Cognizant (CTSH) Up 6.7% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?

Core Insights - Cognizant reported strong Q3 earnings with non-GAAP earnings of $1.39 per share, beating estimates by 7.75% and increasing 11.2% year over year [2] - Revenues reached $5.42 billion, surpassing consensus by 1.63%, with a year-over-year growth of 7.4% and 6.5% at constant currency [3] - The company expects Q4 revenues between $5.27 billion and $5.33 billion, indicating growth of 3.8%-4.8% [11] Financial Performance - Non-GAAP earnings per share for Q3 were $1.39, reflecting an 11.2% increase year over year [2] - Total revenues of $5.42 billion showed a 7.4% year-over-year increase, with strong performance in North America [3] - Financial services revenues increased 6.2% year over year to $1.578 billion, while health sciences revenues rose 5.9% to $1.604 billion [5] Segment Performance - Products and Resources revenues grew 12.6% year over year to $1.383 billion, while Communications, Media and Technology revenues increased 4.2% to $850 million [6] - North America contributed 74.4% of total revenues, with a year-over-year increase of 7.8% [6] - Europe revenues increased 7.8% year over year, with Continental Europe showing an 11.1% increase [7] Operational Metrics - Bookings increased 5% year over year to $27.5 billion, with a book-to-bill ratio of approximately 1.3 times [4] - The company reported a GAAP operating margin of 16%, expanding 140 basis points year over year [9] - Selling, general & administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased by 110 basis points to 15.4% [8] Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - Cash and short-term investments increased to $2.35 billion from $1.80 billion in the previous quarter [10] - Total debt decreased to $584 million from $592 million [10] - Free cash flow for the quarter was $1.16 billion, significantly up from $331 million in the prior quarter [10] Future Guidance - For 2025, Cognizant expects revenues between $21.05 billion and $21.10 billion, indicating a growth of 6.6%-6.9% [11] - Adjusted earnings per share for 2025 are projected to be between $5.22 and $5.26 [12] - The company anticipates an adjusted operating margin of approximately 15.7% for 2025, an increase of 40 basis points [11] Market Position - Cognizant has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating positive investor sentiment and expectations for above-average returns [15] - The stock has a Growth Score of B and a Value Score of B, reflecting a balanced investment profile [14]