Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2013
Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies *Nature of Business* Korn/Ferry International, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its subsidiaries are engaged in the business of providing talent management solutions, including executive recruitment on a retained basis, recruitment process outsourcing and leadership & talent consulting services. The Company’s worldwide network of 76 offices in 35 countries enables it to meet the needs of its clients in all industries on a global basis. *Basis of Consolidation and Presentation* The accompanying consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2012 for the Company and its wholly and majority owned/controlled domestic and international subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements conforms with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and prevailing practice within the industry. The consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals and any other adjustments that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of the results for these periods. The results of operations for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire fiscal year. As previously announced, beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company disaggregated its previous reported business segment, Executive Recruitment, into two business segments, Executive Recruitment and Leadership & Talent Consulting. The Company now operates in three global business segments, as described in more detail in Note 8 – Business Segments. The consolidated financial statements included in this report, with the exception of the new business segment, Leadership & Talent Consulting, have been prepared consistently with the accounting policies described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 (the “Annual Report”) and should be read together with the Annual Report. The Company has revised comparative segment information that was contained in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2012, to reflect the new global business segment structure. The adjusted segment information constitutes a reclassification and had no impact on reported net income or earnings per share for preceding periods. This change does not restate information previously reported in the consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity or consolidated statements of cash flows for the Company for preceding periods. Information included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 remains unchanged. This adjusted segment information does not modify or update the disclosures therein in any way, nor does it reflect any subsequent information or events, other than as required to reflect the change in segments as described above. Investments in affiliated companies, which are 50% or less owned and where the Company exercises significant influence over operations, are accounted for using the equity method. The Company considers events or transactions that occur after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements are issued to provide additional evidence relative to certain estimates or to identify matters that require additional disclosures. *Use of Estimates and Uncertainties* The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates, and changes in estimates are reported in current operations as new information is learned or upon the amounts becoming fixed and determinable. The most significant areas that require management judgment are revenue recognition, deferred compensation, annual performance related bonus, evaluation of the carrying value of receivables, marketable securities, goodwill and other intangible assets, fair value of contingent consideration and the recoverability of deferred income taxes. *Revenue Recognition* Substantially all professional fee revenue is derived from fees for professional services related to executive recruitment performed on a retained basis, middle-management recruitment, recruitment process outsourcing and leadership & talent consulting services. Fee revenue from executive recruitment activities and middle-management recruitment are generally one-third of the estimated first year cash compensation of the placed executive plus a percentage of the fee to cover indirect expenses. The Company generally recognizes revenue over a three month period, commencing upon client acceptance, as this is the period over which the recruitment services are performed. Fees earned in excess of the initial contract amount are recognized and billed upon completion of the engagement, which reflect the difference between the final actual compensation of the placed executive and the estimate used for purposes of the previous billings. Since the initial contract fees are generally not contingent upon placement of a candidate, our assumptions primarily relate to establishing the period over which such service is performed. These assumptions determine the timing of revenue recognition and profitability for the reported period. Any services that are provided on a contingent basis are recognized once the contingency is fulfilled. In addition to middle-management recruitment, Futurestep provides recruitment process outsourcing services and fee revenue is recognized as services are rendered. Fee revenue from Leadership & Talent Consulting services is recognized as services are rendered for consulting engagements and other time based services, measured by total hours incurred to the total estimated hours at completion. It is possible that updated estimates for the consulting engagement may vary from initial estimates with such updates being recognized in the period of determination. Leadership & Talent Consulting revenue is also derived from the sale of solution services, which includes revenue from licenses and from the sale of products. Revenue from licenses is recognized using a straight-line method over the term of the contract (generally 12 months), which begins upon execution and is invoiced in the same month. Products mainly consist of books covering a variety of topics including performance management, team effectiveness, and coaching and development. The Company recognizes revenue for their products when the product has been sold. *Allowance for Doubtful Accounts* An allowance is established for doubtful accounts by taking a charge to general and administrative expenses. The amount of the allowance is based on historical loss experience, assessment of the collectability of specific accounts, as well as expectations of future collections based upon trends and the type of work for which services are rendered. After the Company exhausts all collection efforts, the amount of the allowance is reduced for balances identified as uncollectible. *Cash and Cash Equivalents* The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. *Restricted Cash* The Company had $2.9 million and $10.0 million of restricted cash at January 31, 2013 and April 30, 2012, respectively, related to its credit facility, which is included in investments and other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets (see Note 9 – Long-Term Debt). *Marketable Securities* The Company classifies its marketable securities as either trading securities or available-for-sale. These investments are recorded at fair value and are classified as marketable securities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Certain investments, which the Company may sell within the next twelve months, are carried as current assets. Realized capital gains (losses) on marketable securities are determined by specific identification. Investments are made based on the Company’s investment policy, which restricts the types of investments that can be made. Trading securities consist of the Company’s investments which are held in trust to satisfy obligations under the Company’s deferred compensation plans (see Note 5 – Marketable Securities). The changes in fair values on trading securities are recorded in the accompanying consolidated statements of income in other income (loss), net. Interest and dividend income are recorded in the accompanying consolidated statements of income in interest expense, net. Available-for-sale securities consist of corporate bonds, commercial paper and U.S. Treasury and agency securities. The changes in fair values, net of applicable taxes, are recorded as unrealized gains or losses as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity. When, in the opinion of management, a decline in the fair value of an investment below its cost or amortized cost is considered to be “other-than-temporary,” the investment’s cost or amortized cost is written-down to its fair value and the amount written-down is recorded in the statement of income in other income (loss), net. The determination of an other-than-temporary decline includes, in addition to other relevant factors, a presumption that if the market value is below cost by a significant amount for a sustained period of time, a write-down may be necessary. The amount of any write-down is determined by the difference between cost or amortized cost of the investment and its fair value at the time the other-than-temporary decline is identified. During the three and nine months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, no other-than-temporary impairment was recognized. *Business