Option Plan") that were granted prior to our initial public offering. Any further issuances of
Class A subordinate voting shares or Class B multiple voting shares will result in immediate dilution to existing shareholders and
may have an adverse effect on the value of their shareholdings. Additionally, any further issuances of Class B multiple voting
shares may significantly lessen the combined voting power of our Class A subordinate voting shares due to the 10-to-1 voting ratio
between our Class B multiple voting shares and Class A subordinate voting shares.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
We have, to date, not declared or paid any dividends or distributions on our securities. We currently intend to retain any future
earnings to fund the development and growth of our business and we do not currently anticipate paying dividends. Any
determination to pay dividends to holders of shares in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend
on many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, legal requirements and other factors as the board of directors deems
relevant. In addition, we may in the future become subject to debt instruments or other agreements that limit our ability to pay
dividends. There are no such restrictions on the payment of dividends in the indenture governing the Notes.
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
General
The following is a description of the material terms of our Class A subordinate voting shares, our Class B multiple voting shares,
and our preferred shares, as set forth in our restated articles of incorporation.
65
Our authorized share capital consists of an unlimited number of Class A subordinate voting shares of which 111,006,774 were issued
and outstanding as of February 9, 2021, an unlimited number of Class B multiple voting shares of which 11,600,866 were issued and
outstanding as of February 9, 2021, and an unlimited number of preferred shares, issuable in series, none of which are issued and
outstanding. Although the rules of the TSX generally prohibit us from issuing additional Class B multiple voting shares, there may
be certain circumstances where additional Class B multiple voting shares may be issued, including upon receiving shareholder
approval and pursuant to the exercise of stock options under our legacy stock option plan that were granted prior to our initial public
offering.
The Class A subordinate voting shares are "restricted securities" within the meaning of such term under applicable Canadian
securities laws.
Shares
Except as described herein, the Class A subordinate voting shares and the Class B multiple voting shares have the same rights, are
equal in all respects and are treated by Shopify as if they were one class of shares.
Rank
The Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares rank pari passu with respect to the payment of
dividends, return of capital and distribution of assets in the event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. In
the event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company or any other distribution of its assets among its shareholders
for the purpose of winding-up its affairs, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the holders of Class A subordinate voting shares and
the holders of Class B multiple voting shares are entitled to participate equally in the remaining property and assets of the
Company available for distribution to the holders of shares, without preference or distinction among or between the Class A
subordinate voting shares and the Class B multiple voting shares, subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred shares.
Dividends
The holders of outstanding Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares are entitled to receive dividends
on a share for share basis at such times and in such amounts and form as our board of directors may from time to time determine,
but subject to the rights of the holders of any preferred shares, without preference or distinction among or between the Class A
subordinate voting shares and the Class B multiple voting shares. We are permitted to pay dividends unless there are reasonable
grounds for believing that: (i) we are, or would after such payment be, unable to pay our liabilities as they become due; or (ii) the
realizable value of our assets would, as a result of such payment, be less than the aggregate of our liabilities and stated capital of
all classes of shares. In the event of a payment of a dividend in the form of shares, Class A subordinate voting shares shall be
distributed with respect to outstanding Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares shall be distributed
with respect to outstanding Class B multiple voting shares, unless otherwise determined by our board.
Voting Rights
Under our restated articles of incorporation, each Class A subordinate voting share is entitled to one vote per share and each Class
B multiple voting share is entitled to 10 votes per share. Our Class A subordinate voting shares currently collectively represent
89.8% of our total issued and outstanding shares and 46.8% of the voting power attached to all of our issued and outstanding
shares and the Class
66
B multiple voting shares currently collectively represent 10.2% of our total issued and outstanding shares and 53.2% of the voting
power attached to all of our issued and outstanding shares.
Conversion
The Class A subordinate voting shares are not convertible into any other class of shares. Each outstanding Class B multiple voting
share may at any time, at the option of the holder, be converted into one Class A subordinate voting share. Upon the first date that
a Class B multiple voting share is Transferred (as defined below) by a holder of Class B multiple voting shares, other than to a
Permitted Holder (as defined below) or from any such Permitted Holder back to such holder of Class B multiple voting shares
and/or any other Permitted Holder of such holder of Class B multiple voting shares, the holder thereof, without any further action,
shall automatically be deemed to have exercised his, her or its rights to convert such Class B multiple voting share into a fully paid
and non-assessable Class A subordinate voting share, on a share for share basis.
In addition, all Class B multiple voting shares will convert automatically into Class A subordinate voting shares on the date on
which the outstanding Class B multiple voting shares represent less than 5% of the aggregate number of outstanding Class A
subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares as a group.
For the purposes of the foregoing:
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such specified Person;
"Members of the Immediate Family" means with respect to any individual, each parent (whether by birth or adoption), spouse, or
child or other descendants (whether by birth or adoption) of such individual, each spouse of any of the aforementioned Persons,
each trust created solely for the benefit of such individual and/or one or more of the aforementioned Persons, and each legal
representative of such individual or of any aforementioned Persons (including without limitation a tutor, curator, mandatary due to
incapacity, custodian, guardian or testamentary executor), acting in such capacity under the authority of the law, an order from a
competent tribunal, a will or a mandate in case of incapacity or similar instrument. For the purposes of this definition, a Person
shall be considered the spouse of an individual if such Person is legally married to such individual, lives in a civil union with such
individual or is the common law partner (as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) as amended from time to time) of such
individual. A Person who was the spouse of an individual within the meaning of this paragraph immediately before the death of
such individual shall continue to be considered a spouse of such individual after the death of such individual;
"Permitted Holders" means, in respect of a holder of Class B multiple voting shares that is an individual, the Members of the
Immediate Family of such individual and any Person controlled, directly or indirectly, by any such holder, and in respect of a
holder of Class B multiple voting shares that is not an individual, an Affiliate of that holder;
"Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, company, association, trust, joint venture or limited liability company;
"Transfer" of a Class B multiple voting share shall mean any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance,
67
hypothecation or other transfer or disposition of such share or any legal or beneficial interest in such share, whether or not for
value and whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law. A "Transfer" shall also include, without limitation, (1) a
transfer of a Class B multiple voting share to a broker or other nominee (regardless of whether or not there is a corresponding
change in beneficial ownership) or (2) the transfer of, or entering into a binding agreement with respect to, Voting Control over a
Class B multiple voting share by proxy or otherwise, provided, however, that the following shall not be considered a "Transfer":
(a) the grant of a proxy to our officers or directors at the request of our board of directors in connection with actions to be taken at
an annual or special meeting of shareholders; or (b) the pledge of a Class B multiple voting share that creates a mere security
interest in such share pursuant to a bona fide loan or indebtedness transaction so long as the holder of the Class B multiple voting
share continues to exercise Voting Control over such pledged shares; provided, however, that a foreclosure on such Class B
multiple voting share or other similar action by the pledgee shall constitute a "Transfer";
"Voting Control" with respect to a Class B multiple voting share means the exclusive power (whether directly or indirectly) to vote
or direct the voting of such Class B multiple voting share by proxy, voting agreement or otherwise.
A Person is "controlled" by another Person or other Persons if: (1) in the case of a company or other body corporate wherever or
however incorporated: (A) securities entitled to vote in the election of directors carrying in the aggregate at least a majority of the
votes for the election of directors and representing in the aggregate at least a majority of the participating (equity) securities are
held, other than by way of security only, directly or indirectly, by or solely for the benefit of the other Person or Persons; and (B)
the votes carried in the aggregate by such securities are entitled, if exercised, to elect a majority of the board of directors of such
company or other body corporate; or (2) in the case of a Person that is not a company or other body corporate, at least a majority of
the participating (equity) and voting interests of such Person are held, directly or indirectly, by or solely for the benefit of the other
Person or Persons; and "controls", "controlling" and "under common control with" shall be interpreted accordingly.
Subdivision or Consolidation
No subdivision or consolidation of the Class A subordinate voting shares or the Class B multiple voting shares may be carried out
unless, at the same time, the Class B multiple voting shares or the Class A subordinate voting shares, as the case may be, are
subdivided or consolidated in the same manner and on the same basis.
Certain Class Votes
Except as required by the CBCA, applicable securities laws or our restated articles of incorporation, holders of Class A subordinate
voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares will vote together on all matters subject to a vote of holders of both those classes of
shares as if they were one class of shares. Under the CBCA, certain types of amendments to our restated articles of incorporation are
subject to approval by special resolution of the holders of our classes of shares voting separately as a class, including amendments
to:
•
•
change the rights, privileges, restrictions or conditions attached to the shares of that class;
increase the rights or privileges of any class of shares having rights or privileges equal or superior to the shares of that
class; and
• make any class of shares having rights or privileges inferior to the shares of such class equal or
68
superior to the shares of that class.
Without limiting other rights at law of any holders of Class A subordinate voting shares or Class B multiple voting shares to vote
separately as a class, neither the holders of the Class A subordinate voting shares nor the holders of the Class B multiple voting
shares shall be entitled to vote separately as a class upon a proposal to amend our restated articles of incorporation in the case of an
amendment to (1) increase or decrease any maximum number of authorized shares of such class, or increase any maximum number
of authorized shares of a class having rights or privileges equal or superior to the shares of such class; or (2) create a new class of
shares equal or superior to the shares of such class, which rights are otherwise provided for in paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection
176(1) of the CBCA. Pursuant to our restated articles of incorporation, neither holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares
nor holders of our Class B multiple voting shares will be entitled to vote separately as a class on a proposal to amend our restated
articles of incorporation to effect an exchange, reclassification or cancellation of all or part of the shares of such class pursuant to
Section 176(1)(b) of the CBCA unless such exchange, reclassification or cancellation: (a) affects only the holders of that class; or
(b) affects the holders of Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares differently, on a per share basis,
and such holders are not already otherwise entitled to vote separately as a class under applicable law or our restated articles of
incorporation in respect of such exchange, reclassification or cancellation.
Pursuant to our restated articles of incorporation, holders of Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares
will be treated equally and identically, on a per share basis, in certain change of control transactions that require approval of our
shareholders under the CBCA, unless different treatment of the shares of each such class is approved by a majority of the votes
cast by the holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares, each voting separately as a class.
Take-Over Bid Protection
Under applicable Canadian law, an offer to purchase Class B multiple voting shares would not necessarily require that an offer be
made to purchase Class A subordinate voting shares. In accordance with the rules of the TSX designed to ensure that, in the event
of a take-over bid, the holders of Class A subordinate voting shares will be entitled to participate on an equal footing with holders
of Class B multiple voting shares, upon the completion of our initial public offering the holders of over 80% of the then
outstanding Class B multiple voting shares entered into a customary coattail agreement with Shopify and a trustee, which we refer
to as the Coattail Agreement. The Coattail Agreement contains provisions customary for dual class, TSX listed corporations
designed to prevent transactions that otherwise would deprive the holders of Class A subordinate voting shares of rights under the
take-over bid provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation to which they would have been entitled if the Class B
multiple voting shares had been Class A subordinate voting shares.
The undertakings in the Coattail Agreement will not apply to prevent a sale of Class B multiple voting shares by a holder of Class
B multiple voting shares party to the Coattail Agreement if concurrently an offer is made to purchase Class A subordinate voting
shares that:
•
•
offers a price per Class A subordinate voting share at least as high as the highest price per share paid or required to be paid
pursuant to the take-over bid for the Class B multiple voting shares;
provides that the percentage of outstanding Class A subordinate voting shares to be taken up (exclusive of shares owned
immediately prior to the offer by the offeror or persons acting jointly or in concert with the offeror) is at least as high as
the percentage of outstanding Class B
69
multiple voting shares to be sold (exclusive of Class B multiple voting shares owned immediately prior to the offer by the
offeror and persons acting jointly or in concert with the offeror);
has no condition attached other than the right not to take up and pay for Class A subordinate voting shares tendered if no
shares are purchased pursuant to the offer for Class B multiple voting shares; and
is in all other material respects identical to the offer for Class B multiple voting shares.
•
•
In addition, the Coattail Agreement will not prevent the sale of Class B multiple voting shares by a holder thereof to a Permitted
Holder, provided such sale does not or would not constitute a take-over bid or, if so, is exempt or would be exempt from the formal
bid requirements (as defined in applicable securities legislation). The conversion of Class B multiple voting shares into Class A
subordinate voting shares, shall not, in of itself constitute a sale of Class B multiple voting shares for the purposes of the Coattail
Agreement.
Under the Coattail Agreement, any sale of Class B multiple voting shares (including a transfer to a pledgee as security) by a holder
of Class B multiple voting shares party to the Coattail Agreement will be conditional upon the transferee or pledgee becoming a
party to the Coattail Agreement, to the extent such transferred Class B multiple voting shares are not automatically converted into
Class A subordinate voting shares in accordance with our restated articles of incorporation.
The Coattail Agreement contains provisions for authorizing action by the trustee to enforce the rights under the Coattail
Agreement on behalf of the holders of the Class A subordinate voting shares. The obligation of the trustee to take such action will
be conditional on Shopify or holders of the Class A subordinate voting shares providing such funds and indemnity as the trustee
may require. No holder of Class A subordinate voting shares will have the right, other than through the trustee, to institute any
action or proceeding or to exercise any other remedy to enforce any rights arising under the Coattail Agreement unless the trustee
fails to act on a request authorized by holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding Class A subordinate voting shares and
reasonable funds and indemnity have been provided to the trustee.
The Coattail Agreement provides that it may not be amended, and no provision thereof may be waived, unless, prior to giving effect
to such amendment or waiver, the following have been obtained: (a) the consent of the TSX and any other applicable securities
regulatory authority in Canada and (b) the approval of at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast by holders of Class A subordinate voting
shares represented at a meeting duly called for the purpose of considering such amendment or waiver, excluding votes attached to
Class A subordinate voting shares held directly or indirectly by holders of Class B multiple voting shares, their affiliates and related
parties and any persons who have an agreement to purchase Class B multiple voting shares on terms which would constitute a sale
for purposes of the Coattail Agreement other than as permitted thereby.
No provision of the Coattail Agreement will limit the rights of any holders of Class A subordinate voting shares under applicable
law.
Preferred Shares
We are authorized to issue an unlimited number of preferred shares issuable in series. Each series of preferred shares shall consist of
such number of shares and having such rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions as may be determined by our board of directors
prior to the issuance thereof. Holders of preferred shares, except as otherwise provided in the terms specific to a series of preferred
shares or as
70
required by law, will not be entitled to vote at meetings of holders of shares, and will not be entitled to vote separately as a class
upon a proposal to amend our restated articles of incorporation in the case of an amendment of the kind referred to in paragraph (a),
(b) or (e) of subsection 176(1) of the CBCA. With respect to the payment of dividends and distribution of assets in the event of
liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the preferred shares are entitled to
preference over the Class A subordinate voting shares, Class B multiple voting shares and any other shares ranking junior to the
preferred shares from time to time and may also be given such other preferences over Class A subordinate voting shares, Class B
multiple voting shares and any other shares ranking junior to the preferred shares as may be determined at the time of creation of
such series.
The issuance of preferred shares and the terms selected by our board of directors could decrease the amount of earnings and assets
available for distribution to holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares or adversely affect
the rights and powers, including the voting rights, of the holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple
voting shares without any further vote or action by the holders of our Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting
shares. The issuance of preferred shares, or the issuance of rights to purchase preferred shares, could make it more difficult for a
third-party to acquire a majority of our outstanding voting shares and thereby have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a
change of control of us or an unsolicited acquisition proposal or of making the removal of management more difficult. Additionally,
the issuance of preferred shares may have the effect of decreasing the market price of our Class A subordinate voting shares.
We have no current intention to issue any preferred shares.
Convertible Notes
In September 2020, Shopify issued $920 million principal amount of 0.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”) for
net proceeds of $907.950 million. The Notes pay interest semi-annually on May 1 and November 1, commencing with the initial
interest payment on May 1, 2021 and have a maturity date of November 1, 2025. The Notes have an initial conversion rate of 0.6944
Class A subordinate voting shares per one thousand dollars principal amount of Notes, or an initial conversion price of
approximately $1,440.09 per Class A subordinate voting share.
The Notes are convertible into Class A subordinate voting shares at the option of the holder at any time prior to close of business on
the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2025, only under the following circumstances: (1) during any calendar quarter
commencing after the calendar quarter ending on March 31, 2021 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale
price of the Class A subordinate voting shares on the NYSE for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during a period
of 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater
than or equal to 130% of the conversion price of the Notes on each applicable trading day; (2) during the ten business day period
after any ten consecutive trading day period (the ‘‘measurement period’’) in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of
Notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of the Class A
subordinate voting shares on the NYSE and the conversion rate for the Notes on each such trading day; (3) if we call any or all of the
Notes for redemption at our option or for tax or cleanup redemption, at any time prior to the close of business on the second
scheduled trading day immediately preceding the redemption date; or (4) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events. On or
after August 1, 2025, holders of the Notes may convert all or any portion of their Notes at any time prior to the close of business on
the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date regardless
71
of the foregoing conditions. Upon conversion, Shopify can elect to settle in cash, Class A subordinate voting shares, or a
combination of cash and Class A subordinate voting shares.
On or after September 15, 2023, we may, at our option, redeem for cash all or any portion of the Notes if the last reported sale
price of the Class A subordinate voting shares on the NYSE is at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for at least 20
trading days (whether or not consecutive) during any 30 consecutive trading day period (including the last trading day of such
period) ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the notice of redemption is provided at
a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but
excluding, the redemption date.
We may redeem for cash all, but not less than all, of the Notes at any time in a clean up redemption provided less than $80,000
aggregate principal amount of Notes remains outstanding at such time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal
amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.
We may redeem all, but not less than all, of the Notes if the Company has or would become obligated to pay to the holder of any
Note additional amounts (which are more than a de minimis amount) as a result of a change in applicable Canadian tax laws or
regulations after September 15, 2020 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed,
plus accrued and unpaid interest (including additional interest, if any) to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date but without
reduction for applicable Canadian taxes (except in respect of certain excluded holders).
Upon the occurrence of a fundamental change prior to the maturity date of the Notes, we, subject to limited exceptions, will be
required to offer to purchase all of the Notes for cash at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus any accrued
and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the fundamental change purchase date. The Notes are governed by customary terms
and covenants, including that upon certain events of default occurring and continuing, either the trustee or the holders of at least
25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may declare 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid
interest on, all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.
For additional details regarding the Notes, please refer to the prospectus supplement dated September 15, 2020 to the short form
base shelf prospectus dated August 6, 2020 available on the website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at
www.sedar.com.
Registration Rights
Our Third Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), provides certain holders of
our Class B multiple voting shares with registration rights in respect of (i) the Class A subordinate voting shares issuable or issued
upon conversion of the Class B multiple voting shares held by such holders, (ii) any Class A subordinate voting shares held by
such holders or any Class A subordinate voting shares issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any other securities issued
by us and held by such holders; and (iii) any Class A subordinate voting shares issued as, or issuable upon conversion or exercise
of any other securities issued as, a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, the shares
referenced in clauses (i) and (ii) above. We refer to these Class A subordinate voting shares as "registrable securities".
We will pay the expenses, other than underwriting discounts, selling commissions and share transfer taxes incurred in connection
with the registration, filing or qualification of registrable securities in
72
accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement.
The registration rights provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement will expire with respect to any particular holder at such
time that such holder (i) can sell all of its registrable securities under Rule 144(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act or (ii) holds less
than 1% of the outstanding Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares, in the aggregate, and can sell its
registrable securities during any three month period under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
MARKET FOR SECURITIES
Trading Price and Volume
Our Class A subordinate voting shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and on the New York Stock
Exchange (NYSE) under the trading symbol "SHOP". The following table sets forth the price ranges and volumes of Class A
subordinate voting shares traded on the TSX and NYSE for each month of 2020.
2020
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
High
481.56
587.00
514.00
665.34
844.00
958.50
1104.45
1115.19
1145.00
1128.91
1094.66
1285.00
NYSE (US$)
Low
Volume
High
Low
Volume
TSX (CAD$)
396.00
425.69
305.84
335.00
595.19
702.20
884.74
965.00
840.00
906.70
875.00
1017.22
6,223,246
9,455,684
14,070,606
12,670,827
12,299,741
8,744,057
8,795,020
4,963,397
7,201,832
4,791,947
5,390,079
4,831,981
639.09
786.07
688.35
945.36
1206.08
1301.77
1472.98
1467.00
1502.00
1464.99
1420.00
1658.79
514.74
567.42
435.03
476.38
840.01
943.74
1190.00
1285.00
1109.41
1209.52
1140.00
1299.99
6,238,714
7,120,062
10,910,128
7,005,589
5,957,443
5,822,963
4,532,655
3,744,289
5,774,790
4,029,227
4,441,271
4,847,095
Our Class B multiple voting shares are not listed for trading or quoted on any exchange or market; however, as described further
above, at any time, at the option of the holder, Class B multiple voting shares can be converted into Class A subordinate voting
shares on a one-for-one basis.
Our authorized share capital consists of an unlimited number of Class A subordinate voting shares of which 110,929,570 were
issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020, an unlimited number of Class B multiple voting shares of which 11,599,301 were
issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020, and an unlimited number of preferred shares, issuable in series, none of which are
issued and outstanding.
Prior Sales
In 2020, 514,181 Class B multiple voting shares were issued as a result of the exercise of options granted under our Legacy Option
Plan, at a weighted average exercise price of US$3.97 per share.
73
On September 18 2020, Shopify issued $920 million principal amount of 0.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 for gross
proceeds of $920 million. The Notes have an initial conversion rate of 0.6944 Class A subordinate voting shares per one thousand
dollars principal amount of Notes or an initial conversion price of approximately $1,440.09 per Class A subordinate voting share.
Securities Subject to Contractual Restrictions on Transfer
Designation of Class
Class A Subordinate Voting Shares
Number of securities subject to a contractual
restriction on transfer
91,560
Percentage of class
0.08%
122,080 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares were issued in connection with the acquisition of 6 River Systems in October 2019,
which shares are subject to vesting restrictions and forfeiture conditions pursuant to the terms of restricted stock agreements between
the Company and certain of 6 River Systems' employees. The contractual restrictions on transfer terminate in four equal annual
installments on each of the four years following the closing of the acquisition on October 17, 2019. The contractual restrictions on
transfer on 30,520 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares terminated on October 17, 2020.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Officers
Executive officers are appointed by the board of directors to serve, subject to the discretion of the board of directors, until their
successors are appointed.
Tobias Lütke
Ontario, Canada
Tobias Lütke co-founded Shopify in September 2004. Mr. Lütke has served as our Chief Executive Officer since April 2008. Prior to
that, Mr. Lütke acted as our Chief Technology Officer between September 2004 and April 2008. Mr. Lütke worked on the core team
of the Ruby on Rails framework and has created many popular open source libraries such as Active Merchant. Mr. Lütke also serves
as Chair of our Board of Directors.
Harley Finkelstein
Ontario, Canada
Harley Finkelstein is the President at Shopify and has been with the company since 2010. He oversees Shopify’s commercial teams,
growth, and external affairs. Prior to his current role, Harley served as Shopify's Chief Operating Officer and has founded numerous
startups and ecommerce companies. He currently is an advisor to Felicis Ventures. Harley holds a Bachelor degree in Economics
from Concordia University and a J.D./M.B.A. joint degree in Law and Business from the University of Ottawa.
Amy Shapero
Ontario, Canada
Amy Shapero is the Chief Financial Officer at Shopify and joined in April 2018. Prior to joining Shopify, Amy was the Chief
Financial Officer at Betterment, an online wealth-management service, since 2016. Previously, Amy was Chief Financial Officer at
Sailthru, and Senior Vice President of Strategy, Corporate Development and Corporate Communications at DigitalGlobe. Amy
began her career as a CPA at Ernst &
74
Young, followed by investment banking positions at Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs serving emerging growth companies. She
holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Toby Shannan
Ontario, Canada
Toby Shannan is the Chief Operating Officer at Shopify and has been with the company since 2010. Toby previously served as the
Chief Support Officer for Shopify. In his current role, he oversees Shopify’s global operations as well as its customer support and
service strategy.
Prior to joining Shopify, Toby co-founded and was the acting Chief Executive Officer of Social Fabric, a personal genomics
company and before that, he was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at DNA Genotek from 2003 to 2007. Shannan is a board
member and trustee at the Santa Fe Institute and has been a member of the Institute’s Applied Complexity Network (ACtioN) since
2017.
Joseph Frasca
Ontario, Canada
Joseph Frasca is the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Shopify and has been with the company since May 2014. Prior
to his appointment at Shopify, Mr. Frasca was Senior Corporate Counsel at EMC Corporation. Prior to EMC, Mr. Frasca worked as
an Associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Frasca holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law, a
Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a B.S. in Russian Language and
Linguistics from Georgetown University. Mr. Frasca is a member of the Society of Corporate Secretaries & Governance
Professionals sitting on the Securities Law Committee.
Brittany Forsyth
Ontario, Canada
Brittany Forsyth is the Chief Talent Officer at Shopify. She has been with the company since 2010 and previously served as the
Director of HR. Ms. Forsyth is involved with a number of human resources organizations across North America. Prior to joining
Shopify, Ms. Forsyth obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Carleton University.
Jean-Michel Lemieux
Ontario, Canada
Jean-Michel Lemieux is the Chief Technology Officer at Shopify and joined the company in 2015. Prior to joining Shopify, he
served as the Vice President of Engineering at Atlassian and as the Chief Architect for Rational Team Concert, a division of IBM.
Jean-Michel co-authored the book, Eclipse Rich Client Platform and has filed two U.S. patents on software configuration
management. Jean-Michel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Ottawa.
Directors
Our directors are either elected annually by the shareholders at the annual meeting of shareholders or, subject to our restated articles
of incorporation and applicable law, appointed by our board of directors between annual meetings. Each director holds office until
the close of the next annual meeting of our shareholders or until he or she ceases to be a director by operation of law, or until his or
her removal or resignation becomes effective. In addition to Mr. Tobias Lütke, a director since 2004 who serves chair of the board as
well as CEO, the Company's directors are as follows:
75
Robert Ashe
Ontario, Canada
Robert Ashe has served as a member of our board of directors since December 2014 and as our Lead Independent Director since
May 2015. Over 24 years, Mr. Ashe held a variety of positions with increasing responsibility at Cognos Incorporated, a business
intelligence and performance management software company. Mr. Ashe ultimately served as Chief Executive Officer of Cognos
Incorporated from 2005 to 2008 before the company was acquired by IBM. Mr. Ashe remained with IBM as a general manager of
business analytics from 2008 to 2012. Mr. Ashe currently serves on the board of directors of MSCI Inc. (NYSE). Mr. Ashe holds a
Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Ottawa and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.
Gail Goodman
Massachusetts, United States
Gail Goodman has served as a member of our board of directors since November 2016. Ms. Goodman is currently the Chief Product
Officer at Pepperlane, and previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Constant Contact, a software company
providing small businesses with online marketing tools to grow their businesses, for over 16 years. Over that time Ms. Goodman
served as a director and chairwoman of the board and led Constant Contact through its initial public offering and for eight years as a
publicly traded company, until its acquisition by Endurance International Group Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq) in February 2016. Ms.
Goodman currently serves on the board of directors of a number of private companies and non-profits. Ms. Goodman holds a B.A.
from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Colleen Johnston
Ontario, Canada
Colleen Johnston has served as a member of our board of directors since January 2019. Ms. Johnston is the former Chief Financial
Officer of Toronto-Dominion Bank. Prior to her retirement in 2018, Colleen spent 14 years at TD, ten of which she spent as Group
Head, Finance, Sourcing, Corporate Communications and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to TD, Ms. Johnston held senior leadership
roles at Scotiabank over the course of 15 years, including as CFO of Scotia Capital. Ms. Johnston currently serves on the board of
directors of a number of private companies and non-profits including her role as Chair of the Unity Health Toronto board of
directors. Ms. Johnston holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from York University’s Schulich School of Business and is a
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.
Jeremy Levine
New York, United States
Jeremy Levine has served as a member of our board of directors since February 2011. Since January 2007, Mr. Levine has been a
Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, a venture capital firm he joined in May 2001. Mr. Levine currently serves on the board of
directors of Pinterest (NYSE) and a number of privately held companies. Mr. Levine holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science from
Duke University.
John Phillips
Ontario, Canada
John Phillips has served as a member of our board of directors since April 30, 2010. Mr. Phillips has worked with Klister Credit
Corp., an investment and consulting company, and is currently its Chief Executive Officer, a position he has held since 1993. Mr.
Phillips had a career in the legal profession working in private practice at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP for 20 years and as general
counsel at Clearnet Communications Inc. for nearly six years. Mr. Phillips currently serves on the board of directors
76
of a number of privately held companies and gained experience serving on the board of directors of Redknee Solutions Inc., a public
company. Mr. Phillips received a B.A. from Trinity College, University of Toronto and an L.L.B./J.D. from the Faculty of Law,
University of Toronto.
Board Committees
Director
Audit Committee
Compensation and Talent
Management Committee
Nominating and
Corporate Governance
Committee
Robert Ashe
Gail Goodman
Colleen Johnston
Jeremy Levine
John Phillips
Audit Committee
Member
Member
Chair
Chair
Member
Member
Member
Member
Chair
Our audit committee is comprised of Robert Ashe, Gail Goodman, and Colleen Johnston and is chaired by Ms. Johnston. Our board
of directors has determined that each of these directors meets the independence requirements, including the heightened
independence standards for members of the audit committee, of the NYSE, the SEC and National Instrument 52-110 - Audit
Committees ("NI 52-110"). Our board of directors has determined that each of the members of the audit committee is "financially
literate" within the meaning of the NYSE rules and NI 52-110. Ms. Johnston has been identified as an audit committee financial
expert as defined by the SEC rules. For a description of the education and experience of each member of the audit committee, see
"Directors", above.
