Forrester Research - 10-Q quarterly report FY2012 Q3

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FORM 10-Q

(MARK ONE)

FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED September 30, 2012

OR

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 000-21433

FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 613- 6000

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

As of November 6, 2012, 22,295,000 shares of the registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

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FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

INDEX TO FORM 10-Q

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except per share data, unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(In thousands, except per share data, unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(In thousands, unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands, unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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FORRESTER RESEARCH, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

Note 1 — Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures required for complete financial statements are not included herein. The year-end balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. It is recommended that these financial statements be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes that appear in the Forrester Research, Inc. (“Forrester”) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows as of the dates and for the periods presented have been included. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 may not be indicative of the results for the year ending December 31, 2012, or any other period.

Note 2 — Acquisition

On May 12, 2011, Forrester acquired Springboard Research (“Springboard”), a provider of research and advisory services focused on Asia Pacific and emerging markets. Springboard was a former division of Knowledge Platform, Inc. The acquisition of the Springboard business further supports Forrester’s role-based strategy and expands Forrester’s coverage in the Asia Pacific region. The total purchase price was approximately $9.0 million, of which approximately $6.7 million was paid on the acquisition date and $2.3 million (the “Holdback”) is payable at various times through June 1, 2013, subject to possible reduction to satisfy indemnification claims. Of the $2.3 million Holdback, up to $0.9 million was contingent on the retention of certain employees for a period of time and on the extension of a certain lease. As of May 2012, both contingency provisions have elapsed with the full amount payable to Knowledge Platform. As of September 30, 2012, $1.4 million of the Holdback had been paid by the Company and $0.9 million of the Holdback remains in accrued expenses in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The results of Springboard, which were not material to the consolidated financial statements, have been included in Forrester’s consolidated financial statements since May 12, 2011 in the Business Technology segment. Pro forma financial information has not been provided as it is not material to the consolidated results of operations.

A summary of the purchase price allocation for Springboard is as follows (in thousands):

Approximately $2.1 million of the goodwill is deductible for tax purposes. The Company believes the goodwill reflects its expectations of synergistic revenue opportunities from the acquisition and the value of the acquired workforce.

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Intangible assets are amortized according to the expected cash flows to be received. The following are the identifiable intangible assets acquired and their respective weighted average lives (dollars in thousands):

Note 3 — Marketable Investments

The following table summarizes the Company’s marketable investments (in thousands):

Realized gains and losses on securities are included in earnings and are determined using the specific identification method. Realized gains or losses on the sale of the Company’s federal agency, state, municipal and corporate obligations were not material in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 or 2011.

The following table summarizes the maturity periods of the marketable securities in the Company’s portfolio as of September 30, 2012. In February 2008, certain auction rate securities (“ARS”) that Forrester held experienced failed auctions that limited the liquidity of these securities. These auction failures have continued and based on current market conditions, it is likely that auction failures will continue. The following table reflects the ARS at their contractual maturity dates of between 2024 and 2034 (in thousands).

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The following table shows the gross unrealized losses and market value of Forrester’s available-for-sale securities with unrealized losses that are not deemed to be other-than-temporary, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position (in thousands):

Fair Value

The Company measures certain financial assets at fair value on a recurring basis, including cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities. The fair values of these financial assets have been classified as Level 1, 2 or 3 within the fair value hierarchy as described in the accounting standards for fair value measurements.

Level 1 — Fair value based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 — Fair value based on inputs other than Level 1 inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 — Fair value based on unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and such inputs are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

The following table represents the Company’s fair value hierarchy for its financial assets (cash equivalents and investments) measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 (in thousands):

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Level 2 assets consist of the Company’s entire portfolio of federal, state, municipal and corporate bonds, excluding those municipal bonds described below with an auction reset feature. Level 2 assets have been initially valued at the transaction price and subsequently valued, at the end of each reporting period, typically utilizing third party pricing services or other market observable data. The pricing services utilize industry standard valuation methods, including both income and market based approaches and observable market inputs to determine value. These observable market inputs include reportable trades, benchmark yields, credit spreads, broker/dealer quotes, bids, offers, current spot rates and other industry and economic events.