Acquisitions* Business acquisitions are accounted for under the acquisition method. The acquisition method requires the reporting entity to identify the acquirer, determine the acquisition date, recognize and measure the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed and any non-controlling interest in the acquired entity, and recognize and measure goodwill or a gain from the purchase. The acquiree’s results are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded at their fair values and the excess of the purchase price over the amounts assigned is recorded as goodwill, or if the fair value of the assets acquired exceed the purchase price consideration a bargain purchase gain is recorded. Adjustments to fair value assessments are generally recorded to goodwill over the measurement period (generally not longer than twelve months). Purchased intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The acquisition method also requires that acquisition-related transaction and post-acquisition restructuring costs be charged to expense as committed, and requires the Company to recognize and measure certain assets and liabilities including those arising from contingencies and contingent consideration in a business combination. *Goodwill and Intangible Assets* Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of assets acquired. The goodwill impairment test compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill of the reporting unit would be considered impaired. To measure the amount of the impairment loss, the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill is compared to the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. For each of these tests, the fair value of each of the Company’s reporting units was determined using a combination of valuation techniques, including a discounted cash flow methodology. Results of the annual impairment test performed as of January 31, 2012, indicated that the fair value of each reporting unit exceeded its carrying amount. As a result, no impairment charge was recognized. The Company’s annual impairment test as of January 31, 2013 will be performed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. There were no indicators of impairment as of January 31, 2013 and April 30, 2012. Intangible assets primarily consist of customer lists, non-compete agreements, proprietary databases, intellectual property and trademarks and are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition and are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives which range from three to 24 years. For intangible assets subject to amortization, an impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of the intangible assets is not recoverable and exceeds fair value. The carrying amount of the intangible assets is considered not recoverable if it exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from use of the asset. Intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but are reviewed annually for impairment or more frequently whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the fair value of the asset may be less than its carrying amount. As of January 31, 2013 and April 30, 2012, there were no indicators of impairment with respect to the Company’s intangible assets. *Compensation and Benefits Expense* Compensation and benefits expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of income consist of compensation and benefits paid to consultants (employees who originate business), executive officers and administrative and support personnel. The most significant portions of this expense are salaries and the performance related bonuses paid to consultants. The portion of the expense applicable to salaries is comprised of wages and salaries earned by employees during a reporting period. The portion of the expenses applicable to performance related bonuses refers to the Company’s annual employee performance related bonus with respect to a fiscal year, which is communicated and paid following the completion of the fiscal year. Each quarter, management makes its best estimate of its annual performance related bonuses, which requires management to, among other things, project annual consultant productivity (as measured by engagement fees billed and collected by executive search consultants and revenue for Leadership & Talent Consulting and Futurestep consultants), Company performance including profitability, competitive forces and future economic conditions and their impact on the Company’s results. At the end of each fiscal year, annual performance related bonuses take into account final individual consultant productivity, Company results including profitability, the achievement of strategic objectives and the results of individual performance appraisals, and the current economic landscape. Management takes these factors into consideration, and any changes in the estimate are reported in current operations. Because annual performance-based bonuses are communicated and paid only after the Company reports its full fiscal year results, actual performance-based bonus payments may differ from the prior year’s estimate. Such changes in the bonus estimates historically have been immaterial and are recorded in current operations in the period in which they are determined. The performance related bonus expense was $82.0 million and $84.0 million for the nine months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which was reduced by a change in the applicable previous years’ estimate recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 and 2012 of $0.2 million and $1.2 million, respectively. This resulted in net bonus expense of $81.8 million and $82.8 million, in the nine months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, included in compensation and benefits expense in the consolidated statements of income. During the three months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, the performance related bonus expense was $28.0 million and $23.1 million, respectively, included in compensation and benefits expense. No change in estimate related to previous years’ estimates was recorded in the three months ended January 31, 2013 or 2012. Other expenses included in compensation and benefits expense are due to changes in deferred compensation liabilities, changes in cash surrender value (“CSV”) of company owned life insurance (“COLI”) contracts, amortization of stock compensation awards, payroll taxes and employee insurance benefits. *Restructuring Charges, Net* The Company accounts for its restructuring charges as a liability when the costs are incurred and records such charges at fair value. Changes in the estimates of the restructuring charges are recorded in the period the change is determined. *Stock-Based Compensation* The Company has employee compensation plans under which various types of stock-based instruments are granted. These instruments, principally include stock options, restricted stock and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). The Company recognizes compensation expense related to restricted stock and the estimated fair value of stock options and stock purchases under the ESPP on a straight-line basis over the service period for the entire award. *Reclassifications* Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation, including reclassifications related to the Company’s new reporting segment structure. *Recently Adopted Accounting Standards* In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in the financial statements. The new guidance eliminates the option to present other comprehensive income and its components as part of the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. Instead, it requires the Company to present either, a continuous statement of net income and other comprehensive income, or in two separate but consecutive statements. The new guidance was effective for the Company beginning May 1, 2012. The Company now presents the components of comprehensive income as a separate, consecutive statement. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. *Recently Issued Accounting Standards* In July 2012, the FASB issued updated guidance on the periodic testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. This guidance allows companies to assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more likely than not that the indefinite–lived intangible asset might be impaired and whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test. This new guidance is effective for the Company beginning May 1, 2013, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the guidance, but do not expect the adoption will have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2013, the FASB issued updated guidance requiring entities to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either on the face of the financial statements or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of AOCI by the respective line items of net income, but only if the amount reclassified is required to be reclassified in its entirety in the same reporting period. For amounts that are not required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional details about those amounts. No changes were made to the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in the financial statements. The guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company.