Our board of directors has established a written charter setting forth the purpose, composition, authority and responsibility of the
audit committee, consistent with the rules of the NYSE, the SEC and NI 52-110. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter is
appended to this AIF as Exhibit A.
The principal purpose of our audit committee is to assist our board of directors in discharging its oversight of:
•
•
•
•
•
the quality and integrity of our financial statements and related information;
the independence, qualifications, appointment and performance of our external auditor;
our disclosure controls and procedures, internal control over financial reporting and management’s responsibility for
assessing and reporting on the effectiveness of such controls;
our compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements; and
our enterprise risk management processes.
At least annually, the audit committee will review and confirm the independence of the auditor by obtaining statements from the
independent auditor describing all relationships or services that may affect their independence and objectivity, and the committee
will take appropriate actions to oversee our auditor.
Our audit committee has access to all of our books, records, facilities and personnel and may request any information about us as it
may deem appropriate. It also has the authority in its sole discretion and at our expense, to retain and set the compensation of outside
legal, accounting or other advisors as necessary to assist in the performance of its duties and responsibilities.
77
Our audit committee also reviews our policies and procedures for reviewing and approving or ratifying related-party transactions,
and it is responsible for reviewing and approving or ratifying all related-party transactions.
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
From time to time, management recommends to and requests approval from the Audit Committee for audit and non-audit services to
be provided by the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee considers such requests, if
applicable, on a quarterly basis, and if acceptable, pre-approves such audit and non-audit services. During such deliberations, the
Audit Committee assesses, among other factors, whether the services requested would be considered "prohibited services" as
contemplated by the SEC, and whether the services requested and the fees related to such services could impair the independence of
the Company's registered public accounting firm.
The Audit Committee considered and agreed that the fees paid to the Company's independent registered public accounting firm in
the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are compatible with maintaining the independence of the Company's registered public
accounting firm. The Audit Committee determined that, in order to ensure the continued independence of the registered public
accounting firm, only limited non-audit services will be provided to the Company by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Since the implementation of the Audit Committee pre-approval process in November 2015, all audit and non-audit services rendered
by our independent registered public accounting firm have been pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
Auditor Service Fees
The aggregate amounts paid or accrued by the Company with respect to fees payable to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the
independent registered public accounting firm of the Company, for audit (including separate audits of wholly-owned and non-
wholly owned entities, financings, regulatory reporting requirements and SOX related services), audit-related, tax and other
services in the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
Audit Fees
Audit-Related Fees
Tax Fees
All Other Fees
Total
Fiscal 2020
$
Fiscal 2019
$
(in thousands)
1,461
—
39
2
1,502
1,133
—
—
3
1,136
Audit fees relate to the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements, the review of our quarterly condensed consolidated
financial statements and services in connection with our 2020 and 2019 public offerings of Class A subordinate voting shares and
our 2020 offering of Notes.
Audit-related fees consist of aggregate fees for accounting consultations and other services that were reasonably related to the
performance of audits or reviews of our consolidated financial statements and were not reported above under "Audit Fees".
78
Tax fees relate to assistance with tax compliance, expatriate tax return preparation, tax planning and various tax advisory services.
Other fees are any additional amounts for products and services provided by the principal accountants other than the services
reported above under "Audit Fees", "Audit-Related Fees" and "Tax Fees".
Ownership of Securities
As of February 9, 2021, as a group, our directors and executive officers beneficially own, or control or direct, directly or indirectly,
a total of 377,855 Class A subordinate voting shares and 11,272,504 Class B multiple voting shares, representing 0.34% of the
Class A subordinate voting shares and 97.17% of the Class B multiple voting shares outstanding and 49.82% of the voting power
attached to all of our issued and outstanding shares.
Cease Trade Orders, Bankruptcies, Penalties or Sanctions
To the knowledge of Shopify, no director or executive officer of Shopify (a) is at the date hereof or has been, in the last 10 years
before the date hereof, a director, chief executive officer (CEO) or chief financial officer (CFO) of any company, including
Shopify, that (i) was subject to a cease trade order, similar order or an order that denied the relevant company access to any
exemptions under securities legislation, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days (an "Order") that was issued while the
director or executive officer was acting in that capacity; or, (ii) was subject to an Order that was issued after the director or
executive officer ceased to be a director, CEO or CFO and which resulted from an event that occurred while that person was acting
in the capacity as director, CEO or CFO.
To the knowledge of Shopify, no director or executive officer of Shopify, and no shareholder holding a sufficient number of
securities of Shopify to affect materially the control of Shopify, is at the date hereof or has been in the 10 years before the date
hereof, a director or executive officer of a company, including Shopify that, while that person was acting in that capacity or within a
year of that person ceasing to act in that capacity became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or
insolvency or was subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver
manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets, except for:
•
Jeremy Levine, who, until June 4, 2018, was a board member of Onestop Internet Inc., a corporation that made an
assignment for the benefit of creditors on June 4, 2018. The sale of assets and the liquidation has been completed and any
arrangements with creditors have been or are expected to be settled. Jeremy Levine was also a board member, until May 29,
2019, of Rabbit, Inc., a corporation that made an assignment for the benefit of creditors on May 24, 2019. The liquidation
has been completed.
To the knowledge of Shopify, no director or executive officer of Shopify, and no shareholder holding a sufficient number of
securities of Shopify to affect materially the control of Shopify, has, within the last 10 years before the date hereof, become
bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or become subject to or instituted any
proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets
of the director, executive officer or shareholder.
Conflicts of Interest
To the Company's knowledge, there are no existing or potentially material conflicts of interest between the Company or a
subsidiary of the Company and any director or officer of the Company or of a
79
subsidiary of the Company.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS
We are involved in legal proceedings, as well as demands, claims and threatened litigation, that arise in the normal course of our
business. In particular, as is common in our industry, we have received notices alleging that we infringe patents belonging to
various third parties. These notices are dealt with in accordance with our internal procedures, which include assessing the merits of
each notice and seeking, where appropriate, a business resolution. Where a business resolution cannot be reached, litigation may
be necessary. The ultimate outcome of any litigation is uncertain, and regardless of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact
on our business because of defense costs, negative publicity, diversion of management resources and other factors. Our failure to
obtain any necessary license or other rights on commercially reasonable terms, or otherwise, or litigation arising out of intellectual
property claims could materially adversely affect our business. As of the date of this AIF, we are not party to any litigation that we
believe is material to our business.
INTEREST OF MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS
No director or executive officer of Shopify, and to the knowledge of the directors and executive officers of Shopify, (i) no person or
company that beneficially owns, or controls or directs, directly or indirectly, more than 10 percent of Shopify's voting shares, (ii) nor
any of such persons' or companies' associates or affiliates, (iii) nor any associates or affiliates of any director of executive officer of
Shopify, has had a material interest, direct or indirect, that has materially affected or is reasonably expected to materially affect the
Company within the three most recently completed financial years or during the current financial year.
TRANSFER AGENTS AND REGISTRARS
The transfer agent and registrar for our Class A subordinate voting shares in the United States is Computershare Trust Company,
N.A. at its principal office in Canton, Massachusetts, and in Canada is Computershare Investor Services Inc. at its principal office in
Toronto, Ontario.
Computershare Trust Company, N.A. is the U.S. trustee for the Notes at its principal office in Canton, Massachusetts.
Computershare Trust Company of Canada is the Canadian co-trustee for the Notes at its principal office in Toronto, Ontario.
MATERIAL CONTRACTS
The following are the only material contracts, other than those contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, which
have been entered into by the Company within the most recently completed fiscal year, or were entered into before the most
recently completed fiscal year and are still in effect, deemed to be material:
• Coattail Agreement dated as of May 27, 2015, in connection with our Class B Multiple Voting Shares
• Third Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement dated May 27, 2015
80
Copies of the above material agreements may be inspected during ordinary business hours at our principal executive offices
located at 151 O'Connor Street, Ground Floor, Ottawa, Canada, K2P 2L8 or may be viewed at the website maintained by the SEC
at http://www.sec.gov or the website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at http://www.sedar.com.
INTERESTS OF EXPERTS
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are the independent registered public accounting firm of Shopify and are independent with respect to
the Company within the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct in the province of Ontario and in accordance with the U.S.
federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company
Accounting and Oversight Board.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information about Shopify is available on our website at www.shopify.com, on the website maintained by the SEC at
www.sec.gov or the website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedar.com.
Additional information, including directors’ and officers’ remuneration and indebtedness, principal holders of our securities and
securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans will be contained in our management information circular that
will be filed in connection with our next annual meeting of shareholders. Once filed, the circular will be available on our website at
www.shopify.com, or at www.sec.gov or www.sedar.com.
Additional financial information is provided in our consolidated financial statements and MD&A for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2020, available on our website at www.shopify.com, or at www.sec.gov or www.sedar.com.
We are a "foreign private issuer" as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and are
not subject to the same requirements that are imposed upon U.S. domestic issuers by the SEC. Under the U.S. Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, we are subject to reporting obligations that, in certain respects, are less detailed and less frequent than
those of U.S. domestic reporting companies. As a result, we do not file the same reports that a U.S. domestic issuer would file with
the SEC, although we are required to file or furnish to the SEC the continuous disclosure documents that we are required to file in
Canada under Canadian securities laws.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, on the written or oral request of such person, a copy
of any or all documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference in this Annual Information Form or
our Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (not including exhibits to such incorporated reports that are
not specifically incorporated by reference into such reports). Requests for such copies should be directed to us via email to
IR@shopify.com, by calling 1 (613) 241-2828 ext.1024.
81
EXHIBIT A
SHOPIFY INC.
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
This Audit Committee Charter ("Charter") has been adopted by the Board of Directors ("Board") of Shopify Inc. ("Company") and sets
forth the purpose, composition, authority and responsibility of the Audit Committee ("Committee") of the Board.
I. Purpose
The Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in its oversight of:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the quality and integrity of the Company’s financial statements and related information;
the independence, qualifications, appointment and performance of the Company’s external auditor ("external auditor");
the appointment and dismissal of the Company’s head of Risk and Internal Audit;
the independence and performance of the Risk and Internal Audit function;
the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over financial reporting, and management’s responsibility for
assessing and reporting on the effectiveness of such controls;
the Company’s compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements; and
the Company’s enterprise risk management processes.
II. Access to Information and Authority
In carrying out its duties and responsibilities, the Committee shall have the authority to:
•
•
•
•
communicate directly with the external auditors and the head of Risk and Internal Audit;
investigate any matter relating to the Company’s accounting, auditing, internal control or financial reporting practices or anything
else within its scope of responsibility;
obtain full access to all Company books, records, facilities and personnel; and
at its sole discretion and at the Company’s expense, retain and set the compensation of outside legal, accounting, or other advisors, as
necessary to assist in the performance of its duties and responsibilities.
The Company will provide appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for compensation to the external auditor, to any advisors
that the Committee chooses to engage, and for payment of ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or
appropriate in carrying out its duties.
III. Composition and meetings
The Board shall elect annually from among its members the Committee, which shall be composed of three or more directors as determined by
the Board, each of whom shall meet all applicable standards of independence and financial literacy under applicable laws, regulations and
rules, which determination of independence will be made by the Board. At least one member shall be designated as an "audit committee
financial expert" as defined by applicable legislation and regulation, including within the meaning of Section 407 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder by the SEC.
The Board may remove members of the Committee at any time, with or without cause.
The Chair shall be designated by the Board; provided, that if the Board does not so designate a Chair, the Committee shall choose one of its
members to be its Chair by majority vote. The Chair shall have the duties and responsibilities set out in Section VI.
The Committee will meet at least quarterly, or more frequently as circumstances dictate. The Committee shall be convened whenever
requested by external auditors or any member of the Committee or otherwise as required by law. The external auditors shall be entitled to
receive notice of every meeting of the Committee and to attend and be
A-1
heard at all such meetings. The Committee shall periodically meet separately with management and the external auditors and the Company’s
head of Risk and Internal Audit in executive sessions. In addition, the Committee shall periodically meet with the external auditors and
management to discuss the annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements, including the Company’s disclosure under
"Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". Subject to applicable law and exchange
requirements, the Committee and the Chair may invite any director, executive, employee, or such other person as it deems appropriate to
attend and participate in any portion of any Committee meeting, and may exclude from all or any portion of its meetings any person it deems
appropriate in order to carry out its responsibilities. The Committee will also meet before or after each regularly scheduled meeting in
camera. Meetings may be held in person or by tele- or video-conference. The Committee may also act by unanimous written consent,
whether given in writing or electronically, in lieu of a meeting.
Unless otherwise determined from time to time by resolution of the Board, a majority of members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business at a meeting. For any meeting(s) at which the Committee Chair is absent, the Chair of the meeting shall be the
person present who shall be decided upon by all members present. At a meeting, any question shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast
by members of the Committee, except where only two members are present, in which case any question shall be decided unanimously. Unless
otherwise determined by resolution of the Board, the Corporate Secretary of the Company or his/her delegate shall be the Secretary of the
Committee. The Committee will maintain written minutes of its meetings and copies of written consents. The Committee shall report
regularly to the Board.
IV. Responsibilities and Duties of the Committee
In addition to such other duties as may from time to time be expressly assigned to the Committee by the Board, the Committee shall have the
following responsibilities and duties:
Financial Reporting
1. Prepare an audit committee report, if required, to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement.
2. Prior to their public disclosure, review and discuss with management and, if applicable, the external auditor:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the Company’s annual financial statements and the related Management’s Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A"), including the
discussion of critical accounting estimates included therein and, if appropriate, recommend to the Board the approval, filing and
disclosure of such information;
the Company’s annual earnings press releases, including any pro forma or non-GAAP information included therein and, if
appropriate, recommend to the Board the approval, filing and disclosure of such information;
the Company’s quarterly unaudited financial statements and associated MD&A, including the discussion of critical accounting
estimates included therein and, if appropriate, approve the filing and disclosure of such information;
the Company’s quarterly earnings press releases, including any pro forma or non-GAAP information included therein and, if
appropriate, approve the filing and disclosure of such information;
the type and presentation of financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts, ratings agencies and others;
to the extent they include financial information extracted or derived from the Company’s financial statements, other public reports
or filings by the Company, including the Company’s annual information and proxy statements, approve such information, or
where appropriate recommend to the board their approval; and
internal controls (or summaries thereof) and the integrity of the financial reporting and related attestations by the external auditors
of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
External Auditor
3. Review, report and approve of, or where appropriate provide recommendations to the Board as to, the
A-2
appointment, term, compensation and review of engagement, removal, independence, audit plan (including the timing and scope of the
audit), estimated and actual fees and contractual arrangements of the external auditor. The external auditor will report directly to the
Committee and the Committee will oversee the work performed by the external auditor and the resolution of disagreements between
management and the external auditor if they arise, taking into account where appropriate the opinions of management.
4. Review the external auditors’ management letters and management’s responses to such letters.
5. At least annually, the Committee shall assess the external auditor’s independence. The Committee shall obtain and review a report by
the external auditor describing all relationships between the external auditor and the Company, including the written disclosures and the
letter from the external auditor required by applicable requirements. The Committee shall review any disclosed relationships or services
that may affect the independence and objectivity of the auditor and take appropriate actions to oversee the external auditor.
6. Review and preapprove (which may be pursuant to preapproval policies and procedures) all audit and non-audit services to be provided
by the external auditor. Delegate, if deemed appropriate, authority to one or more members of the Committee to grant preapprovals of
audit and non-audit services, provided that any such approvals be presented to the Committee at its next scheduled meeting. Consider
whether the auditor’s provision of permissible non-audit services is compatible with the auditor’s independence.
7. Discuss with the external auditor and management any matters required to be discussed in accordance with applicable Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB") standards.
8. Meet periodically with the external auditor in the absence of management. Review with the external auditor any audit problems or
difficulties the external auditor encountered in the course of the audit work and management’s response, including any restrictions on
the scope of the external auditor’s activities or access to requested information and any significant disagreements with management.
9. Review and discuss the reports required to be made by the external auditor regarding:
critical accounting policies and practices;
•
• material selections of accounting policies when there is a choice of policies available under GAAP that have been discussed with
management, including the ramifications of the use of such alternative treatment, and the treatment preferred by the external
auditor;
other material written communications between the external auditor and management; and,
any other matters required to be communicated to the Committee by applicable rules and regulations.
•
•
10. At least annually, obtain and review a report by the external auditor describing:
•
•
•
the external auditor’s internal quality-control procedures;
any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review or peer review, or by any inquiry or investigation by
governmental or professional authorities within the preceding five years with respect to independent audits carried out by the
external auditor, and any steps taken to deal with such issues; and,
all relationships between the external auditor and the Company, addressing the matters set forth in PCAOB Rule 3526.
This report should be used to evaluate the external auditor’s qualifications, performance, and independence. Further, the
Committee will review the experience and qualifications of the lead partner each year and determine that all partner rotation
requirements, as promulgated by applicable rules and regulations, are executed. The Committee will also consider whether there
should be rotation of the external auditor itself. The Committee will present its conclusions to the Board.
11. Set policies, consistent with governing laws and regulations, for the hiring of current or former personnel of the external auditor.
A-3
Financial Reporting Processes, Accounting Policies and Internal Controls
12. Review and discuss with management and the external auditor, and monitor, report and where appropriate, provide recommendations to
the Board on:
•
the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s system of internal controls over financial reporting, including any significant
deficiencies and significant changes in internal controls;
the integrity of the Company’s external financial reporting processes;
the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, including any significant deficiencies in or material non-compliance with, such
controls and procedures; and
the relationship of the Committee with other committees of the Board and management.
•
•
•
13. Understand the scope of the external auditors’ review of internal control over financial reporting and obtain reports on significant
findings and recommendations, together with management responses.
14. Review and discuss with the Company’s Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") the process for the
certifications to be provided and receive and review any disclosure from the Company’s CEO and CFO made in connection with the
required certifications of the Company’s quarterly and annual reports filed, including: a) any significant deficiencies and material
weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
Company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data; and b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls.
15. Review major issues and analyses prepared by management and/or the external auditor regarding accounting principles and financial
reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of financial statements, including any significant changes in
the Company’s selection or application of accounting principles, the effect of alternative GAAP methods on the financial statements,
complex or unusual transactions and highly judgmental areas, such as the presentation and impact of significant risks and uncertainties
and key estimates and judgments of management that may be material to financial reporting, the effect of regulatory and accounting
initiatives, as well as off-balance sheet structures, on the financial statements of the Company, and major issues as to the adequacy of
the Company’s internal controls, and any special audit steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies.
16. Review the Company’s policies and procedures for reviewing and approving or ratifying related-party transactions. Review and
approve or ratify all related-party transactions.
17. Establish and oversee procedures for the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting,
internal accounting controls, or auditing matters, including procedures for confidential, anonymous submissions by employees
regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
18. Meet periodically with management in the absence of the external auditor.
19. Consider the risk of management’s ability to override the Company’s internal controls.
Risk and Internal Audit Function
20. Review and approve the risk based internal audit plan, and any significant changes thereto.
21. Review and approve the budget and resource plan for the Risk and Internal Audit function and review significant updates.
22. Review and approve at least annually the head of Risk and Internal Audit’s Independence Attestation and the internal audit charter.
A-4
23. Conduct an annual review of the performance of the head of Risk and Internal Audit and assess the effectiveness and operational
adequacy of the department.
24. Review the results of a quality assurance review report prepared by an independent party on the Risk and Internal Audit department
conducted on a five-year cycle (once the function has been established). This can be delayed by the Audit Committee, if circumstances
exist.
25. Review and discuss regular reports prepared by the head of Risk and Internal Audit, including all information outlined in regulatory
guidance, together with management’s response and follow-up on outstanding issues (to ensure progress is occurring within an
appropriate timeframe), and proactively consider thematic issues across the Company;
26. Provide a forum for the head of Risk and Internal Audit to have unfettered access to the Committee to raise any internal audit
organizational or industry issues or issues with respect to the relationship and interaction between the Risk and Internal Audit
department, management, the external auditor and/or regulators.
Ethical and Legal Compliance and Risk Management
27. Review, with the Company’s counsel, legal compliance and legal matters that could have a significant impact on the Company’s
financial statements. Review the effectiveness of the system for monitoring compliance with laws and regulations and the results of
management’s investigation and follow-up of any instances of non-compliance. Receive and review periodic reports from the
Company with respect to the Company’s pending or threatened material litigation. Review the appropriateness of the disclosure thereof
in the documents reviewed by the Committee. Review, with Company’s counsel, on a regular basis, any reports of whistleblowing,
including any reports made to the Anonymous Helpline.
28. Discuss the Company’s policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, the Company’s insurance coverage, as well as
the Company’s major financial risk exposures and the steps management has undertaken to control them.
29. Review the Company’s compliance with internal policies and the Company’s progress in remedying any material deficiencies that
could have a significant impact on the Company.
30. Review the findings of any examinations by regulatory agencies, and any external auditors observations made regarding those findings.
Other Responsibilities
31. Report regularly to the Board regarding the execution of the Committee’s duties and responsibilities, activities, any issues encountered,
and related recommendations.
32. Institute and oversee special investigations as needed.
33. Perform any other activities consistent with this Charter, the Company’s by-laws, and governing laws that the Board or Committee
determines are necessary or appropriate.
A-5
V. Delegation of Authority
The Committee may form subcommittees for any purpose that the Committee deems appropriate and may delegate to such subcommittees
such power and authority as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, however, that no subcommittee shall consist of fewer than two
members; and provided further that the Committee shall not delegate to a subcommittee any power or authority required by any law,
regulation or listing standard to be exercised by the Committee as a whole.
VI. Responsibilities and Duties of the Chair
The Chair shall have the following responsibilities and duties:
•
•
•
•
•
•
chair meetings of the Committee;
in consultation with the Board Chair and the Corporate Secretary, determine the frequency, dates and locations of meetings of the
Committee;
in consultation with the CEO, the CFO, the Corporate Secretary and others as required, review the annual work plan and the
meeting agendas to ensure all required business is brought before the Committee;
in consultation with the Board Chair, ensure that all items requiring the Committee’s approval are appropriately tabled;
report to the Board on the matters reviewed by, and on any decisions or recommendations of, the Committee at the next meeting of
the Board following any meeting of the Committee; and
carry out any other or special assignments or any functions as may be requested by the Board.
VII. Limitation on Committee’s Duties
The Committee shall discharge its responsibilities, and shall assess the information provided by the Company’s management and the external
auditor, in accordance with its business judgment. Members of the Committee are not full-time employees of the Company and are not, and
do not represent themselves to be, professional accountants or auditors. The authority and responsibilities set forth in this Charter do not
reflect or create any duty or obligation of the Committee to (i) plan or conduct any audits, (ii) determine or certify that the Company’s
financial statements are complete, accurate, fairly presented or in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or applicable law,
(iii) guarantee the external auditor’s reports, or (iv) provide any expert or special assurance as to the Company’s internal controls or
management of risk. Members of the Committee are entitled to rely, absent knowledge to the contrary, on the integrity of the persons and
organizations from whom they receive information, the accuracy and completeness of the information provided, and representations made by
management as to any audit or non-audit services provided by the external auditor.
Nothing in this Charter is intended or may be construed as imposing on any member of the Committee or the Board a standard of care or
diligence that is in any way more onerous or extensive than the standard to which the directors are subject under applicable law. This Charter
is not intended to change or interpret the amended articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any federal, provincial, state or
exchange law, regulation or rule to which the Company is subject, and this Charter should be interpreted in a manner consistent with all such
applicable laws, regulations and rules. The Board may, from time to time, permit departures from the terms hereof, either prospectively or
retrospectively, and no provision contained herein is intended to give rise to civil liability to securityholders of the Company or other liability
whatsoever.
Any action that may or is to be taken by the Committee may, to the extent permitted by law or regulation, be taken directly by the Board.
A-6
VIII. Evaluation of Committee
The Committee shall, on an annual basis, review and evaluate its performance. In conducting this review, the Committee shall address such
matters that the Committee considers relevant to its performance and evaluate whether this Charter appropriately addresses the matters that
are or should be within its scope. The review and evaluation shall be conducted in such a manner as the Committee deems appropriate.
The Committee shall deliver to the Board a report, which may be oral, setting forth the results of its review and evaluation, including any
recommended changes to this Charter and any recommended changes to the Company’s or the Board’s policies or procedures, as it deems
necessary or appropriate.
* * * * *
A-7
EXHIBIT 1.2
Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2020
Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management of the Company, under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal control over the Company's financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles.
We, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have assessed the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting
in accordance with Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
Based on this assessment, we, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have determined that the Company's internal control over
financial reporting was effective as at December 31, 2020. Additionally, based on our assessment, we determined that there were no material weaknesses in the
Company's internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2020.
The effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2020 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report included herein.
February 17, 2021
/s/ Tobias Lütke
Tobias Lütke
Chief Executive Officer
/s/ Amy Shapero
Amy Shapero
Chief Financial Officer
2
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Shopify Inc.
Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Shopify Inc. and its subsidiaries (together, the Company) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019,
and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss), changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the years then ended,
including the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial
reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December
31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.
Change in Accounting Principle
As discussed in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for leases in 2019.
Basis for Opinions
The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for
its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Annual Report on Internal Control
Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over
financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)
(PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable
assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal
control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial
statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence
regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial
reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and
evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we
considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial
reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions
and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in accordance
3
with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of
management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or
disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of
effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with
the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or
required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (ii)
involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the
consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical
audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Revenue recognition - Principal versus Agent Considerations
As described in note 3 to the consolidated financial statements, management follows the guidance provided in ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers,
for determining whether the Company is the principal or an agent in arrangements with customers that involve another party that contributes to providing a
specified service to a customer. In these instances, management determines whether the Company has promised to provide the service itself (as principal) or to
arrange for the specified service to be provided by another party (as an agent). As disclosed by management, this determination depends on the facts and
circumstances of each arrangement and, in some instances involves significant judgment. The Company recognizes revenue from Shopify Shipping, the sales of
apps and Shop Pay Installments on a net basis (as an agent) as the Company is not primarily responsible for the fulfillment, does not have control of the promised
service, and does not have full discretion in establishing prices and therefore is the agent in the arrangement with merchants. All other revenue is reported on a
gross basis, as management has determined it is the principal in each arrangement. Revenue reported on a gross basis makes up a significant portion of total
revenues of $2,929 million.
The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to Revenue recognition – Principal versus Agent Considerations is a critical
audit matter are 1) that there was significant judgment applied by management, in some instances, in assessing the indicators that the Company controls the
promised service before it was transferred to the customer, including assessing whether the Company was primarily responsible for fulfilling the promised service
and whether the Company had full discretion in establishing the prices for the promised service, and 2) a high degree of auditor judgment, subjectivity and effort in
performing audit procedures and evaluating the results of those procedures.
Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial
statements. These procedures included testing the effectiveness of controls relating to management’s assessment of indicators that the Company controls the
promised service before it is transferred to the customer. These procedures also included, among others, testing the reasonableness of management’s assessment of
the indicators of control over the promised service, which included determining whether the Company was primarily responsible for fulfilling the promised service
and has full discretion in establishing pricing by considering the contractual terms with merchants and agreements with service providers, where applicable, and
considering whether these conclusions were consistent with evidence obtained in other areas of the audit.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Chartered Professional Accountants, Licensed Public Accountants
Ottawa, Canada
February 17, 2021
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2011.
