8-K
false 0001023313 0001023313 2021-07-28 2021-07-28

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): July 28, 2021

 

 

FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   000-21433   04-2797789

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

60 Acorn Park Drive

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(617) 613-6000

(Registrant’s telephone number including area code)

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changes since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of Each Exchange

on Which Registered

Common Stock, $.01 Par Value   FORR   Nasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 


Item 2.02.

Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

The information contained in this current report on Form 8-K is furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 of Form 8-K “Results of Operations and Financial Condition”. This information and the exhibits hereto are being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of, or otherwise regarded as filed under, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The information contained in this report shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing of Forrester Research, Inc. with the SEC, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filings.

On July 28, 2021, Forrester Research, Inc. issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Forrester believes that adjusted financial results provide investors with consistent and comparable information to aid in the understanding of Forrester’s ongoing business. Forrester uses adjusted financial information to manage its business, including use of adjusted financial results as the basis for setting targets for various compensation programs. Our adjusted presentation excludes the following, as well as their related tax effects:

Amortization of intangibles—we exclude the effect of the amortization of intangibles from our adjusted results in order to more consistently present our ongoing results of operations.

Fair value adjustment of deferred revenue – we exclude the reduction in revenue resulting from the fair value adjustment of pre-acquisition deferred revenue in order to more consistently present our ongoing results of operations.

Gains and losses from investments—we have consistently excluded both gains and losses related to our investment in non-marketable securities from our adjusted results in order to keep quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year comparisons consistent.

Stock-based compensation expense—we exclude stock-based compensation from our adjusted results in order to keep quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year comparisons consistent.

Integration costs—we exclude the direct costs of integrating acquired companies from our adjusted results in order to keep quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year comparisons consistent.

However, these measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or superior to, operating income or other measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as more fully discussed in our financial statements and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

99.1    Press Release dated July 28, 2021 with respect to financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

-2-


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.
By  

/s/ Scott R. Chouinard

  Name:   Scott R. Chouinard
  Title:   Chief Accounting Officer, Interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Date: July 28, 2021

 

-3-

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Forrester Research Reports 2021 Second-Quarter Financial Results

Year-over-year total contract value increases by 9% to $320 million

Cambridge, Mass., July 28, 2021 . . . Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) today announced its 2021 second-quarter financial results.

Second-Quarter Financial Performance

Total revenues were $128.7 million for the second quarter of 2021, compared with $113.5 million for the second quarter of 2020.

On a GAAP basis, net income was $8.3 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021, compared with net income of $11.8 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, for the same period in 2020.

On an adjusted basis, net income was $12.7 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021, which reflects an adjusted effective tax rate of 31%. Adjusted net income excludes stock-based compensation of $2.4 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $4.0 million, and integration costs of $0.2 million. This compares with adjusted net income of $12.2 million, or $0.65 per diluted share, for the same period in 2020, which reflects an adjusted tax rate of 31%. Adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2020 excludes stock-based compensation of $2.5 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $4.7 million, acquisition-related deferred revenue fair value adjustment of $0.1 million, integration costs of $0.6 million, and gains on investments of $2.4 million.

“Our laser focus on increasing contract value resulted in another strong quarter,” said George F. Colony, Forrester’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Year over year, contract value grew 9%, and revenue increased across all business units: research, consulting, and events. We generated $70 million of cash in the first half of 2021 — more than the company has produced in any previous full year. Operating margin and earnings per share also exceeded the upper end of guidance. As a result of our continued strong performance in Q2 and the first half of the year, we are raising guidance for the second time this year.”

“Our products and engagement model are resonating with clients, and we are confident that our new product portfolio, Forrester Decisions, will further accelerate our ability to deliver sustained double-digit contract value growth. Forrester Decisions brings together the vision and strategy of Forrester with the operational research of SiriusDecisions into one unique offering. Despite pandemic-related headwinds, we believe that the company can achieve its 2021 goals and continue to expand its annually recurring relationships with clients.”

As part of the company’s pivot to contract value (CV) in 2021, Forrester is classifying all components of its CV subscription research products as research revenues. In prior periods,


advisory sessions included in Forrester’s research subscription products were classified as consulting revenues. This has resulted in approximately $1.4 million and $2.9 million of revenue being reclassified from consulting revenues to research revenues in the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively.

Forrester is providing third-quarter and full-year 2021 financial guidance as follows:

Third-Quarter 2021 (GAAP):

 

   

Total revenues of approximately $114.0 million to $118.0 million.

 

   

Operating margin of approximately 1.0% to 3.0%.

 

   

Interest expense of approximately $1.0 million.

 

   

An effective tax rate of 31%.

 

   

Earnings per share of approximately $0.01 to $0.07.

Third-Quarter 2021 (Adjusted):

Adjusted financial guidance for the third quarter of 2021 excludes stock-based compensation expense of $2.3 million to $2.5 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of approximately $3.6 million, and any investment gains or losses.

 

   

Adjusted operating margin of approximately 6.0% to 8.0%.

 

   

Adjusted effective tax rate of 31%.

 

   

Adjusted diluted earnings per share of approximately $0.22 to $0.28.

Full-Year 2021 (GAAP):

 

   

Total revenues of approximately $485.0 million to $495.0 million.

 

   

Operating margin of approximately 6.0% to 7.0%.

 

   

Interest expense of approximately $4.3 million.

 

   

An effective tax rate of 31%.

 

   

Earnings per share of approximately $0.85 to $0.95.

Full-Year 2021 (Adjusted):

Adjusted financial guidance for full-year 2021 excludes stock-based compensation expense of $9.5 million to $10.0 million, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of approximately $15.2 million, integration costs of $0.3 million, and any investment gains or losses.

 

   

Adjusted operating margin of approximately 11.0% to 12.0%.

