Forrester Research Reports 2024 First-Quarter Financial Results
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 30, 2024 — Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, with contract value (CV) at $323.1 million, down 4% compared with the prior year.
“We are in the final year of our migration journey, and we now have 70% of CV on the Forrester Decisions platform. We saw stabilization in our key CV retention metrics, an uptick in new business, and the rollout of Izola, our generative AI tool, to all Forrester Decisions clients,” said CEO and Chairman George F. Colony. “However, 2024 continues to be a challenging environment, with first-quarter revenue down 12%, largely driven by consulting headwinds. We are maintaining 2024 guidance, and we expect to see Forrester Decisions momentum gather as we progress through the year and into 2025.”
First-Quarter Consolidated Results
Total revenues for the first quarter of 2024 were $100.1 million, compared with $113.7 million for the comparable quarter in 2023. The company also announced that its board of directors authorized a $25 million increase in the company’s stock repurchase program, bringing the total available repurchase authorization to approximately $89 million.
On a GAAP basis, net loss was $6.7 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024, compared with a net loss of $4.1 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the same period in 2023.
On an adjusted basis, net income was $2.8 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024, reflecting an adjusted effective tax rate of 29%. Adjusted net income excludes stock-based compensation of $3.6 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $2.5 million, and restructuring costs of $6.6 million. This compares with an adjusted net income of $5.1 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, for the same period in 2023, which reflects an adjusted tax rate of 29%. Adjusted net income for the first quarter of 2023 excludes stock-based compensation of $3.2 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $3.1 million, restructuring costs of $1.6 million, and a legal settlement of $4.8 million.
Forrester is providing guidance for 2024 as follows:
Full-Year 2024 (GAAP):
- Total revenues of approximately $430 million to $450 million
- Operating margin of approximately 2.2% to 3.4%
- Interest expense of approximately $3.0 million
- An effective tax rate of approximately 50%
- Earnings per share of approximately $0.24 to $0.44
Full-Year 2024 (Adjusted):
Adjusted financial guidance for full-year 2024 excludes stock-based compensation expense of $14.5 million to $15.0 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of approximately $10.0 million, restructuring costs of approximately $7.0 million, and any investment gains or losses.
- Adjusted operating margin of approximately 9.5% to 10.5%
- Adjusted effective tax rate of approximately 29%
- Adjusted diluted earnings per share of approximately $1.50 to $1.70
About Forrester
Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We help leaders across technology, customer experience, digital, marketing, sales, and product functions use customer obsession to accelerate growth. Through Forrester’s proprietary research, consulting, and events, leaders from around the globe are empowered to be bold at work — to navigate change and put their customers at the center of their leadership, strategy, and operations. Our unique insights are grounded in annual surveys of more than 700,000 consumers, business leaders, and technology leaders worldwide; rigorous and objective research methodologies, including Forrester Wave™ evaluations; more than 100 million real-time feedback votes; and the shared wisdom of our clients. To learn more, visit Forrester.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, Forrester’s financial guidance for the full-year 2024 and statements about the performance of Forrester Decisions and Forrester’s future financial performance and financial condition. These statements are based on Forrester’s current plans and expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future activities and results of operations to be materially different from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual future activities and results to differ include, among others, Forrester’s ability to retain and enrich memberships for its research products and services, including the migration of its existing clients into its Forrester Decisions portfolio of services; Forrester’s ability to fulfill existing or generate new consulting engagements and advisory services; technology spending; the risks and challenges inherent in international business activities; the use of generative AI in Forrester’s business and by Forrester’s clients and competitors; Forrester’s ability to offer new
products and services; Forrester’s dependence on key personnel; Forrester’s ability to attract and retain professional staff; Forrester’s ability to respond to business and economic conditions and market trends; the impact of Forrester’s outstanding debt obligations; competition and industry consolidation; possible variations in Forrester’s quarterly operating results; concentration of ownership of Forrester; the possibility of network disruptions and security breaches; any failure to enforce and protect Forrester’s intellectual property rights; compliance with privacy laws; taxation risks; any weakness in Forrester’s system of internal controls; and the amount and timing of the repurchase of Forrester stock. Forrester undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. For further information, please refer to Forrester’s reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The consolidated statements of operations and the table of key financial data are attached.
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