4
Shopify Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
Expressed in US $000’s except share amounts
Note
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
As at
4
5
7
8
21
9
10
11
12
21
6
13
14
21
15
12
15
12
16
21
12, 18
19
20
2,703,597
3,684,370
120,752
244,723
56,067
68,247
6,877,756
92,104
135,676
119,373
52,677
173,454
311,865
885,149
7,762,905
300,795
19,677
107,809
10,051
438,332
21,006
144,836
758,008
—
923,850
6,115,232
261,436
8,770
15,285
6,400,723
7,762,905
649,916
1,805,278
90,529
150,172
—
46,333
2,742,228
111,398
167,282
134,774
19,432
2,500
311,865
747,251
3,489,479
181,193
69,432
56,691
9,066
316,382
5,969
142,641
—
8,753
157,363
3,256,284
62,628
1,046
(304,224)
3,015,734
3,489,479
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Trade and other receivables, net
Merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables, net
Income taxes receivable
Other current assets
Long-term assets
Property and equipment, net
Intangible assets, net
Right-of-use assets, net
Deferred tax assets
Equity and other investments
Goodwill
Total assets
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Income taxes payable
Deferred revenue
Lease liabilities
Long-term liabilities
Deferred revenue
Lease liabilities
Convertible senior notes
Deferred tax liabilities
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders’ equity
Common stock, unlimited Class A subordinate voting shares authorized, 110,929,570 and
104,518,173 issued and outstanding; unlimited Class B multiple voting shares authorized,
11,599,301 and 11,910,802 issued and outstanding
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive income
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)
Total shareholders’ equity
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
On Behalf of the Board:
"/s/ Tobias Lütke"
"/s/ Colleen Johnston"
Tobias Lütke
Colleen Johnston
Chair, Board of Directors
Chair, Audit Committee
5
Shopify Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Expressed in US $000’s, except share and per share amounts
Revenues
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Cost of revenues
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Transaction and loan losses
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Other income, net
Interest income
Interest expense
Unrealized gain on equity and other investments
Foreign exchange gain (loss)
Total other income, net
Income (loss) before income taxes
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes
Net income (loss)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
Shares used to compute net income (loss) per share attributable to shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
Other comprehensive income
Unrealized gain on cash flow hedges
Tax effect on unrealized gain on cash flow hedges
Comprehensive income (loss)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
6
Note
23
23
10, 12, 25
3, 25
16
6
21
22
22
22
22
20
20
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
908,757
2,020,734
2,929,491
193,532
1,194,439
1,387,971
1,541,520
602,048
552,127
245,343
51,849
1,451,367
90,153
23,434
(9,085)
135,193
669
150,211
240,364
79,145
319,509
$
$
2.67
2.59
$
$
119,569,705
123,463,274
10,510
(2,786)
327,233
642,241
935,932
1,578,173
128,155
584,375
712,530
865,643
472,841
355,015
153,765
25,169
1,006,790
(141,147)
48,182
—
—
(2,850)
45,332
(95,815)
(29,027)
(124,842)
(1.10)
(1.10)
113,026,424
113,026,424
18,046
(4,784)
(111,580)
Shopify Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
Expressed in US $000’s except share amounts
Additional
Paid-In Capital
$
Accumulated Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
$
As at December 31, 2018
Adjustment related to the transition to Topic
842, Leases
As at January 1, 2019
Exercise of stock options
Stock-based compensation
Vesting of restricted share units
Issuance of shares related to business
acquisitions
Issuance of Class A subordinate voting shares,
net of offering costs of $5,724, net of tax of
$1,541
Net loss and comprehensive loss for the year
As at December 31, 2019
Exercise of stock options
Stock-based compensation
Vesting of restricted share units
Issuance of Class A subordinate voting shares,
net of offering costs of $46,553, net of tax of
$2,606
Equity component of the convertible senior
notes, net of offering costs of $1,994, net of tax
of $112
Net income and comprehensive income for the
year
As at December 31, 2020
Note
3
24
19
19
16
Common Stock
Shares
110,392,689
Amount $
2,215,936
—
110,392,689
2,084,063
—
1,252,250
—
2,215,936
75,296
—
106,408
74,805
—
74,805
(26,959)
159,310
(106,408)
514,973
170,630
(38,120)
2,185,000
—
116,428,975
1,530,759
—
1,176,637
688,014
—
3,256,284
115,331
—
162,420
—
—
62,628
(44,522)
246,940
(162,420)
3,392,500
2,581,197
—
—
—
158,810
—
122,528,871
—
6,115,232
—
261,436
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
7
Retained
Earnings
(Accumulated
Deficit)
$
(187,757)
8,375
(179,382)
—
—
—
Total
$
2,090,768
8,375
2,099,143
48,337
159,310
—
—
132,510
—
(124,842)
(304,224)
—
—
—
—
—
319,509
15,285
688,014
(111,580)
3,015,734
70,809
246,940
—
2,581,197
158,810
327,233
6,400,723
(12,216)
—
(12,216)
—
—
—
—
—
13,262
1,046
—
—
—
—
—
7,724
8,770
Shopify Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Expressed in US $000’s
Note
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
Years ended
16
10, 12
6
24
19
16
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income (loss) for the year
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization and depreciation
Stock-based compensation
Amortization of debt discount and offering costs
Impairment of right-of-use assets and leasehold improvements
Provision for transaction and loan losses
Deferred income taxes
Unrealized gain on equity and other investments
Unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade and other receivables
Merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables
Other current assets
Non-cash consideration received in exchange for services
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Income tax assets and liabilities
Deferred revenue
Lease assets and liabilities
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of marketable securities
Maturity of marketable securities
Purchase of equity and other investments
Acquisitions of property and equipment
Acquisitions of intangible assets
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from public equity offerings, net of issuance costs
Proceeds from convertible senior notes, net of underwriting fees and offering costs
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options
Net cash provided by financing activities
Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents – Beginning of Year
Cash and cash equivalents – End of Year
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities included in cash flows from
operating activities
Lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets
Acquired property and equipment remaining unpaid
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
8
319,509
70,060
246,940
8,756
31,623
27,282
(41,998)
(135,193)
(1,689)
(29,146)
(112,721)
(11,404)
(24,710)
118,588
(105,890)
66,155
(1,204)
424,958
(5,600,207)
3,721,405
(11,051)
(41,733)
(262)
—
(1,931,848)
2,578,591
907,950
70,809
3,557,350
3,221
2,053,681
649,916
2,703,597
21,753
29,820
1,881
(124,842)
35,651
158,456
—
—
17,946
(37,918)
—
3,181
(56,181)
(74,211)
(12,401)
—
82,529
64,648
12,305
1,452
70,615
(2,718,604)
2,477,038
—
(56,759)
(5,638)
(265,512)
(569,475)
688,014
—
48,337
736,351
1,742
239,233
410,683
649,916
15,611
153,053
7,878
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
1.
Nature of Business
Shopify Inc. (“Shopify” or the “Company”) was incorporated as a Canadian corporation on September 28, 2004. Shopify is a leading global commerce
company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a
platform and services that are engineered for reliability, while delivering a better shopping experience for buyers everywhere. Merchants use the
Company's software to run their business across all of their sales channels, including web and mobile storefronts, physical retail locations, social media
storefronts, and marketplaces. The Shopify platform provides merchants with a single view of their business and customers across all of their sales
channels and enables them to manage products and inventory, process orders and payments, fulfill and ship orders, build customer relationships, source
products, leverage analytics and reporting, and access financing, all from one integrated back office.
The Company’s headquarters and principal place of business are in Ottawa, Canada.
2.
Basis of Presentation and Consolidation
These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its directly and indirectly held wholly owned subsidiaries including, but
not limited to: Shopify International Limited, incorporated in Ireland; Shopify Commerce Singapore Pte. Ltd., incorporated in Singapore; and Shopify
LLC, Shopify Payments (USA) Inc. and Shopify Holdings (USA) Inc., incorporated in the state of Delaware in the United States. All intercompany
accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.
These consolidated financial statements of the Company have been presented in United States dollars (USD) and have been prepared in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP), including the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding financial reporting.
3.
Significant Accounting Policies
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, requires management to make estimates, judgments and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates, judgments and assumptions in these consolidated financial statements include:
key judgments related to revenue recognition in determining whether the Company is the principal or an agent to the arrangements with merchants;
estimates of expected credit losses related to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including contract balances and merchant cash advances and
loans; inputs used to fair value acquired intangible assets and equity and other investments; estimates involved in evaluating the recoverability of our
right-of-use assets and leasehold improvements, including, but not limited to, the estimated useful lives of right-of-use assets and leasehold
improvements; and the incremental borrowing rate applied to lease payments. Actual results may differ from the estimates made by management.
Revenue Recognition
The Company's sources of revenue consist of subscription solutions and merchant solutions. The Company principally generates subscription solutions
revenue through the sale of subscriptions to the platform. The Company also generates additional subscription solutions revenues from the sale of
subscriptions to the Point-of-Sale (POS) Pro offering for brick and mortar merchants, the sale of themes and apps, the registration of domain names, and
the collection of variable platform fees. The Company generates merchant solutions revenue by providing additional services to merchants to increase
their use of the platform. The Company earns merchant solutions revenue relating to Shopify Payments, Shopify Shipping,
9
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
other transaction services, referral fees, the sale of POS hardware, advertising revenue on the Shopify App Store, Shopify Email, Shopify Capital, Shop
Pay Installments, Shopify Fulfillment Network, and collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions. Arrangements with merchants do not provide the
merchants with the right to take possession of the software supporting the Company’s hosting platform at any time and are therefore accounted for as
service contracts. The Company’s subscription service contracts do not provide for refunds or any other rights of return to merchants in the event of
cancellations.
The Company recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised services to merchants in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the
Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those services by applying the following steps:
•
•
•
•
•
Identify the contract with a merchant;
Identify the performance obligations in the contract;
Determine the transaction price;
Allocate the transaction price; and
Recognize revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
The Company follows the guidance provided in ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, for determining whether the Company is the
principal or an agent in arrangements with customers that involve another party that contributes to providing a specified service to a customer. In these
instances, the Company determines whether it has promised to provide the specified service itself (as principal) or to arrange for the specified service to
be provided by another party (as an agent). This determination depends on the facts and circumstances of each arrangement and, in some instances,
involves significant judgment. The Company recognizes revenue from Shopify Shipping, the sales of apps and Shop Pay Installments on a net basis as the
Company is not primarily responsible for the fulfillment, does not have control of the promised service, and does not have full discretion in establishing
prices and therefore is the agent in the arrangement with merchants. All other revenue is reported on a gross basis, as the Company has determined it is
the principal in the arrangement.
Sales taxes collected from merchants and remitted to government authorities are excluded from revenue.
The Company's arrangements with merchants can include multiple performance obligations, which may consist of some or all of the Company's
subscription solutions. When contracts involve multiple performance obligations, the Company evaluates whether each performance obligation is distinct
and should be accounted for as a separate unit of accounting under Topic 606. In the case of subscription solutions, the Company has determined that
merchants can benefit from the service on its own, and that the service being provided to the merchant is separately identifiable from other promises in the
contract. Specifically, the Company considers the distinct performance obligations to be the subscription solution, custom themes, feature-enhancing apps
and unique domain names. The total transaction price is determined at the inception of the contract and allocated to each performance obligation based on
their relative standalone selling prices. In the case of merchant solutions, the transaction price for each performance obligation is based on the observable
standalone selling price for each performance obligation. The transaction price for multiple merchant solutions is never a bundled price, therefore a
relative allocation is not required.
The Company determined the standalone selling price by considering its overall pricing objectives and market conditions. Significant pricing practices
taken into consideration for our subscription solutions include discounting practices, the size and volume of our transactions, the customer demographic,
the geographic area where services are sold, price lists, our go-to-market strategy, historical standalone sales and contract prices. The determination of
standalone selling prices is made through consultation with and approval by our management, taking into consideration our go-to-market strategy. As the
Company's go-to-
10
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
market strategies evolve, the Company may modify its pricing practices in the future, which could result in changes in relative standalone selling prices.
The Company generally receives payment from its merchants at the time of invoicing. In all other cases, payment terms and conditions vary by contract
type, although terms generally include a requirement for payment within 30 days of the invoice date. In instances where timing of revenue recognition
differs from the timing of invoicing and subsequent payment, we have determined our contracts do not include a significant financing component.
Subscription Solutions
Subscription revenue from the sale of subscriptions to the platform is recognized over time on a ratable basis over the contractual term. The contract terms
are monthly, annual or multi-year subscription terms. Revenue recognition begins on the date that the Company’s service is made available to the
merchant. Certain subscription contracts have a transaction price that includes a variable component that is based on the merchants' volume of sales. In
such cases, the Company uses the exception to the general principles for accounting for variable consideration, which allows it to recognize revenue when
the sale occurs and the performance obligation has been satisfied. Subscription revenue from the sale of POS Pro subscriptions is recognized over time on
a ratable basis over the monthly contractual term. Payments received in advance of services being rendered are recorded as deferred revenue and
recognized ratably over time, over the requisite service period.
Revenue from the sale of separately priced themes and apps is recognized at a point in time, when control transfers. Revenue from the sale of rights to use
a domain name that is sold separately, is recognized ratably over time, over the contractual term, which is generally an annual term. Revenue from
themes, apps and domains have been classified within subscription solutions on the basis that they are products sold at the time the merchant initially
enters into the subscription services arrangement or because the customer purchases the right to use the product over the term of the contract, similar to a
subscription.
Merchant Solutions
Revenues earned from Shopify Payments, Shopify Shipping related to the sale of shipping labels, other transaction services, and referral fees are
recognized at a point in time, at the time of the transaction. For the sale of POS hardware, revenue is recognized at a point in time, based on when
ownership passes to the merchant, in accordance with the shipping terms. Advertising revenue on the Shopify App Store is recognized at a point in time
as merchants click on the advertised apps. Shopify Email revenue is recognized at a point in time based on the merchants' volume of emails sent.
The Company also earns revenue from Shopify Capital, a merchant cash advance (MCA) and loan program for eligible merchants. The Company
evaluates identified underwriting criteria such as, but not limited to, historical sales data prior to purchasing the eligible merchant's future receivables, or
making a loan, to help ensure collectibility. Under Shopify Capital, the Company purchases a designated amount of future receivables at a discount or
makes a loan, and the merchant remits a fixed percentage of their daily sales to the Company, until the outstanding balance has been fully remitted. For
Shopify Capital MCA's, the Company applies a percentage of the remittances collected against the merchant's receivable balance, and a percentage, which
is related to the discount, as merchant solutions revenue. For Shopify Capital loans, because there is a fixed maximum repayment term, the Company
calculates an effective interest rate based on the merchant's expected future payment volume to determine how much of a merchant's repayment to
recognize as revenue and how much to apply against the merchant's receivable balance.
Revenues earned from Shop Pay Installments, a "buy now pay later" product, are recognized at a point in time when a merchant makes a sale using this
product, and is based on a percentage of the total order value. The Company earns and recognizes a portion of the revenue from each merchant sale, with
the majority of
11
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
revenue earned and recognized by our third-party provider that bears the buyer underwriting and buyer credit risk associated with the product.
Revenues earned from Shopify Fulfillment Network related to warehouse storage and outbound shipping are recognized over time, as merchants receive
and consume the benefits obtained from the warehouse storage service and shipping service, respectively. Revenues related to picking, packaging, and
preparing orders for shipment are recognized once the services have been rendered.
Revenues earned from offering cloud-based software on collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions are recognized over time, over the contractual term,
which can be up to five years. Payments received in advance of services being rendered are recorded as deferred revenue and recognized ratably over
time, over the requisite service period.
Capitalized Contract Costs
As part of obtaining contracts with certain merchants, the Company incurs upfront costs such as sales commissions. The Company capitalizes these
contract costs, which are subsequently amortized on a systematic basis consistent with the pattern of the transfer of the good or service to which the
contract asset relates, which is generally on a straight-line basis over the estimated life of the merchant relationship. In some instances, the Company
applies the practical expedient that allows it to determine this estimate for a portfolio of contracts that have similar characteristics in terms of type of
service, contract term and pricing. This estimate is reviewed by management at the end of each reporting period as additional information becomes
available. For certain contracts where the amortization period of the contract costs would have been one year or less, the Company uses the practical
expedient that allows it to recognize the incremental costs of obtaining those contracts as an expense when incurred and not consider the time value of
money.
Cost of Revenues
The Company’s cost of revenues related to subscription solutions consist of third-party infrastructure and hosting costs, an allocation of costs incurred by
both the operations and support functions, credit card fees related to billing our merchants, payments for themes and domain registration, and acquired
intangible assets.
The Company's cost of revenues related to merchant solutions include payment processing and interchange fees related to Shopify Payments, credit card
fees related to billing its merchants, product costs associated with expanding our product offerings, amortization of acquired intangible assets relating
mostly to the acquired 6 River Systems, LLC (6RS) technology, POS hardware costs, third-party infrastructure and hosting costs, and an allocation of
costs incurred by both the operations and support functions. Merchant solutions cost of revenues also include costs associated with warehouse storage,
outbound shipping, picking, packaging, and the preparation of orders for shipment as part of the Shopify Fulfillment Network offering, and materials and
third-party manufacturing costs associated with 6RS for those fulfillment robots sold to customers rather than leased to customers, which are capitalized
and depreciated into cost of revenues.
Software Development Costs
Research and development costs are generally expensed as incurred. These costs primarily consist of personnel and related expenses, contractor and
consultant fees, stock-based compensation, and corporate overhead allocations, including depreciation.
The Company capitalizes certain development costs incurred in connection with its internal use software. These capitalized costs are related to the
development of its software platform that is hosted by the Company and accessed by its merchants on a subscription basis as well as material internal
infrastructure software. Costs incurred in the preliminary stages of development are expensed as incurred. The Company
12
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
capitalizes all direct and incremental costs incurred during the application development phase, until such time when the software is substantially complete
and ready for its intended use. Capitalization ceases upon completion of all substantial testing.
The Company also capitalizes costs related to specific upgrades and enhancements when it is probable the expenditures will result in additional features
and functionality. Capitalized costs are recorded as part of intangible assets in the consolidated balance sheets and are amortized on a straight-line basis
over their estimated useful lives of two or three years. Maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.
Advertising Costs
Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising costs included in sales and marketing expenses during the years ended December 31, 2020 and
2019 were $240,555 and $177,607 respectively.
Leases
The Company accounts for leases by first determining if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Right-of-use assets represent the Company's right to use
an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company's obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. The right-of-
use assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. The Company's
leases do not provide an implicit rate, therefore, the incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date was used to
determine the present value of lease payments. The right-of-use assets exclude lease incentives, which are accounted as a reduction of lease liabilities if
they have not yet been received. The Company's lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease. These options are included in the lease
terms when it is reasonably certain they will be exercised. Lease expense related to lease components is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease
term.
The carrying values of right-of-use assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of
such assets may not be recoverable. The determination of whether any impairment exists includes a comparison of estimated undiscounted future cash
flows anticipated to be generated over the remaining life of an asset or asset group to their net carrying value. If the estimated undiscounted future cash
flows associated with the asset or asset group are less than the carrying value, an impairment loss will be recorded based on the estimated fair value. For
right-of-use assets that are impaired, the remaining carrying value of the right-of-use assets are amortized on a straight line basis over the remaining term
of the lease.
The Company's lease agreements include lease and non-lease components, which are accounted for separately under Topic 842, Leases. Variable lease
components and non-lease components are excluded from the lease payments used to calculate the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, and are
recorded in the period in which the obligation for the payment is incurred.
The Company adopted the new leasing standard effective January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach. As the Company previously
included non-lease components in the calculation of lease incentives under Topic 840, the transition to Topic 842 resulted in an $8,375 cumulative
adjustment to reduce opening accumulated deficit on January 1, 2019.
Stock-Based Compensation
The accounting for stock-based awards is based on the fair value of the award measured at the grant date. Accordingly, stock-based compensation cost is
recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) as an operating expense over the requisite service period.
13
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, single option approach. An estimate of forfeitures is applied
when determining compensation expense. The Company determines the fair value of stock option awards on the date of grant using assumptions
regarding expected term, share price volatility over the expected term of the awards, risk-free interest rate, and dividend rate. All shares issued under the
Company's Fourth Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan (Legacy Option Plan), the Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan (Stock Option Plan),
and the Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan (Long Term Incentive Plan), and 6 River Amended and Restated Stock Option and Grant Plan
are from treasury.
The fair value of restricted share units (RSUs) is measured using the fair value of the Company's shares as if the RSUs were vested and issued on the
grant date. An estimate of forfeitures is applied when determining compensation expense. All shares issued under the Company's Long Term Incentive
Plan (LTIP) are from treasury.
Income Taxes
Income tax expense includes Canadian, U.S., and foreign income taxes.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and
liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established
when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts that are more likely than not to be realized. We consider many factors when assessing the
likelihood of future realization of our deferred tax assets, including our recent cumulative loss experience and expectations of future earnings, capital
gains and investment in the applicable jurisdiction, the carry-forward periods available to us for tax reporting purposes, and other relevant factors.
The Company evaluates tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing tax returns to determine whether the tax positions have met
a “more-likely-than-not” threshold of being sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax benefits related to tax positions not deemed to meet the “more-
likely-than-not” threshold are not permitted to be recognized in the consolidated financial statements.
Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share are calculated by dividing net earnings attributable to common equity holders of the Company by the weighted average number
of shares of common stock outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share are calculated by dividing net earnings attributable to common equity
holders of the Company by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the year, plus the effect of dilutive potential
common stock outstanding during the year.
The Company uses the treasury stock method for calculating the effect of dilutive potential common stock from employee stock options and employee
RSUs. This method requires that dilutive effect be calculated as if all dilutive potential common stock had been exercised at the latest of the beginning of
the year or on the date of issuance, as the case may be, and that the funds obtained thereby (plus an amount equivalent to the unamortized portion of
related stock-based compensation costs) be used to purchase common stock of the Company at the average fair value of the common stock during the
year.
The Company uses the if-converted method for calculating the effect of dilutive potential common stock from its 0.125% convertible senior notes due
2025 (the "Notes"). If the effect of the if-converted method is dilutive, net earnings are adjusted for the after tax effect of debt interest relating to the
Notes and the amount of dilutive potential common stock are included in the total number of shares used to compute diluted earnings per share. If the
effect of the if-converted method is anti-dilutive, no adjustments are made to net earnings or the total number of shares used to compute diluted earnings
per share. The Company
14
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
applies this method by using the common stock issuable upon conversion determined by the end-of-period conversion price.
Foreign Currency Translation and Transactions
The functional and reporting currency of the Company and its subsidiaries is the USD. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies
are re-measured to USD using the exchange rates at the consolidated balance sheet dates. Non-monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign
currencies are measured in USD using historical exchange rates. Revenues and expenses are measured using the actual exchange rates prevailing on the
dates of the transactions. Gains and losses resulting from re-measurement are recorded in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and
comprehensive income (loss) as foreign exchange gain (loss), with the exception of foreign exchange forward contracts used for hedging which are re-
measured in other comprehensive income (loss) and the gain (loss) is then reclassified into earnings to either cost of revenue or operating expenses in the
same period, or period, during which the hedged transaction affects earnings.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all short term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into known amounts of cash, with original maturities at their
acquisition date of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Marketable Securities
The Company’s marketable securities consist of U.S. and Canadian federal agency bonds, U.S. term deposits, and corporate bonds and commercial paper,
and mature within 12 months from the date of purchase. Marketable securities are classified as held-to-maturity at the time of purchase and this
classification is re-evaluated as of each consolidated balance sheet date. Held-to-maturity securities represent those securities that the Company has both
the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity and are carried at amortized cost. Interest on these securities, as well as amortization/accretion of
premiums/discounts, are included in interest income. Marketable securities are assessed as to whether any unrealized loss positions are other than
temporarily impaired. Impairments are considered other than temporary if they are related to deterioration in credit risk or if it is likely the Company
would be required to sell the securities before the recovery of their remaining amortized cost basis. Realized gains and losses determined to be other than
temporary are determined based on the specific identification method and are reported in other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of
operations and comprehensive income (loss).
Investments
The Company has minority equity and other investments in private companies without readily determinable fair values that it carries at cost with
adjustments for observable changes in price or impairments (referred to as the measurement alternative).
Fair Value Measurements
The carrying amounts for cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, trade and other receivables, merchant cash advances receivable, loans, trade
accounts payable and accruals, and employee related accruals approximate fair value due to the short-term maturities of these instruments.
The Company measures the fair value of its financial assets and liabilities using a fair value hierarchy. A financial instrument’s classification within the
fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Three levels of inputs may be used to measure
fair value.
Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
15
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
Level 2: Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or
other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Level 3
assets and liabilities include financial instruments whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar
techniques, as well as instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation.
Derivatives and Hedging
The majority of the Company's derivative products are foreign exchange forward contracts, which are designated as cash flow hedges of foreign currency
forecasted expenses. By their nature, derivative financial instruments involve risk, including the credit risk of non-performance by counterparties. The
Company may hold foreign exchange forward contracts to mitigate the risk of future foreign exchange rate volatility related to future Canadian dollar
(CAD) denominated costs and current and future obligations.
The Company's foreign currency forward contracts generally have maturities of twelve months or less. The critical terms match method is used when the
key terms of the hedging instrument and that of the hedged item are aligned; therefore, the changes in fair value of the forward contracts are recorded in
accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI). The effective portion of the gain or loss on each forward contract is reported as a component of AOCI
and reclassified into earnings to either cost of revenue or operating expense in the same period, or periods, during which the hedged transaction affects
earnings. The ineffective portion of the gains or losses, if any, is recorded immediately in other income (expense).
For hedges that do not qualify for the critical terms match method of accounting, a formal assessment is performed to verify that derivatives used in
hedging transactions continue to be highly effective in offsetting the changes in fair value or cash flows of the hedged item. Hedge accounting is
discontinued if a derivative ceases to be highly effective, matures, is terminated or sold, if a hedged forecasted transaction is no longer probable of
occurring, or if the Company removes the derivative's hedge designation. For discontinued cash flow hedges, the accumulated gain or loss on the
derivative remains in AOCI and is reclassified into earnings in the period in which the previously hedged forecasted transaction impacts earnings or is no
longer probable of occurring.
In addition, the Company has a master netting agreement with each of the Company's counterparties, which permits net settlement of multiple, separate
derivative contracts with a single payment. The Company presents its derivative instruments on a net basis in the consolidated financial statements.
Provision for Credit Losses Related to Merchant Cash Advances and Loans
Merchant cash advance receivables and loans represent the aggregate amount of Shopify Capital related receivables owed by merchants as of the balance
sheet date, net of an allowance for expected credit losses. The Company estimates the provision based on an assessment of various factors, including
historical trends, merchants' gross merchandise volume, supportable forecasted information and other factors, including the potential impact of the novel
coronavirus ("COVID-19"), that may affect the merchants' ability to make future payments on the receivables. Additions to the provision are reflected in
current operating results, while charges against the provision are made when losses are incurred. These additions are classified within transaction and loan
losses on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). Recoveries are reflected as a reduction in the allowance for credit
losses related to merchant cash advances and loans when the recovery occurs.
16
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
Provision for Transaction Losses Related to Shopify Payments and Shop Pay Installments
Shopify Payments and Shop Pay Installments losses arise when refunded merchant transactions cannot be recovered. The Company estimates the
provision based on an assessment of various factors, including historical trends, gross merchandise volume facilitated using Shopify Payments and Shop
Pay Installments, supportable forecasted information and other factors, including the potential impact of COVID-19, that may increase the volume of
refunded transactions. Additions to the provision are reflected in current operating results, while charges against the provision are made when losses are
incurred. These additions are classified within transaction and loan losses on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
Convertible Senior Notes
The Company accounts for the Notes as separate liability and equity components. The Company determined the carrying amount of the liability
component as the fair value of a similar debt instrument that does not have an associated conversion feature. The carrying amount of the equity
component representing the conversion option was calculated by deducting the fair value of the liability component from the principal amount of the
Notes. This difference represents a debt discount that is amortized to interest expense over the term of the Notes using the effective interest rate method.
The equity component is not remeasured as long as it continues to meet the conditions for equity classification.
The offering costs incurred related to the issuance of the Notes were allocated to the liability and equity components based on their relative initial carrying
values. Offering costs attributable to the liability component are being amortized to interest expense over the respective terms of the Notes, and offering
costs attributable to the equity component are netted against the equity component of the Notes in shareholders' equity.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and impairment. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the
estimated useful lives of the related assets. Computer equipment and fulfillment robots are depreciated over the lesser of three years and their estimated
useful lives while office furniture and equipment are depreciated over four years. Leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the
shorter of their estimated useful lives or the term of their associated leases, which range from one to fifteen years.
The carrying values of property and equipment are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
amounts of such assets may not be recoverable. The determination of whether any impairment exists includes a comparison of estimated undiscounted
future cash flows anticipated to be generated over the remaining life of an asset or asset group to their net carrying value. If the estimated undiscounted
future cash flows associated with the asset or asset group are less than the carrying value, an impairment loss will be recorded based on the estimated fair
value.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets are stated at cost, less accumulated amortization and impairment. Amortization is calculated using the straight-line method over the
estimated useful lives of the related assets. Purchased software is amortized over a three year period, acquired technology is amortized over a two to nine
year period, acquired customer relationships are amortized over a two to five year period, capitalized software development costs are amortized over a
two to three year period, and other intangible assets are amortized over a three to ten year period. Amortization is recorded into cost of revenues and
operating expenses, depending on the nature of the asset.
17
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The carrying values of intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of
such assets may not be recoverable. The determination of whether any impairment exists includes a comparison of estimated undiscounted future cash
flows anticipated to be generated over the remaining life of the asset or asset group to their net carrying value. If the estimated undiscounted future cash
flows associated with the asset or asset group are less than the carrying value, an impairment loss will be recorded based on the estimated fair value.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of net assets of a business acquired in a business combination. Goodwill
is not amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually. Should certain events or indicators of impairment occur between annual impairment
tests, the Company will perform the impairment test as those events or indicators occur. Examples of such events or circumstances include the following:
a significant decline in the Company’s expected future cash flows; a sustained, significant decline in the Company’s fair value; a significant adverse
change in the business climate; and slower growth rates.
Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level by first performing a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not
that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The qualitative assessment considers the following factors: macroeconomic
conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, overall company financial performance, events affecting the reporting unit, and changes in
the Company’s fair value. If the reporting unit does not pass the qualitative assessment, the Company carries out a quantitative test for impairment of
goodwill. This is done by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit with the carrying value of the reporting unit that includes goodwill. If the fair
value of the reporting unit is greater than its carrying value, including goodwill, no impairment results. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its
carrying value, including goodwill, an impairment loss would be recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income
(loss) in an amount equal to that difference, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The Company has an unconditional
option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to performing the quantitative goodwill impairment
test. The Company may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period.
Business Combinations
The Company follows the acquisition method to account for business combinations in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations. The acquisition
method of accounting requires that assets acquired and liabilities assumed be recorded at their estimated fair values on the date of a business acquisition.
The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value is recorded as goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final
determination of the values of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments would be recorded in the
consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
Segment Information
The Company’s chief operating decision maker (CODM) is a function comprised of two executives, specifically the Chief Executive Officer and the
Chief Financial Officer. The CODM is the highest level of management responsible for assessing Shopify’s overall performance, and making operational
decisions such as resource allocations related to operations, product prioritization, and delegations of authority. Management has determined that the
Company operates in a single operating and reportable segment.
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, trade and other receivables, merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables, and
foreign exchange derivative products subject the
18
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
Company to concentrations of credit risk. Management mitigates this risk associated with cash and cash equivalents by making deposits and entering into
foreign exchange derivative products only with large banks and financial institutions that are considered to be highly creditworthy. Management mitigates
the risks associated with marketable securities by adhering to its investment policy, which stipulates minimum rating requirements, maximum investment
exposures and maximum maturities. Due to the Company’s diversified merchant base, there is no particular concentration of credit risk related to the
Company’s trade and other receivables and merchant cash advances and loans receivable. Trade and other receivables and merchant cash advances and
loans receivable are monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure timely collection of amounts. The Company has mitigated some of the risks associated with
Shopify Capital by entering into an agreement with a third party that insures a portion of the merchant cash advances and loans offered by Shopify
Capital. The receivable related to insurance recoveries is included in the merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables balance. There are no
receivables from individual merchants accounting for 10% or more of revenues or receivables. Potential ongoing effects from COVID-19 on the
Company's credit risk have been considered and have resulted in adjustments to the Company's allowances for expected credit losses on contract balances
and merchant cash advances and loans, as discussed in notes 7 and 8, respectively. The Company continues its assessment given the fluidity of COVID-
19's global impact.