 

   

Adjusted effective tax rate of 31%.

 

   

Adjusted diluted earnings per share of approximately $1.75 to $1.85.

About Forrester

Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We help leaders across technology, marketing, customer experience, product, and sales


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 675,000 consumers, business leaders, and technology leaders worldwide; rigorous and objective research methodologies, including Forrester Wave evaluations; over 52 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 third quarter of and full-year 2021 and statements about the launch 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; Forrester’s ability to fulfill existing or generate new consulting engagements and advisory services; technology spending; the impact of health epidemics, including COVID-19, on Forrester’s business; Forrester’s ability to respond to business and economic conditions and market trends; the risks and challenges inherent in international business activities, including 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; 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; 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:

Scott Chouinard

Interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Forrester Research, Inc.

+1 617-613-6060

schouinard@forrester.com

Shweta Agarwal

Public Relations

Forrester Research, Inc.

+1 617-613-6805

sagarwal@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     Six Months Ended  
     June 30,     June 30,  
     2021     2020     2021     2020  

Revenues:

        

Research

   $ 81,002     $ 75,034     $ 155,970     $ 149,301  

Consulting

     40,960       33,475       79,510       65,463  

Events

     6,708       5,032       6,971       5,122  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     128,670       113,541       242,451       219,886  

Operating expenses:

        

Cost of services and fulfillment

     52,258       43,964       99,735       87,317  

Selling and marketing

     42,556       39,117       81,835       79,390  

General and administrative

     14,334       11,456       27,512       23,461  

Depreciation

     2,255       2,448       4,545       4,854  

Amortization of intangible assets

     3,968       4,713       7,871       9,425  

Integration costs

     216       612       334       3,487  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     115,587       102,310       221,832       207,934  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations

     13,083       11,231       20,619       11,952  

Interest expense

     (1,066     (1,307     (2,195     (2,845

Other income (expense), net

     (201     (201     (671     109  

Gains on investments

     —         2,352       —         2,365  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

     11,816       12,075       17,753       11,581  

Income tax expense

     3,473       238       5,454       257  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

   $ 8,343     $ 11,837     $ 12,299     $ 11,324  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic income per common share

   $ 0.44     $ 0.63     $ 0.64     $ 0.60  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Diluted income per common share

   $ 0.43     $ 0.63     $ 0.64     $ 0.60  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

     19,126       18,759       19,094       18,732  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

     19,377       18,831       19,332       18,828  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted data (1):

        

Total revenues - GAAP

   $ 128,670     $ 113,541     $ 242,451     $ 219,886  

Deferred revenue fair value adjustment

     —         137       —         322  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted revenues

   $ 128,670     $ 113,678     $ 242,451     $ 220,208  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income from operations - GAAP

   $ 13,083     $ 11,231     $ 20,619     $ 11,952  

Deferred revenue fair value adjustment

     —         137       —         322  

Amortization of intangible assets

     3,968       4,713       7,871       9,425  

Integration costs

     216       612       334       3,487  

Stock-based compensation included in the following expense categories:

        

Cost of services and fulfillment

     1,401       1,232       2,835       2,825  

Selling and marketing

     399       423       848       785  

General and administrative

     597       809       1,206       1,656  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted income from operations

   $ 19,664     $ 19,157     $ 33,713     $ 30,452  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 


     Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended  
     June 30,     June 30,  
     2021     2020     2021     2020  
     Amount     Per Share     Amount     Per Share     Amount     Per Share     Amount     Per Share  

Net income - GAAP

   $ 8,343     $ 0.43     $ 11,837     $ 0.63     $ 12,299     $ 0.64     $ 11,324     $ 0.60  

Deferred revenue fair value adjustment

     —         —         137       0.01       —         —         322       0.02  

Amortization of intangible assets

     3,968       0.21       4,713       0.25       7,871       0.41       9,425       0.50  

Integration costs

     216       0.01       612       0.03       334       0.02       3,487       0.19  

Stock-based compensation

     2,397       0.12       2,464       0.13       4,889       0.25       5,266       0.28  

Gains on investments

     —         —         (2,352     (0.12     —         —         (2,365     (0.13

Tax effects of items above (2)

     (1,768     (0.09     (2,441     (0.13     (3,415     (0.18     (5,153     (0.27

Adjustment to tax expense for adjusted tax rate (3)

     (462     (0.02     (2,792     (0.15     (694     (0.04     (3,182     (0.17
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted net income

   $ 12,694       0.66     $ 12,178     $ 0.65     $ 21,284       1.10     $ 19,124     $ 1.02  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

     19,377         18,831         19,332         18,828    
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

(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, integration costs, and net gains or losses from investments, as well as their related tax effects. We also utilized an assumed tax rate of 31% in both 2021 and 2020, 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 adjuted 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)

 

     June 30,     December 31,  
     2021     2020  

Balance sheet data:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 146,387     $ 90,257  

Accounts receivable, net

   $ 63,397     $ 84,695  

Deferred revenue

   $ 210,288     $ 179,968  

Debt outstanding

   $ 103,125     $ 109,375  
     Six Months Ended  
     June 30,  
     2021     2020  

Cash flow data:

    

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 70,093     $ 25,002  

Purchases of property and equipment

   $ (5,243   $ (5,110

Repayments of debt

   $ (6,250   $ (18,688

Repurchases of common stock

   $ (2,673   $ —    
     As of  
     June 30,  
     2021     2020  

Metrics:

    

Contract value

   $ 319,800     $ 294,000  

Client retention

     77     72

Wallet retention

     96     87

Number of clients

     2,940       2,760  
     As of  
     June 30,  
     2021     2020  

Headcount:

    

Total headcount

     1,719       1,843  

Sales force

     638       719