Is Cognizant Technology Stock Underperforming the Nasdaq?

Core Insights - Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (CTSH) has a market capitalization of $39 billion and is a significant player in the global IT-services and consulting sector, offering a variety of services including IT consulting, digital transformation, cloud infrastructure, AI and automation, cybersecurity, business-process outsourcing, and enterprise systems integration [1]. Stock Performance - Cognizant's shares have experienced an 11.1% decline from their 52-week high of $90.82 and a 12.4% decrease over the past three months, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite, which rose by 8.7% during the same period [3]. - Year-to-date, CTSH stock is down 5%, significantly lagging behind the Nasdaq's nearly 22.1% increase, and has seen a marginal drop over the past 52 weeks compared to the Nasdaq's 19.7% return [4]. - Despite the recent price declines, the stock has been trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since late October and late November, respectively [4]. Earnings and Forecast - Following the Q3 2025 earnings release on October 29, Cognizant's shares surged by 5.7% due to better-than-expected results, reporting an adjusted EPS of $1.39 and revenue of $5.42 billion [5]. - The company raised its full-year adjusted earnings forecast to a range of $5.22–$5.26 per share and increased the lower end of its annual revenue outlook to $21.05 billion, bolstering investor confidence [5]. - Investor enthusiasm is further supported by Cognizant's strong growth initiatives centered around AI and increasing enterprise investments in digital infrastructure [5].