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Cognizant(CTSH) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript
2026-02-04 14:30
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q4 2025 was $5.3 billion, growing 3.8% year-over-year in constant currency, all organic [24] - Full-year revenue reached $21.1 billion, a 6.4% increase in constant currency, surpassing the $20 billion mark [5][24] - Adjusted Operating Margin for Q4 was 16%, improving by 30 basis points year-over-year, while full-year adjusted operating margin was 15.8%, exceeding guidance by 50 basis points [5][28] - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q4 was $1.35, up 12% year-over-year, leading to a full-year EPS of $5.28, an 11% increase from the prior year [29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Financial Services segment led growth with constant currency revenue increasing 9% year-over-year in Q4 and 7% for the full year, marking the highest annual level since 2016 [4][24] - Health Sciences showed resilient performance despite industry cost pressures, with growth driven by cost savings and productivity improvements [25] - Digital Engineering practices experienced an 8% year-over-year growth in Q4 and full year, fueled by proprietary platforms [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - North America was the standout region with over 4% year-over-year growth in constant currency, primarily driven by financial services and healthcare [26] - Europe grew 2% in constant currency, with healthy growth in financial services and life sciences [26] - The Rest of World segment grew in line with the total company, driven by the Middle East [26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to bridge the AI velocity gap, focusing on converting AI technology into measurable returns for clients [9] - A three-vector strategy is being implemented to capture demand, including applying AI-led productivity to traditional software cycles and building new cycles of agentic capital [10][11] - The company is committed to maintaining its position in the industry's winner's circle and aims to lead as an AI builder [20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in sustaining growth in 2026, supported by a strong pipeline of large deals and a focus on AI-driven productivity [23][50] - The operating environment remains complex, but the company views it as an opportunity to capture wallet share in large deals [24] - Management highlighted the importance of reinvention and reimagination of processes to leverage new technologies effectively [39] Other Important Information - The company returned $2 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [8] - The acquisition of 3Cloud was completed, adding over 1,200 Azure specialists to enhance capabilities in Azure data and AI [8] - The company is targeting 2,000 campus hires in the U.S. and approximately 20,000 in India for 2026 [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on AI's impact and revenue from package implementation - Management noted that new technology creates more opportunities rather than replacing old ones, emphasizing the need for process reinvention to realize value [38][39] Question: Gross margin dynamics for 2026 - Management indicated that Q4's gross margin decline was primarily due to higher variable compensation, but they expect to maintain productivity and manage costs effectively [43][45] Question: Confidence in large deal growth for 2026 - Management expressed excitement about the strong bookings and pipeline for larger deals, indicating a solid ramp-up expected in 2026 [50][54] Question: Risks and opportunities of fixed-price contracts - Management explained that delivery risk primarily resides with the service provider, and they have a robust process to monitor deal performance, ensuring they meet budgeted goals [60][63] Question: Durability of BPO growth - Management sees BPO as a significant growth area, driven by the need for transformation and maintenance of processes enabled by AI [68][69] Question: Growth margins and regulatory pressures in Health Sciences - Management expressed confidence in the Health Sciences segment's growth, highlighting the company's strong position and the potential for transformation amid regulatory uncertainties [72][75]