Level 3 assets consist entirely of municipal bonds with an auction reset feature (ARS). Prior to 2008, the fair value of the ARS investments approximated par value due to the frequent resets through the auction process. While the Company continues to receive interest income on its ARS investments at each interest rate reset date (which occurs at either seven or 35 day intervals for each security), these investments trade infrequently and therefore do not have a readily determinable market value. Interest rates on the securities ranged from 0.11% to 0.46% and 0.12% to 0.60% during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The Company values the ARS using a discounted cash flow model that includes unobservable inputs including estimates of interest rates, discounts rates and expected holding periods of the securities, which is considered a Level 3 valuation. Unobservable inputs included in the valuation as of September 30, 2012 included a weighted average interest rate of 0.30%, a weighted average discount rate of 2.84% and a weighted average holding period of 5 years. The valuation resulted in an unrealized loss recorded in other comprehensive loss in the Consolidated Balance Sheets of $1.2 million and $1.4 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The Company believes that the loss is temporary due to the strong underlying credit rating of the securities and the fact that the Company does not intend to sell the securities and is not likely to be required to sell the securities. The assumptions used in valuing the ARS are volatile and subject to change as the underlying sources of these assumptions and market conditions change. Significant increases or decreases in any of the valuation assumptions in isolation would result in a significant change in the fair value.

The following table provides a summary of changes in fair value of the Company’s Level 3 financial assets for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands):

Note 4 — Non-Marketable Investments

At September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the carrying value of the Company’s non-marketable investments, which were composed primarily of interests in technology-related private equity funds, was $7.8 million and $7.9 million, respectively, and is recorded in other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

One of the Company’s investments, with a book value of $1.4 million and $1.5 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, is being accounted for using the cost method and, accordingly, is valued at cost unless an other-than-temporary impairment in its

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value occurs. The other investments are being accounted for using the equity method as the investments are limited partnerships and the Company has an ownership interest in excess of 5% and, accordingly, the Company records its share of the investee’s operating results each period. The Company recorded a gain from its non-marketable investments of $0.1 million during the three months ended September 30, 2012, and $0.3 million and $0.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, which are included in gains on investments, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Gains from non-marketable investments were insignificant during the three months ended September 30, 2011. During the third quarter of 2012, the Company identified an error related to the amount of income previously recorded for investments under the equity-method. Income related to equity method investments was understated by approximately $0.4 million in 2007, $0.2 million in 2008 and, based on a revision received by the Company in the third quarter of 2012 to the information that was originally provided to the Company for the year ended December 31, 2011, was overstated by approximately $1.2 million in 2011. Management has concluded that these errors are immaterial to all prior period financial statements and recorded a correction of these errors as a $0.6 million reduction in equity method income in the three months ended September 30, 2012.

Note 5 — Reorganization

The following table rolls forward the activity in the reorganization accrual for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 (in thousands):

In the first quarter of 2012 the Company realigned its sales force to simplify the selling process to its customers and to increase the productivity of the sales organization. The Company incurred approximately $0.4 million of severance costs in the fourth quarter of 2011 for three sales employees located outside of the U.S. based on statutory termination benefits in their country of employment and the fact that termination was considered probable at December 31, 2011. The Company incurred an additional $1.4 million of severance and related costs in the nine months ended September 30, 2012 for the termination of 17 additional employees related to the sales reorganization and other cost reduction initiatives. The remaining accrual at September 30, 2012 is expected to be paid by the end of 2012.

Note 6 — Net Income Per Common Share

Basic net income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the basic weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the diluted weighted average number of common shares and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. The weighted average number of common equivalent shares outstanding has been determined in accordance with the treasury-stock method. Common equivalent shares consist of common stock issuable on the exercise of outstanding options and vesting of restricted stock units when dilutive.