1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business

Korn/Ferry International, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its subsidiaries are engaged in the business of providing talent management solutions, including executive recruitment on a retained basis, recruitment process outsourcing and leadership & talent consulting services. The Company’s worldwide network of 76 offices in 35 countries enables it to meet the needs of its clients in all industries on a global basis.

Basis of Consolidation and Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2012 for the Company and its wholly and majority owned/controlled domestic and international subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements conforms with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and prevailing practice within the industry. The consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals and any other adjustments that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of the results for these periods. The results of operations for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire fiscal year.

As previously announced, beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company disaggregated its previous reported business segment, Executive Recruitment, into two business segments, Executive Recruitment and Leadership & Talent Consulting. The Company now operates in three global business segments, as described in more detail in Note 8 – Business Segments.

The consolidated financial statements included in this report, with the exception of the new business segment, Leadership & Talent Consulting, have been prepared consistently with the accounting policies described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 (the “Annual Report”) and should be read together with the Annual Report.

The Company has revised comparative segment information that was contained in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2012, to reflect the new global business segment structure. The adjusted segment information constitutes a reclassification and had no impact on reported net income or earnings per share for preceding periods. This change does not restate information previously reported in the consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity or consolidated statements of cash flows for the Company for preceding periods.

Information included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 remains unchanged. This adjusted segment information does not modify or update the disclosures therein in any way, nor does it reflect any subsequent information or events, other than as required to reflect the change in segments as described above.

Investments in affiliated companies, which are 50% or less owned and where the Company exercises significant influence over operations, are accounted for using the equity method.

The Company considers events or transactions that occur after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements are issued to provide additional evidence relative to certain estimates or to identify matters that require additional disclosures.

Use of Estimates and Uncertainties

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates, and changes in estimates are reported in current operations as new information is learned or upon the amounts becoming fixed and determinable. The most significant areas that require management judgment are revenue recognition, deferred compensation, annual performance related bonus, evaluation of the carrying value of receivables, marketable securities, goodwill and other intangible assets, fair value of contingent consideration and the recoverability of deferred income taxes.