Interest Rate Risk
Certain of the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities and loans earn interest. The Company’s trade and other receivables, accounts
payable and accrued liabilities and lease liabilities do not bear interest. The Company's Notes have a fixed annual interest rate and thus, the Company
does not have economic interest rate exposure on the Notes. The Company is not exposed to material interest rate risk.
Foreign Exchange Risk
The Company’s exposure to foreign exchange risk is primarily related to fluctuations between the CAD and the USD. The Company is exposed to foreign
exchange fluctuations on the revaluation of foreign currency assets and liabilities. The Company uses foreign exchange derivative products to manage the
impact of foreign exchange fluctuations. By their nature, derivative financial instruments involve risk, including the credit risk of non-performance by
counter parties.
While the majority of the Company's revenues and cost of revenues are denominated in USD, a significant portion of operating expenses are incurred in
CAD. As a result, earnings are adversely affected by an increase in the value of the CAD relative to the USD.
19
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The following table summarizes the effects on revenues, cost of revenues, operating expenses, and income (loss) from operations of a 10%
strengthening of the CAD versus the USD without considering the impact of the Company's hedging activities and without factoring in any potential
changes in demand for the Company's solutions as a result of changes in the CAD to USD exchange rates:
(1)
Years ended
Revenues
Cost of revenues
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
GAAP Amounts As
Reported
$
2,929,491 $
(1,387,971)
(1,451,367)
$
$
90,153 $
December 31, 2020
Exchange Rate
Effect
$
(2)
(3)
At 10% Stronger
CAD Rate
$
2,936,858
(1,395,871)
(1,498,659)
42,328
GAAP Amounts As
Reported
$
1,578,173 $
(712,530)
(1,006,790)
$
$
(141,147) $
7,367 $
(7,900)
(47,292)
(47,825) $
December 31, 2019
Exchange Rate
Effect
$
(2)
(3)
At 10% Stronger
CAD Rate
$
1,581,321
(716,813)
(1,046,295)
(181,787)
3,148 $
(4,283)
(39,505)
(40,640) $
(1) A 10% weakening of the CAD versus the USD would have an equal and opposite impact on our revenues, cost of revenues, operating expenses and income (loss) from operations as
presented in the table.
(2) Represents the increase or decrease in GAAP amounts reported resulting from a 10% strengthening in the CAD-USD foreign exchange rates.
(3) Represents the outcome that would have resulted had the CAD-USD rates in those periods been 10% stronger than they actually were, excluding the impact of our hedging program and
without factoring in any potential changes in demand for the Company's solutions as a result of changes in the CAD-USD exchange rates.
Accounting Pronouncements Adopted in the Year
In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (Topic 326),
which replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader
range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates on loans, trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, and
other instruments. In May 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, which
provides transition relief that is optional for, and available to, all reporting entities within the scope of Topic 326. The updates are effective for annual
periods beginning after December 15, 2019 including interim periods within those periods. The Company adopted the standard effective January 1, 2020
using a modified retrospective approach. Upon adoption, the Company changed its approach to estimating its expected credit losses, which did not have a
material impact on any of its existing allowances at that time.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's
Own Equity, which eliminates certain models associated with accounting for convertible instruments, makes targeted improvements to the disclosures for
convertible instruments and earnings per share guidance, and amends the guidance for the derivative scope exception for contracts in an entity's own
equity. The updates are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021 including interim periods within those periods. Early adoption is
permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those periods. The Company will early
adopt this ASU effective January 1, 2021. The Company is currently in the process of finalizing its assessment of the impact of this ASU. Upon adoption,
the Company will no longer separately account for the liability and equity components of its Notes, which exist under current accounting guidance. As a
result of the adoption, non-cash interest expense related to its currently outstanding Notes will be eliminated.
20
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
4.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents balance was $2,703,597 and $649,916, respectively. These balances
included $1,927,013 and $423,443, respectively, of money market funds, repurchase agreements, U.S. federal bonds and corporate bonds and commercial
paper.
5.
Financial Instruments
As at December 31, 2020, the carrying amount and fair value of the Company’s financial instruments were as follows:
Level 1
$
Level 2
$
Level 3
$
Carrying
Amount
Fair Value
Carrying
Amount
Fair Value
Carrying
Amount
Fair Value
Assets:
Cash equivalents:
U.S. federal bonds
Corporate bonds and commercial paper
Repurchase agreements
Marketable securities:
U.S. term deposits
U.S. federal bonds
Canadian federal bonds
Corporate bonds and commercial paper
Derivative assets:
174,397
134,056
—
885,000
1,224,052
24,988
—
174,399
134,396
—
887,102
1,226,657
24,987
—
—
—
290,000
—
—
—
1,550,330
—
—
290,001
—
—
—
1,552,907
Foreign exchange forward contracts
—
—
16,340
16,340
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
The fair values above include accrued interest of $7,563, which is excluded from the carrying amounts. The accrued interest is included in Trade and
other receivables in the consolidated balance sheets.
As at December 31, 2019, the carrying amount and fair value of the Company’s financial instruments were as follows:
Level 1
$
Level 2
$
Level 3
$
Carrying
Amount
Fair Value
Carrying
Amount
Fair Value
Carrying
Amount
Fair Value
Assets:
Cash equivalents:
Repurchase agreements
Marketable securities:
U.S. term deposits
U.S. federal bonds
Canadian federal bonds
Corporate bonds and commercial paper
Derivative assets:
—
—
200,000
200,009
300,000
222,713
69,922
—
301,354
223,403
69,919
—
—
—
—
1,212,643
—
—
—
1,216,822
Foreign exchange forward contracts
—
—
5,830
5,830
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
21
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The fair values above include accrued interest of $5,754, which is excluded from the carrying amounts. The accrued interest is included in Trade and
other receivables in the consolidated balance sheets.
All cash equivalents and marketable securities mature within one year of the consolidated balance sheet date. There were no transfers between Levels 1, 2
and 3 during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
As at December 31, 2020, the Company held foreign exchange forward contracts to convert USD into CAD, with a total notional value of $340,843
(December 31, 2019 - $285,700), to fund a portion of its operations. The foreign exchange forward contracts have maturities of twelve months or less.
The fair value of foreign exchange forward contracts and corporate bonds was based upon Level 2 inputs, which included period-end mid-market
quotations for each underlying contract as calculated by the financial institution with which the Company has transacted. The quotations are based on
bid/ask quotations and represent the discounted future settlement amounts based on current market rates.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
The Company has a hedging program to mitigate the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on future cash flows and earnings. Under this program the
Company has entered into foreign exchange forward contracts with certain financial institutions and designated those hedges as cash flow hedges. As of
December 31, 2020, $16,340 of unrealized gains related to changes in the fair value of foreign exchange forward contracts designated as cash flow hedges
were included in accumulated other comprehensive income and current assets on the consolidated balance sheet. These amounts are expected to be
reclassified into earnings over the next twelve months. In the year ended December 31, 2020, $2,985 of realized losses (December 31, 2019 - $5,181 of
realized losses) related to the maturity of foreign exchange forward contracts designated as cash flow hedges were included in cost of revenues and
operating expenses. Under the current hedging program, the Company is hedging cash flows associated with payroll and facility costs.
Convertible Senior Notes
As at December 31, 2020, the estimated fair value of the Company's 0.125% convertible senior notes, as further described in note 16 below, was
approximately $1,098,342. The estimated fair value was determined based on the last executed trade for the Notes of the reporting period in an over-the-
counter market, which is considered as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.
22
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
6.
Investments
The Company holds equity and other investments in private companies without readily determinable fair values that it carries at cost less impairments,
with subsequent adjustments for observable changes (referred to as the measurement alternative). The carrying amount of such investments as at
December 31, 2020 was $173,454 (December 31, 2019 - $2,500). For the year ended December 31, 2020, unrealized gains of $135,193 relating to these
investments were recorded within other income in the statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
In July 2020, the Company received an investment in Affirm Holdings, Inc. ("Affirm") in conjunction with its strategic partnership for Shop Pay
Installments. The Level 3 fair value measurement of this investment at July 2020 was $24,710, which was determined based on an income approach for
which the Company developed certain key assumptions, including revenue growth rates and a discount rate. In September 2020, the Company identified
an observable transaction for a similar investment in Affirm, which resulted in a fair value measurement at the date of the observable transaction. As such,
as at December 31, 2020, the carrying value of the Company’s investment in Affirm is $158,000. For the year ended December 31, 2020, an unrealized
gain of $133,239 was recorded within other income in the statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss). As discussed further in note 26,
Subsequent Event, Affirm priced its initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq on January 13, 2021. As a result, the fair value of the
investment will be readily determinable in future reporting periods and the use of the measurement alternative will no longer be applicable.
7.
Trade and Other Receivables
Unbilled revenues, net
Indirect taxes receivable
Trade receivables, net
Accrued interest
Other receivables
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
January 1, 2019
$
50,073
45,961
13,449
7,563
3,706
120,752
31,629
36,821
9,660
5,754
6,665
90,529
12,653
3,774
11,191
5,109
8,620
41,347
Unbilled revenues represent amounts not yet billed to merchants related to subscription fees for Plus merchants, transaction fees and shipping and
fulfillment charges, as at the consolidated balance sheet date.
The allowance for credit losses reflects the Company's best estimate of probable losses inherent in the unbilled revenues and trade receivables accounts.
The Company determined the provision based on known troubled accounts, historical experience, supportable forecasts of collectibility, potential impacts
of COVID-19 and other currently available evidence.
23
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
Activity in the allowance for credit losses was as follows:
Balance, beginning of the year
Provision for credit losses related to uncollectible receivables
Write-offs
(1)
Balance, end of the year
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
2,894
6,793
(3,646)
6,041
1,023
2,836
(965)
2,894
(1) The provision for the year ended December 31, 2020 includes expected losses as a result of macroeconomic factors, including the impact of COVID-19.
8.
Merchant Cash Advances, Loans and Related Receivables
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
January 1, 2019
$
Merchant cash advances receivable, gross
(1)
Related receivables
Allowance for credit losses related to uncollectible merchant cash
advances receivable
Loans receivable, gross
Allowance for credit losses related to uncollectible loans receivable
Merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables, net
218,840
819
(15,816)
43,644
(2,764)
244,723
(1) Presentation of related receivables represents a comparative figure reclassification referenced in note 25.
131,227
3,179
(10,420)
28,547
(2,361)
150,172
77,653
4,482
(6,249)
16,959
(972)
91,873
The following table summarizes the activities of the Company’s allowance for credit losses related to uncollectible merchant cash advances and loans
receivable:
Allowance, beginning of the year
Provision for credit losses related to uncollectible merchant cash advances receivable
Merchant cash advances receivable charged off, net of recoveries
Provision for credit losses related to uncollectible loans receivable
Loans receivable charged off, net of recoveries
Allowance, end of the year
Related receivables
(1)
(2)
Allowance, net of related receivables
(2)
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
12,781
13,896
(8,500)
1,915
(1,512)
18,580
(819)
17,761
7,221
11,954
(7,783)
2,655
(1,266)
12,781
(3,179)
9,602
(1) Presentation of related receivables represents a comparative figure reclassification referenced in note 25.
(2) The provision for the year ended December 31, 2020 includes expected losses as a result of macroeconomic factors, including the impact of COVID-19.
24
9.
Other Current Assets
Prepaid expenses
Other current assets
Foreign exchange contracts
Deposits
10.
Property and Equipment
Leasehold improvements
Computer equipment
Fulfillment robots
Office furniture and equipment
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
25,053
17,478
16,340
9,376
68,247
20,840
6,810
5,830
12,853
46,333
December 31, 2020
Accumulated
depreciation and
impairment
$
(1)
65,052
15,056
2,005
17,501
99,614
Cost
$
131,196
24,387
5,419
30,716
191,718
Net book
value
$
66,144
9,331
3,414
13,215
92,104
Net book
value
$
85,802
7,152
3,023
15,421
111,398
(1) Included in accumulated depreciation is $16,838 of impairment on leasehold improvements in the year.
Leasehold improvements
Computer equipment
Fulfillment robots
Office furniture and equipment
Cost
$
110,477
18,141
3,220
25,821
157,659
December 31, 2019
Accumulated
depreciation
$
24,675
10,989
197
10,400
46,261
During the year ended December 31, 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company decided to move from a primarily physical office-centric
work model to a primarily digital work-from-home-centric work model. The Company plans to keep, but repurpose certain office locations to support the
new model and terminate or sublet other office locations that it ceases to use.
With respect to certain office space the Company has ceased using, for which the lease has been or will be either terminated or sublet, the Company has
changed its asset groups, through a change in facts and circumstances, and recorded an impairment charge of $16,838 related to its leasehold
improvements in the year ended December 31, 2020. These losses were determined by comparing the asset groups' fair values, made up of the right-of-
use assets and leasehold improvements, to their carrying values as of the impairment measurement date, as required under ASC 360, Property, Plant and
Equipment. Fair value was determined based on the present value of the estimated future cash flows. These estimates may vary from the actual amounts
due to termination or sublease agreements ultimately executed, if at all, which may result in additional charges. These charges were recorded as general
and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
25
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
With respect to certain office locations expected to be kept, but repurposed, the Company has recognized accelerated depreciation of certain leasehold
improvements and furniture in order to reflect changes that it plans to make to accommodate greater physical distancing and increased team onsite
meeting spaces. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company identified $40,457 of leasehold improvements and furniture that will be
accelerated over a 2 to 3 year period as the Company retrofits its existing offices.
During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company retired and disposed of computer equipment with an original cost of $1,677 and $693,
respectively. There was no gain or loss recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) as a result of the
retirement and disposal of these assets.
The following table illustrates the classification of depreciation in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss):
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
11.
Intangible Assets
Acquired technology
Software development costs
Acquired customer relationships
Purchased software
Other intangible assets
Acquired technology
Software development costs
Acquired customer relationships
Purchased software
Other intangible assets
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
3,160
9,710
19,587
5,735
38,192
1,253
4,929
7,940
2,657
16,779
Cost
$
161,643
27,520
8,435
6,973
4,351
208,922
Cost
$
161,643
27,489
8,435
6,973
4,120
208,660
December 31, 2020
Accumulated
amortization
$
Net book
value
$
36,953
25,720
2,677
6,773
1,123
73,246
124,690
1,800
5,758
200
3,228
135,676
December 31, 2019
Accumulated
amortization
$
Net book
value
$
17,332
16,690
1,016
5,639
701
41,378
144,311
10,799
7,419
1,334
3,419
167,282
Amortization expense related to the capitalized internally developed software was $9,030 and $7,464 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019,
respectively, and is included in cost of revenues, sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated
statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
26
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The following table illustrates the classification of amortization expense related to intangible assets in the consolidated statements of operations and
comprehensive income (loss):
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Estimated future amortization expense related to intangible assets, as at December 31, 2020 is as follows:
Fiscal Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Thereafter
Total
12.
Leases
28,885
2,184
273
526
31,868
17,535
998
266
73
18,872
Amount
$
20,816
18,088
17,716
17,384
16,186
45,486
135,676
The Company has office leases in Canada, the United States, Singapore, Ireland and other countries in Europe and Asia. These leases have remaining
lease terms of 1 year to 12 years, some of which include options to extend the leases for up to 10 years. Additional office space leases are set to
commence between 2021 and 2026, at which point the Company's right-of-use assets and lease liabilities will increase. The Company has entered into
various lease agreements for office space that are set to commence after December 31, 2020, which will create significant right-of-use assets and lease
liabilities. All of the Company's leases are operating leases.
The components of lease expense were as follows:
Operating lease expense
Variable lease expense, including non-lease components
Total lease expense
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
20,488
15,165
35,653
16,372
12,971
29,343
As at December 31, 2020, the weighted average remaining lease term is 9 years and the weighted average discount rate is 4.4% (December 31, 2019 - 9
years and 4.9%, respectively).
During the year ended December 31, 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company decided to move from a primarily physical office-centric
work model to a primarily digital work-from-home-centric work model. The Company plans to keep, but repurpose certain office locations to support the
new model and terminate or sublet other office locations that it ceases to use.
27
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
With respect to certain office space the Company has ceased using, for which the lease has been or will be either terminated or sublet, the Company has
changed its asset groups, through a change in facts and circumstances, and recorded an impairment charge of $14,785 related to its right-of-use assets in
the year ended December 31, 2020. These losses were determined by comparing the asset groups' fair values, made up of the right-of-use assets and
leasehold improvements, to their carrying values as of the impairment measurement date, as required under ASC 360, Property, Plant and Equipment. Fair
value was determined based on the present value of the estimated future cash flows. These estimates may vary from the actual amounts due to termination
or sublease agreements ultimately executed, if at all, which may result in additional charges. These charges were recorded as general and administrative
expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
Maturities of lease liabilities as at December 31, 2020 were as follows:
Fiscal Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Thereafter
Total future minimum payments
Minimum payments related to leases that have not yet commenced
Minimum payments related to variable lease payments, including non-lease components
Imputed interest
Total lease liabilities
Operating Leases
$
23,446
43,257
43,183
53,957
53,535
368,014
585,392
(159,085)
(236,607)
(34,813)
154,887
13.
Goodwill
The Company's goodwill relates to previous acquisitions of various companies including, but not limited to, 6RS which was acquired on October 17, 2019
(see note 24).
The Company completed its annual impairment test of goodwill as of September 30, 2020. The Company elected its option to bypass the qualitative
assessment pursuant to ASC 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other, and performed a quantitative assessment. The Company determined that the
consolidated business is represented by a single reporting unit and concluded that the estimated fair value of the reporting unit, determined using market
capitalization, was greater than its carrying amount.
There were no indicators of impairment between September 30, 2020, the date on which the Company completed its annual impairment test of goodwill,
and December 31, 2020. No goodwill impairment was recognized in the years ended December 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019.
28
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The gross changes in the carrying amount of goodwill as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 are as follows:
Balance, beginning of the year
Acquisition of 6 River Systems, Inc.
Other acquisitions
Balance, end of the year
14.
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
Trade accounts payable and trade accruals
Employee related accruals
Indirect taxes payable
Other payables and accruals
15.
Deferred Revenue
Balance, beginning of the year
Deferral of revenue
Deferred revenue from acquisitions
Recognition of deferred revenue
Balance, end of the year
Current portion
Long term portion
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
311,865
—
—
311,865
38,019
264,527
9,319
311,865
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
168,720
61,891
54,097
16,087
300,795
90,517
32,372
52,018
6,286
181,193
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
62,660
119,324
—
(53,169)
128,815
41,061
46,291
8,901
(33,593)
62,660
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
107,809
21,006
128,815
56,691
5,969
62,660
The opening balances of current and long-term deferred revenue were $39,180 and $1,881, respectively, as of January 1, 2019.
29
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
16.
Convertible Senior Notes
In September 2020, the Company issued $920,000 aggregate principal amount of 0.125% convertible senior notes due 2025. The net proceeds from the
issuance of the Notes were $907,950 after deducting underwriting fees and offering costs.
The interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year, beginning on May 1, 2021. The Notes will mature
on November 1, 2025, unless earlier redeemed or repurchased by the Company or converted pursuant to their terms.
The Notes will have an initial conversion rate of 0.6944 Class A subordinate voting shares per one thousand dollars of principal amount of Notes, which
is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $1,440.09 per share. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment following the occurrence of
certain specified events, as set out or defined in the Trust indenture agreement for the Notes. In addition, upon the occurrence of a make-whole
fundamental change prior to the maturity date or upon our issuance of a notice of redemption, as set out or defined in the Trust indenture agreement for
the Notes, the Company will, in certain circumstances, increase the conversion rate by a number of additional Class A subordinate voting shares for a
holder that elects to convert its Notes in connection with such make-whole fundamental change or during the relevant redemption period.
Prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2025, the Notes may be convertible at the option of the holders only
under the following circumstances:
(1) during any calendar quarter commencing after March 31, 2021, and only during such calendar quarter, if the last reported sale price of the Class A
subordinate voting shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) in a period of
30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is more than or equal to
130% of the conversion price for the Notes on each applicable trading day;
(2) during the ten business day period after any ten consecutive trading day period in which, for each trading day of that period, the trading price per
one thousand dollars principal amount of Notes for each trading day was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of the Class A
subordinate voting shares on the NYSE and the conversion rate for the Notes on each such trading day;
(3) if the Company calls any or all of the Notes for optional redemption, clean-up redemption or tax redemption, at any time prior to the close of
business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the redemption date; or
(4) upon the occurrence of certain specified corporate events.
On or after August 1, 2025, until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, holders of the Notes
may, at their option, convert all or any portion of their Notes regardless of the foregoing conditions.
Upon conversion, the Company can elect to settle in cash, Class A subordinate voting shares, or a combination of cash and Class A subordinate voting
shares.
On or after September 15, 2023, the Company may, at its option, redeem for cash all or any portion of the Notes if the last reported sale price of the
Company's Class A subordinate voting shares on the NYSE has been at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days
(whether or not consecutive) during any 30 consecutive trading day period (including the last trading day of such period) ending on, and including, the
trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company provides
30
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
notice of redemption at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but
excluding, the redemption date. No "sinking fund" is provided for the Notes.
The Company may redeem for cash all, but not less than all, of the Notes at any time if less than $80,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes remains
outstanding at such time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to,
but excluding, the redemption date.
The Company may redeem all, but not less than all, of the Notes if the Company has or would become obligated to pay to the holder of any Note
additional amounts (which are more than a de minimis amount) as a result of a change in applicable Canadian tax laws or regulations after September 15,
2020 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest (including additional
interest, if any) to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date but without reduction for applicable Canadian taxes (except in respect of certain
excluded holders).
Upon the occurrence of a fundamental change (as set out or defined in the Trust indenture agreement for the Notes) prior to the maturity date of the Notes,
the Company, subject to limited exceptions, will be required to offer to purchase all of the Notes for cash at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount
thereof, plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the fundamental change purchase date.
The Notes are governed by customary terms and covenants, including that upon certain events of default occurring and continuing, either the Trustee or
the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may declare 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid
interest on, all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.
The Notes are senior unsecured obligations and will rank senior in right of payment to any of the Company’s indebtedness that is expressly subordinated
in right of payment to the Notes; equal in right of payment with the Company’s existing and future unsecured liabilities that are not so subordinated;
effectively subordinated to any of the Company’s secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally
junior to all indebtedness and other liabilities (including trade payables) of current or future subsidiaries of the Company.
In accounting for the issuance of the Notes, the Company separated the Notes into liability and equity components. The carrying amount of the liability
component was calculated as the fair value of a similar debt instrument that does not have an associated conversion feature. The net carrying amount of
the equity component representing the conversion option was $158,810 and was calculated by deducting the fair value of the liability component and
offering costs attributable to the equity component from the principal amount of the Notes. The equity component is not remeasured as long as it
continues to meet the conditions for equity classification. The excess of the principal amount of the liability component over its carrying amount, or the
debt discount, is amortized to interest expense at an annual effective interest rate of 4.01% over the contractual terms of the Notes.
In accounting for the offering costs related to the Notes, the Company allocated the total amount incurred to the liability and equity components based on
their relative initial carrying values. Offering costs attributable to the liability component were approximately $9,944, were recorded as an additional debt
discount and are amortized to interest expense using the effective interest rate method over the contractual terms of the Notes. Offering costs attributable
to the equity component were approximately $2,106 and were netted with the equity component of the Notes in shareholders’ equity.
31
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The net carrying amount of the liability component of the outstanding Notes was as follows:
Principal
Unamortized discounts
Unamortized offering costs
Net carrying amount
The net carrying amount of the equity component of the outstanding Notes was as follows:
Proceeds allocated to the conversion option (debt discount)
Allocated offering costs, net of tax of $112
Net carrying amount
The following table sets forth the interest expense recognized related to the outstanding Notes:
Contractual interest expense
Amortization of debt discount
Amortization of offering costs
Total interest expense related to the outstanding Notes
17.
Credit Facility
December 31, 2020
$
920,000
(152,558)
(9,434)
758,008
December 31, 2020
$
160,804
(1,994)
158,810
Year ended
December 31, 2020
$
329
8,246
510
9,085
The Company has a revolving credit facility with Royal Bank of Canada for $8,000 CAD. The credit facility bears interest at the Royal Bank Prime Rate
plus 0.30%. As at December 31, 2020 the effective rate was 2.75%, and no cash amounts have been drawn under this credit facility.
18.
Commitments and Contingencies
Unconditional Purchase Obligations
The Company has entered into agreements where it commits to certain usage levels related to third party services. The amount of the minimum fixed and
determinable portion of the unconditional purchase obligations over the next five years, as at December 31, 2020, was $223,280.
Litigation and Loss Contingencies
The Company records accruals for loss contingencies when losses are probable and reasonably estimable. From time to time, the Company may become a
party to litigation and subject to claims incidental to the ordinary course of business, including intellectual property claims, labour and employment
claims and threatened claims, breach of contract claims, tax and other matters. The Company currently has no material pending litigation or claims. The
Company is not aware of any litigation matters or loss contingencies that would be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business,
consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
32
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
19.
Shareholders’ Equity
Public Offerings
In September 2020, the Company completed a public offering in which it issued and sold 1,265,000 Class A subordinate voting shares at a public offering
price of $900.00 per share, including the 165,000 Class A subordinate voting shares purchased by the underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the over-
allotment option. The Company received total net proceeds of $1,117,646 after deducting offering fees and expenses of $20,854.
In May 2020, the Company completed a public offering in which it issued and sold 2,127,500 Class A subordinate voting shares at a public offering price
of $700.00 per share, including the 277,500 Class A subordinate voting shares purchased by the underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the over-
allotment option. The Company received total net proceeds of $1,460,945 after deducting offering fees and expenses of $28,305.
In September 2019, the Company completed a public offering in which it issued and sold 2,185,000 Class A subordinate voting shares at a public offering
price of $317.50 per share, including the 285,000 Class A subordinate voting shares purchased by the underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the over-
allotment option. The Company received total net proceeds of $688,014 after deducting offering fees and expenses of $5,724, net of tax of $1,541.
Common Stock Authorized
The Company is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Class A subordinate voting shares and an unlimited number of Class B multiple voting
shares. The Class A subordinate voting shares have one vote per share and the Class B multiple voting shares have 10 votes per share. The Class B
multiple voting shares are convertible into Class A subordinate voting shares on a one-for-one basis at the option of the holder. Class B multiple voting
shares will automatically convert into Class A subordinate voting shares in certain other circumstances.
Preferred Shares
The Company is authorized to issue an unlimited number of preferred shares issuable in series. Each series of preferred shares shall consist of such
number of shares and having such rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions as may be determined by the Company’s Board of Directors prior to the
issuance thereof. Holders of preferred shares, except as otherwise provided in the terms specific to a series of preferred shares or as required by law, will
not be entitled to vote at meetings of holders of shares.
Stock-Based Compensation
In 2008, the Board of Directors adopted and the Company’s shareholders approved the Legacy Stock Option Plan (“the Legacy Option Plan”).
Immediately prior to the completion of the Company’s May 2015 IPO, and in connection with the closing of the offering, each option outstanding under
the Legacy Option Plan became exercisable for one Class B multiple voting share. Following the closing of the Company’s IPO, no further awards were
made under the Legacy Option Plan. The Legacy Option Plan continues to govern awards granted thereunder.
The Company’s Board of Directors and shareholders approved a stock option plan ("Stock Option Plan"), as well as a Long Term Incentive Plan
("LTIP"), each of which became effective upon the closing of the Company's IPO on May 27, 2015. On May 30, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors
and shareholders amended both the Stock Option Plan and the LTIP.
33
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The Stock Option Plan allows for the grant of options to the Company’s officers, directors, employees and consultants. All options granted under the
Stock Option Plan will have an exercise price determined and approved by the Company’s Board of Directors at the time of grant, which shall not be less
than the market price of the Class A subordinate voting shares at such time. For purposes of the Stock Option Plan, the market price of the Class A
subordinate voting shares shall be the volume weighted average trading price of the Class A subordinate voting shares on the NYSE for the five trading
days ending on the last trading day before the day on which the option is granted. Options granted under the Stock Option Plan are exercisable for Class A
subordinate voting shares. Both the vesting period and term of the options in the Stock Option Plan are determined by the Board of Directors at the time
of grant. The majority of grants outstanding under both the Stock Option Plan and the Legacy Option Plan have been approved with a four year vesting
schedule with 25% vesting after one year and the remainder vesting evenly over the remaining 36 months. Options granted under the Stock Option Plan
since November 2017 have been approved with a three year vesting schedule with 1/3 vesting after one year and the remainder vesting evenly over the
remaining 24 months. On October 17, 2019, the Company approved the issuance of rollover options, from treasury, under the 6 River Systems 2016
Amended and Restated Stock Option and Grant Plan, adopted on closing of the acquisition of 6RS.
The LTIP provides for the grant of share units, or LTIP Units, consisting of RSUs, performance share units (PSUs), and deferred share units (DSUs).
Each LTIP Unit represents the right to receive one Class A subordinate voting share in accordance with the terms of the LTIP. Unless otherwise approved
by the Board of Directors, RSUs will vest as to 1/3 each on the first, second and third anniversary dates of the date of grant. Prior to November 2017 all
RSU grants were approved with a four year vesting schedule with 25% vesting after one year and the remainder vesting evenly over the remaining 36
months. RSUs granted since November 2017 have been approved with a three year vesting schedule with 1/3 vesting after one year and the remainder
vesting evenly over the remaining 24 months. A PSU participant’s grant agreement will describe the performance criteria established by the Company’s
Board of Directors that must be achieved for PSUs to vest to the PSU participant, provided the participant is continuously employed by or in the
Company’s service or the service or employment of any of the Company’s affiliates from the date of grant until such PSU vesting date. DSUs will be
granted solely to directors of the Company, at their option, in lieu of their Board retainer fees. DSUs will vest upon a director ceasing to act as a director.
