Advisory Board Co.

600 New Hampshire Ave. NW

Year founded: 1979

Industry: Consulting/professional services

Post 200 Category: Top 125 Companies

Revenue: $136.10 Million

Net Income/Loss: $21.92 Million

Earnings per share: $1.15

Dividend: n/a

Stockholder equity: $113.76 Million

Auditor: Ernst & Young LLP

Stock: ABCO

Assets: $218.20 Million

Market capitalization: $756.30 Million

52-week high: 44.59 3/22/2005

52-week low: 29.8 8/10/2004

CEO: Frank J. Williams

CFO: David L. Felsenthal

Employees: 674

Local employees: 674

Description: Advisory Board is a research firm providing information to about 2,400 health care companies, including hospitals, pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, and insurers. Companies join as members, and Advisory Board runs seminars at which they share problems and best practices. The firm also provides research on issues of interest to members.

Developments: Advisory Board grew in a number of ways in 2004. It accumulated more revenue, more employees, more programs and more office space. The company has been expanding its research base to focus more on information technology and clinical technology in the health care field, said chief executive Frank J. Williams. It focused its year on researching the effect of care for the uninsured on the health care industry. The company also became very involved in evaluating new clinical technology and new devices in orthopedics for its clients. Advisory Board added about 100 employees. It also moved in May from its offices in the Watergate, overlooking the Potomac, to a larger building at 24th and M streets NW, near Georgetown. The building has enough space to allow for continued growth, Williams said. Revenue grew about 16 percent in 2004. The goal for 2005 is to hit $155 million in revenue, Williams said.