Revenue Recognition

Substantially all professional fee revenue is derived from fees for professional services related to executive recruitment performed on a retained basis, middle-management recruitment, recruitment process outsourcing and leadership & talent consulting services. Fee revenue from executive recruitment activities and middle-management recruitment are generally one-third of the estimated first year cash compensation of the placed executive plus a percentage of the fee to cover indirect expenses. The Company generally recognizes revenue over a three month period, commencing upon client acceptance, as this is the period over which the recruitment services are performed. Fees earned in excess of the initial contract amount are recognized and billed upon completion of the engagement, which reflect the difference between the final actual compensation of the placed executive and the estimate used for purposes of the previous billings. Since the initial contract fees are generally not contingent upon placement of a candidate, our assumptions primarily relate to establishing the period over which such service is performed. These assumptions determine the timing of revenue recognition and profitability for the reported period. Any services that are provided on a contingent basis are recognized once the contingency is fulfilled. In addition to middle-management recruitment, Futurestep provides recruitment process outsourcing services and fee revenue is recognized as services are rendered. Fee revenue from Leadership & Talent Consulting services is recognized as services are rendered for consulting engagements and other time based services, measured by total hours incurred to the total estimated hours at completion. It is possible that updated estimates for the consulting engagement may vary from initial estimates with such updates being recognized in the period of determination. Leadership & Talent Consulting revenue is also derived from the sale of solution services, which includes revenue from licenses and from the sale of products. Revenue from licenses is recognized using a straight-line method over the term of the contract (generally 12 months), which begins upon execution and is invoiced in the same month. Products mainly consist of books covering a variety of topics including performance management, team effectiveness, and coaching and development. The Company recognizes revenue for their products when the product has been sold.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

An allowance is established for doubtful accounts by taking a charge to general and administrative expenses. The amount of the allowance is based on historical loss experience, assessment of the collectability of specific accounts, as well as expectations of future collections based upon trends and the type of work for which services are rendered. After the Company exhausts all collection efforts, the amount of the allowance is reduced for balances identified as uncollectible.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Restricted Cash

The Company had $2.9 million and $10.0 million of restricted cash at January 31, 2013 and April 30, 2012, respectively, related to its credit facility, which is included in investments and other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets (see Note 9 – Long-Term Debt).

Marketable Securities

The Company classifies its marketable securities as either trading securities or available-for-sale. These investments are recorded at fair value and are classified as marketable securities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Certain investments, which the Company may sell within the next twelve months, are carried as current assets. Realized capital gains (losses) on marketable securities are determined by specific identification. Investments are made based on the Company’s investment policy, which restricts the types of investments that can be made.

Trading securities consist of the Company’s investments which are held in trust to satisfy obligations under the Company’s deferred compensation plans (see Note 5 – Marketable Securities). The changes in fair values on trading securities are recorded in the accompanying consolidated statements of income in other income (loss), net. Interest and dividend income are recorded in the accompanying consolidated statements of income in interest expense, net.

Available-for-sale securities consist of corporate bonds, commercial paper and U.S. Treasury and agency securities. The changes in fair values, net of applicable taxes, are recorded as unrealized gains or losses as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity. When, in the opinion of management, a decline in the fair value of an investment below its cost or amortized cost is considered to be “other-than-temporary,” the investment’s cost or amortized cost is written-down to its fair value and the amount written-down is recorded in the statement of income in other income (loss), net. The determination of an other-than-temporary decline includes, in addition to other relevant factors, a presumption that if the market value is below cost by a significant amount for a sustained period of time, a write-down may be necessary. The amount of any write-down is determined by the difference between cost or amortized cost of the investment and its fair value at the time the other-than-temporary decline is identified. During the three and nine months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, no other-than-temporary impairment was recognized.

Business Acquisitions

Business acquisitions are accounted for under the acquisition method. The acquisition method requires the reporting entity to identify the acquirer, determine the acquisition date, recognize and measure the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed and any non-controlling interest in the acquired entity, and recognize and measure goodwill or a gain from the purchase. The acquiree’s results are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded at their fair values and the excess of the purchase price over the amounts assigned is recorded as goodwill, or if the fair value of the assets acquired exceed the purchase price consideration a bargain purchase gain is recorded. Adjustments to fair value assessments are generally recorded to goodwill over the measurement period (generally not longer than twelve months). Purchased intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The acquisition method also requires that acquisition-related transaction and post-acquisition restructuring costs be charged to expense as committed, and requires the Company to recognize and measure certain assets and liabilities including those arising from contingencies and contingent consideration in a business combination.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of assets acquired. The goodwill impairment test compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill of the reporting unit would be considered impaired. To measure the amount of the impairment loss, the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill is compared to the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. For each of these tests, the fair value of each of the Company’s reporting units was determined using a combination of valuation techniques, including a discounted cash flow methodology. Results of the annual impairment test performed as of January 31, 2012, indicated that the fair value of each reporting unit exceeded its carrying amount. As a result, no impairment charge was recognized. The Company’s annual impairment test as of January 31, 2013 will be performed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. There were no indicators of impairment as of January 31, 2013 and April 30, 2012.