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Basic and diluted weighted average common shares are as follows (in thousands):

Note 7 — Stockholders’ Equity

Equity Plans

Stock option activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 is presented below (in thousands, except per share data):

Restricted stock unit (RSU) activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 is presented below (in thousands, except per share data):

Stock-Based Compensation

Forrester recognizes the fair value of stock-based compensation in net income over the requisite service period of the individual grantee, which generally equals the vesting period. Stock-based compensation was recorded in the following expense categories (in thousands):

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In 2009 the Company issued to its employees 95,496 performance-based RSUs. The vesting of the RSUs was subject to performance criteria and would vest at 100% or 40% on April 1, 2012, or the RSUs could be forfeited, depending on whether specified revenue growth and certain operating margin targets related to full year 2011 performance were achieved. Based on 2011 financial performance, 40% of the then outstanding RSUs vested on April 1, 2012. Compensation expense in 2010 and 2009 was recognized based on an estimate of 100% vesting of the RSUs and in the second quarter of 2011 the Company modified its assessment of vesting to the 40% level.

In 2010 the Company issued to its employees approximately 63,000 performance-based RSUs. The vesting of the RSUs is subject to performance criteria and will vest at 100% or 40% on April 1, 2013, or the RSUs could be forfeited, depending on whether specified revenue growth and certain operating margin targets related to full year 2012 performance are achieved. Compensation expense through the third quarter of 2011 was recognized based on an estimate of 100% vesting of the RSUs and in the fourth quarter of 2011 the Company modified its assessment of vesting to a zero percent level. The Company continues to utilize a zero percent vesting estimate in 2012. In addition, Forrester issued approximately 42,000 RSUs during 2010 that generally vest equally over a four-year period.

In 2011 the Company issued to its employees approximately 71,000 performance-based RSUs. The vesting of the RSUs is subject to performance criteria and will vest at 100% or 40% on April 1, 2014, or the RSUs could be forfeited, depending on whether specified revenue growth and certain operating margin targets related to full year 2013 performance are achieved. Compensation expense through the third quarter of 2011 was recognized based on an estimate of 100% vesting of the RSUs and in the fourth quarter of 2011 the Company modified its assessment of vesting to a zero percent level. The Company continues to utilize a zero percent vesting estimate in 2012. In addition, Forrester issued approximately 48,000 RSUs during 2011 that generally vest equally over a four-year period.

Forrester utilizes the Black-Scholes valuation model for estimating the fair value of stock-based compensation. Options granted under the equity incentive plans and shares subject to purchase under the employee stock purchase plan were valued using the following assumptions:

Dividends

In the first nine months of 2012 the Company declared and paid dividends of $0.42 per share or $9.5 million in the aggregate. In October 2012, the Company declared a dividend of $0.14 per share payable on December 19, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 5, 2012.

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Treasury Stock

In October 2012 the Company’s Board of Directors approved an additional $50.0 million to purchase common stock under the stock repurchase program, bringing the total authorization under the program to $310.0 million. The shares repurchased may be used, among other things, in connection with the Company’s employee and director equity incentive and purchase plans. During the nine months ended September 30, 2012 the Company repurchased approximately 0.8 million shares of common stock at an aggregate cost of approximately $26.2 million. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had cumulative repurchases of approximately 9.0 million shares of common stock at an aggregate cost of approximately $207.2 million under the program.

Note 8 — Income Taxes

Forrester provides for income taxes on an interim basis according to management’s estimate of the effective tax rate expected to be applicable for the full fiscal year. Certain items such as changes in tax rates, foreign exchange gains or losses on the remeasurement of deferred tax liabilities and tax benefits related to disqualifying dispositions of incentive stock options are treated as discrete items and are recorded in the period in which they arise. The primary discrete items in the nine months ended September 30, 2012 include a $5.5 million deferred tax benefit recognized in the third quarter of 2012 resulting from the settlement of a tax audit at one of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries, a reduction in the reserve for uncertain tax positions and deductions from disqualified dispositions of incentive stock options. The primary discrete item in the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was a remeasurement loss of a euro-denominated deferred tax liability.

