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Forrester Research, Inc.
Forrester Research Reports 2020 Fourth-Quarter And Full-Year Financial Results
Business
Feb 11 2021
4 min read

Forrester Research Reports 2020 Fourth-Quarter And Full-Year Financial Results

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced its 2020 fourth-quarter and full-year financial results.

Fourth-Quarter Financial Performance

Total revenues were $120.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared with $124.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2019. Adjusted revenues, which exclude the fair value adjustment to deferred revenue from the acquisition of SiriusDecisions, were $120.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared with $125.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2019.

On a GAAP basis, net income was $2.4 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared with net income of $4.9 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, for the same period in 2019.

On an adjusted basis, net income was $6.6 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2020, which reflects an adjusted effective tax rate of 31%. Adjusted net income excludes stock-based compensation of $2.9 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $5.5 million, acquisition and integration costs of $2.0 million, lease incentive income of $3.4 million, and investment gains of $0.1 million. This compares with adjusted net income of $10.7 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, for the same period in 2019, which reflects an adjusted tax rate of 31%. Adjusted net income for the fourth quarter of 2019 excludes stock-based compensation of $3.1 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $5.7 million, acquisition-related deferred revenue fair value adjustment of $0.8 million, acquisition and integration costs of $1.1 million, and investment gains of $0.1 million.

"Forrester had a strong finish to the year despite challenging macroeconomic conditions. We helped our clients find new ways to win and retain customers during the pandemic, shift their workforces to virtual, and prepare themselves for a post-pandemic digital world," said George F. Colony, Forrester's chairman and chief executive officer. "After the uncertainty of Q2, company momentum built in Q3 and Q4, with rising engagement across our research, consulting, and events businesses. We exceeded revenue and EPS guidance for the quarter and head into 2021 with healthy cash flow and a solid balance sheet.

"In 2021, the company is laser-focused on increasing research contract value bookings at double-digit rates — that is job number one."

Year Ended December 31, 2020, Financial Performance

Total revenues were $449.0 million, compared with $461.7 million for the same period in 2019. Adjusted revenues, which exclude the fair value adjustment to deferred revenue from the acquisition of SiriusDecisions, were $449.4 million, compared with $473.0 million for the same period in 2019.

On a GAAP basis, net income was $10.0 million, or $0.53 per diluted share, for 2020, compared with a net loss of $9.6 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, for 2019.

On an adjusted basis, net income was $30.4 million, or $1.60 per diluted share, for 2020, which reflects an adjusted effective tax rate of 31%. Adjusted net income excludes stock-based compensation of $10.9 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $19.7 million, acquisition-related deferred revenue fair value adjustment of $0.4 million, acquisition and integration costs of $5.8 million, lease incentive income of $3.2 million, and investment gains of $2.5 million. This compares with adjusted net income of $31.0 million, or $1.65 per diluted share, for 2019, which reflects an adjusted tax rate of 31%. Adjusted net income for 2019 excludes stock-based compensation of $11.7 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $22.6 million, acquisition-related deferred revenue fair value adjustment of $11.3 million, and acquisition and integration costs of $8.9 million.

A reconciliation of GAAP results to pro forma results may be found in the attached financial tables.

2021 Guidance

Forrester is providing first-quarter 2021 financial guidance as follows:

First-Quarter 2021 (GAAP):

  • Total revenues of approximately $104.0 million to $108.0 million.
  • Operating margin of approximately (1.0)% to 1.0%.
  • Interest expense of approximately $1.2 million.
  • An effective tax rate of 32%.
  • Loss per share of approximately $0.02 to $0.08.

First-Quarter 2021 (Adjusted):

Adjusted financial guidance for the first quarter of 2021 excludes stock-based compensation expense of $2.4 million to $2.6 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of approximately $3.8 million, integration costs of approximately $0.1 million, and any investment gains or losses.

  • Adjusted operating margin of approximately 5.0% to 7.0%.
  • Adjusted effective tax rate of 31%.
  • Adjusted diluted earnings per share of approximately $0.15 to $0.21.