Intangible assets primarily consist of customer lists, non-compete agreements, proprietary databases, intellectual property and trademarks and are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition and are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives which range from three to 24 years. For intangible assets subject to amortization, an impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of the intangible assets is not recoverable and exceeds fair value. The carrying amount of the intangible assets is considered not recoverable if it exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from use of the asset. Intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but are reviewed annually for impairment or more frequently whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the fair value of the asset may be less than its carrying amount. As of January 31, 2013 and April 30, 2012, there were no indicators of impairment with respect to the Company’s intangible assets.

Compensation and Benefits Expense

Compensation and benefits expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of income consist of compensation and benefits paid to consultants (employees who originate business), executive officers and administrative and support personnel. The most significant portions of this expense are salaries and the performance related bonuses paid to consultants. The portion of the expense applicable to salaries is comprised of wages and salaries earned by employees during a reporting period. The portion of the expenses applicable to performance related bonuses refers to the Company’s annual employee performance related bonus with respect to a fiscal year, which is communicated and paid following the completion of the fiscal year. Each quarter, management makes its best estimate of its annual performance related bonuses, which requires management to, among other things, project annual consultant productivity (as measured by engagement fees billed and collected by executive search consultants and revenue for Leadership & Talent Consulting and Futurestep consultants), Company performance including profitability, competitive forces and future economic conditions and their impact on the Company’s results. At the end of each fiscal year, annual performance related bonuses take into account final individual consultant productivity, Company results including profitability, the achievement of strategic objectives and the results of individual performance appraisals, and the current economic landscape. Management takes these factors into consideration, and any changes in the estimate are reported in current operations.

Because annual performance-based bonuses are communicated and paid only after the Company reports its full fiscal year results, actual performance-based bonus payments may differ from the prior year’s estimate. Such changes in the bonus estimates historically have been immaterial and are recorded in current operations in the period in which they are determined. The performance related bonus expense was $82.0 million and $84.0 million for the nine months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which was reduced by a change in the applicable previous years’ estimate recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 and 2012 of $0.2 million and $1.2 million, respectively. This resulted in net bonus expense of $81.8 million and $82.8 million, in the nine months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, included in compensation and benefits expense in the consolidated statements of income. During the three months ended January 31, 2013 and 2012, the performance related bonus expense was $28.0 million and $23.1 million, respectively, included in compensation and benefits expense. No change in estimate related to previous years’ estimates was recorded in the three months ended January 31, 2013 or 2012.

Other expenses included in compensation and benefits expense are due to changes in deferred compensation liabilities, changes in cash surrender value (“CSV”) of company owned life insurance (“COLI”) contracts, amortization of stock compensation awards, payroll taxes and employee insurance benefits.

Restructuring Charges, Net

The Company accounts for its restructuring charges as a liability when the costs are incurred and records such charges at fair value. Changes in the estimates of the restructuring charges are recorded in the period the change is determined.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company has employee compensation plans under which various types of stock-based instruments are granted. These instruments, principally include stock options, restricted stock and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). The Company recognizes compensation expense related to restricted stock and the estimated fair value of stock options and stock purchases under the ESPP on a straight-line basis over the service period for the entire award.

Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation, including reclassifications related to the Company’s new reporting segment structure.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in the financial statements. The new guidance eliminates the option to present other comprehensive income and its components as part of the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. Instead, it requires the Company to present either, a continuous statement of net income and other comprehensive income, or in two separate but consecutive statements. The new guidance was effective for the Company beginning May 1, 2012. The Company now presents the components of comprehensive income as a separate, consecutive statement. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In July 2012, the FASB issued updated guidance on the periodic testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. This guidance allows companies to assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more likely than not that the indefinite–lived intangible asset might be impaired and whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test. This new guidance is effective for the Company beginning May 1, 2013, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the guidance, but do not expect the adoption will have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2013, the FASB issued updated guidance requiring entities to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either on the face of the financial statements or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of AOCI by the respective line items of net income, but only if the amount reclassified is required to be reclassified in its entirety in the same reporting period. For amounts that are not required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional details about those amounts. No changes were made to the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in the financial statements. The guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material impact on the financial statements of the Company.