As at the consolidated balance sheet date there have been nil PSUs granted.
The maximum number of Class A subordinate voting shares reserved for issuance, in the aggregate, under the Company's Stock Option Plan and the LTIP
was initially equal to 3,743,692 Class A subordinate voting shares. The number of Class A subordinate voting shares available for issuance, in the
aggregate, under the Stock Option Plan and the LTIP will be automatically increased on January 1st of each year, beginning on January 1, 2016 and
ending on January 1, 2026, in an amount equal to 5% of the aggregate number of outstanding Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple
voting shares on December 31st of the preceding calendar year. As at January 1, 2021, there were 25,384,187 shares available for issuance under the
Company's Stock Option Plan and LTIP.
34
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The following table summarizes the stock option and RSU award activities under the Company's share-based compensation plans for the years ended
December 31, 2020 and 2019:
Shares Subject to Options Outstanding
Outstanding RSUs
Number of
Options
(1)
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
$
Remaining
Contractual Term
(in years)
December 31, 2018
Stock options granted
Stock options exercised
Stock options forfeited
RSUs granted
RSUs settled
RSUs forfeited
December 31, 2019
Stock options granted
Stock options exercised
Stock options forfeited
RSUs granted
RSUs settled
RSUs forfeited
December 31, 2020
5,476,790
488,485
(2,084,063)
(68,970)
—
—
—
3,812,242
258,163
(1,530,759)
(50,369)
—
—
—
2,489,277
32.96
165.03
23.19
68.24
—
—
—
54.59
505.69
46.26
189.56
—
—
—
103.76
6.23
—
—
—
—
—
—
6.14
—
—
—
—
—
—
5.45
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
(2)
$
577,731
—
—
—
—
—
—
1,307,565
—
—
—
—
—
—
2,559,442
Weighted
Average Grant
Date Fair
Value
$
—
126.93
—
—
—
—
—
—
197.26
—
—
—
—
—
—
Outstanding RSUs
2,473,665
—
—
—
888,991
(1,252,250)
(170,488)
1,939,918
—
—
—
473,697
(1,176,637)
(124,011)
1,112,967
Weighted
Average Grant
Date Fair
Value
$
92.40
—
—
—
232.09
84.98
116.06
159.13
—
—
—
645.99
138.04
262.93
377.08
Stock options exercisable
as of December 31, 2020
1,852,236
44.61
4.66
2,014,011
(1) As at December 31, 2020, 992,376 of the outstanding stock options were granted under the Company's Legacy Option Plan and are exercisable for Class B multiple voting shares,
1,441,791 of the outstanding stock options were granted under the Company's Stock Option Plan and are exercisable for Class A subordinate voting shares, and 55,110 of the
outstanding stock options were granted under the 6 River Systems 2016 Amended and Restated Stock Option and Grant Plan and are exercisable for Class A subordinate voting
shares.
(2) The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying stock option awards and the closing market price of the Company's Class
A subordinate voting shares as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.
As at December 31, 2020 the Company had issued 856 Deferred Share Units under its Long Term Incentive Plan.
In connection with the acquisition of 6RS, 122,080 Class A subordinate voting shares were issued with trading restrictions. The restrictions on these
shares are lifted over time and are being accounted for as stock-based compensation as the vesting is contingent on continued employment and therefore
related to post-combination services. As at December 31, 2020, 91,560 of the Class A subordinate voting shares remained restricted.
The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised and RSUs settled during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $2,047,327 and $833,556,
respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying stock option
awards and the market value on the date of exercise.
35
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there was $381,318 and $306,355, respectively, of remaining unamortized compensation cost related to unvested
stock options and RSUs granted to the Company’s employees. This cost will be recognized over an estimated weighted-average remaining period of 2.06
years. Total unamortized compensation cost will be adjusted for future changes in estimated forfeitures.
Stock-Based Compensation Expense
All share-based awards are measured based on the grant date fair value of the awards and recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and
comprehensive income (loss) over the period during which the employee is required to perform services in exchange for the award (generally the vesting
period of the award).
The Company estimates the fair value of stock options granted using the Black-Scholes option valuation model, which requires assumptions, including
the fair value of the Company's underlying common stock, expected term, expected volatility, risk-free interest rate and dividend yield of the Company's
common stock. These estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. If factors change and different assumptions
are used, share-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future.
These assumptions are estimated as follows:
• Fair Value of Common Stock. The Company uses the five-day volume weighted average price for its common stock as reported on the New York
Stock Exchange.
• Expected Term. The Company determines the expected term based on the average period the stock options are expected to remain outstanding. The
Company bases the expected term assumptions on its historical behavior combined with estimates of the post-vesting holding period.
• Expected Volatility. The Company determines the price volatility factor based on the Company's historical volatility over the expected life of the stock
options.
• Risk-Free Interest Rate. The Company bases the risk-free interest rate used in the Black-Scholes valuation model on the yield available on U.S.
Treasury zero-coupon issues with an equivalent remaining term of the stock options for each stock option group.
• Expected Dividend. The Company has not paid and does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future and, therefore, uses an
expected dividend yield of zero in the option pricing model.
The grant weighted average assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options granted to employees were as follows:
Expected volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Dividend yield
Average expected life
Years ended
December 31, 2020
December 31, 2019
46.4 %
1.04 %
Nil
4.41
50.7 %
2.25 %
Nil
4.77
In addition to the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option valuation model, the Company also estimates a forfeiture rate to calculate the share-based
compensation expense for our awards. The Company's forfeiture rate is based on an analysis of its actual forfeitures. The Company will continue to
evaluate the appropriateness of the forfeiture rate based on actual forfeiture experience, analysis of
36
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
employee turnover, and other factors. Changes in the estimated forfeiture rate can have a significant impact on share-based compensation expense as the
cumulative effect of adjusting the rate is recognized in the period the forfeiture estimate is changed. If a revised forfeiture rate is higher/lower than the
previously estimated forfeiture rate, an adjustment is made that will result in an increase/decrease to the share-based compensation expense recognized in
the consolidated financial statements.
The following table illustrates the classification of stock-based compensation in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income
(loss), which includes both stock-based compensation and restricted share-based compensation expense:
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
6,483
40,680
154,119
45,658
246,940
3,572
33,917
93,549
27,418
158,456
20.
Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
The following table summarizes the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), which is reported as a component of shareholders’
equity, for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:
Balance, beginning of the year
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications
Loss on cash flow hedges reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to
earnings were as follows:
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Tax effect on unrealized gain on cash flow hedges
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
Balance, end of the year
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
(Loss)
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
1,046
7,525
151
933
1,460
441
(2,786)
7,724
8,770
(12,216)
12,865
279
1,538
2,620
744
(4,784)
13,262
1,046
37
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
21.
Income Taxes
The domestic and foreign components of income (loss) before income taxes and recovery of (provision for) income taxes were as follows:
Income (loss) before income taxes
Domestic
Foreign
Current income tax recovery (expense)
Domestic
Foreign
Deferred income tax recovery (expense)
Domestic
Foreign
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes
Years ended
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
133,757
106,607
240,364
54,251
(19,907)
34,344
(12,552)
57,353
44,801
79,145
(55,507)
(40,308)
(95,815)
(63,120)
(1,850)
(64,970)
14,351
21,592
35,943
(29,027)
The reconciliation of the expected income tax (expense) recovery to the actual recovery of (provision for) income taxes reported in the consolidated
statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 is as follows:
Years ended
Income (loss) before income taxes
Expected income tax (expense) recovery at Canadian statutory income tax rate of 26.5%
(2019 - 26.5%)
Permanent differences
Foreign tax rate differential
Tax credits earned during the year
Other items
Change in valuation allowance
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
240,364
(63,711)
138,601
16,825
1,900
4,503
(18,973)
79,145
(95,815)
25,400
(74,024)
(1,770)
1,571
1,468
18,328
(29,027)
The Company assesses whether valuation allowances should be established or maintained against its deferred tax assets, based on consideration of all
available evidence, using a "more-likely-than-not" standard. The factors the Company uses to assess the likelihood of realization are its history of losses,
forecasts of future pre-tax income, and tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize the deferred tax assets.
38
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The significant components of the Company’s deferred income tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:
Deferred tax assets
Tax loss carryforwards
Temporary differences on capital and intangible assets
Stock-based compensation expense
Accruals and reserves
Share issuance costs
Temporary differences related to lease assets and liabilities
Investment tax credits
Valuation allowance
Total deferred tax assets
Deferred tax liabilities
Temporary differences on intangible assets
Temporary differences on investments
Other deferred tax liabilities
Total deferred tax liabilities
Net deferred tax assets
December 31, 2020
$
December 31, 2019
$
101,209
50,297
16,653
21,926
14,423
9,292
13,448
(123,345)
103,903
(32,521)
(17,917)
(788)
(51,226)
52,677
59,407
44,445
11,324
10,397
6,590
4,526
694
(89,363)
48,020
(35,967)
—
(1,374)
(37,341)
10,679
In July 2019, the Company formally established its EMEA headquarters in Ireland and its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore. As a result of these
actions, the Company transferred regional relationship and territory rights from its Canadian entity to enable each regional headquarters to develop and
maintain merchant and commercial operations within its respective region, while keeping the ownership of all of the Company's current developed
technology within Canada. These transfers reflect the growing proportion of the Company's business occurring internationally and resulted in a one-time
capital gain.
As a result of the application of the Company's tax rates on the results of ongoing operations, other discrete items, primarily related to tax benefits for
share-based compensation, the impairment of right-of-use assets and fixed assets, unrealized gains on equity and other investments, and considering the
Company's ability to carry-back losses to prior years in Canada along with the reversal of the valuation allowance related to the deferred tax assets in the
United States, Ireland, and Singapore, the Company has a recovery of income taxes of $79,145 in the year ended December 31, 2020.
As a result of the capital gain, ongoing operations, the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities, and the utilization of all applicable credits and
other tax attributes, including loss carryforwards, the Company had a provision for income taxes of $29,027 in the year ended December 31, 2019.
During the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company released the valuation allowance against its deferred income tax assets in
Ireland and Singapore due to the Company's recent regional financial results and its ability to carry forward the assets indefinitely.
Comparatively, during the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company released some of its valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets in
Canada, the United States, and Sweden. In the third quarter of 2019, the Company released a portion of its valuation allowance against its Canadian
deferred tax assets as
39
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
a result of the capital gain from the transfer of the regional relationship and territory rights. In the United States, as a result of the acquisition of 6RS the
Company released a portion of its valuation allowance during its fourth quarter against deferred tax assets on its United States net operating losses.
The Company had no material uncertain income tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. The Company's accounting policy is to
recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense. In the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019,
there was no interest or penalties related to uncertain tax positions.
The Company remains subject to audit by the relevant tax authorities for the years ended 2013 through 2020.
Investment tax credits, which are earned as a result of qualifying R&D expenditures, are recognized and applied to reduce income tax expense in the year
in which the expenditures are made and their realization is reasonably assured.
As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had unused non-capital tax losses of approximately $342,308 and $209,759, respectively. Of the
December 31, 2020 balance, $273,131 of the non-capital tax losses do not expire, while the remaining non-capital losses of $69,177 are due to expire
between 2031 and 2040. As at December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had investment tax credits of $14,629 and $2,111, respectively. The
investment tax credits are due to expire between 2038 and 2040.
22.
Net Income (Loss) per Share
The Company applies the two-class method to calculate its basic and diluted net income (loss) per share as both classes of its voting shares are
participating securities with equal participation rights and are entitled to receive dividends on a share for share basis.
The following table summarizes the reconciliation of the basic weighted average number of shares outstanding and the diluted weighted average number
of shares outstanding:
Numerator:
Net income (loss)
Denominator:
Basic weighted average number of shares outstanding
(1)
Effect of dilutive securities
Diluted weighted average number of shares
Net income (loss) per share:
Basic
Diluted
Years ended
December 31, 2020
December 31, 2019
$
319,509
$
(124,842)
119,569,705
3,893,569
123,463,274
113,026,424
—
113,026,424
$
$
2.67
2.59
$
$
(1.10)
(1.10)
Common stock equivalents excluded from income (loss) per diluted share because they are anti-dilutive
638,848
5,752,833
(1) Included in the effect of dilutive securities is the assumed conversion of employee stock options and employee RSUs. Convertible senior notes have been excluded as they are
anti-dilutive.
40
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
In the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company was in a loss position and therefore diluted loss per share is equal to basic loss per share.
23.
Segment and Geographical Information
The Company has determined that it operates in a single operating and reportable segment.
The following table presents total external revenues by geographic location, based on the location of the Company’s merchants:
December 31, 2020
December 31, 2019
$
%
$
%
Years ended
North America
Canada
United States
EMEA
United Kingdom
Other
APAC
Australia
Other
Latin America
192,721
1,954,105
199,825
254,444
122,007
170,233
36,156
2,929,491
6.6 %
66.7 %
6.8 %
8.7 %
4.2 %
5.8 %
1.2 %
100.0 %
96,168
1,079,520
103,498
121,063
68,571
88,670
20,683
1,578,173
The following table presents the total net book value of the Company’s long-lived physical assets by geographic location:
Canada
United States
Rest of World
24.
Business Acquisitions
6 River Systems, Inc.
December 31, 2020
December 31, 2019
$
%
$
%
75,283
6,141
10,680
92,104
81.7 %
6.7 %
11.6 %
100.0 %
104,349
4,747
2,302
111,398
6.1 %
68.4 %
6.6 %
7.7 %
4.3 %
5.6 %
1.3 %
100.0 %
93.6 %
4.3 %
2.1 %
100.0 %
On October 17, 2019, the Company completed the acquisition of 6RS, a company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States, that provides
collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions. The Company acquired 100 percent of the outstanding shares of 6RS in exchange for cash consideration of
$261,194, and $132,510 in Shopify Class A Subordinate Voting Shares. In connection with the transaction, a further $64,074 in restricted shares and
stock options were issued and are being accounted for as stock-based compensation as they are related to post-combination services. The transaction was
accounted for as a business combination. The operations of 6RS have been consolidated into the Company’s results as of the acquisition date.
41
Shopify Inc.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Expressed in US $000's except share and per share amounts
The following table summarizes the final purchase price allocation of the 6RS assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date:
Net tangible assets and liabilities:
Cash
Trade and other receivables, net
Other current assets
Property and equipment, net
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Current and long-term deferred revenue
Estimated fair value of identifiable intangible assets:
Acquired technology
Customer relationships
Net deferred tax liability on acquired intangibles
Goodwill
Total purchase price
Amount
$
8,158
2,038
4,394
3,551
(4,056)
(8,901)
142,500
7,600
(26,107)
264,527
393,704
The acquired technology was valued at $142,500 using a discounted cash flow methodology and customer relationships were valued at $7,600 using a
cost approach, and are being amortized over 9 and 5 years, respectively. Goodwill from the 6RS acquisition is primarily attributable to the expected
synergies that will result from integrating the 6RS collaborative robot technology with Shopify Fulfillment Network, and the acquisition of the assembled
workforce. None of the goodwill recognized is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes. The deferred tax liability relates to the taxable
temporary difference on the acquired intangible assets.
25.
Comparative Figures
Certain comparative figures have been reclassified in order to conform to the current period presentation.
26.
Subsequent Event
As disclosed in note 6, in July 2020, the Company received an investment in Affirm in conjunction with a strategic partnership for Shop Pay Installments.
Up to January 12, 2021, the Company carried this investment at cost with adjustments for observable changes in price or impairments (referred to as the
measurement alternative) as the fair value was not readily determinable. On January 13, 2021, Affirm priced its initial public offering at $49.00 per share
of Class A common stock and began trading on the Nasdaq. As a result, Affirm's fair value is now readily determinable and therefore, going forward, the
Company will commence accounting for this investment at fair value through earnings, with changes in fair value recorded in other income using the
closing share price on the last trading day of the related reporting period, which is considered as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.
42
EXHIBIT 1.3
February 17, 2021
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
In this Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A"), "we", "us", "our", "Shopify" and "the Company" refer to Shopify Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries,
unless the context requires otherwise. In this MD&A, we explain Shopify's results of operations and cash flows for the fourth quarter and the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, and our financial position as of December 31, 2020. You should read this MD&A together with our sets of audited
consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. Additional information regarding
Shopify, including our 2020 annual information form and our annual report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2020, is available on our website at
www.shopify.com, or at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov.
Our audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America
("U.S. GAAP"). All amounts are in U.S. dollars ("USD") except where otherwise indicated.
Our MD&A is intended to enable readers to gain an understanding of Shopify’s results of operations, cash flows and financial position. To do so, we provide
information and analysis comparing our results of operations, cash flows and financial position for the most recently completed fiscal year with the preceding
fiscal year. We also provide analysis and commentary that we believe will help investors assess our future prospects. In addition, we provide “forward-looking
statements” that are not historical facts, but that are based on our current estimates, beliefs and assumptions and which are subject to known and unknown
important risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Forward-looking
statements are intended to assist readers in understanding management's expectations as of the date of this MD&A and may not be suitable for other purposes. See
“Forward-looking Statements” below.
In this MD&A, references to our “solutions” means the combination of products and services that we offer to merchants, and references to “our merchants” as of
a particular date means the total number of unique shops that are paying for a subscription to our platform.
Forward-looking Statements
This MD&A contains forward-looking statements under the provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and forward-looking information within the
meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "aim", “may”, “will”, “could”, “expects”, "further", “intends”, “plans”,
“anticipates”, “believes”, “potential”, “continue”, or the negative of these terms or other similar words. In addition, any statements or information that refer to
expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying
assumptions, are forward-looking. In particular, forward-looking statements in this MD&A include, but are not limited to, statements about:
•
•
our expectation that we may experience a decrease in gross merchandise volume ("GMV") as a result of lower consumer spending on goods, which
decrease would be partially offset by more traditional businesses expanding or migrating online;
the extent of the impact of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") on our business, financial performance, revenues, and results of operations;
1
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
our expectation that the majority of Shopify employees will work remotely permanently ("digital-by-default");
our plan to repurpose or reconfigure our remaining office space and potentially terminate additional leases or sublet other spaces;
our exploration of new ways to accelerate checkout;
our ability to make it easier for merchants to manage their storefronts via their mobile devices;
the achievement of innovations and enhancements to, and expansion of, our platform and our solutions;
whether a merchant using Shopify will ever need to re-platform;
the continued growth of our app developer, theme designer and partner ecosystem and the effect on the growth of our merchant base;
the continued expansion of the number of channels for merchants to transact through;
our plan to continue making investments to drive future growth;
our expectation that we will continue to invest in, develop and scale Shopify Fulfillment Network to provide our merchants with fast and affordable
fulfillment and our expectation that Shopify Fulfillment Network is well positioned to improve supply chain economics and delivery for merchants;
our intention to accelerate the development of Shopify Fulfillment Network;
our expectation that the gross margin percentage of merchant solutions will decline in the short term as we develop Shopify Fulfillment Network and
6 River Systems Inc. ("6RS");
our expectation that the continued growth of merchant solutions may cause a decline in our overall gross margin percentage;
our expectation that as a result of the continued growth of our merchant solutions offerings, our seasonality will continue to affect our quarterly results
and our business may become more seasonal in the future, and that historical patterns may not be a reliable indicator of our future performance;
the structure of our Shop Pay Installments "buy now pay later" product;
our expectation that our results of operations will be adversely impacted by an increase in the value of the Canadian dollar ("CAD") relative to the
USD;
our expectation that the cost of subscription solutions will increase and that our subscription solutions gross margin percentage will fluctuate modestly
over time;
our expectation that the cost of merchant solutions will increase in absolute dollars in future periods;
our plan to continue to expand sales and marketing efforts to attract new merchants, retain revenue from existing merchants and increase revenues
from both new and existing merchants, including adding sales personnel and expanding our marketing activities to continue to generate additional
leads and build brand awareness and our expectation that sales and marketing expenses will increase in absolute dollars but decline as a percentage of
total revenues over time;
our expectation that our research and development expenses will increase in absolute dollars as we continue to increase the functionality of our
platform, but will eventually decline as a percentage of total revenues;
our expectation that general and administrative expenses will increase on an absolute dollar basis, but may decrease as a percentage of our total
revenues as we focus on processes, systems and controls to enable our internal support functions to scale with the growth of our business;
our expectation that transaction and loan losses related to Shopify Payments, Shop Pay Installments and Shopify Capital will increase on an absolute
dollar basis over time;
the change in fair value of certain investments which may fluctuate period to period;
our expectation that the overall trend of merchant solutions revenue making up an increasing component of total revenues over time, most notably in
the fourth quarter due to higher holiday volume, will continue over time;
our future obligation to purchase outstanding convertible senior notes (the "Notes") on the occurrence of a fundamental change;
our belief that we have sufficient liquidity to meet our current and planned financial obligations over the next 12 months, including any potential
negative impacts to cash that may occur as a result of the impact from COVID-19;
our future financing requirements and the availability of capital;
the future value of our investment income, in particular as a result of changes in interest rates, fair value or due to observable changes in price or
impairments;
2
•
•
•
•
•
•
the fair market value of the Notes as a result of changes in interest rates or the price of our Class A subordinate voting shares;
expected credit losses related to the impact of COVID-19;
our expectations regarding contractual obligations and contingencies;
the impact of inflation on our costs and operations;
our accounting estimates, allowances, provisions, and assumptions made in the preparation of our financial statements; and
our expectations regarding the impact of recently adopted accounting standards.
The forward-looking statements contained in this MD&A are based on our management’s perception of historic trends, current conditions and expected future
developments, as well as other assumptions that management believes are appropriate in the circumstances, which include, but are not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
our ability to increase the functionality of our platform;
our ability to offer more sales channels that can connect to the platform;
our belief in the increasing importance of a multi-channel platform that is both fully integrated and easy to use;
our belief that an increasing awareness among buyers that Shopify provides a superior and secure checkout experience is an additional advantage for
our merchants;
our belief that commerce transacted over mobile will continue to grow more rapidly than desktop transactions;
our ability to expand our merchant base, retain revenue from existing merchants as they grow their businesses, and increase sales to both new and
existing merchants, including our ability to retain merchants that have moved from physical retail to ecommerce as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic;
our ability to manage our growth effectively;
our ability to protect our intellectual property rights;
our belief that our merchant solutions make it easier for merchants to start a business and grow on our platform;
our ability to develop new solutions to extend the functionality of our platform, provide a high level of merchant service and support;
our ability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel and to manage our operations in a digital-by-default model;
our belief that the near-term costs of reducing our leased footprint and transitioning our remaining spaces to their future intended purposes will yield
longer-term benefits;
our ability to enhance our ecosystem and partner programs, and the assumption that this will drive growth in our merchant base, further accelerating
growth of the ecosystem;
our belief that our investments and acquisitions will increase our revenue base, improve the retention of this base and strengthen our ability to
increase sales to our merchants and help drive our growth;
our ability to achieve our revenue growth objectives while controlling costs and expenses, and our ability to achieve or maintain profitability;
our belief that Monthly Recurring Revenue ("MRR") is most closely correlated with the long-term value of our merchant relationships;
our assumptions regarding the principal competitive factors in our markets;
our ability to predict future commerce trends and technology;
our assumptions that higher-margin solutions such as Shopify Capital and Shopify Shipping will continue to grow through increased adoption and
international expansion;
our expectation that a portion of increased funding to Shopify Capital will go toward business continuity instead of growth activities;
our expectation that Shopify Payments will continue to expand internationally;
our expectation that Shopify Fulfillment Network will continue to scale and grow, and we will continue to invest to support this growth;
3
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
our belief that our investments in sales and marketing initiatives will continue to be effective in growing the number of merchants using our
platform, in retaining revenue from existing merchants and increasing revenues from both;
our ability to develop processes, systems and controls to enable our internal support functions to scale with the growth of our business;
our ability to retain key personnel;
our ability to protect against currency, interest rate, concentration of credit and inflation risks;
our assumptions as to our future expenses and financing requirements;
our assumptions as to our critical accounting policies and estimates; and
our assumptions as to the effects of accounting pronouncements to be adopted.
Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations may include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties that are discussed in
greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020 and elsewhere in this MD&A, including but
not limited to risks relating to:
sustaining our rapid growth;
•
• managing our growth;
•
•
our potential inability to compete successfully against current and future competitors;
the security of personal information we store relating to merchants and their buyers, as well as consumers with whom we have a direct relationship
including users of our apps;
our history of losses and our potential inability to maintain profitability;
a denial of service attack or security breach;
our limited operating history in new and developing markets and new geographic regions;
our ability to innovate;
international sales and operations and the use of our platform in various countries;
our current reliance on a single supplier to provide the technology we offer through Shopify Payments;
our potential inability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel;
our use of a single cloud-based platform to deliver our services;
the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations including the impact of measures taken to
contain the virus and the impact on the global economy and consumer spending and on our merchants' and partners' ecosystem;
the reliance of our growth in part on the success of our strategic relationships with third parties;
complex and changing laws and regulations worldwide;
our dependence on the continued services and performance of our senior management and other key employees;
our potential failure to effectively maintain, promote and enhance our brand;
payments processed through Shopify Payments;
serious errors or defects in our software or hardware or issues with our hardware supply chain;
our potential inability to achieve or maintain data transmission capacity;
activities of merchants or partners or the content of merchants' shops;
evolving privacy laws and regulations, cross-border data transfer restrictions, data localization requirements and other domestic or foreign
regulations may limit the use and adoption of our services;
unanticipated changes in tax laws or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income or other tax returns;
being required to collect federal, state, provincial or local business taxes, sales and use taxes or other indirect taxes in additional jurisdictions on
transactions by our merchants;
ineffective operations of our solutions when accessed through mobile devices;
changes to technologies used in our platform or new versions or upgrades of operating systems and internet browsers;
acquisitions and investments;
our ability to successfully scale, optimize and operate Shopify Fulfillment Network;
Shopify Capital and offering financing to merchants;
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
4
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the impact of worldwide economic conditions, including the resulting effect on spending by small and medium-sized businesses ("SMBs") or their
buyers;
our reliance on computer hardware, purchased or leased, software licensed from and services rendered by third parties, in order to provide our
solutions and run our business, sometimes by a single-source supplier;
potential claims by third parties of intellectual property infringement or other third party or governmental claims, litigation, disputes, or other
proceedings;
our potential inability to obtain, maintain and protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information or prevent third parties from making
unauthorized use of our technology;
our use of open source software;
seasonal fluctuations;
exchange rate fluctuations that may negatively affect our results of operations;
our potential failure to maintain a consistently high level of customer service;
our dependence upon buyers’ and merchants’ access to, and willingness to use, the internet for commerce;
provisions of our financial instruments including the Notes;
our potential inability to raise additional funds as may be needed to pursue our growth strategy or continue our operations, on favorable terms or at
all;
our tax loss carryforwards;
our pricing decisions for our solutions;
ownership of our shares;
our sensitivity to interest rate fluctuations; and
our concentration of credit risk, and the ability to mitigate that risk using third parties, and the risk of inflation.
Although we believe that the plans, intentions, expectations, assumptions and strategies reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, these
statements relate to future events or our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some
cases, beyond our control. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties occur, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary
significantly from those implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future results. You should read
this MD&A and the documents that we reference in this MD&A completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different
from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this MD&A represent our views as of the date of this MD&A. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments may
cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we have no current intention of
doing so except to the extent required by applicable law. Therefore, these forward-looking statements do not represent our views as of any date other than the
date of this MD&A.
COVID-19
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we have continued to focus on the health and well-being of our employees, partners, service providers, and
communities. We have also accelerated products that we believe will best serve our merchants as they deal with the challenges of COVID-19.
Throughout 2020, we developed initiatives to support our merchants in this difficult time, including offering an extended 90-day free trial for all new standard plan
sign-ups from March 21, 2020 through May 31, 2020; availability of gift card capabilities to merchants on all plans; local in-store or curbside pick up and delivery
for POS merchants; an increased funding commitment of $200 million above the March 31, 2020 level for the remainder of 2020 for Shopify Capital; an expansion
of Shopify Capital to the United Kingdom and Canada; and the launch of partnerships, to help bring thousands of small businesses online and help them adapt to a
digital economy, with the Government of Canada through the "Go Digital Canada" program, the New York State Government through
5
‘Empire State Digital’, and the Victoria State Government in Australia through the ‘Small Business Adaptation Program’.
MRR growth accelerated in the year. This growth was largely driven by the continued global shift to ecommerce that was accelerated by the impact of COVID-19,
along with our initiatives to support new merchants through an extended free trial period offered from March 21, 2020 to May 31, 2020 many of whom remained
on the platform and converted to paying merchants.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, we observed sustained strong momentum in GMV, buoyed by restrictions related to COVID-19, as consumers looked
for ways to purchase at a safe distance, utilizing ecommerce and benefiting from features such as curbside pickup and local delivery. GMV in the year ended
December 31, 2020 grew by 96% compared to the year ended December 31, 2019. Going forward, we may experience a decrease in GMV as a result of lower
consumer spending on goods, but also expect that any decrease would be at least partially offset by more traditional retail businesses expanding or migrating their
operations online with our platform and services. The effect of COVID-19 on other aspects of our results of operations and financial performance in the long-term,
such as revenues, remains uncertain and may only be reflected in future periods.
Demand for Shopify Capital was strong in 2020, with merchants receiving $794.4 million in funding across the U.S., the U.K. and Canada. This represents a 81%
increase in funding over the year ended December 31, 2019. Merchants' access to capital is generally tougher as a result of COVID-19, which makes it even more
important to continue lowering this barrier by making it quick and easy to access capital, so merchants can focus on growing their business. While we provisioned
for higher credit losses in the year ended December 31, 2020, when compared to losses in the year ended December 31, 2019, they remain in line with historical
loss ratios and expectations.