Our full-year 2021 guidance is as follows:

Full-Year 2021 (GAAP):

  • Total revenues of approximately $466.0 million to $476.0 million.
  • Operating margin of approximately 4.5% to 5.5%.
  • Interest expense of approximately $4.5 million.
  • An effective tax rate of 32%.
  • Diluted earnings per share of approximately $0.57 to $0.67.

Full-Year 2021 (Adjusted):

Adjusted financial guidance for full-year 2021 excludes stock-based compensation expense of $10.2 million to $10.7 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of approximately $15.2 million, integration costs of $0.3 million to $0.5 million, and any investment gains or losses.

  • Adjusted operating margin of approximately 10.0% to 11.0%.
  • Adjusted effective tax rate of 31%.
  • Adjusted diluted earnings per share of approximately $1.50 to $1.60.

About Forrester Research

Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We help business and technology leaders 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 675,000 consumers, business leaders, and technology leaders worldwide; rigorous and objective methodologies, including Forrester Wave™ evaluations; and the shared wisdom of our most innovative 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 first quarter of and full-year 2021 and statements about 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, the impact of health epidemics, including COVID-19, on Forrester's business; Forrester's ability to retain and enrich memberships for its research products and services; technology spending; Forrester's ability to respond to business and economic conditions and market trends; the risks and challenges inherent in international business activities; the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union; 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 anticipate and respond to market trends; Forrester's ability to successfully integrate businesses that it acquires; the impact of Forrester's outstanding debt obligations; the possibility of network disruptions and security breaches; competition and industry consolidation; any failure to enforce and protect Forrester's intellectual property rights; privacy laws; possible variations in Forrester's quarterly operating results; taxation risks; concentration of ownership of Forrester; and any weakness in Forrester's system of internal controls. 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.

Contact:

Michael DoyleChief Financial OfficerForrester Research, Inc.+1 617-613-6000mdoyle@forrester.com

Shweta Agarwal Public RelationsForrester Research, Inc.+1 617-613-6805sagarwal@forrester.com

© 2021, Forrester Research, Inc. All rights reserved. Forrester is a trademark of Forrester Research, Inc.

Forrester Research, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited, In thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended

Year Ended

December 31,

December 31,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Revenues:

Research

$                  75,255

$                  79,299

$                294,485

$                298,735

Consulting

41,382

37,530

144,362

135,952

Events

3,884

7,440

10,137

27,010

Total revenues

120,521

124,269

448,984

461,697

Operating expenses:

Cost of services and fulfillment

47,457

50,116

180,899

196,726

Selling and marketing

44,601

45,210

166,200

172,865

General and administrative

14,433

13,098

50,369

53,042

Depreciation

2,481

2,262

9,879

8,572

Amortization of intangible assets

5,536

5,656

19,683

22,619

Acquisition and integration costs

1,964

1,100

5,779

8,948

Total operating expenses

116,472

117,442

432,809

462,772

Income (loss) from operations

4,049

6,827

16,175

(1,075)

Interest expense

(1,236)

(1,713)

(5,340)

(8,054)

Other expense, net

(209)

(286)

(374)

(515)

Gains on investments, net

107

106

2,472

45

Income (loss) before income taxes

2,711

4,934

12,933

(9,599)

Income tax expense (benefit)

285

44

2,943

(29)

Net income (loss)

$                    2,426

$                    4,890

$                    9,990

$                  (9,570)

Basic income (loss) per common share

$                      0.13

$                      0.26

$                      0.53

$                    (0.52)

Diluted income (loss) per common share 

$                      0.13

$                      0.26

$                      0.53

$                    (0.52)

Basic weighted average common shares outstanding

18,971

18,624

18,827

18,492

Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding

19,119

18,720

18,935

18,492

Adjusted data (1):

Total revenues - GAAP

$                120,521

$                124,269

$                448,984

$                461,697

Deferred revenue fair value adjustment

42

790

444

11,257

Adjusted revenues

$                120,563

$                125,059

$                449,428

$                472,954

Income (loss) from operations - GAAP

$                    4,049

$                    6,827

$                  16,175

$                  (1,075)

