# Forrester Research, Inc > Clarifo company profile — qualitative business description generated from > the company's filings. Financial statements, charts and ratios are > available on Clarifo (https://www.clarifo.com/en/companies/Forrester Research, Inc). ## Overview Forrester Research, Inc. is a U.S.-based independent research and advisory firm that sells subscription research, consulting, and events to business and technology leaders worldwide. Its core value proposition is decision support: combining proprietary research, analyst guidance, and Forrester AI to help clients plan, buy, and execute more effectively across technology, customer experience, digital, marketing, sales, and product functions. ## Products & services • Forrester Decisions subscription research • Analyst guidance and advisory support • Forrester Consulting projects and advisory services • Content marketing services • Forrester Events across North America, Europe, and APAC • Forrester AI access to research content - **Research subscriptions** (75%) — Recurring research access, including Forrester Decisions, forecasts, benchmarks, vendor evaluations, and best-practice tools. - **Consulting and advisory** (22%) — Project-based consulting, advisory services, and content marketing that help clients implement customer-obsessed strategies. - **Events** (3%) — Conferences and curated events that provide insights, networking, and sponsorship opportunities tied to client renewal and lead generation. - Forrester Decisions subscription research - Analyst guidance and advisory support - Forrester Consulting projects and advisory services - Content marketing services - Forrester Events across North America, Europe, and APAC - Forrester AI access to research content ## Customers Forrester sells primarily to business and technology decision-makers, including leaders in technology, customer experience, digital, marketing, sales, and product. Its client base spans end-user enterprises, technology vendors, and government clients, with subscriptions typically renewed in advance and consulting sold as discrete projects. The company says it served more than 1,700 client companies in 2025, and no single client represented more than 3% of revenue. - **Enterprise end-user executives** (primary) — Buy research and advisory content to support strategy, operating models, and transformation decisions. - **Technology vendors** (primary) — Buy market landscapes, forecasts, and vendor evaluation content to shape go-to-market and product strategy. - **Consulting clients** (secondary) — Buy project-based consulting and advisory services to implement customer-obsessed growth initiatives. - **Event participants and sponsors** (secondary) — Attend or sponsor events to gain insights, build relationships, and generate demand. - **Government clients** (secondary) — Use research and advisory services for technology and operational decision support. - Technology leaders buying research to guide product and platform decisions - CX, digital, marketing, sales, and product executives seeking benchmarks - Enterprise end users using subscriptions for strategy and operating guidance - Technology vendors buying market landscapes, forecasts, and evaluations - Government clients, especially in North America, using advisory content - Event attendees and sponsors seeking insight, networking, and lead generation ## Geography Forrester operates globally, with direct sales coverage across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific and events held across those same regions. The company disclosed that 22% of 2025 revenue came from customers outside the U.S., highlighting meaningful international exposure even though the U.S. remains the largest market. Its international footprint also creates operational complexity through local sales reps, regional client needs, and exposure to macroeconomic and trade-policy shifts. - **United States** (78%) — Derived from 2025 disclosure that 22% of revenue came from customers outside the U.S. - **International** (22%) — Aggregate non-U.S. customer revenue disclosed in 2025; country mix not provided. - Direct sales coverage spans North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific - Events are hosted across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific - 22% of 2025 revenue came from customers outside the U.S. - International business development uses independent sales reps in select markets - U.S. remains the largest market, but international demand matters for growth ## Strategy Forrester’s strategy is to deepen migration of clients into Forrester Decisions while using analyst guidance and Forrester AI to make research more actionable and sticky. It is also focused on cross-selling consulting and events to improve retention, expand contract value, and support renewal rates. The company is positioning itself around trusted human intelligence plus AI, arguing that clients need objective, reliable guidance as business and technology change rapidly. - **Grow Forrester Decisions adoption** (short-term) — Recurring subscriptions are the core revenue engine and support renewal visibility. - **Integrate AI into research delivery** (medium-term) — Forrester AI can improve accessibility and speed while preserving trusted content. - **Improve retention and cross-sell** (medium-term) — Consulting and events can increase client engagement and renewal behavior. - Migrate clients to Forrester Decisions to improve retention and contract value - Use Forrester AI to deliver faster access to trusted research content - Cross-sell consulting and events to deepen client relationships - Maintain rigorous, unbiased research methods as a differentiator - Expand direct sales coverage across North America, Europe, and APAC ## Risks The main business risk is subscription renewal and demand weakness, because research revenue depends on retaining and expanding recurring contracts. Consulting is more cyclical and project-based, while events depend on sponsorship and attendance, making those revenues less predictable. The company also faces competitive pressure from AI-enabled alternatives, macroeconomic softness in technology spending, international operating risk, and concentration of voting power in its chairman and CEO. - **Decline in renewals or demand for subscription research** [high] — Research subscriptions are the largest revenue source and are renewed over time. - **Weak consulting bookings** [medium] — Consulting revenue is project-based and depends on new engagements replacing completed work. - **Event sponsorship and attendance volatility** [medium] — Event revenue can swing with client budgets and event timing. - **AI-driven competitive disruption** [high] — Generative AI and LLMs may change how clients source decision support and research. - **International and macroeconomic exposure** [medium] — Non-U.S. revenue and global sales operations are sensitive to economic and policy shifts. - **Goodwill impairment** [high] — The company recorded a large goodwill impairment in 2025, and further declines could trigger more charges. - Subscription renewals drive most revenue, so churn would hit the core business - Consulting is project-based and can fall when client bookings slow - Events depend on sponsorship and attendance, creating volatility - AI tools and competitors could pressure perceived value of paid research - International operations add exposure to trade policy, macro, and execution risk - Chairman/CEO ownership concentration limits governance flexibility ## Accounting Forrester recognizes research revenue primarily ratably over 12- or 24-month contracts, so timing of renewals and contract mix affects reported revenue. Consulting and event revenue are more variable, and event timing can shift quarter-to-quarter comparability. Investors should also watch goodwill impairment, the note receivable allowance from the FeedbackNow divestiture, and estimates tied to revenue recognition, credit losses, and long-lived assets. - **Ratable revenue recognition for research subscriptions** — Affects deferred revenue, quarterly revenue smoothing, and growth comparisons - **Goodwill impairment** — Non-cash charge that can materially reduce reported earnings and equity - **Allowance for credit losses on note receivable** — Can affect other income/expense and asset carrying value - **Revenue mix seasonality and event timing** — Quarterly comparability and margin volatility - **Long-lived asset and intangible estimates** — Potential future impairment charges if assumptions weaken - Research revenue is recognized ratably over 12- or 24-month contracts - Consulting and event revenue can shift with project timing and sponsorships - 2025 goodwill impairment created a large non-cash charge - Allowance for credit losses on note receivable affects post-divestiture recoverability - Revenue mix and contract renewals affect deferred revenue and quarterly comparability --- *Last updated: 2026-09-24T11:07:48.203549+00:00*