RenderMan sales are probably not important to Pixar’s business

Disney acquired Pixar in 2006, and it hasn’t reported revenues from its technology sales since its Form 10-K in 2005. In that year, it reported that its software revenues represented about 5% of its total revenue. That number wasn’t growing at the time: it was roughly level over the 2003–2005 period. Meanwhile, over that same 3-year period, technology R&D costs represented 40-50% of Pixar’s total operating expenses.

So at least historically, technology was a significant cost center for Pixar. This is important to keep in mind when considering Pixar’s movies and technology development act as coupled flywheels.