The case for & against
Bull & Bear analysis
Forrester Research, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORR) operates as a global research and advisory firm that specializes in providing insights to business and technology leaders. Positioned in the consulting and market research sector, Forrester delivers value through subscription research, consulting services, and events, with a growing focus on artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. As the demand for AI-driven insights escalates, Forrester aims to capitalize on this trend to navigate the complexities of evolving market conditions.
Bull says
- ↑AI Access bookings exceeded $5M since launch, diversifying revenue.
- ↑Retention rate rose to 74% and client base reached 1,770.
- ↑Operating costs cut 6% YoY, refocusing on subscription research.
- ↑Strong balance sheet: $145M cash vs. $35M debt.
- ↑High earnings yield and book-to-price ~0.81 suggest fair valuation.
- ↑Low volatility and manageable leverage appeal to risk-averse investors.
Bear says
- ↓Total revenue declined 10% YoY to $100.2M in Q2 2026.
- ↓Consulting revenue fell 8% due to federal budget cuts.
- ↓Client wallet retention dropped 1.85%, slowing onboarding momentum.
- ↓Growth and revisions factors negative, indicating analyst skepticism.
- ↓Short interest elevated, signaling bearish investor sentiment.
- ↓Rising public AI alternatives may erode demand for paid research.
Earnings Call · Q2 2025 · Mgmt. Guidance
Transcript signals
Bull points
- We exceeded consensus for revenue, margin, and EPS.
- We are seeing pockets of building momentum, particularly in the government sector.
- In Q2, we booked several significant contracts with U.S. state and local governments and European federal agencies.
Bear points
- CV and wallet retention decreased by 7% and 1% respectively
- Total revenue decreased 8%, driven by mid-single-digit declines in our research and consulting businesses and ongoing challenges in our events business.
- we expect the outlook for the second half to remain uncertain.