The effects of COVID-19 have led us to reimagine the way we work resulting in the decision to be a "digital-by-default" company. Shopify employees will
continue to work remotely in 2021 and beyond 2021 Shopify will embrace this digital-first way of thinking, working, and operating with the intention that the
majority of employees will work remotely permanently. We believe the near-term costs of reducing our leased footprint and transitioning remaining spaces to their
future intended purpose, including use for team collaboration and events, will yield longer-term benefits, including leveling the playing field for employees who
already work from home, helping our employees stay healthy and safe, opening ourselves up to a diverse global talent pool, eliminating unnecessary commutes and
fast-tracking new and better ways to work together that are more productive and rewarding. As a result of this decision, we have terminated certain lease
agreements or sought to sublet space at certain office locations which resulted in an impairment charge of $31.6 million in the year ended December 31, 2020. We
continue to assess the ongoing need for the remaining offices and may repurpose them to accommodate physical distancing measures, reconfigure them for use in a
digital-by-default framework, or look to sublease or terminate the related leases in the future. We have accelerated depreciation of certain leasehold improvements
and furniture, totaling $40.5 million, in order to reflect these expected changes which will be depreciated over the next two to three years.
Overview
Shopify is a leading global commerce company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce
better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for reliability, while delivering a better shopping experience for buyers everywhere.
In an era where social media, cloud computing, mobile devices, and data analytics are creating new possibilities for commerce, Shopify provides differentiated
value by offering merchants:
A multi-channel front end. Our software enables merchants to easily display, manage, and sell their products across over a dozen different sales channels, including
web and mobile storefronts, physical retail locations, pop-up shops, social media storefronts, native mobile apps, buy buttons, and marketplaces. More than two-
thirds of our merchants use two or more channels. The Shopify application program interface ("API") has been developed to support custom storefronts that let
merchants sell anywhere, in any language.
6
A single integrated back end. Our software provides one single integrated, easy-to-use back end that merchants use to manage their business and buyers across
these multiple sales channels. Merchants use their Shopify dashboard, which is available in 20 languages, to manage products and inventory, process orders and
payments, fulfill and ship orders, discover new buyers and build customer relationships, source products, leverage analytics and reporting, and access financing.
A data advantage. Our software is delivered to merchants as a service, and operates on a shared infrastructure. With each new transaction processed, we grow our
data proficiency. This cloud-based infrastructure not only relieves merchants from running and securing their own hardware, it also consolidates data generated by
the interactions between buyers and merchants’ shops, as well as those of our merchants on the Shopify platform, providing rich data to inform both our own
decisions as well as those of our merchants.
Shopify also enables merchants to build their own brand, leverage mobile technology, and handle massive traffic spikes with flexible infrastructure:
Brand ownership. Shopify is designed to help our merchants own their brand, develop a direct relationship with their buyers, and make their buyer experience
memorable and distinctive. We recognize that in a world where buyers have more choices than ever before, a merchant’s brand is increasingly important. The
Shopify platform is designed to allow a merchant to keep their brand present in every interaction to help build buyer loyalty and competitive advantage. While our
platform is designed to empower merchants first, merchants benefit when buyers are confident that their payments are secure. We believe that an increasing
awareness among buyers that Shopify provides a superior and secure checkout experience is an additional advantage for our merchants in an increasingly
competitive market. For merchants using Shopify Payments, buyers are already getting a superior experience, with features such as Shop Pay, and with our
investments in additional touchpoints with their buyers, such as retail, shipping, fulfillment, and Shop, our all-in-one mobile shopping assistant app, brands that sell
on Shopify can offer buyers an end-to-end, managed shopping experience that previously was only available to much larger businesses.
Mobile. As ecommerce expands as a percentage of overall retail transactions, a trend that accelerated in 2020 as the global COVID-19 pandemic necessitated
physically distanced commerce, buyers expect to be able to transact anywhere, anytime, on any device through an experience that is simple, seamless, and secure.
As transactions over mobile devices represent the majority of transactions across online stores powered by Shopify, the mobile experience is a merchant’s primary
and most important interaction with online buyers. Shopify has focused on enabling mobile commerce, and the Shopify platform includes a mobile-optimized
checkout system, designed to enable merchants’ buyers to more easily buy products over mobile websites. Our merchants are able to offer their buyers the ability
to quickly and securely check out by using Shop Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay on the web, and we continue to explore other new ways to accelerate checkout.
Shopify’s mobile capabilities are not limited to the front end: merchants who are often on-the-go find themselves managing their storefronts via their mobile
devices, as Shopify continues to strive to make it easier to do so.
Infrastructure. We build our platform to address the growing challenges facing merchants and with the aim of making complex tasks simple. The Shopify platform
is engineered to enterprise-level standards and functionality and designed for simplicity and ease of use. We also design our platform with a robust technical
infrastructure able to manage large spikes in traffic that accompany events such as new product releases, holiday shopping seasons, and flash sales. We are
constantly innovating and enhancing our platform, with our continuously deployed, multi-tenant architecture ensuring all of our merchants are always using the
latest technology.
This combination of ease of use with enterprise-level functionality allows merchants to start with a Shopify store and grow with our platform to almost any size.
Using Shopify, merchants may never need to re-platform. Our Shopify Plus subscription plan was created to accommodate larger merchants, with additional
functionality, scalability and support requirements. The Shopify Plus plan also appeals to larger merchants not already on Shopify who want to migrate from their
expensive and complex legacy solutions and get more functionality.
7
A rich ecosystem of app developers, theme designers and other partners, such as digital and service professionals, marketers, photographers, and affiliates has
evolved around the Shopify platform. Approximately 42,200 of these partners have referred merchants to Shopify over the last year, and this strong, symbiotic
relationship continues to grow. We believe this ecosystem has grown in part due to the platform’s functionality, which is highly extensible and can be expanded
through our API and the approximately 6,000 apps available in the Shopify App Store. The partner ecosystem helps drive the growth of our merchant base, which
in turn further accelerates growth of the ecosystem.
Our mission is to make commerce better for everyone, and we believe we can help merchants of nearly all sizes, from aspirational entrepreneurs to large
enterprises, and all retail verticals realize their potential at all stages of their business life cycle. While our platform can scale to meet the needs of large merchants,
we focus on selling to small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs. Most of our merchants are on subscription plans that cost less than $50 per month,
which is in line with our focus of providing cost effective solutions for early stage businesses. In the year ended December 31, 2020, our platform facilitated GMV
of $119.6 billion, representing an increase of 95.6% from the year ended December 31, 2019. A detailed description of this metric is presented below in the section
entitled, “Key Performance Indicators”.
Our business has experienced rapid growth. During the year ended December 31, 2020, our total revenue was $2,929.5 million, an increase of 85.6% versus the
year ended December 31, 2019. Our business model has two revenue streams: a recurring subscription component we call subscription solutions and a merchant
success-based component we call merchant solutions.
In the year ended December 31, 2020, subscription solutions revenues accounted for 31.0% of our total revenues (40.7% in the year ended December 31, 2019).
We offer a range of plans that increase in price depending on additional features and economic considerations. Our highest-end plan, Shopify Plus, is offered at a
starting rate that is several times that of our standard Shopify plans. Shopify Plus solves for the complexity of merchants as they grow and scale globally, offering
additional functionality, and support, including features like Shopify Flow and Launchpad, for ecommerce automation, and dedicated account management where
appropriate. Allbirds, Gymshark, Heinz, and Staples Canada are a few of the Shopify Plus merchants seeking a reliable, cost-effective and scalable commerce
solution. The flexibility of our pricing plans is designed to help our merchants grow in a cost-effective manner and to provide more advanced features and support
as their business needs evolve.
Revenue from subscription solutions is generated through the sale of subscriptions to our platform, including variable platform fees, as well as through the sale of
subscriptions to our Point-of-Sale ("POS") Pro offering, the sale of themes, the sale of apps, and the registration of domain names. Subscription solutions revenues
increased from $642.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2019 to $908.8 million in the year ended December 31, 2020, representing an increase of 41.5%.
Our merchants typically enter into monthly subscription agreements. The revenue from these agreements is recognized over time on a ratable basis over the
contractual term and therefore we have deferred revenue on our balance sheet. We do not consider this deferred revenue balance to be a good indicator of future
revenue. Instead, we believe MRR is most closely correlated with the long-term value of our merchant relationships. As of December 31, 2020, MRR totaled $82.6
million, representing an increase of 53.3% relative to MRR at December 31, 2019. Over the past few years, subscription solutions revenue has been growing faster
than MRR due to apps and platform fees increasing as a percentage of total subscription solutions. In the year ended December 31, 2020, MRR grew at a faster rate
than subscription solutions revenues as the extended free trial resulted in lower subscription revenues during the trial period. A detailed description of this metric is
presented below in the section entitled, "Key Performance Indicators". The number of merchants on our platform has grown from approximately 1,069,000 as at
December 31, 2019 to approximately 1,749,000 as at December 31, 2020.
We offer a variety of merchant solutions that are designed to add value to our merchants and augment our subscription solutions. During the year ended December
31, 2020, merchant solutions revenues accounted for 69.0% of total revenues (59.3% in the year ended December 31, 2019). We principally generate merchant
solutions revenues from payment processing fees from Shopify Payments. Shopify Payments is a fully integrated payment processing service that allows our
merchants to accept and process payment cards online and offline. In addition to payment processing fees from Shopify Payments, we also generate merchant
solutions revenue from other
8
transaction services, referral fees, advertising revenue on the Shopify App Store, Shopify Capital, Shop Pay Installments, Shopify Shipping, Shopify Fulfillment
Network, the sale of POS hardware and collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions. Shopify Capital is available for merchants in the United States, the United
Kingdom and Canada. Our merchant solutions revenues are directionally correlated with the level of GMV that our merchants process through our platform.
Merchant solutions revenues increased from $935.9 million in the year ended December 31, 2019 to $2,020.7 million in the year ended December 31, 2020,
representing an increase of 115.9%.
Our business model is driven by our ability to attract new merchants, retain revenue from existing merchants, and increase sales to both new and existing
merchants. Our merchants represent a wide array of retail verticals, business sizes, and geographies and no single merchant has ever represented more than five
percent of our total revenues in a single reporting period. We believe that our future success is dependent on many factors, including our ability to expand our
merchant base, retain merchants as they grow their businesses on our platform, offer more sales channels that connect merchants with their specific target audience,
develop new solutions to extend our platform’s functionality and catalyze merchants’ sales growth, enhance our ecosystem and partner programs, provide a high
level of merchant support, hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel, and build with a focus on maximizing long-term value.
We have focused on rapidly growing our business and plan to continue making investments to drive future growth. We believe that our investments will increase
our revenue base, improve the retention of this base and strengthen our ability to increase sales to our merchants.
Consistent with investing for the long-term, we announced in June 2019 that we expect to build and operate Shopify Fulfillment Network, a network of fulfillment
centers across the United States, to help merchants deliver orders to buyers quickly and cost-effectively. Shopify Fulfillment Network aims to leverage our scale
with machine learning, including demand forecasting, smart inventory allocation across warehouses and intelligent order routing to ultimately improve supply
chain economics and delivery for merchants. We expect to continue to invest in and optimize this offering to further support our merchants.
On October 17, 2019, we completed the acquisition of 6RS, a company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States, that provides collaborative warehouse
fulfillment solutions. By adding 6RS' cloud-based software and collaborative mobile robots, we gained a leadership team with experience in fulfillment; expanded
our addressable market to include warehouse automation; and intend to accelerate the development of Shopify Fulfillment Network.
Key Performance Indicators
Key performance indicators, which we do not consider to be non-GAAP measures, that we use to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends
affecting our business, formulate financial projections and make strategic decisions include Monthly Recurring Revenue ("MRR") and Gross Merchandise Volume
("GMV"). Our key performance indicators may be calculated in a manner different than similar key performance indicators used by other companies.
The following table shows MRR and GMV for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Monthly Recurring Revenue
Gross Merchandise Volume
9
Years ended December 31,
2020
2019
(in thousands)
$
$
82,611
119,577,147
$
$
53,898
61,138,457
Monthly Recurring Revenue
We calculate MRR at the end of each period by multiplying the number of merchants who have subscription plans with us at the period end date by the average
monthly subscription plan fee, which excludes variable platform fees, in effect on the last day of that period, assuming they maintain their subscription plans the
following month. Subscription plans to both our platform as well as our POS Pro offering are included in this calculation. Merchants on free trials are excluded
from this calculation through the duration of the free trial. MRR allows us to average our various pricing plans and billing periods into a single, consistent number
that we can track over time. We also analyze the factors that make up MRR, specifically the number of paying merchants using our platform and changes in our
average revenue earned from subscription plan fees per paying merchant. In addition, we use MRR to forecast monthly, quarterly and annual subscription plan
revenue, which makes up the majority of our subscription solutions revenue. We had $82.6 million of MRR as at December 31, 2020 compared to $53.9 million as
at December 31, 2019. Our MRR growth rate increased in the year ended December 31, 2020, when compared to previous years. This increase was largely driven
by the shift to ecommerce during the year, most notably as a result of COVID-19, and our initiatives to support new merchants through an extended free trial
period offered from March 21, 2020 to May 31, 2020 many of whom remained on the platform and converted to paying merchants.
Gross Merchandise Volume
GMV is the total dollar value of orders facilitated through our platform including certain apps and channels for which a revenue-sharing arrangement is in place in
the period, net of refunds, and inclusive of shipping and handling, duty and value-added taxes. GMV does not represent revenue earned by us. However, the
volume of GMV facilitated through our platform is an indicator of the success of our merchants and the strength of our platform. Our merchant solutions revenues
are also directionally correlated with the level of GMV facilitated through our platform. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we facilitated GMV of
$119.6 billion and $61.1 billion, respectively. In the year ended December 31, 2020, we observed a significant increase in GMV largely driven by the shift to
ecommerce during the year, most notably as a result of COVID-19. Going forward, we may experience a decrease in GMV as a result of lower consumer spending
on goods, but also expect that any decrease would be at least partially offset by more traditional retail businesses expanding or migrating their operations online
with our platform and services.
Factors Affecting the Comparability of Our Results
Change in Revenue Mix
As a result of the continued growth of Shopify Payments, transaction fees, revenue-sharing agreements, Shopify Shipping, Shopify Capital, and Shopify
Fulfillment Network, our revenues from merchant solutions have generally increased significantly. Merchant solutions are intended to complement subscription
solutions by providing additional value to our merchants and increasing their use of our platform. Gross profit margins on Shopify Payments, the biggest driver of
merchant solutions revenue, are typically lower than on subscription solutions due to the associated third-party costs of providing this solution. We view this
revenue stream as beneficial to our operating margins, as Shopify Payments requires significantly less sales and marketing and research and development expense
than Shopify’s core subscription business. We expect to see our gross margin percentage for merchant solutions decline in the short term as we develop Shopify
Fulfillment Network and 6RS. The lower margins on merchant solutions compared to subscription solutions means that the continued growth of merchant solutions
may cause a decline in our overall gross margin percentage.
Seasonality
Our merchant solutions revenues are directionally correlated with the level of GMV that our merchants facilitated through our platform. Our merchants typically
process additional GMV during the fourth quarter holiday season. As a result, we have historically generated higher merchant solutions revenues in our fourth
quarter than in other quarters. While we believe that this seasonality has affected and will continue to affect our quarterly results, our
10
rapid growth has largely masked seasonal trends to date. As a result of the continued growth of our merchant solutions offerings, we believe that our business may
become more seasonal in the future and that historical patterns in our business may not be a reliable indicator of our future performance. In addition, the ongoing
effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift of purchase habits to ecommerce. This contributed to additional GMV during the last three quarters of
2020. Going forward, we may experience a decrease in GMV as a result of lower consumer spending on goods, although we expect that any decrease would at
least be partially offset by more traditional retail businesses expanding or migrating their operations online with our platform and services.
Foreign Currency Fluctuations
While most of our revenues are denominated in USD, a significant portion of our operating expenses are incurred in CAD. As a result, our results of operations
will be adversely impacted by an increase in the value of the CAD relative to the USD. In addition, a portion of Shopify Payments revenue is based on the local
currency of the country in which the applicable merchant is located and these transactions expose us to currency fluctuations to the extent non-USD based payment
processing and other merchant solutions revenues increase. Refer to the "Risks and Uncertainties—Foreign Currency Exchange Risk" section below for additional
information on the effect on reported results of changes in foreign exchange rates.
Key Components of Results of Operations
Revenues
We derive revenues from subscription solutions and merchant solutions.
Subscription Solutions
We principally generate subscription solutions revenues through the sale of subscriptions to our platform, including variable platform fees, as well as through the
sale of subscriptions to our POS Pro offering. We also generate associated subscription solutions revenues from the sale of themes, apps, and the registration of
domain names.
We offer subscription plans with various price points, from entry level plans to Shopify Plus, a plan for merchants with higher-volume sales that offers additional
functionality, scalability and support. Our subscription plans typically have a one-month term, although a small number of our merchants have annual or multi-year
subscription terms. Subscription terms automatically renew unless notice of cancellation is provided in advance. Merchants purchase subscription plans directly
from us. Subscription fees for all plans, except Shopify Plus, are paid to us at the start of the applicable subscription period, regardless of the length of the
subscription period. Shopify Plus plans are billed in arrears. For subscription fees that are received in advance of providing the related services, we record deferred
revenue on our consolidated balance sheet for the unearned revenue and recognize revenue over time on a ratable basis over the contractual term. These
subscription fees are non-refundable. Revenues from variable platform fees are based on the merchants' volume of sales and recognized as revenue when we have a
right to invoice. They are classified within subscription solutions because they represent a variable component of the merchants' subscription fee.
We also generate additional subscription solutions revenues from merchants that have subscription plans with us through the sale of themes, apps, and the
registration of domain names. Revenues from the sale of themes and apps are recognized at the time of the transaction. The right to use domain names is sold
separately and is recognized on a ratable basis over the contractual term, which is typically an annual term. Revenues from the sale of apps are recognized net of
amounts attributable to the third-party app developers, while revenues from the sale of themes and domains are recognized on a gross basis. Revenues from the sale
of themes, apps, and the registration of domain names have been classified within subscription solutions on the basis that they are typically sold at the time the
merchant enters into the subscription arrangement or because they are charged on a recurring basis.
11
Merchant Solutions
We generate merchant solutions revenues from payment processing fees from Shopify Payments, transaction fees, referral fees from partners, advertising revenue
on the Shopify App Store, Shopify Capital, Shop Pay Installments, Shopify Shipping, Shopify Fulfillment Network, collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions,
the sale of POS hardware, and Shopify Email.
The significant majority of merchant solutions revenues are generated from Shopify Payments. Revenue from processing payments is recognized at the time of the
transaction. For Shopify Payments transactions, fees are determined based in part on a percentage of the dollar amount processed plus a per transaction fee, where
applicable.
For subscription plans where the merchant does not sign up for Shopify Payments, we typically charge a transaction fee based on a percentage of GMV sold
through the platform. We bill our merchants for transaction fees at the end of a 30-day billing cycle or when predetermined billing thresholds are surpassed. Any
fees that have not been billed are accrued as an unbilled receivable at the end of the reporting period.
We also generate merchant solutions revenues in the form of referral fees from partners to which we direct business and with which we have an arrangement in
place. Pursuant to terms of the agreements with our partners, these revenues can be recurring or non-recurring. Where the agreement provides for recurring
payments to us, we typically earn revenues so long as the merchant that we have referred to the partner continues to use the services of the partner. Non-recurring
revenues generally take the form of one-time payments that we receive when we initially refer the merchant to the partner. In either case, we recognize referral
revenues when we are entitled to receive payment from the partner pursuant to the terms of the underlying agreement.
Advertising revenue is earned on the Shopify App Store as merchants click on the apps being advertised by our partners. We recognize advertising revenues when
we are entitled to receive payment from the partner.
Shopify Capital, a merchant cash advance ("MCA") and loan program for eligible merchants, is offered in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada to
help eligible merchants secure financing and accelerate the growth of their business by providing access to simple, fast, and convenient working capital. We apply
underwriting criteria prior to purchasing the eligible merchant's future receivables or making a loan to help ensure collectibility. Under Shopify Capital, we
purchase a designated amount of future receivables at a discount or make a loan. The advance, or the loan, is forwarded to the merchant at the time the related
agreement is entered into, and the merchant remits a fixed percentage of their daily sales until the outstanding balance has been remitted. For Shopify Capital
MCA's, we apply a percentage of the remittances collected against the merchant's receivable balance, and a percentage, which is related to the discount, as
merchant solutions revenue. For Shopify Capital loans, because there is a fixed maximum repayment term, we calculate an effective interest rate based on the
merchant's expected future payment volume to determine how much of a merchant's repayment to recognize as merchant solutions revenue and how much to apply
against the merchant's receivable balance. We have mitigated some of the risks associated with Shopify Capital by entering into an agreement with a third party to
insure some of the MCA's and loans offered by Shopify Capital in the United States and Canada.
Shop Pay Installments, a "buy now pay later" product, enables merchants to sell their goods to buyers on an interest-free payment plan. Merchants will receive
upfront payment for a sale, net of fees, without the worry associated with collecting future payments from the buyer. Revenues earned from Shop Pay Installments
are recognized when a merchant makes a sale using this product, and is based on a percentage of the total order value. We earn and recognize a portion of the
revenue from each merchant sale, with the majority of revenue earned and recognized by our third-party provider that bears the buyer underwriting and buyer
credit risk associated with the product.
Shopify Shipping allows merchants to buy and print outbound and return shipping labels and track orders directly within the Shopify platform. We bill our
merchants when they have purchased shipping labels in excess of predetermined billing thresholds, and any charges that have not been billed are accrued as
unbilled receivables at the end of the reporting period. For Shopify Shipping, fees are determined based on the type of labels purchased or the
12
arrangement negotiated with third parties. In the case of the former, we recognize revenue from Shopify Shipping net of shipping costs, as we are the agent in the
arrangement with merchants.
Shopify Fulfillment Network is a dedicated network of fulfillment centers in the United States and Canada. Revenues related to warehouse storage and outbound
shipping are recognized over time, as merchants receive and consume the benefits obtained from these services. The revenues related to picking, packaging, and
preparing orders for shipment are recognized once the services have been rendered.
We offer collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions in which revenues related to offering cloud-based software and collaborative mobile robots are recognized
over time, over the contractual term, which can be up to five years. Payments received in advance of services being rendered are recorded as deferred revenue and
recognized ratably over time, over the requisite service period.
In connection with Shopify POS, a sales channel that lets merchants sell their products and accept payments in-person from a mobile device, we sell compatible
hardware products which are sourced from third-party vendors. We recognize revenues from the sale of POS hardware when title passes to the merchant in
accordance with the shipping terms of the sale.
Shopify Email, launched in 2019, is our native email marketing tool designed to enable merchants to create, run, and track email marketing campaigns from within
the merchant admin, and help merchants to build direct relationships with buyers. Shopify Email was also made available free to all merchants from early April
until October 1, 2020 to help merchants adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions. Revenue from Shopify Email is based on the merchants'
volume of emails sent and recognized as revenue when we have a right to invoice.
For a discussion of how we expect seasonal factors to affect our merchant solutions revenue, see “Factors Affecting the Comparability of our Results—
Seasonality.”
Cost of Revenues
Cost of Subscription Solutions
Cost of subscription solutions consists primarily of costs associated with billing processing fees and operations and merchant support expenses. Operations and
merchant support expenses include third-party infrastructure and hosting costs, personnel-related costs directly associated with operations and merchant support,
including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation, as well as allocated overhead. Overhead associated with facilities, information technology and
depreciation is allocated to our cost of revenues and operating expenses based on headcount.
Additionally, cost of subscription solutions includes costs we are required to pay to third-party developers in connection with sales of themes. Our paid themes are
primarily designed by third-party developers who earn fees for each theme sold.
Also included as cost of subscription solutions are domain registration fees.
We expect that cost of subscription solutions will increase in absolute dollars as we continue to invest in growing our business, and as the number of merchants
utilizing the platform increases along with the costs of supporting those merchants. Over time, we expect that our subscription solutions gross margin percentage
will fluctuate modestly based on the mix of subscription plans that our merchants select and the timing of expenditures related to infrastructure expansion projects.
Cost of Merchant Solutions
Cost of merchant solutions primarily consists of costs that we incur when transactions are processed using Shopify Payments, such as credit card interchange and
network fees (charged by credit card providers such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express) as well as third-party processing fees. Cost of merchant solutions
also consists
13
of third-party infrastructure and hosting costs and operations and merchant support expenses, including personnel-related costs directly associated with merchant
solutions such as salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation, as well as allocated overhead. Overhead associated with facilities, information technology and
depreciation is allocated to our cost of revenues and operating expenses based on headcount.
Cost of merchant solutions also includes amortization of acquired intangible assets relating mostly to the acquired 6RS technology. In addition, we incur costs
associated with warehouse storage, outbound shipping, picking, packaging, and the preparation of orders for shipment as part of the Shopify Fulfillment Network
offering; costs associated with 6RS for materials and third-party manufacturing for those fulfillment robots sold to customers rather than leased to customers,
which are capitalized and depreciated into cost of revenues; and costs associated with POS hardware, such as the cost of acquiring the hardware inventory,
including hardware purchase price and expenses associated with our use of a third-party fulfillment company, shipping and handling.
We expect that the cost of merchant solutions will increase in absolute dollars in future periods as the number of merchants utilizing these solutions increases,
resulting in a growth in volumes processed. We also expect additional increases as we continue to expand Shopify Payments internationally and as we continue to
invest in Shopify Fulfillment Network. We expect to see our gross margin percentage of merchant solutions decline in the short term as we develop and optimize
Shopify Fulfillment Network and 6RS collaborative warehouse fulfillment solutions.
Operating Expenses
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of marketing programs, partner referral payments related to merchant acquisitions, costs associated with partner
and developer conferences, employee-related expenses for marketing, business development and sales, as well as the portion of merchant support required for the
onboarding of prospective new merchants. Other costs within sales and marketing include travel-related expenses and corporate overhead allocations. Costs to
acquire merchants are expensed as incurred, however, contract costs associated with Plus merchants are amortized over the expected life of their relative contract.
We plan to continue to expand sales and marketing efforts to attract new merchants, retain revenue from existing merchants and increase revenues from both new
and existing merchants. This growth will include adding sales personnel and expanding our marketing activities to continue to generate additional leads and build
brand awareness. Sales and marketing expenses are expected to increase in absolute dollars but over time, we expect sales and marketing expenses will eventually
decline as a percentage of total revenues.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist primarily of employee-related expenses for product management, product development, product design, data analytics,
contractor and consultant fees and corporate overhead allocations. Research and development costs are generally expensed as incurred. We capitalize certain
development costs incurred in connection with our internal use software as well as costs related to specific upgrades and enhancements when it is probable the
expenditures will result in additional features and functionality. We continue to focus our research and development efforts on adding new features and solutions,
and increasing the functionality and enhancing the ease of use of our platform. While we expect research and development expenses to increase in absolute dollars
as we continue to increase the functionality of our platform, over the long term we expect our research and development expenses will eventually decline as a
percentage of total revenues.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses consist of employee-related expenses for finance and accounting, legal, administrative, human relations and IT personnel,
impairment related to certain office leases we have ceased using, professional services fees, sales and use and other value added taxes, insurance, the provision for
expected credit losses on uncollectible receivables, other corporate expenses and corporate overhead allocations. We expect that general and administrative
expenses will increase on an absolute dollar basis but may decrease as a percentage of
14
total revenues as we focus on processes, systems and controls to enable our internal support functions to scale with the growth of our business.
Transaction and Loan Losses
Transaction and loan losses consist of expected and actual losses related to Shopify Payments, Shop Pay Installments and Shopify Capital. We are exposed to
transaction losses on Shopify Payments and Shop Pay Installments due to chargebacks as a result of fraud or uncollectibility. We are exposed to transaction losses
on merchant cash advances offered through Shopify Capital as a result of fraud or uncollectibility. We provide for loan losses whenever the amortized cost of loans
exceeds their fair value. Transaction and loan losses are expected to increase in absolute dollars over time.
Other Income (Expenses)
Other income (expenses) consists primarily of unrealized gains on equity and other investments, transaction gains or losses on foreign currency, interest income,
and interest expense related to the Notes. The Company has equity investments in private companies without readily determinable fair values that it carries at cost
less impairments, with subsequent adjustments for observable changes, with the assets recorded on the balance sheet and any resulting unrealized gains (losses)
recorded in other income. The results from these equity investments may fluctuate from period to period based on observable changes and may cause volatility to
our earnings as well as impact comparability of our results from period to period.
Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company's investment in Affirm Holdings, Inc. ("Affirm") has a fair value that is readily determinable as a
result of its initial public offering on the Nasdaq on January 13, 2021 at $49.00 per share of Class A common stock. As such, the Company commenced accounting
for this equity investment at fair value through earnings, with the change in fair value of this investment recorded in other income in each reporting period based on
the closing share price at the end of the period.
