Fourth quarter revenue was $382.3m, while net income for the period jumped 43% from $25.7m to $36.6m. Research revenue during the quarter was up 19% to $230.6m, while revenue from the firm’s consulting activities increased 11% to $89.3m.

For the full 12 months, revenue was $1.3bn, and net income was up 16% to $96.3m. Contract value at the end of 2010 stood at $977m, a 25% increase on 2009’s figures, and the highest reported figure in the company’s history.

The firm’s research activities brought in $865m worth of revenue, an increase of 14% on the previous year. Revenue from consulting was up 6% to $302.1m.

Gene Hall (pictured), the firm’s CEO said: “We achieved record levels of new business and contract value, our client and wallet retention metrics improved for the fifth consecutive quarter, and many of our other key business metrics continued to accelerate during the fourth quarter.”