Core Viewpoint - The demand for artificial intelligence skills is surging, leading human resources departments to increase salary levels to attract talent [2][3]. Group 1: Salary Implications - Employers may see an increase of 28% in annual salary expenditures if they include AI skills in job descriptions [2]. - Job postings that list at least one AI or generative AI skill offer an average annual salary that is $18,000 higher than those that do not [2]. - Approximately 51% of AI-related positions are not from the tech industry, up from 44% in 2022 [2]. Group 2: Market Trends - AI skills are becoming increasingly common across nearly all job sectors, not just in technology or IT roles [2]. - The fastest-growing demand for AI skills is seen in roles such as recruiters and HR specialists [2][3]. Group 3: Supply and Demand Dynamics - There is a mismatch between the growing demand for AI-skilled candidates and the stagnant supply of such employees [4]. - The labor market is expected to adapt through skill enhancement and retraining, but this process will take time [4][5]. - There is a lag effect in skill development, as individuals require time to acquire new skills [5].

Core Viewpoint - Forrester Research (FORR) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][4]. Earnings Estimates and Ratings - The Zacks rating system is based solely on a company's changing earnings picture, tracking the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS from sell-side analysts [2]. - The Zacks rating upgrade for Forrester Research reflects an improvement in its earnings outlook, which is expected to lead to increased buying pressure and a rise in stock price [4][6]. Impact of Earnings Estimate Revisions - Changes in a company's future earnings potential, as indicated by earnings estimate revisions, are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements, particularly due to institutional investors' reliance on these estimates for valuation [5]. - Forrester Research's rising earnings estimates and the subsequent rating upgrade suggest an enhancement in the company's underlying business, likely resulting in higher stock prices as investors respond positively to this trend [6]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a strong historical performance, particularly for Zacks Rank 1 stocks, which have averaged a +25% annual return since 1988 [8]. - The upgrade of Forrester Research to a Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10][11]. Current Earnings Estimates for Forrester Research - Forrester Research is projected to earn $1.27 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, with no year-over-year change, but the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased by 1.8% over the past three months [9].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported normalized FFO of 84¢ per share, representing nearly 8% year-over-year growth [28] - Total same store cash NOI grew by 7%, led by SHOP increasing approximately 14% [29] - The company expects 7% normalized FFO per share growth for 2025 [6][11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Senior Housing Operating Portfolio (SHOP) delivered 84¢ of normalized FFO per share in Q1, an increase of approximately 8% [7] - SHOP's same store cash NOI growth was 13.6%, with revenue growth of 7.4% driven by occupancy and rate increases [15] - Outpatient medical and research business reported same store cash NOI growth of 1.3% year-over-year [29] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The 80+ population is experiencing its highest growth, with an increase of about half a million people this year and 900,000 annually between 2027 and 2030 [8] - The number of new senior housing units started in Q1 2025 was the lowest on record at only 1,287 units [8] - The company is positioned in markets with over a thousand basis points of expected net absorption in the coming years [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on delivering superior multiyear growth through internal and external expansion in senior housing [5] - The investment strategy has been increased from $1 billion to $1.5 billion for the year, reflecting a growing pipeline of opportunities [31][26] - The company aims to enhance its portfolio composition through acquisitions, dispositions, and operational improvements [19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges a high degree of macroeconomic uncertainty but believes senior housing remains a top asset class within real estate [87] - The company expects strong demand and occupancy growth, particularly during the key selling season [88] - Management is optimistic about the extended multiyear NOI growth opportunity in senior housing due to favorable demand and supply dynamics [11][88] Other Important Information - The company has improved its credit profile, with a net debt to EBITDA of 5.7 times, representing a 30 basis point improvement from the previous year [32] - The liquidity position is robust, with available liquidity of $3.6 billion as of April 2025 [33] - The company has completed over 250 community redevelopment projects in the past two and a half years [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide more details on the dynamics of occupancy and margin expansion? - Management indicated that reaching higher occupancy levels leads to significant margin expansion, with around 50% incremental margin from 80% to 90% occupancy [39] Question: How is the Canadian portfolio performing at high occupancy? - The Canadian portfolio continues to deliver strong NOI growth even at high occupancy levels, demonstrating that occupancy is not the only driver of growth [42] Question: What is the impact of the recent investments on cost per bed? - The cost per bed has increased due to acquiring newer communities in better markets, but the company is still buying below replacement costs [56][60] Question: How are the Brookdale assets expected to perform during the transition? - The Brookdale communities transitioning to new operators are outperforming those remaining in the lease model, and management is optimistic about their future performance [66][71] Question: What are the expectations for pricing power in the upcoming months? - Management expects pricing power to remain strong, with good rent increases anticipated during the key selling season [80] Question: How does the company view the potential changes in NIH funding? - Management believes that any potential changes in NIH funding would have a manageable impact on the research budget due to the strong financial position of their university tenants [113]