Forrester Research(US:FORR)2026-02-12 22:30Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2025, revenue declined by 7% year-over-year to $101.1 million, while full-year revenue decreased by 8% to $396.9 million compared to $432.5 million in 2024 [20][29] - Free cash flow for 2025 was approximately $18 million, with client retention reaching 87%, up from the start of 2025 [10][19] - Net income for Q4 decreased by 53% to $3.2 million, with earnings per share at $0.17, while full-year net income decreased by 21% to $22.2 million [29][32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Research segment revenue for Q4 was $76.6 million, down 4%, and $295.6 million for the full year, down 7% [26] - Consulting revenue for Q4 was $21.8 million, down 16%, and $88.2 million for the full year, down 9% [26] - Events revenue for Q4 was $2.7 million, down 1%, and for the full year, it declined by 29% to $13.1 million [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Client count increased in Q4 for the first time since Q4 2021, reflecting a positive trend in client engagement [10][25] - The percentage of contract value (CV) from multi-year deals increased to 72% at year-end, up from 69% in Q4 2024 [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to return to CV growth in 2026 by focusing on four initiatives: improving retention lifecycle, introducing more product options, fostering a culture of growth in sales, and producing actionable research [11][19] - A restructuring affecting 8% of employees was announced to align costs with revenue and focus on expanding research contract value [17][21] - The strategy consulting business will be exited due to ongoing instability and competition, while advisory and content marketing services will continue [21][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged challenges in Q4 and 2025 due to macroeconomic uncertainty and the impact of U.S. government consulting pullbacks [20][32] - The company sees opportunities in the AI landscape, emphasizing the importance of proprietary data and human expertise in their offerings [9][58] - Management expressed optimism about the performance of the new AI Access product, which exceeded expectations with over $5 million in bookings since its launch [11][70] Other Important Information - The company is investing in AI to enhance its research capabilities and improve client engagement [19][32] - A new event strategy will focus on smaller, localized events to better meet client needs [18][52] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the consulting restructure and expected revenue impact? - The revenue impact from sunsetting strategy consulting is approximately $6 million, with a backlog of about $8 million to service throughout 2026 [37] Question: What are the reasons for lower wallet retention? - There is ongoing volatility in the U.S. government sector and some uncertainty in the U.S. business, but there are positive trends in international markets [39][40] Question: Can you discuss the product pipeline for 2026? - The company is looking to provide more ways for clients to buy and embed Forrester's offerings into their daily work, with several exciting products scheduled for release [47][48] Question: How is AI Access performing compared to expectations? - AI Access exceeded expectations in Q4, significantly improving deal cycle times and increasing client count, particularly with new clients [70][80]