Forrester Reports Q1 Revenue of $85.5M, Exceeding Estimates
Reports Q1 revenue $85.5M, two estimates $83.29M. "We are seeing continued momentum in our metrics, which has allowed us to increase the low-to-midpoint range of our revenue guidance for 2026," said CEO and Chairman George F. Colony. "Furthermore, this quarter we improved Forrester AI capabilities, enabling clients to access Forrester's research from their systems and workflows - and to more easily incorporate our data and analysis into their emails, presentations, and documents. We are attacking the AI opportunity from two directions - using AI to improve how we deliver our services and offering AI-focused research, which enables our clients to increase productivity and deliver increased value to their customers. We believe our relentless focus on evolving our product portfolio to deliver better value to clients, and improving go-to-market execution, will continue to position us for a successful 2026."
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- Award Announcement: Forrester has opened nominations for its Security & Risk Enterprise Leadership Award, aimed at recognizing organizations that enhance stakeholder trust and build enterprise resilience through security, privacy, and risk management principles.
- Evaluation Criteria: The award is open to private and public sector organizations with over 1,000 employees, assessing their ability to deliver secure, private, and resilient customer experiences, as well as the effectiveness of employee practices that safeguard the organization.
- Strategic Importance: According to Forrester's VP Stephanie Balaouras, rapid technological advancements and geopolitical uncertainties have transformed security and risk management from compliance functions into strategic capabilities that foster business success and build trust.
- Nomination Details: The nomination deadline is June 29, 2026, with the winning organization to be announced at Forrester's Security & Risk Forum on November 9-10, 2026, highlighting the award's significance in the industry.
- Improved Client Retention: Forrester's client retention rate rose by 2 percentage points to 89% in Q1 2026, with multiyear deals now comprising 72% of total contract value, indicating significant progress in client relationship management that enhances future revenue stability.
- Revenue and Profitability Pressure: The company reported revenue of $85.5 million in Q1, down 5% year-over-year, yet this marked an improvement from a 6% decline in Q4 2025, reflecting efforts in revenue recovery, although overall profitability remains challenged with operating income at negative $0.9 million.
- Strong Cash Flow Performance: Forrester generated $19 million in free cash flow this quarter, with cash reserves exceeding $145 million and only $35 million in debt, providing a solid financial foundation for future investments and operations despite the challenges posed by exiting the strategy consulting business.
- AI Product Development: The newly launched Forrester AI model has been certified for Microsoft Teams and is performing well in the market, with usage up 55% year-over-year, which not only enhances the product's competitive edge but also lays the groundwork for future revenue growth.
- AI Agent Launch: Forrester has launched the Forrester AI agent integrated into Microsoft 365 Copilot, available at no additional cost for existing license holders, aimed at enhancing client research access efficiency in daily workflows, thereby accelerating decision-making and improving client satisfaction.
- Real-Time Research Application: The agent embeds Forrester's proprietary research and analysis directly into workflows, enabling leaders to apply data-driven advice in real-time, enhancing decision accuracy and speed, which aligns with the demands of today's fast-paced AI-driven market.
- Multilingual Support: Forrester AI supports over 200 languages, ensuring global clients can access research and advice without barriers, further expanding Forrester's influence in international markets and enhancing its global competitiveness.
- Strategic Integration Plans: Forrester plans to further integrate with public large language models and productivity platforms through the Model Context Protocol (MCP) connector, aiming to enhance clients' research integration capabilities and drive the company's ongoing innovation and value delivery in the AI era.

Launch of Forest AI Agent: Forester has introduced an AI agent designed for Microsoft 365 Copilot, aimed at enhancing productivity and efficiency in workplace environments.
Focus on Research-Driven Insights: The AI agent is intended to provide research-driven insights that can help leaders optimize their workflows and decision-making processes.
- Market Strategy Transformation: Forrester's research unveiled at the B2B Summit North America calls for B2B firms to discard outdated go-to-market practices and adopt a new ARC (Augmented, Resilient, Collaborative) approach to adapt to increasingly complex buyer behaviors and AI-driven market dynamics, thereby enhancing customer value and driving business growth.
- Augmented Market Strategies: The study emphasizes that B2B leaders should integrate AI agents into key market initiatives and treat buyer agents as part of the buying network, providing them with relevant content to enhance customer experiences and improve market competitiveness.
- Resilience and Flexibility: Forrester advises B2B firms to abandon static annual market plans and instead rapidly adjust strategies based on customer needs to respond to fast-changing buyer behaviors and market volatility, thus increasing the company's adaptability.
- Collaboration and Transparency: The report highlights the critical need for collaboration among sales, marketing, customer success, and product teams, urging companies to establish a unified view of customers to ensure information transparency across teams, ultimately improving overall business efficiency and customer satisfaction.








