Tag - Forr

Corporate Executive Board Co. (Nasdaq:EXBD), Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:YAVY) and Abiomed Inc. (Nasdaq:ABMD) are among the new 52-week lows in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: First Financial Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:FFCH), Forrester Research Inc (Nasdaq:FORR), Astoria Financial Corp (Nasdaq:AF), TEAM Inc (Nasdaq:TISI), Advisory Board Co (Nasdaq:ABCO) and Hill Rom Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:HRC).

M I Homes Inc. (Nasdaq:MHO), Abiomed Inc. (Nasdaq:ABMD) and Corporate Executive Board Co. (Nasdaq:EXBD) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Micrus Endovascular Corp. (Nasdaq:MEND), Life Time Fitness Inc. (Nasdaq:LTM), 99 Cents Only Stores (Nasdaq:NDN), Forrester Research Inc. (Nasdaq:FORR), Harman International Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:HAR) and Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:YAVY).

Andersons Inc. (Nasdaq:ANDE), CBL & Associates REIT (Nasdaq:CBL) and Primeenergy Corp. (Nasdaq:PNRG) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Forrester Research Inc. (Nasdaq:FORR), EnerSys (Nasdaq:ENS), Dolan Media Co. (Nasdaq:DM), Gladstone Investment Corp. (Nasdaq:GAIN), Nanosphere Inc. (Nasdaq:NSPH) and Sonesta International Hotels Corp. (Nasdaq:SNSTA).

No matter how smart a company is, most crave more data, and Forrester Research Inc. (Nasdaq:FORR) strives to fulfill their needs.

Not necessarily just reams and reams of raw data, but targeted, exclusive information put into a context pertinent to a particular business. Forrester, with headquarters in  Cambridge, Mass., seeks client companies with $1 billion in sales or more.

Forrester Research defines itself as "an independent technology and market research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology." Founded a quarter-century ago by chairman and CEO George Colony, Forrester has remained a leading provider of proprietary information and consultancy services. About a third of its nearly 1,000 employees are research professionals.

With a steady flow of published reports, the Forrester name is constantly visible in the news media and trade publications. The company's products and services fall under four main areas: research, data, consulting and community. Competition comes from the much-larger Gartner Inc. (NYSE:IT), and private firms IDC Research and Yankee Group.

Shares of Forrester Research have traded in a 52-week range of $20.28 seen last Nov. 19, while it hit a high of $33.64 Tuesday, before shares closed at $33.32.

Of the two analysts who cover Forrester Research, one has the stock at "market perform," with the other calling it "market outperform."

Relevance is important, and in 2007 Forrester worked on reconstituting itself as a "role player." In his letter to shareholders accompanying the 2007 annual report, Colony wrote about "Forrester's present and future" involving 17 roles, or specialty areas, of the professionals that it serves. "Our business strategy targets professionals . . .

ArcSight Inc (Nasdaq:ARST), Peerless Manufacturing Co (Nasdaq:PMFG) and Republic Banc KY (Nasdaq:RBCAA) are among the new 52-week highs in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Argan Inc (Nasdaq:AGX), First Financial Corp (Nasdaq:THFF), Stepan Co (Nasdaq:SCL), Stoneridge Inc (Nasdaq:SRI), Forrester Research Inc (Nasdaq:FORR) and Pegasystems Inc (Nasdaq:PEGA).

Here are the new 52-week highs among small caps:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) has trimmed its earlier gains and gone flat. At 2:48 p.m. ET, the small-cap index had retreated 0.45 points, or 0.06%, to 701.13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) was up 2.52 points, or 0.02%, to 12,267.65.

Small caps abruptly turned around and dropped into negative territory at about 2 p.m. ET following news that a recession has become more likely, according to Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Jeffrey Lacker.

Lacker told an audience at Marshall University’s Lewis College of Business that the risks of a recession have recently increased while inflation has not moderated as some expected, according to news reports this afternoon.

The Fed official, who is a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee, is also quoted as saying that he believes economic growth will be sluggish during the first half of 2008.

News of Lacker’s comments extinguished the modest rally that lifted stocks out of the gate after the U.S. Labor Department reported that productivity increased at an annual rate of 1.8% during the fourth quarter of 2007, outpacing economists’ expectations.

On the topic of Wall Street’s expectations, travel website operator Travelzoo Inc. (Nasdaq: TZOO) reported a fourth-quarter net income that was below what analysts were projecting, causing its shares to decline more than 20%.

Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) shares are up slightly after the business services provider reported third-quarter revenue of $51.1 million, above analyst estimates of $50.8 million and up 16% from $44.1 million a year earlier.

The Cambridge, Mass.-based company’s quarterly profit totaled $6.8 million, or $0.29 per share, on par with Wall Street projections of $0.29 per share and compared with $6.3 million, or $0.27 per share, during the year-ago period.

"Our business remains strong and we are on a path to achieve our full-year guidance," CEO George Colony said in a statement. "We have spent much of this year ensuring that we have the necessary resources for continued growth. These include refining our products and increasing the research and sales staff which will enable us to successfully complete the implementation of our role-based strategy."

For the fourth quarter, Forrester expects revenue in the range of $54 million to $56 million and earnings in the range of $0.22 to $0.26 per share.

In morning trading, FORR shares are up 2.91%, or $0.66, at $23.33. Over the last 52 weeks, shares have ranged from $20.28 to $31.36.