NRR over 100% means existing customers spend more over time, even after churn.
What it is
Net Revenue Retention measures the change in recurring revenue from a fixed group of customers over a period (usually 12 months), counting expansion (upgrades, cross-sells, more usage) minus contraction (downgrades) and churn (cancellations). It deliberately excludes revenue from brand-new customers won during the period. It is expressed as a percentage, where 100% means the existing base held flat.
Why it matters
NRR above 100% means existing customers spend more over time even after some leave, so the business can grow without adding a single new logo. It is one of the strongest signals of product stickiness and pricing power in SaaS. A figure below 100% means the existing base is shrinking and new sales must run just to stand still.
How it's calculated
Take the recurring revenue from a customer cohort at the start of the period, add expansion, subtract downgrades and churn, then divide by the starting amount; new-customer revenue is not included.
How Quintarthai uses it
Disclosed NRR (sometimes called Net Dollar Retention) appears in a company's filings and earnings materials, which you can review alongside Quinn's AI take on its company deep-analysis page.
Cross-border note. NRR is a self-defined non-GAAP metric in both Canada and the US, with no standard definition; check whether a company measures it over 12 months or a quarter, and whether it is gross of or net of FX before comparing a TSX issuer to a US one.
FAQ
Can NRR be above 100%?
Yes. NRR above 100% means expansion from existing customers more than offset downgrades and cancellations. Best-in-class SaaS companies often report 110% to 130%.
How is NRR different from gross revenue retention?
NRR includes expansion revenue, so it can exceed 100%. Gross revenue retention excludes expansion and caps at 100%, measuring only how much you kept.
Check your understanding
A company reports NRR of 118% for the past 12 months. What does this tell you?
NRR tracks only the existing cohort and excludes new customers, so 118% means expansion from that base outweighed downgrades and churn by 18%.