Deferred revenue fair value adjustment

42

790

444

11,257

Amortization of intangible assets

5,536

5,656

19,683

22,619

Acquisition and integration costs

1,964

1,100

5,779

8,948

Lease incentive

(3,445)

(3,226)

Stock-based compensation included in the 

following expense categories:

Cost of services and fulfillment

1,693

1,815

6,156

6,627

Selling and marketing

520

402

1,751

1,768

General and administrative

700

862

2,970

3,289

Adjusted income from operations

$                   11,059

$                   17,452

$                   49,732

$                   53,433

 

 

Three Months Ended

Year Ended

December 31,

December 31,

2020

2019

2020

2019

 Amount 

 Per Share 

 Amount 

 Per Share 

 Amount 

 Per Share 

 Amount 

 Per Share 

Net income (loss) - GAAP

$   2,426

$      0.13

$   4,890

$      0.26

$   9,990

$      0.53

$  (9,570)

$    (0.52)

Effect on GAAP net loss of diluted shares

0.01

Deferred revenue fair value adjustment

42

790

0.04

444

0.02

11,257

0.60

Amortization of intangible assets

5,536

0.29

5,656

0.30

19,683

1.04

22,619

1.20

Acquisition and integration costs

1,964

0.10

1,100

0.06

5,779

0.30

8,948

0.48

Lease incentive

(3,445)

(0.18)

(3,226)

(0.17)

Stock-based compensation

2,913

0.15

3,079

0.16

10,877

0.57

11,684

0.62

Gains on investments

(107)

(106)

(2,472)

(0.13)

(45)

Tax effects of items above (2)

(1,632)

(0.08)

(4,166)

(0.22)

(8,612)

(0.45)

(15,062)

(0.80)

Adjustment to tax expense for adjusted tax rate (3)

(1,063)

(0.06)

(580)

(0.03)

(2,091)

(0.11)

1,125

0.06

Adjusted net income

$   6,634

$      0.35

$ 10,663

$      0.57

$ 30,372

$      1.60

$ 30,956

$      1.65

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

19,119

18,720

18,935

18,720

(1) Forrester believes that adjusted financial results provide investors with consistent and comparable information to aid in the understanding of Forrester's ongoing business, and are also used by Forrester in making compensation decisions.  Our adjusted presentation excludes amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, acquisition-related deferred revenue fair value adjustments, stock-based compensation, acquisition and integration costs, net gains or losses from investments, lease incentive cost and credits, as well as their related tax effects. We also utilized an assumed tax rate of 31% in both 2020 and 2019, which excludes items such as any release of reserves for uncertain tax positions established in prior years, the settlement of prior year tax audits, and the effect of any adjustments related to the filing of prior year tax returns. The adjusted data does not purport to be prepared in accordance with Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States. 

(2) The tax effect of adjusting items is based on the accounting treatment and rate for the jurisdiction of each item.

(3) To compute adjusted net income, we apply an adjusted effective tax rate of 31%.

 

Forrester Research, Inc.

Key Financial Data

(Unaudited, dollars in thousands)

December 31,

December 31,

2020

2019

Balance sheet data:

Cash and cash equivalents

$                90,257

$                67,904

Accounts receivable, net

$                84,695

$                84,605

Deferred revenue

$              179,968

$              179,194

Debt outstanding

$              109,375

$              132,750

Year Ended

December 31,

2020

2019

Cash flow data:

Net cash provided by operating activities

$                47,754

$                48,406

Purchases of property and equipment

$                (8,905)

$              (11,890)

Cash paid for acquisitions

$                       —

$            (237,684)

Repayments of debt

$              (23,375)

$              (42,250)

As of

December 31,

2020

2019

Metrics:

Agreement value

$              345,300

$              358,000

Client retention

65%

72%

Dollar retention

88%

90%

Enrichment

100%

106%

Number of clients

2,697

2,880

As of

December 31,

2020

2019

Headcount:

Total headcount

1,798

1,795

Products and advisory services staff

704

688

Sales force

701

698

 

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/forrester-research-reports-2020-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-financial-results-301227249.html

SOURCE Forrester Research