15
Results of Operations
The following table sets forth our consolidated statement of operations for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
2018
Revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Cost of revenues
(1)(2)
:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
(1)(2)
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Transaction and loan losses
(1)(2)
(1)
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Other income, net
Income (loss) before income taxes
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes
Net income (loss)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
Shares used to compute net income (loss) per share attributable to shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
(1) Includes stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes as follows:
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
(2) Includes amortization of acquired intangibles as follows:
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
16
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
642,241
935,932
1,578,173
464,996
608,233
1,073,229
908,757
2,020,734
2,929,491
193,532
1,194,439
1,387,971
1,541,520
602,048
552,127
245,343
51,849
1,451,367
90,153
150,211
240,364
79,145
319,509
2.67
2.59
$
$
$
$
128,155
584,375
712,530
865,643
472,841
355,015
153,765
25,169
1,006,790
(141,147)
45,332
(95,815)
(29,027)
(124,842)
(1.10)
(1.10)
119,569,705
123,463,274
113,026,424
113,026,424
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
(in thousands)
7,472
46,390
188,249
52,195
294,306
$
$
4,090
38,167
104,645
29,861
176,763
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
(in thousands)
19,488
1,548
233
21,269
$
$
9,624
283
232
10,139
100,990
375,972
476,962
596,267
350,069
230,674
99,196
8,248
688,187
(91,920)
27,367
(64,553)
—
(64,553)
(0.61)
(0.61)
105,671,839
105,671,839
2018
2,441
24,056
59,575
17,690
103,762
2018
4,914
—
—
4,914
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
The following table sets forth our consolidated statement of operations as a percentage of total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
Revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Cost of revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Transaction and loan losses
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Other income, net
Income (loss) before income taxes
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes
Net income (loss)
31.0 %
69.0 %
100.0 %
6.6 %
40.8 %
47.4 %
52.6 %
20.6 %
18.8 %
8.4 %
1.8 %
49.5 %
3.1 %
5.1 %
8.2 %
2.7 %
10.9 %
40.7 %
59.3 %
100.0 %
8.1 %
37.0 %
45.1 %
54.9 %
30.0 %
22.5 %
9.7 %
1.6 %
63.8 %
(8.9)%
2.9 %
(6.0)%
(1.9)%
(7.9)%
43.3 %
56.7 %
100.0 %
9.4 %
35.0 %
44.4 %
55.6 %
32.6 %
21.5 %
9.2 %
0.8 %
64.1 %
(8.5)%
2.5 %
(6.0)%
0.0 %
(6.0)%
The following table sets forth our consolidated revenues by geographic location for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, based on the location of
our merchants.
Revenues:
North America
Canada
United States
EMEA
United Kingdom
Other
APAC
Australia
Other
Latin America
Total Revenues
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
(in thousands)
2018
$
$
192,721
1,954,105
$
96,168
1,079,520
$
199,825
254,444
122,007
170,233
36,156
2,929,491
$
103,498
121,063
68,571
88,670
20,683
1,578,173
$
70,774
755,454
69,596
72,731
47,937
46,004
10,733
1,073,229
17
The following table sets forth our consolidated revenues by geographic location as a percentage of total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019,
and 2018, based on the location of our merchants.
Revenues:
North America
Canada
United States
EMEA
United Kingdom
Other
APAC
Australia
Other
Latin America
Total Revenues
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
6.6 %
66.7 %
6.8 %
8.7 %
4.2 %
5.8 %
1.2 %
100.0 %
6.1 %
68.4 %
6.6 %
7.7 %
4.3 %
5.6 %
1.3 %
100.0 %
6.6 %
70.4 %
6.5 %
6.7 %
4.5 %
4.3 %
1.0 %
100.0 %
Discussion of the Results of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018
Revenues
Revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Percentage of revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Total revenues
Subscription Solutions
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
$
$
908,757
2,020,734
2,929,491
$
$
642,241
935,932
1,578,173
$
$
464,996
608,233
1,073,229
41.5 %
115.9 %
85.6 %
38.1 %
53.9 %
47.0 %
31.0 %
69.0 %
100.0 %
40.7 %
59.3 %
100.0 %
43.3 %
56.7 %
100.0 %
Subscription solutions revenues increased $266.5 million, or 41.5%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. Subscription
solutions revenues increased $177.2 million, or 38.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The increase in both periods
was primarily a result of growth in MRR driven by the higher number of merchants using our platform.
Merchant Solutions
Merchant solutions revenues increased $1,084.8 million, or 115.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The increase in
merchant solutions revenues was primarily a result of Shopify Payments revenue growing by $835.2 million, or 121.2%, in 2020 compared to the same period in
2019. This increase was a result of consumers turning to ecommerce for more of their purchases due to the impacts of COVID-19, an increase in the number of
merchants using our platform, continued expansion into new geographical regions, and an increase in adoption of Shopify Payments by our merchants, which
drove $28.1 billion of additional GMV facilitated using Shopify Payments in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, representing growth of 109.4% year over
year. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Shopify Payments penetration rate was 45.1%, resulting in GMV of $53.9 billion that was facilitated using
Shopify Payments. This compares to a penetration rate of 42.1%, resulting in GMV of $25.7 billion that was facilitated using Shopify Payments in the same period
in 2019. As at December 31, 2020 Shopify Payments adoption among our merchants was as follows: Canada, 92%; Australia, 92%; United States, 90%; United
Kingdom, 89%; Ireland, 87%; New Zealand, 85%; and other countries where Shopify Payments is available, 75%.
18
In addition to the increase in revenue from Shopify Payments, revenue from transaction fees, referral fees from partners, Shopify Shipping, Shopify Capital and
Shopify Fulfillment Network increased during the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, as a result of the increase in GMV
facilitated through our platform.
Merchant solutions revenues increased $327.7 million, or 53.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The increase in
merchant solutions revenues was primarily a result of Shopify Payments revenue growing by $239.6 million, or 53.3%. Additionally, revenue from transaction
fees, referral fees from partners, Shopify Capital, and Shopify Shipping increased for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.
Cost of Revenues
Cost of revenues:
Cost of subscription solutions
Cost of merchant solutions
Total cost of revenues
Percentage of revenues:
Cost of subscription solutions
Cost of merchant solutions
Cost of Subscription Solutions
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
$
$
193,532
1,194,439
1,387,971
$
$
128,155
584,375
712,530
$
$
100,990
375,972
476,962
51.0 %
104.4 %
94.8 %
26.9 %
55.4 %
49.4 %
6.6 %
40.8 %
47.4 %
8.1 %
37.0 %
45.1 %
9.4 %
35.0 %
44.4 %
Cost of subscription solutions increased $65.4 million, or 51.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The increase was
due to an increase in the costs necessary to support a greater number of merchants using our platform, resulting in an increase in: third-party infrastructure and
hosting costs, payments to third-party theme developers, credit card fees for processing merchant billings, employee-related costs and payments to third-party
partners for the registration of domain names. As a percentage of revenues, costs of subscription solutions decreased from 8.1% in 2019 to 6.6% in 2020 primarily
due to a greater weighting of total revenue shifting towards merchant solutions along with a relative decrease in employee-related costs, credit card fees for
processing merchant billings, and third-party infrastructure and hosting costs as a percentage of revenue in 2020.
Cost of subscription solutions increased $27.2 million, or 26.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The increase was
primarily due to higher third-party infrastructure and hosting costs, credit card fees for processing merchant billings and employee-related costs.
Cost of Merchant Solutions
Cost of merchant solutions increased $610.1 million, or 104.4%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The increase was
primarily due to the increase in GMV facilitated through Shopify Payments, which resulted in higher payment processing and interchange fees. The increase was
also due to an increase in costs associated with operating Shopify Fulfillment Network, amortization, largely related to the technology resulting from the 6RS
acquisition, product costs associated with expanding our product offerings, credit card fees for processing merchant billings, costs associated with 6RS such as
employee-related costs, materials and third-party manufacturing costs, cost of POS hardware units, and infrastructure and hosting costs. Cost of merchant solutions
as a percentage of revenues increased from 37.0% in 2019 to 40.8% in 2020, mainly as a result of Shopify Payments representing a larger percentage of total
revenue.
Cost of merchant solutions increased $208.4 million, or 55.4%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The increase was
primarily due to the increase in GMV facilitated through Shopify Payments, which resulted in higher payment processing fees and interchange fees. The increase
was also due in part to higher amortization, largely related to the technology resulting from the 6RS acquisition.
19
Gross Profit
Gross profit
Percentage of total revenues
$
1,541,520
$
865,643
$
52.6 %
54.9 %
596,267
55.6 %
78.1 %
45.2 %
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
Gross profit increased $675.9 million, or 78.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. As a percentage of total revenues,
gross profit decreased from 54.9% in the year ended December 31, 2019 to 52.6% in the year ended December 31, 2020, due to Shopify Payments representing a
larger percentage of total revenue, the costs associated with the continued development of Shopify Fulfillment Network, and amortization of technology related to
the 6RS acquisition. This was partly offset by higher revenues from higher margin products such as referral fees from partners, Shopify Shipping, and Shopify
Capital.
Gross profit increased $269.4 million, or 45.2%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. As a percentage of total revenues,
gross profit decreased from 55.6% in the year ended December 31, 2018 to 54.9% in the year ended December 31, 2019, due to Shopify Payments representing a
larger percentage of total revenue and an increase in amortization of technology related to the 6RS acquisition as well as other platform enhancements. This was
partly offset by lower third-party infrastructure and hosting costs and employee-related costs as a percentage of revenues as well as the relative growth of higher-
margin merchant solutions products, namely Shopify Capital and referral fees from partners.
Operating Expenses
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing
Percentage of total revenues
$
602,048
$
472,841
$
20.6 %
30.0 %
350,069
32.6 %
27.3 %
35.1 %
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
Sales and marketing expenses increased $129.2 million, or 27.3%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due to an increase
of $66.1 million in expenditures on marketing programs to support the growth of our business, such as advertisements on search engines, display ads and social
media, as well as payments to partners. These increases were slightly offset by lower spend on brand, Shopify Studios, and event sponsorship. Employee-related
costs increased $56.5 million ($8.2 million of which related to stock-based compensation and related payroll taxes) to support the growth of the business.
Computer hardware and software costs increased by $4.2 million, largely due to the growth in sales and marketing headcount. Facilities related costs increased by
$2.4 million, including the impact of accelerating depreciation at certain offices.
Sales and marketing expenses increased $122.8 million, or 35.1%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to an
increase of $70.4 million in expenditures on marketing programs. In addition to marketing costs, employee-related costs increased by $48.7 million and computer
hardware and software costs increased by $3.7 million.
Research and Development
Research and development
Percentage of total revenues
$
552,127
$
355,015
$
18.8 %
22.5 %
230,674
21.5 %
55.5 %
53.9 %
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
Research and development expenses increased $197.1 million, or 55.5%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due to an
increase of $173.9 million in employee-related costs ($83.6 million of which related to stock-based compensation and related payroll taxes) and a $12.6 million
increase in computer hardware and software costs, all as a result of growth in our research and development employee base and expanded
20
development programs In addition, facilities related costs increased $9.1 million, including the impact of accelerating depreciation at certain offices, and
professional services fees increased $1.5 million.
Research and development expenses increased $124.3 million, or 53.9%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, due to an
increase of $114.4 million in employee-related costs, an increase of $7.4 million in computer hardware and software costs, and a $2.5 million increase in
professional services fees, all as a result of growth in our research and development employee base and expanded development programs.
General and Administrative
General and administrative
Percentage of total revenues
$
245,343
$
153,765
$
8.4 %
9.7 %
99,196
9.2 %
59.6 %
55.0 %
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
General and administrative expenses increased $91.6 million, or 59.6%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due largely to
an increase of $43.7 million in employee-related costs ($22.3 million of which related to stock-based compensation and related payroll taxes). The increase is also
due to an impairment of $31.6 million relating to certain office spaces we have ceased using, for which the leases have been or will be terminated or sublet, as we
move from a primarily physical office-centric work model to a primarily digital work-from-home-centric work model. $16.8 million of the impairment related to
our leasehold improvements and $14.8 million of the impairment related to our right-of-use assets. In addition, the increase in general and administrative expense
is due to a $14.5 million increase in finance costs, which includes insurance, sustainability spend, corporate donations, sales and use and other value added taxes,
and the provision for expected credit losses on uncollectible receivables, a $4.9 million increase in computer and software costs, a $3.0 million increase in facilities
related costs, including the impact of accelerating depreciation at certain offices, and a $2.0 million increase in professional services for legal and financial
services. These increases are slightly offset by a $8.1 million decrease relating to an estimated net liability for non-recurring HST payable to the Government of
Canada that was recognized in 2019.
General and administrative expenses increased $54.6 million, or 55.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, due to an
increase of $28.7 million in employee-related costs, a $15.6 million increase in finance costs, which include an estimated net liability for non-recurring HST
payable to the Government of Canada, sales and use and other value added taxes, insurance, and bank fees, a $6.9 million increase in professional services fees for
legal and tax services, a $1.8 million increase in computer and software costs, and a $1.6 million increase in general bad debt.
Transaction and Loan Losses
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
Transaction and loan losses
Percentage of total revenues
$
51,849
$
25,169
$
1.8 %
1.6 %
8,248
0.8 %
106.0 %
205.2 %
Transaction and loan losses increased $26.7 million, or 106.0%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due to an increase of
$18.8 million in losses related to Shopify Payments, which is correlated to increased GMV processed through Shopify Payments, as well as a relative increase in
the provision for losses related to the potential impact from COVID-19, and a $7.9 million increase in losses related to Shopify Capital driven by an expansion of
our Capital offerings and programs, along with a relative increase in the provision for expected credit losses related to the potential impact from COVID-19.
Transaction and loan losses increased $16.9 million, or 205.2%, for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, due to an increase of
$9.0 million in losses related to Shopify Payments driven by increased GMV processed through Shopify Payments, and a $7.9 million increase in losses related to
Shopify Capital driven by an expansion of our Capital offerings and programs.
21
Other Income (Expenses)
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
Other income, net
$
150,211
$
45,332
$
27,367
*
*
* Not a meaningful comparison
In the year ended December 31, 2020 we had other income of $150.2 million compared to other income of $45.3 million in the same period in 2019, an increase of
$104.9 million. The increase was driven mainly by an unrealized gain on equity and other investments of $135.2 million related to investments in private
companies, most notably our investment in Affirm received in connection with our strategic partnership. In addition, the increase was due to a change in the
foreign exchange loss of $2.9 million in 2019 to a foreign exchange gain of $0.7 million in 2020, resulting in an increase in other income of $3.5 million. These
increases were offset by a decrease in interest income of $24.7 million, primarily as a result of lower interest rates, and a $9.1 million increase in interest expense
related to the Notes.
Other income increased by $18.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The increase was driven primarily by an
increase in interest income from investments of $18.7 million. The remaining difference is from foreign exchange losses.
Recovery of (Provision for) Income Taxes
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes
$
79,145
$
(29,027)
$
—
*
*
* Not a meaningful comparison
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except percentages)
In the third quarter of 2019, we formally established our EMEA headquarters in Ireland and our Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore. As a result of these
actions, we transferred regional relationship and territory rights from our Canadian entity to enable each regional headquarters to develop and maintain merchant
and commercial operations within its respective region, while keeping the ownership of all of the current developed technology within Canada. These transfers
reflect the growing proportion of our business occurring internationally and resulted in a one-time capital gain.
As a result of the application of our tax rates on the results of ongoing operations, other discrete items, primarily related to tax benefits for share-based
compensation, the impairment of right-of-use assets and fixed assets, unrealized gains on equity and other investments, and considering our ability to carry-back
losses to prior years in Canada along with the recognition of deferred tax assets in the United States, Ireland and Singapore, we had a recovery of income taxes of
$79.1 million in the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to a provision for income taxes of $29.0 million in the same period in 2019.
22
Profit (Loss)
Net income (loss)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to
shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
Shares used to compute net income (loss) per
share attributable to shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
* Not a meaningful comparison
2020
Years ended December 31,
2019
2018
2020 vs 2019
% Change
2019 vs 2018
% Change
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
*
(64,553)
$
(124,842)
$
$
$
319,509
2.67
2.59
$
$
$
(1.10)
(1.10)
$
$
(0.61)
(0.61)
119,569,705
123,463,274
113,026,424
113,026,424
105,671,839
105,671,839
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
For the year ended December 31, 2020, basic and diluted net income per share attributable to shareholders was $2.67 and $2.59, respectively, when compared to
basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to shareholders of $(1.10) in the same period in 2019. The increase is largely due to the global shift to ecommerce
during the year, most notably as a result of COVID-19, resulting in a significant growth in revenue. In addition, the recovery of income taxes in the year had a
positive impact on basic and diluted net income per share. This growth was slightly offset by our continued investments, which aim to increase our revenue base,
improve the retention of this base, and strengthen our ability to increase sales to our merchants in order to drive future growth. Basic and diluted net loss per share
attributable to shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased $(0.49) compared to the same period in 2018.
23
Quarterly Results of Operations
The following table sets forth our results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Cost of revenues
(1)(2)
:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
(1)(2)
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Transaction and loan losses
(1)(2)
(1)
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Other (expenses) income, net
Income (loss) before income taxes
Recovery of income taxes
Net income
Net income per share attributable to shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
Shares used to compute net income per share attributable to shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
(1) Includes stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes as follows:
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
24
Three months ended December 31,
2020
2019
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
279,440
698,304
977,744
59,250
414,106
473,356
504,388
154,728
159,077
65,395
12,647
391,847
112,541
(2,788)
109,753
14,119
123,872
1.01
0.99
$
$
$
$
183,166
321,994
505,160
37,369
203,900
241,269
263,891
132,063
102,753
50,518
8,636
293,970
(30,079)
11,539
(18,540)
19,311
771
0.01
0.01
122,181,067
125,454,919
116,027,240
116,027,240
Three months ended December 31,
2020
2019
(in thousands)
1,705
10,044
54,262
16,480
82,491
$
$
1,209
11,319
32,361
8,533
53,422
$
$
$
$
$
$
(2) Includes amortization of acquired intangibles as follows:
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
Revenues
Revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Total revenues
Percentage of revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Subscription Solutions
Three months ended December 31,
2020
2019
(in thousands)
4,532
384
59
4,975
$
$
4,820
283
58
5,161
$
$
Three months ended December 31,
2019
2020
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
$
279,440
698,304
977,744
$
$
28.6 %
71.4 %
100.0 %
183,166
321,994
505,160
36.3 %
63.7 %
100.0 %
52.6 %
116.9 %
93.6 %
Subscription solutions revenues increased $96.3 million, or 52.6%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The
period-over-period increase was primarily a result of growth in MRR, which was driven largely by the higher number of merchants using our platform.
Merchant Solutions
Merchant solutions revenues increased $376.3 million, or 116.9%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The
increase in merchant solutions revenues was primarily a result of Shopify Payments revenue growing in the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to
the same period in 2019. This increase was a result of consumers turning to ecommerce for more of their purchases due to the impacts of COVID-19, an increase in
number of merchants using our platform, continued expansion into new geographical regions, and an increase in our Shopify Payments penetration rate, which was
46.5%, resulting in GMV of $19.1 billion that was facilitated using Shopify Payments for the three months ended December 31, 2020. This compares to a
penetration rate of 42.9% resulting in GMV of $8.9 billion that was facilitated using Shopify Payments in the same period in 2019.
In addition to the increase in revenue from Shopify Payments, revenue from transaction fees, referral fees from partners, Shopify Shipping, Shopify Capital and
Shopify Fulfillment Network increased during the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same periods in 2019, as a result of the increase in
GMV facilitated through our platform compared to the same periods in 2019.
25
Cost of Revenues
Cost of revenues:
Cost of subscription solutions
Cost of merchant solutions
Total cost of revenues
Percentage of revenues:
Cost of subscription solutions
Cost of merchant solutions
Cost of Subscription Solutions
Three months ended December 31,
2020
2019
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
$
59,250
414,106
473,356
$
$
6.1 %
42.4 %
48.4 %
37,369
203,900
241,269
7.4 %
40.4 %
47.8 %
58.6 %
103.1 %
96.2 %
Cost of subscription solutions increased $21.9 million, or 58.6%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The
increase was due to an increase in the costs necessary to support a greater number of merchants using our platform, resulting in an increase in: infrastructure and
hosting costs, credit card fees for processing merchant billings, payments to third-party theme developers, and payments to third-party partners for the registration
of domain names. As a percentage of revenues, cost of subscription solutions decreased from 7.4% in the three months ended December 31, 2019 to 6.1% in the
three months ended December 31, 2020 due to subscription solutions representing a smaller percentage of our total revenues as higher GMV generated on the
platform shifted the weighting of revenues towards merchant solutions.
Cost of Merchant Solutions
Cost of merchant solutions increased $210.2 million, or 103.1%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The
increase was primarily due to higher payment processing and interchange fees resulting from an increase in GMV facilitated through Shopify Payments. The
increase was also due to an increase in costs associated with operating Shopify Fulfillment Network, credit card fees for processing merchant billings, product
costs associated with expanding our product offerings, costs associated with 6RS such as employee-related costs, materials and third-party manufacturing costs,
cost of POS hardware units and infrastructure and hosting costs. Cost of merchant solutions as a percentage of revenues increased from 40.4% in the three months
ended December 31, 2019 to 42.4% in the three months ended December 31, 2020 due to merchant solutions representing a larger percentage of our total revenues,
as higher GMV generated on the platform shifted the weighting of revenues, and due to continuing the development of Shopify Fulfillment Network.
Gross Profit
Gross profit
Percentage of total revenues
Three months ended December 31,
2019
2020
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
504,388
$
51.6 %
263,891
52.2 %
91.1 %
Gross profit increased $240.5 million, or 91.1%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. As a percentage of total
revenues, gross profit decreased from 52.2% in the three months ended December 31, 2019 to 51.6% in the three months ended December 31, 2020, principally
due to Shopify Payments representing a larger percentage of total revenues and the costs associated with the continued development of Shopify Fulfillment
Network. This was partly offset by higher revenues from higher margin products such as referral revenue, Shopify Shipping, and Shopify Capital.
26
Operating Expenses
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing
Percentage of total revenues
Three months ended December 31,
2019
2020
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
154,728
$
15.8 %
132,063
26.1 %
17.2 %
Sales and marketing expenses increased $22.7 million, or 17.2%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due to an
increase of $14.5 million on marketing programs to support the growth of our business, such as advertisements on search engines, display ads and social media, as
well as payments to partners. These increases were slightly offset by lower spend on brand, Shopify Studios, and event sponsorship. Additional increases in overall
sales and marketing expenses include an increase of $8.1 million in employee-related costs (which includes a $1.3 million decrease related to stock-based
compensation and related payroll taxes) and an increase of $0.2 million related to computer hardware and software. These increases were offset slightly by a $0.1
million decrease in facilities related costs.
Research and Development
Research and development
Percentage of total revenues
Three months ended December 31,
2019
2020
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
159,077
$
16.3 %
102,753
20.3 %
54.8 %
Research and development expenses increased $56.3 million, or 54.8%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due
to an increase of $50.7 million in employee-related costs ($21.9 million of which related to stock-based compensation and related payroll taxes) and a $3.6 million
increase in computer hardware and software costs, all as a result of the growth in our employee base and expanded development programs. In addition, facilities
related costs increased $1.4 million, including the impact of accelerating depreciation at certain offices, and professional services fees increased $0.6 million.
General and Administrative
General and administrative
Percentage of total revenues
Three months ended December 31,
2020
2019
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
65,395
$
6.7 %
50,518
10.0 %
29.4 %
General and administrative expenses increased $14.9 million, or 29.4%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due
to an increase of $16.5 million in employee-related costs ($7.9 million of which related to stock-based compensation and related payroll taxes), a $3.8 million
increase in finance costs, which includes sustainability spend, insurance, sales and use and other value added taxes and the provision for expected credit losses on
uncollectible receivables, a $1.7 million increase in professional services for legal and financial services and a $1.4 million increase in computer and software
costs. These increases were offset by a $8.1 million decrease relating to an estimated net liability for non-recurring HST payable to the Government of Canada that
was recognized in 2019 as well as a $0.4 million decrease in facilities related costs.
27
Transaction and Loan Losses
Transaction and loan losses
Percentage of total revenues
Three months ended December 31,
2019
(in thousands, except percentages)
2020
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
12,647
$
1.3 %
8,636
1.7 %
46.4 %
Transaction and loan losses increased $4.0 million, or 46.4%, for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, due to an
increase of $5.1 million in losses related to Shopify Payments, which is correlated to increased GMV processed through Shopify Payments, as well as a relative
increase in the provision for losses related to the potential impact from COVID-19. Losses related to Shopify Capital decreased $1.1 million driven largely in part
to higher remittances obtained during the holiday season offset slightly by an increase in the provision for expected credit losses related to the potential impact
from COVID-19.
Other Income (Expenses)
Other (expenses) income, net
* Not a meaningful comparison
Three months ended December 31,
2020
2019
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
(2,788)
$
11,539
*
(in thousands, except percentages)
In the three months ended December 31, 2020 we had other expenses of $2.8 million, compared to other income of $11.5 million in the same period in 2019. The
decrease was driven by a reduction in interest income of $9.1 million, primarily as a result of lower interest rates, and a $7.9 million increase in interest expense
related to the Notes. These decreases were offset slightly by an unrealized gain on equity and other investments of $2.0 million related to an investment in a private
company and a decrease of $0.7 million in foreign exchange losses.
Recovery of Income Taxes
Recovery of income taxes
* Not a meaningful comparison
Three months ended December 31,
2020
2019
2020 vs. 2019
% Change
$
14,119
$
19,311
*
(in thousands, except percentages)
In the third quarter of 2019, we formally established our EMEA headquarters in Ireland and our Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore. As a result of these
actions, we transferred regional relationship and territory rights from our Canadian entity to enable each regional headquarters to develop and maintain merchant
and commercial operations within its respective region, while keeping the ownership of all of the Company's current developed technology within Canada. These
transfers reflect the growing proportion of our business occurring internationally and resulted in a one-time capital gain.
As a result of the application of our effective tax rate on the results of ongoing operations, other discrete items, primarily related to tax benefits for share-based
compensation, unrealized gains on equity and other investments, and considering our ability to carry-back losses to prior years in Canada along with the
recognition of deferred tax assets in the United States, Ireland and Singapore, we had a recovery of income taxes of $14.1 million in the three months ended
December 31, 2020, compared to a recovery of income taxes of $19.3 million in the same period in 2019.
28
Summary of Quarterly Results
The following table sets forth selected unaudited quarterly results of operations data for each of the eight quarters ended December 31, 2020. The information for
each of these quarters has been derived from unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements that were prepared on the same basis as the audited annual
financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflects all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair
presentation of the results of operations for these periods in accordance with U.S. GAAP. This data should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements and audited consolidated financial statements and related notes for the relevant period. These quarterly operating results are not
necessarily indicative of our operating results for a full year or any future period.
Dec 31, 2020
Sep 30, 2020
June 30, 2020 Mar 31, 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Sep 30, 2019
Jun 30, 2019 Mar 31, 2019
(in thousands, except per share data)
Three months ended
Revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
(1)(2)
Cost of revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
(1)(2)
(1)(2)
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Transaction and loan losses
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Other (expenses) income, net
Income (loss) before income taxes
(1)
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes
Net income (loss)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to
shareholders:
Basic
Diluted
$
$
$
$
279,440 $
698,304
977,744
245,274 $
522,131
767,405
$
196,434
517,907
714,341
$
187,609
282,392
470,001
$
183,166
321,994
505,160
$
165,577
224,975
390,552
$
153,047
208,932
361,979
59,250
414,106
473,356
504,388
154,728
159,077
65,395
12,647
391,847
112,541
(2,788)
109,753
14,119
123,872 $
52,170
310,087
362,257
405,148
147,608
143,427
51,799
11,753
354,587
50,561
135,806
186,367
4,701
191,068 $
44,400
294,907
339,307
375,034
144,850
133,227
83,307
13,366
374,750
284
4,084
4,368
31,630
35,998
1.01 $
0.99 $
1.59 $
1.54 $
0.30
0.29
$
$
$
37,712
175,339
213,051
256,950
154,862
116,396
44,842
14,083
330,183
(73,233)
13,109
(60,124)
28,695
(31,429)
(0.27)
(0.27)
$
$
$
37,369
203,900
241,269
263,891
132,063
102,753
50,518
8,636
293,970
(30,079)
11,539
(18,540)
19,311
771
0.01
0.01
$
$
$
33,263
140,593
173,856
216,696
116,546
90,387
38,022
7,399
252,354
(35,658)
11,212
(24,446)
(48,338)
(72,784)
(0.64)
(0.64)
$
$
$
29,538
127,676
157,214
204,765
119,210
85,520
34,922
4,733
244,385
(39,620)
10,942
(28,678)
—
(28,678)
(0.26)
(0.26)
$
$
$
140,451
180,031
320,482
27,985
112,206
140,191
180,291
105,022
76,355
30,303
4,401
216,081
(35,790)
11,639
(24,151)
—
(24,151)
(0.22)
(0.22)
(1) Includes stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes as follows:
Dec 31, 2020
Sep 30, 2020
June 30, 2020 Mar 31, 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Sep 30, 2019
Jun 30, 2019 Mar 31, 2019
Three months ended
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
$
$
1,705 $
10,044
54,262
16,480
82,491 $
2,914 $
11,481
47,741
13,266
75,402 $
1,529
12,431
49,825
12,682
76,467
$
$
29
$
(in thousands)
1,324
12,434
36,421
9,767
59,946
$
1,209
11,319
32,361
8,533
53,422
$
$
1,041
9,692
25,913
7,853
44,499
$
$
1,026
9,511
26,448
7,444
44,429
$
$
814
7,645
19,923
6,031
34,413
(2) Includes amortization of acquired intangibles as follows:
Dec 31, 2020
Sep 30, 2020
June 30, 2020 Mar 31, 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Sep 30, 2019
Jun 30, 2019 Mar 31, 2019
Three months ended
Cost of revenues
Sales and marketing
Research and development
$
$
4,532 $
384
59
4,975 $
4,531 $
388
58
4,977 $
4,856
388
58
5,302
$
$
$
(in thousands)
5,569
388
58
6,015
$
4,820
283
58
5,161
$
$
1,649
—
58
1,707
$
$
1,530
—
58
1,588
$
$
1,625
—
58
1,683
The following table sets forth selected unaudited quarterly statements of operations data as a percentage of total revenues for each of the eight quarters ended
December 31, 2020.
