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Cognizant Technology Solutions Q4 Earnings Call Highlights
Yahoo Finance· 2026-02-04 15:10
Core Insights - Cognizant reported strong large-deal momentum, with fourth-quarter bookings increasing by 9% year-over-year and achieving a record total contract value (TCV) [1][7]. - The company signed 12 large deals valued at $100 million or more in Q4, including one exceeding $1 billion, with the value of large-deal wins up 60% compared to the previous year [1][8]. Financial Performance - Fourth-quarter adjusted diluted EPS was $1.35, reflecting a 12% increase year-over-year, while full-year adjusted EPS reached $5.28, up 11% [2]. - Fourth-quarter revenue was reported at $5.3 billion, with full-year revenue totaling $21.1 billion, representing a 6.4% growth in constant currency [4][7]. - The adjusted operating margin for Q4 was 16%, an increase of 30 basis points year-over-year, and for the full year, it was 15.8%, up 50 basis points [3][7]. Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Fourth-quarter free cash flow was approximately $800 million, leading to a full-year total of $2.7 billion, which was more than 100% of net income [2][7]. - Cognizant returned about $2 billion to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and share repurchases, with plans to return approximately $1.6 billion in 2026, including about $1 billion in share repurchases [18][19]. AI Strategy and Future Outlook - The company is positioning itself as an "AI builder," with over 4,000 AI engagements and more than 30% of developer efforts being AI-assisted [6][10]. - For 2026, Cognizant is guiding for revenue growth of 4% to 6.5% in constant currency, an adjusted operating margin of 15.9% to 16.1%, and adjusted diluted EPS of $5.56 to $5.70 [6][18]. Segment Performance - Financial services were a major growth driver, with a 9% year-over-year growth in Q4 and 7% for the full year, marking the highest annual level since 2016 [12]. - Health sciences showed resilience amid cost pressures, growing over 6%, with GenAI projects expanding in various areas [13]. - North America was the standout region, growing more than 4% in constant currency during Q4, while Europe and the Rest of the World also showed growth [15].