Gartner Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter 2012

Gartner Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter 2012

Contract Value Increased 14% YoY FX Neutral to $1,175 Million

Revenue Increased 8% (12% FX neutral) YoY to $374.4 Million

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gartner, Inc. (NYS: IT) , the leading provider of research and analysis on the global information technology industry, today reported results for third quarter 2012 and updated its projection for full year 2012 revenues and reiterated its outlook for Normalized EBITDA, EPS, and cash flows.

Total revenue was $374.4 million for third quarter 2012, up 8% compared to third quarter 2011. Total revenue increased 12% excluding the impact of foreign exchange. Third quarter 2012 net income was $31.4 million, an increase of 3% over third quarter 2011. Normalized EBITDA was $68.0 million in third quarter 2012, an increase of 9% over third quarter 2011. Diluted income per share was $0.33 in third quarter 2012 compared to $0.31 in third quarter 2011. Diluted Income Per Share Excluding Acquisition Adjustments, which excludes the impact of acquisition-related adjustments, was $0.35 per share for third quarter 2012 and $0.31 per share for third quarter 2011. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for a discussion of Normalized EBITDA and Diluted Income Per Share Excluding Acquisition Adjustments.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, total revenue was $1,141.1 million, an increase of 10% over the 2011 period. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange, revenues increased 12%. Net income was $107.1 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2012, an increase of 17% over the same period in 2011. Normalized EBITDA was $218.2 million in the 2012 period, an increase of 12% over 2011. Diluted income per share was $1.12 in 2012 compared to $0.92 in 2011, an increase of 22%. Diluted Income Per Share Excluding Acquisition Adjustments was $1.16 in 2012 and $0.96 in 2011.

Gene Hall, Gartner's chief executive officer, commented, "We continued our trend of delivering consistent, double-digit growth in the third quarter. Revenue, contract value, Normalized EBITDA and EPS were again consistent with our long-term expectations. The increases in our revenue and contract value, in addition to maintaining key operating metrics such as client retention at or near all-time highs, illustrate both the strong value we provide our clients and the sizeable market opportunity for our services. As we look ahead to the final quarter of 2012, we remain excited about the opportunity we see in the market and expect to deliver another year of double-digit growth as measured by our key business metrics."

Business Segment Highlights

Research

Third quarter 2012 revenue was $284.0 million, up 11% compared to third quarter 2011. Excluding the impact of foreign exchange, Research revenue increased 14%. The gross contribution margin was 68% for both quarters. Contract value was up 14% on an FX neutral basis at September 30, 2012 compared to September 30, 2011, and 13% as reported. Client and wallet retention rates for third quarter 2012 were 83% and 99%, respectively, compared to 82% and 100% in the third quarter 2011.

Consulting

Revenue for third quarter 2012 was $71.7 million, an increase of 1% compared to third quarter 2011. Adjusted for the impact of foreign exchange, revenue increased 4%. Gross contribution margin for third quarter 2012 was 34%. Third quarter 2012 utilization was 64%. Billable headcount was 499 as of September 30, 2012, and backlog was $106.1 million.

Events

Revenue for third quarter 2012 was $18.6 million, a decrease of 2% compared to third quarter 2011, due to changes in the events calendar and foreign exchange impact. Excluding the foreign exchange impact, Events segment revenues increased 2%. Results in this segment were adversely affected by the move of two large events that had been held in the third quarter of 2011, and will be held this year in the fourth quarter 2012. On a same-events and FX neutral basis, revenues increased 17% when comparing the 12 events held in the third quarter 2012 with their performance in 2011. Gross contribution margin was 24% in third quarter 2012. The Company held a total of 14 events with 5,566 attendees in the third quarter 2012, compared to 16 events and 6,676 attendees in third quarter 2011.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights

The Company generated almost $209 million of operating cash flow in the nine months ended September 30, 2012, an increase of 18% over the same period in 2011 and the highest nine months' operating cash flow in the Company's history. Additions to property, equipment and leasehold improvements ("Capital Expenditures") totaled $30.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2012, which included $11.5 million of Stamford headquarters renovation expenditures that are reimbursable by the facility landlord.