Note 9 — Operating Segments

Forrester is organized into two client groups with each client group responsible for writing relevant research for the roles within the client organization on a worldwide basis. The two client groups, which are considered operating segments, are: Business Technology (“BT”) and Marketing and Strategy (“M&S”). In addition, the Company’s Events segment supports both client groups. Each client group generates revenue through sales of research, advisory and other service offerings targeted at specific roles within their targeted clients. Each client group consists of research personnel focused primarily on issues relevant to particular roles and to the day-to-day responsibilities of persons within the roles. Amounts included in the Events segment relate to the operations of the events production department. Revenue reported in the Events segment consists primarily of sponsorships and sales of event tickets to Forrester events.

Forrester evaluates reportable segment performance and allocates resources based on direct margin. Direct margin, as presented below, is defined as operating income excluding sales expenses, certain marketing and fulfillment expenses, stock-based compensation expense, general and administrative expenses, depreciation expense, and amortization of intangibles. In the second quarter of 2012, the Company modified its management structure by consolidating its former Technology Industry client group segment into its two remaining client groups: Business Technology and Marketing and Strategy. In addition, in the first quarter of 2012, the Company modified its calculation of segment direct margin to exclude certain marketing costs and Springboard integration costs and to include certain business development costs. Accordingly, the 2011 amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. The accounting policies used by the reportable segments are the same as those used in the consolidated financial statements.

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The following tables present information about reportable segments (in thousands):

Note 10 — Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued amended guidance on fair value measurement and related disclosures. The new guidance clarifies the concepts applicable for fair value measurement of non-financial assets and requires the disclosure of quantitative information about the unobservable inputs used in a fair value measurement. This guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and has been applied prospectively. The adoption of this amended guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB amended its accounting guidance on the presentation of other comprehensive income (OCI) in an entity’s financial statements. The amended guidance eliminates the option to present the components of OCI as part of the statement of changes in shareholders equity and provides two options for presenting OCI: in a statement included in the income statement or in a separate statement immediately following the income statement. The amendments do not change the guidance for the items that have to be reported in OCI or when an item of OCI has to be moved into net income. The Company adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2012 by presenting a separate statement of comprehensive income.

In September 2011, the FASB issued updated guidance on the periodic testing of goodwill for impairment. The updated guidance gives companies the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. The amendment is intended to reduce the cost and complexity of the annual goodwill impairment test by providing entities an option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. The updated accounting guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011 and the adoption of this guidance as of January 1, 2012 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” or similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the adequacy of our liquidity and capital resources, future growth rates, anticipated increases in our sales force, future capital expenditures, continued payment of dividends, and anticipated continued repurchases of our common stock. These statements are based on our 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, our ability to retain and enrich memberships for our research products and services, technology spending, our ability to respond to business and economic conditions and market trends, including the potential impact of the “fiscal cliff” arising from scheduled federal spending cuts and tax increases set for the end of 2012, the risks and challenges inherent in international business activities, competition and industry consolidation, the ability to attract and retain professional staff, our dependence on key personnel, the possibility of network disruptions and security breaches, and possible variations in our quarterly operating results. These risks are described more completely in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

We derive revenues from memberships to our research products and services, performing advisory services and consulting projects, and hosting events. We offer contracts for our research products that are typically renewable annually and payable in advance. Research revenues are recognized as revenue ratably over the term of the contract. Accordingly, a substantial portion of our billings are initially recorded as deferred revenue. Clients purchase advisory services independently and/or to supplement their memberships to our research. Billings attributable to advisory services and consulting projects are initially recorded as deferred revenue. Advisory service revenues are recognized when the customer receives the agreed upon deliverable. Consulting project revenues, which generally are short-term in nature and based upon fixed-fee agreements, are recognized as the services are provided. Event billings are also initially recorded as deferred revenue and are recognized as revenue upon completion of each event.

Our primary operating expenses consist of cost of services and fulfillment, selling and marketing expenses and general and administrative expenses. Cost of services and fulfillment represents the costs associated with the production and delivery of our products and services, including salaries, bonuses, employee benefits and stock-based compensation expense for research personnel and all associated editorial, travel, and support services. Selling and marketing expenses include salaries, sales commissions, bonuses, employee benefits, stock-based compensation expense, travel expenses, promotional costs and other costs incurred in marketing and selling our products and services. General and administrative expenses include the costs of the technology, operations, finance, and human resources groups and our other administrative functions, including salaries, bonuses, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation expense. Overhead costs such as facilities are allocated to these categories according to the number of employees in each group.

Deferred revenue, agreement value, client retention, dollar retention, enrichment and number of clients are metrics we believe are important to understanding our business. We believe that the amount of deferred revenue, along with the agreement value of contracts to purchase research and advisory services, provide a significant measure of our business activity. We define these metrics as follows:

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Client retention, dollar retention, and enrichment are not necessarily indicative of the rate of future retention of our revenue base. A summary of our key metrics is as follows (dollars in millions):

The growth rate of agreement value at September 30, 2012 of 5% has trended down from the growth rate of 10% in the first quarter of 2012 and 7% in the second quarter of 2012 as compared to the prior year periods. The decrease in the agreement value growth rate is primarily due to a continuing decrease in our enrichment rates, which at 96% for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2012, reflects a decline in the contract value of existing clients as they renewed their contracts. Dollar retention rates remain near historic highs.

Effective as of June 30, 2012, we modified our calculation of the number of clients in accordance with an automated system that counts as a single client the various divisions and subsidiaries of a corporate parent and also aggregates separate instrumentalities of federal, state, and provincial governments. The number of clients as of September 30, 2011 has been recalculated to conform to the current methodology; however prior period client and dollar retention and enrichment are not recalculated. Accordingly, the client and dollar retention and enrichment percentages at September 30, 2012 are directionally but not absolutely indicative of the actual change from the comparable period in 2011.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our policies and estimates, including but not limited to, those related to our revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, non-marketable investments, goodwill and other intangible assets, income taxes, and valuation and impairment of marketable investments. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, data available at the time the estimates are made and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Our critical accounting policies and estimates are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

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Results of Operations

The following table sets forth our statement of income as a percentage of total revenues for the periods indicated:

Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012 and June 30, 2011

Revenues

Total revenues decreased by 2% and increased by 4% during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, compared to the corresponding periods in the prior year. Total revenues were driven by a 2% and 7% increase in research services revenue during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, while advisory services and other revenue decreased by 11% and 2% during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively. Foreign exchange fluctuations from the prior year had the effect of reducing

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revenue growth by 2% and 1% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, while the effect of the Springboard Research acquisition in May 2011 had an insignificant impact on revenue growth during the 2012 periods. Revenues from customers outside the U.S. during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 compared to the prior year declined by 2 points as a percent of total revenues due to both the effect of foreign currency rates and to a decline in revenue from the European region. The general economic conditions in Europe have contributed to a difficult selling environment in that region. We expect overall revenue growth for the fourth quarter of 2012 to range from a decline of 4% to growth of 2%.

Research services revenues are recognized as revenue ratably over the term of the contracts, which are generally twelve-month periods. Accordingly, the increase in research services revenues during 2012 reflects increased contract bookings during the prior twelve-month period. Revenue growth over the comparable periods in 2011 has trended downward during each of the first three quarters of 2012 reflecting a trend downward in the year-over –year growth in contract bookings during this period.

Revenue from advisory services and other decreased 11% during the three months ended September 30, 2012 due to a $1.1 million decrease in event revenues and a decline in advisory and consulting revenue during the quarter as compared to the prior year quarter. The decline in event revenue resulted principally from the smaller scope of events in the current quarter as compared to the events held in the prior year quarter. We count co-located events, which enable our clients to attend multiple events with one event ticket, as a single event in the tables above. The decline in advisory and consulting revenue was due primarily to lower productivity during the quarter and to higher attrition of research analysts as compared to the prior year. Revenue from advisory services and other decreased 2% during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 due primarily to the same factors that impacted revenue during the third quarter.

Please refer to the “Segment Results” section below for a discussion of revenue and direct margin results by segment.

Cost of Services and Fulfillment