Dec 31, 2020
Sep 30, 2020
June 30, 2020 Mar 31, 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Sep 30, 2019
Jun 30, 2019
Mar 31, 2019
Three months ended
Revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Cost of revenues:
Subscription solutions
Merchant solutions
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing
Research and development
General and administrative
Transaction and loan losses
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Other (expenses) income, net
Income (loss) before income taxes
Recovery of (provision for) income
taxes
Net income (loss)
28.6%
71.4%
100.0%
6.1%
42.4%
48.4%
51.6%
15.8%
16.3%
6.7%
1.3%
40.1%
11.5%
(0.3)%
11.2%
1.4%
12.7%
32.0%
68.0%
100.0%
6.8%
40.4%
47.2%
52.8%
19.2%
18.7%
6.7%
1.5%
46.2%
6.6%
17.7%
24.3%
0.6%
24.9%
27.5%
72.5%
100.0%
6.2%
41.3%
47.5%
52.5%
20.3%
18.7%
11.7%
1.9%
52.5%
0.0%
0.6%
0.6%
4.4%
5.0%
39.9%
60.1%
100.0%
8.0%
37.3%
45.3%
54.7%
32.9%
24.8%
9.5%
3.0%
70.2%
(15.6)%
2.8%
(12.8)%
6.1%
(6.7)%
36.3%
63.7%
100.0%
7.4%
40.4%
47.8%
52.2%
26.1%
20.3%
10.0%
1.7%
58.1%
(5.9)%
2.3%
(3.6)%
3.8%
0.2%
42.4%
57.6%
100.0%
8.5%
36.0%
44.5%
55.5%
29.8%
23.1%
9.7%
1.9%
64.5%
(9.1)%
2.9%
(6.3)%
(12.4)%
(18.6)%
42.3%
57.7%
100.0%
8.2%
35.3%
43.5%
56.6%
32.9%
23.6%
9.7%
1.3%
67.5%
(10.9)%
3.0%
(7.9)%
0.0%
(7.9)%
43.8%
56.2%
100.0%
8.7%
35.0%
43.7%
56.3%
32.8%
23.8%
9.4%
1.4%
67.4%
(11.2)%
3.6%
(7.5)%
0.0%
(7.5)%
We believe that year-over-year comparisons are more meaningful than our sequential results due to seasonality in our business. While we believe that this
seasonality has affected and will continue to affect our quarterly results, our rapid growth has largely masked seasonal trends to date. Our merchant solutions
revenues are directionally correlated with our merchants' GMV. Our merchants' GMV typically increases during the fourth-quarter holiday season. As a result, we
have historically generated higher merchant solutions revenues in our fourth quarter than in other quarters. Due to the ongoing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic
which has accelerated the shift of purchasing habits to ecommerce, we have observed a rapid growth in merchant solutions revenue in our most recent quarters. As
a result of the continued growth of our merchant solutions offerings, we believe that our business may become more seasonal in the future, and that historical
patterns in our business may not be a reliable indicator of our future performance.
30
Quarterly Revenue and Gross Margin Trends
Revenues experienced a seasonal decrease in our first quarters as buyers typically reduce their spending following the holiday season resulting in a seasonal
decrease in GMV per merchant, which was not completely offset by merchant and MRR growth. Subsequently, revenues have increased in each of the next three
quarters as a result of merchant, MRR, and overall GMV growth. Our merchants have processed additional GMV during the fourth-quarter holiday seasons, and as
a result we have generated higher merchant solutions revenues in our fourth quarters compared to other quarters. However, due to the ongoing effect of the
COVID-19 pandemic which has accelerated the shift of purchasing habits to ecommerce, we have observed a rapid increase in merchant solutions revenue in our
most recent quarters that do not replicate historical patterns. As a result of the continued growth of our merchant solutions offerings, we believe that our business
may become more seasonal in the future.
Our gross margin percentage has varied over the past eight quarters and is generally driven by the mix between our higher-margin subscription solutions revenue
and lower-margin merchant solutions revenue. While our total revenues have increased in recent periods, the mix has shifted towards merchant solutions revenue,
most notably in the fourth quarter due to higher holiday volume of orders facilitated and the resulting Shopify Payments revenue during this period. We expect this
overall trend to continue over time.
Quarterly Operating Expenses Trends
Total operating expenses have increased sequentially for each period presented primarily due to the addition of personnel in connection with the expansion of our
business, additional operating expenses associated with the acquisition of 6RS as well as additional marketing initiatives to attract potential merchants.
Quarterly Other Income (Expenses) Trends
Historically, there have been no consistent trends associated with other income (expenses) as changes are impacted by foreign exchange rates, interest rates, and
observable changes or impairments associated with our equity investments in private companies. The results from these changes may fluctuate from period to
period and may cause volatility to our earnings as well as impact comparability of our results from period to period.
Key Balance Sheet Information
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities
Total assets
Total liabilities
Total non-current liabilities
$
December 31, 2020
December 31, 2019
(in thousands)
$
6,387,967
7,762,905
1,362,182
923,850
2,455,194
3,489,479
473,745
157,363
Total assets increased $4,273.4 million as at December 31, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019, principally due to a $3,932.8 million increase in cash, cash
equivalents and marketable securities driven largely by our May 2020 and September 2020 public equity offerings, and our issuance of the Notes, a $171.0 million
increase in equity and other investments due mainly to our investment in Affirm received in conjunction with our strategic partnership, a $94.6 million increase in
merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables largely due to an expansion of our Capital offerings and programs, a $56.1 million increase in income taxes
receivable, a $33.2 million increase in deferred tax assets, a $30.2 million increase in trade and other receivables, and a $21.9 million increase in other current
assets. These increases were partially offset by: a $31.6 million decrease in intangibles assets due to amortization in the period; and $19.3 million and $15.4 million
decreases in property and equipment and right-of-use assets, respectively, largely related to the impairment of leaseholds and right-of-use assets at certain offices
spaces we have ceased using, for which the leases have been or will be terminated or sublet. Total liabilities increased by $888.4 million, principally as a result of
the issuance of the Notes in the period of $758.0 million, a $119.6 million increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, which was largely due to an increase
in shipping fees and payroll
31
liabilities, a $66.2 million increase in deferred revenue mainly due to the growth in sales of our subscription solutions and our new strategic partnership with
Affirm, and a $3.2 million increase in lease liabilities. These increases were offset by a reduction in income taxes payable of $49.8 million, and a decrease of $8.8
million in deferred tax liabilities.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
To date, we have financed our operations primarily through the sale of equity securities as well as the sale of the Notes, raising approximately $6.2 billion, net of
issuance costs, from investors.
In September 2020, the Company completed a public offering in which it issued and sold 1,265,000 Class A subordinate voting shares at a public offering price of
$900.00 per share, including 165,000 Class A subordinate voting shares purchased by the underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the over-allotment option. The
Company received total net proceeds of $1,117.6 million after deducting offering fees and expenses of $20.9 million.
In September 2020, the Company also issued $920.0 million aggregate principal amount of 0.125% convertible senior notes due 2025. The net proceeds from the
issuance of the Notes were $908.0 million after deducting underwriting discounts and offering costs. The Notes have an initial conversion rate of 0.6944 Class A
subordinate voting shares per one thousand dollars of principal amount of Notes, which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $1,440.09 per
share. The Notes bear cash interest at 0.125% per year and, if we undergo a "fundamental change" (which includes a change of control of more than 50% of our
common equity or our liquidation or dissolution) prior to the maturity date of the Notes, we will, subject to limited exceptions, be required to purchase for cash all
outstanding Notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the fundamental
change purchase date.
In July 2020, due to the expiry of our previous short-term base shelf prospectus, we filed a new short-form base shelf prospectus with the securities commissions in
each of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Quebec, and a corresponding shelf registration statement on Form F-10 with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. This shelf prospectus and registration statement allows Shopify to offer up to $7.5 billion of Class A subordinate voting shares, preferred
shares, debt securities, warrants, subscription receipts, units, or any combination thereof, from time to time during the 25-month period that the shelf prospectus is
effective.
In May 2020, the Company completed a public offering in which it issued and sold 2,127,500 Class A subordinate voting shares at a public offering price of
$700.00 per share, including 277,500 Class A subordinate voting shares purchased by the underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the over-allotment option. The
Company received total net proceeds of $1,460.9 million after deducting offering fees and expenses of $28.3 million.
In September 2019, the Company completed a public offering, in which it issued and sold 2,185,000 Class A subordinate voting shares at a public offering price of
$317.50 per share, including 285,000 Class A subordinate voting shares purchased by the underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the over-allotment option. The
Company received total net proceeds of $688.0 million after deducting offering fees and expenses of $5.7 million, net of tax of $1.5 million.
Our principal cash requirements are for working capital and capital expenditures. Excluding current deferred revenue, working capital at December 31, 2020 was
$6,547.2 million. Given the ongoing cash generated from operations and our existing cash and cash equivalents, we believe there is sufficient liquidity to meet our
current and planned financial obligations over the next 12 months, including any potential negative impacts to cash that may occur as a result of the potential
impact from COVID-19. Our future financing requirements will depend on many factors including our growth rate (including the effect of COVID-19 on our
growth rate), subscription renewal activity, the timing and extent of spending to support development of our platform, the expansion of sales and marketing
activities, the macroeconomic conditions and overall levels of consumer spending on goods, and potential mergers and acquisitions activity. Although we currently
are not a party to any material undisclosed agreement and do not have any understanding with any third parties with respect to potential material investments in, or
acquisitions of, businesses or technologies, we may enter into these types of arrangements in the future, which could
32
also require us to seek additional equity or debt financing. Additional funds may not be available on terms favorable to us or at all.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities
Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities increased by $3,932.8 million to $6,388.0 million as at December 31, 2020 from $2,455.2 million as at
December 31, 2019, primarily as a result of proceeds from the public equity offerings in May 2020 and September 2020, proceeds from the issuance of the Notes
in September 2020, cash provided by our operating activities, and proceeds from the exercise of stock options.
Cash equivalents and marketable securities include money market funds, repurchase agreements, term deposits, U.S. and Canadian federal bonds, corporate bonds
and commercial paper, all maturing within the 12 months from December 31, 2020.
The following table summarizes our total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as at December 31, 2020 and 2019 as well as our operating, investing
and financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities (end of year)
Net cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
Change in marketable securities
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Years ended December 31,
2020
2019
(in thousands)
$
$
$
6,387,967
424,958
(1,931,848)
3,557,350
3,221
2,053,681
1,879,092
3,932,773
$
$
$
2,455,194
70,615
(569,475)
736,351
1,742
239,233
246,291
485,524
Our largest source of operating cash is from merchant solutions. Within merchant solutions, the largest source of cash flows are Shopify Payments processing fee
arrangements, which are received on a daily basis as transactions are processed. We also generate significant cash flows from our subscription solutions. These
payments are typically paid to us at the beginning of the applicable subscription period, except for our Shopify Plus merchants who typically pay us at the end of
their monthly billing cycle. Our primary uses of cash from operating activities are for third-party payment processing fees, advancing funds to merchants through
Shopify Capital, employee-related expenditures, marketing programs, third-party shipping and fulfillment partners, third-party application and theme partners,
outsourced hosting costs, and leased facilities.
For the year ended December 31, 2020, cash provided by operating activities was $425.0 million. This was primarily as a result of our net income of $319.5
million, which once adjusted for $246.9 million of stock-based compensation expense, an unrealized gain on equity and other investments of $135.2 million, $70.1
million of amortization and depreciation, a $42.0 million increase in net deferred income taxes, $31.6 million of impairment of right-of-use assets and leasehold
improvements, a $27.3 million increase of our provision for transaction and loan losses, a $8.8 million increase of amortization of debt discount and offering costs
related to the Notes offering, and an unrealized foreign exchange gain of $1.7 million, contributed $525.3 million of positive cash flows. Additional cash flows of
$183.5 million were provided by the following changes in operating liabilities: a $118.6 million increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities due mainly to
trade accounts payable, accrued liabilities and payroll liabilities; a
33
$66.2 million increase in deferred revenue due to the growth in sales of our subscription solutions and a new strategic partnership; offset slightly by a $1.2 million
decrease in net lease assets and liabilities. Cash used of $283.9 million resulted from the following increases in operating assets: $112.7 million in merchant cash
advances and loans as we continued to grow Shopify Capital; $105.9 million net change in income tax assets and liabilities, largely driven by an increase in
corporate taxes receivable of $56.1 million mainly from the Government of Canada, and a $49.8 million decrease in corporate taxes payable relating to a payment
made to the Government of Canada; $29.1 million in trade and other receivables; $24.7 million in non cash consideration received in the form of equity and other
investments in conjunction with our strategic partnership with Affirm, and $11.4 million in other current assets driven primarily by an increase in capitalized
contract costs.
For the year ended December 31, 2019, cash provided by operating activities was $70.6 million. This was primarily as a result of our net loss of $124.8 million,
which once adjusted for $158.5 million of stock-based compensation expense, $35.7 million of amortization and depreciation, a $37.9 million increase in deferred
income taxes, a $17.9 million increase of our provision for transaction and loan losses, and an unrealized foreign exchange loss of $3.2 million, contributed $52.5
million of positive cash flows. Additional cash of $160.9 million resulted from the following increases in operating liabilities: $82.5 million in accounts payable
and accrued liabilities; $64.6 million in income tax assets and liabilities; $12.3 million in deferred revenue; and $1.5 million in net lease liabilities. These were
offset by $142.8 million of cash used resulting from the following increases in operating assets: $74.2 million in merchant cash advances and loans; $56.2 million
in trade and other receivables; and $12.4 million in other current assets.
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Cash flows used in investing activities are primarily related to the purchase and sale of marketable securities, equity and other investments, business acquisitions,
purchases of leasehold improvements and furniture and fixtures to support our expanding infrastructure and workforce, and purchases of computer equipment.
Net cash used by investing activities in the year ended December 31, 2020 was $1,931.8 million, which was driven by net purchases of $1,878.8 million in
marketable securities, $41.7 million used to purchase property and equipment, which consisted of expenditures on leasehold improvements made prior to our
decision to shift to being a digital-by-default company as well as on additional leasehold improvements to accommodate our future needs at our remaining office
locations, $11.1 million used to enter into equity and other investments, and $0.3 million used for purchasing and developing software to add functionality to our
platform and support our expanding merchant base.
Net cash used in investing activities in the year ended December 31, 2019 was $569.5 million, which was driven by $265.5 million used to make business
acquisitions, net purchases of $241.6 million in marketable securities, $56.8 million used to purchase property and equipment, which primarily consisted of
expenditures on leasehold improvements, and $5.6 million used for purchasing and developing software.
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
To date, cash flows from financing activities have related to proceeds from private placements, public offerings, the issuance of the Notes, and exercises of stock
options.
Net cash provided by financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2020 was $3,557.4 million driven by $1,460.9 million raised in our May 2020 public
equity offering, $1,117.6 million raised in our September 2020 public equity offering, $908.0 million in proceeds from the issuance of the Notes in September
2020, and $70.8 million in proceeds from the issuance of Class A subordinate voting shares and Class B multiple voting shares as a result of stock option exercises.
This compares to $736.4 million for the same period in 2019, driven mainly by the $688.0 million raised in our September 2019 public equity offering and $48.3
million which related to stock option exercises.
34
Contractual Obligations and Contingencies
Our principal commitments consist of our Notes and obligations under our operating leases for office space. The following table summarizes our contractual
obligations as of December 31, 2020:
Convertible senior notes
Bank indebtedness
Operating lease and unconditional purchase
(1)
obligations
(2)
Total contractual obligations
Less Than 1 Year
1 to 3 Years
Payments Due by Period
3 to 5 Years
(in thousands)
More Than 5
Years
Total
$
$
1,287
—
100,951
102,238
$
$
2,300
—
232,215
234,515
$
$
922,300
—
107,492
1,029,792
$
$
— $
—
368,014
368,014
$
925,887
—
808,672
1,734,559
(1) $920,000 of the payments due in three to five years may be settled in Class A subordinate voting shares instead of cash, at our option.
(2) Consists of payment obligations under our office leases as well as other unconditional purchase obligations.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no material off-balance sheet arrangements, other than operating leases and other unconditional purchase obligations (which have been disclosed above
under "Contractual Obligations and Contingencies").
Risks and Uncertainties
We are exposed to a variety of risks, including foreign currency exchange fluctuations, changes in interest rates, concentration of credit and inflation. We regularly
assess currency, interest rate and inflation risks to minimize any adverse effects on our business as a result of those factors. We are also exposed to other
uncertainties as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. For further discussion of these risks and uncertainties see "Risk Factors" in our annual information
form.
Foreign Currency Exchange Risk
While the majority of our revenues are denominated in USD, a significant portion of operating expenses are incurred in CAD. As a result, our earnings are
adversely affected by an increase in the value of the CAD relative to the USD. Foreign currency forward contracts are used to hedge against the earning effects of
such fluctuations.
35
Effect of Foreign Exchange Rates
The following non-GAAP financial measure converts our revenues, cost of revenues, operating expenses, and income (loss) from operations using the comparative
period's monthly average exchange rates:
Years ended December 31,
2020
GAAP Amounts As
Reported
Exchange Rate Effect
(1)
At Prior Year Effective
Rates
(2)
2019
GAAP Amounts As
Reported
Revenues
Cost of revenues
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
$
$
2,929,491 $
(1,387,971)
(1,451,367)
90,153 $
(in thousands)
1,203 $
(1,868)
(7,836)
(8,501) $
2,930,694
(1,389,839)
(1,459,203)
81,652
$
$
1,578,173
(712,530)
(1,006,790)
(141,147)
(1) Represents the increase or decrease in GAAP amounts reported resulting from using the comparative period's effective CAD-USD foreign exchange rates.
(2) Represents the outcome that would have resulted if the comparative period's effective CAD-USD foreign exchange rates are applied to the current reporting period.
This effect of foreign exchange rates on our consolidated statements of operations disclosure is a supplement to our consolidated financial statements, which are
prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We have provided the above non-GAAP disclosure as we believe it presents a clear comparison of our
period to period operating results by removing the impact of fluctuations in the CAD to USD exchange rate and to assist investors in understanding our financial
and operating performance. Non-GAAP financial measures are not recognized measures for financial statement presentation under U.S. GAAP, do not have
standardized meanings, and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other public companies. Such non-GAAP financial measures should be
considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Interest Rate Sensitivity
We had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaling $6,388.0 million as of December 31, 2020. The cash and cash equivalents are held for operations
and working capital purposes. Our investments are made for capital preservation purposes. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes.
Our cash equivalents and our portfolio of marketable securities are subject to market risk due to changes in interest rates. Fixed rate securities may have their
market value adversely affected due to a rise in interest rates. Our future investment income may fall short of our expectations due to changes in interest rates or we
may suffer losses in principal if we are forced to sell securities that decline in market value due to changes in interest rates. However, because we classify our debt
securities as "held to maturity," no gains or losses are recognized due to changes in interest rates unless such securities are sold prior to maturity or declines in fair
value are determined to be other than temporary.
In September 2020, we issued $920.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes. The Notes have a fixed annual interest rate of 0.125%; accordingly, we do not
have economic interest rate exposure on the Notes. However, the fair market value of the Notes is exposed to interest rate risk. Generally, the fair market value of
our fixed interest rate Notes will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. In addition, the fair market value of the Notes will generally
fluctuate as the price of our Class A subordinate voting shares fluctuates. On our balance sheet, we carry the Notes at face value less unamortized discount and debt
offering costs, and we present the fair value for required disclosure purposes only.
36
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, trade and other receivables, merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables, and foreign
exchange derivative products subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk. Management mitigates this risk associated with cash and cash equivalents by
making deposits and entering into foreign exchange derivative products only with large banks and financial institutions that are considered to be highly
creditworthy. Management mitigates the risks associated with marketable securities by adhering to its investment policy, which stipulates minimum rating
requirements, maximum investment exposures and maximum maturities. Due to the Company’s diversified merchant base, there is no particular concentration of
credit risk related to the Company’s trade and other receivables and merchant cash advances and loans receivable. Trade and other receivables and merchant cash
advances and loans receivable are monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure timely collection of amounts. The Company has mitigated some of the risks associated
with Shopify Capital by entering into an agreement with a third party that insures a portion of the merchant cash advances and loans offered by Shopify Capital.
The receivable related to insurance recoveries is included in the merchant cash advances, loans and related receivables balance. There are no receivables from
individual merchants accounting for 10% or more of revenues or receivables. Potential ongoing effects from COVID-19 on the Company's credit risk have been
considered and have resulted in adjustments to the Company's allowances for expected credit losses on contract balances and merchant cash advances and loans, as
discussed in notes 7 and 8 of our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020, respectively. The Company continues its
assessment given the fluidity of COVID-19's global impact.
Inflation Risk
We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. If our costs were to become subject to
significant inflationary pressures, we may not be able to fully offset such higher costs through price increases. Our inability or failure to do so could harm our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
All control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Accordingly, even disclosure controls and procedures, and internal controls over
financial reporting determined to be effective can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives with respect to financial statement
preparation and presentation.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Management of the Company, under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining
disclosure controls and procedures (as defined by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") for the Company to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, that is required to be made known to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer by others within the Company and disclosed by the
Company in reports filed or submitted by it under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the
SEC's rules and forms; and (ii) accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer,
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
We, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures as of
December 31, 2020 and have concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2020.
Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management of the Company, under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal control over the Company's financial reporting.
37
Internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial
statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles.
We, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have assessed the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting
in accordance with Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO").
Based on this assessment, we, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have determined that the Company's internal control over
financial reporting was effective as at December 31, 2020. Additionally, based on our assessment, we determined that there were no material weaknesses in the
Company's internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2020.
Attestation Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2020 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report on the audited consolidated financial statements for December 31, 2020.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
During the year ended December 31, 2020, there were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are
reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In the preparation of these consolidated financial statements, we are required to
make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, costs and expenses and related disclosures. To the extent that there
are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our financial condition or results of operations would be affected. We base our estimates on
past experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, and we re-evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis. We refer to
accounting estimates of this type as significant accounting policies and estimates, which we discuss below and in further detail in Note 3 - Significant Accounting
Policies of our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Revenue Recognition
Our sources of revenue consist of subscription solutions and merchant solutions. Arrangements with merchants do not provide the merchant with the right to take
possession of the software supporting our hosting platform at any time and are therefore accounted for as service contracts. Our subscription service contracts do
not provide for refunds or any other rights of return to merchants in the event of cancellations.
We recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised services to merchants in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be
entitled in exchange for those services by applying the following steps:
•
•
Identify the contract with a merchant;
Identify the performance obligations in the contract;
• Determine the transaction price;
• Allocate the transaction price; and
• Recognize revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
38
We follow the guidance provided in ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, for determining whether we are the principal or an agent in arrangements
with customers that involve another party that contributes to providing a specified service to a customer. In these instances, we determine whether we have
promised to provide the specified service itself (as principal) or to arrange for the specified service to be provided by another party (as an agent). This
determination depends on the facts and circumstances of each arrangement and, in some instances, involves significant judgment. We recognize revenue from
Shopify Shipping, the sales of apps and Shop Pay Installments on a net basis as we are not primarily responsible for the fulfillment, do not have control of the
promised service, and do not have full discretion in establishing prices and therefore are the agent in the arrangement with merchants. All other revenue is reported
on a gross basis, as we have determined we are the principal in the arrangement.
Provision for Credit Losses Related to Merchant Cash Advances and Loans
Merchant cash advance receivables and loans represent the aggregate amount of Shopify Capital related receivables owed by merchants as of the balance sheet
date, net of an allowance for expected credit losses. The Company estimates the provision based on an assessment of various factors, including historical trends,
merchants' gross merchandise volume, supportable forecasted information and other factors, including the potential impact of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-
19"), that may affect the merchants' ability to make future payments on the receivables. Additions to the provision are reflected in current operating results, while
charges against the provision are made when losses are incurred. These additions are classified within transaction and loan losses on the consolidated statements of
operations and comprehensive income (loss). Recoveries are reflected as a reduction in the allowance for credit losses related to merchant cash advances and loans
when the recovery occurs.
Provision for Transaction Losses Related to Shopify Payments and Shop Pay Installments
Shopify Payments and Shop Pay Installments losses arise when refunded merchant transactions cannot be recovered. The Company estimates the provision based
on an assessment of various factors, including historical trends, gross merchandise volume facilitated using Shopify Payments and Shop Pay Installments,
supportable forecasted information and other factors, including the potential impact of COVID-19, that may increase the volume of refunded transactions.
Additions to the provision are reflected in current operating results, while charges against the provision are made when losses are incurred. These additions are
classified within transaction and loan losses on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
Convertible Senior Notes
The Company accounts for the Notes as separate liability and equity components. The Company determined the carrying amount of the liability component as the
fair value of a similar debt instrument that does not have an associated conversion feature. The carrying amount of the equity component representing the
conversion option was calculated by deducting the fair value of the liability component from the principal amount of the Notes. This difference represents a debt
discount that is amortized to interest expense over the term of the Notes using the effective interest rate method. The equity component is not remeasured as long as
it continues to meet the conditions for equity classification.
The offering costs incurred related to the issuance of the Notes were allocated to the liability and equity components based on their relative initial carrying values.
Offering costs attributable to the liability component are being amortized to interest expense over the respective terms of the Notes, and offering costs attributable
to the equity component are netted against the equity component of the Notes in shareholders' equity.
Accounting Pronouncements Adopted in the Year
In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (Topic 326), which
replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of
reasonable and
39
supportable information to inform credit loss estimates on loans, trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, and other instruments. In May 2019,
the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, which provides transition relief that is optional for, and
available to, all reporting entities within the scope of Topic 326. The updates are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 including interim
periods within those periods. The Company adopted the standard effective January 1, 2020 using a modified retrospective approach. Upon adoption, the Company
changed its approach to estimating its expected credit losses, which did not have a material impact on any of its existing allowances at that time.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own
Equity, which eliminates certain models associated with accounting for convertible instruments, makes targeted improvements to the disclosures for convertible
instruments and earnings per share guidance, and amends the guidance for the derivative scope exception for contracts in an entity's own equity. The updates are
effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021 including interim periods within those periods. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than
fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those periods. The Company will early adopt this ASU effective January 1, 2021.
The Company is currently in the process of finalizing its assessment of the impact of this ASU. Upon adoption, the Company will no longer separately account for
the liability and equity components of its Notes, which exist under current accounting guidance. As a result of the adoption, non-cash interest expense related to its
currently outstanding Notes will be eliminated.
Shares Outstanding
Shopify is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: SHOP) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: SHOP). As of
February 11, 2021 there were 111,055,417 Class A subordinate voting shares issued and outstanding, and 11,600,866 Class B multiple voting shares issued and
outstanding.
As of February 11, 2021 there were 964,019 options outstanding under the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Incentive Stock Option Plan, of which
959,019 were vested as of such date. Each such option is or will become exercisable for one Class B multiple voting share. As of February 11, 2021 there were
1,379,214 options outstanding under the Company’s Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan, of which 821,928 were vested as of such date. Each such option is
or will become exercisable for one Class A subordinate voting share. As of February 11, 2021 there were 54,406 options outstanding under the 6 River Systems
2016 Amended and Restated Stock Option and Grant Plan, which the Company assumed on closing of its acquisition of 6RS on October 17, 2019. Of these
options, 18,014 were vested as of such date. Each option is or will become exercisable for one Class A subordinate voting share.
As of February 11, 2021 there were 1,064,725 RSUs and 883 DSUs outstanding under the Company’s Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan. Each
such RSU or DSU will vest as one Class A subordinate voting share.
40
EXHIBIT 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 of Shopify Inc. of our report dated
February 17, 2021, relating to the consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in the Exhibit
incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 40-F.
We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form F-10 (No. 333-240142) and Form S-8 (Nos. 333-204568, 333-211305
and 333-234241) of Shopify Inc. of our report dated February 16, 2021 referred to above. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Interests of
Experts”, which appears in the Annual Information Form included in the Exhibit incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 40-F, which is
incorporated by reference in such Registration Statements.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Chartered Professional Accountants, Licensed Public Accountants
Ottawa, Canada
February 17, 2021
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
99 Bank Street, Suite 710, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1P 1E4
T: +1 613 237 3702, F: +1 613 237 3963, www.pwc.com/ca
“PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership.
CERTIFICATION
PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
EXHIBIT 31.1
I, Tobias Lütke, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 40-F of Shopify Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows of the issuer as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4. The issuer's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the issuer and have:
(a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure
that material information relating to the issuer, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly
during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision,
to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) evaluated the effectiveness of the issuer's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the
disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) disclosed in this report any change in the issuer's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report
that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the issuer's internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The issuer's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the issuer's auditors
and the audit committee of the issuer's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely
to adversely affect the issuer's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the issuer's internal control over
financial reporting.
Date: February 17, 2021
/s/ Tobias Lütke
Tobias Lütke
Chief Executive Officer
CERTIFICATION
PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Amy Shapero, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 40-F of Shopify Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows of the issuer as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4. The issuer's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the issuer and have:
(a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure
that material information relating to the issuer, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly
during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision,
to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) evaluated the effectiveness of the issuer's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the
disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) disclosed in this report any change in the issuer's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report
that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the issuer's internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The issuer's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the issuer's auditors
and the audit committee of the issuer's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely
to adversely affect the issuer's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the issuer's internal control over
financial reporting.
Date: February 17, 2021
/s/ Amy Shapero
Amy Shapero
Chief Financial Officer
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350, AS ADOPTED
PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
EXHIBIT 32.1
In connection with the Annual Report of Shopify Inc. (the "Company") on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Tobias Lütke, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. section 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to my knowledge:
(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: February 17, 2021
/s/ Tobias Lütke
Tobias Lütke
Chief Executive Officer
This certification accompanies the Report pursuant to §906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and shall not, except to the extent required by the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, be deemed "filed" by the Company for purposes of §18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liability of
that section.
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350, AS ADOPTED
PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Shopify Inc. (the "Company") on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Amy Shapero, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. section 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to my knowledge:
(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: February 17, 2021
/s/ Amy Shapero
Amy Shapero
Chief Financial Officer
This certification accompanies the Report pursuant to §906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and shall not, except to the extent required by the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, be deemed "filed" by the Company for purposes of §18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liability of
that section.