At September 30, 2012, the Company had over $255 million of cash and $354 million of borrowing capacity on its revolving credit facility. Through September 30, 2012, the Company used approximately $89 million of cash to repurchase shares and $10 million of cash on a net basis to complete the Ideas International Limited acquisition.

Financial Outlook for 2012

The Company has adjusted its revenue guidance as per the table below. Projected diluted earnings per share, Normalized EBITDA, and cash flow guidance remain unchanged. As revised, the Company's full year 2012 guidance is as follows:

Conference Call Information

Gartner has scheduled a conference call at 8:30 a.m. eastern time on Friday, November 2, 2012 to discuss the Company's financial results. The conference call will be available via the Internet by accessing the Company's website at http://investor.gartner.com or by dial-in. The U.S. dial-in number is 888-713-4205 and the international dial-in number is 617-213-4862 and the participant passcode is 87196156. The question and answer session of the conference call will be open to investors and analysts only. A replay of the webcast will be available for approximately 90 days following the call.

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. (NYS: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is a valuable partner to clients in over 12,600 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has approximately 5,400 associates, including almost 1,400 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Normalized EBITDA: Represents operating income excluding depreciation, accretion on obligations related to excess facilities, amortization, stock-based compensation expense, and acquisition related adjustments. We believe Normalized EBITDA is an important measure of our recurring operations as it excludes items that may not be indicative of our core operating results. Investors are cautioned that Normalized EBITDA is not a financial measure defined under generally accepted accounting principles and as a result is considered a non-GAAP financial measure. We provide this measure to enhance the user's overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and the Company's prospects for the future. It should not be construed as an alternative to any other measure of performance determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Diluted Income Per Share Excluding Acquisition Adjustments: Represents diluted income per share excluding certain adjustments directly related to acquisitions, which consists of amortization of identifiable intangibles, non-recurring acquisition and integration charges such as legal, consulting, severance and other costs, and non-cash fair value adjustments on pre-acquisition deferred revenues. We believe Diluted Income Per Share Excluding Acquisition Adjustments is an important measure of our recurring operations as it excludes items that may not be indicative of our core operating results.

Free Cash Flow: Represents cash provided by operating activities plus cash acquisition and integration payments less additions to property, equipment and leasehold improvements ("Capital Expenditures"). We believe that Free Cash Flow is an important measure of the recurring cash generated by the Company's core operations that is available to be used to repurchase stock, repay debt obligations and invest in future growth through new business development activities or acquisitions.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements contained in this press release regarding the Company's growth and prospects, projected 2012 financial results and all other statements in this release other than recitation of historical facts are forward-looking statements (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the following: our ability to maintain and expand our products and services; our ability to expand or retain our customer base; our ability to grow or sustain revenue from individual customers; our ability to attract and retain a professional staff of research analysts and consultants as well as experienced sales personnel upon whom we are dependent; our ability to achieve and effectively manage growth, including our ability to integrate acquisitions and consummate future acquisitions; our ability to pay our debt; our ability to achieve continued customer renewals and achieve new contract value, backlog and deferred revenue growth in light of competitive pressures; our ability to carry out our strategic initiatives and manage associated costs; our ability to successfully compete with existing competitors and potential new competitors; our ability to enforce or protect our intellectual property rights; additional risks associated with international operations including foreign currency fluctuations; the impact of restructuring and other charges on our businesses and operations; general economic conditions; risks associated with the creditworthiness and budget cuts of governments and agencies; and other factors described under "Risk Factors" contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 which can be found on Gartner's website at www.investor.gartner.com and the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements included herein speak only as of the date hereof and Gartner disclaims any obligation to revise or update such statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances.