Cognizant Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results

TEANECK, N.J., Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), one of the world's leading professional services companies, today announced its fourth quarter and full-year 2024 financial results. "I am deeply grateful to our employees for their commitment to our strategic priorities and rigorous execution, which drove fourth quarter revenue growth to the high end of our guidance range. We exited the year with momentum — closing a record 29 large deals during the year — highlighting the effectiveness of our strategy," said Ravi Kumar S, Chief Executive Officer. "In 2024, we accelerated investments in our AI-led platforms and added new capabilities with the acquisitions of Thirdera and Belcan, further strengthening and diversifying our portfolio. Our focus on client centricity, agility, and innovation is helping clients unlock the next wave of hyper productivity and enterprise-grade generative AI adoption." $ in millions, except per share data Q4 2024 Q4 2023 FY 2024 FY 2023 Revenue $5,082 $4,758 $19,736 $19,353 Y/Y Change 6.8 % (1.7 %) 2.0 % (0.4 %) Y/Y Change CC1 6.7 % (2.4 %) 1.9 % (0.3 %) GAAP Operating Margin 14.8 % 15.2 % 14.7 % 13.9 % Adjusted Operating Margin1 15.7 % 16.1 % 15.3 % 15.1 % GAAP Diluted EPS $1.10 $1.11 $4.51 $4.21 Adjusted Diluted EPS1 $1.21 $1.18 $4.75 $4.55 Operating cash flow $920 $737 $2,124 $2,330 Free cash flow1 $837 $659 $1,827 $2,013 For the full year 2024, our recently completed acquisitions contributed approximately 200 basis points to the year-over-year change in revenue. "We ended the year strong, delivering Adjusted Operating Margin of 15.7% in the fourth quarter and 20 basis points expansion for the full year, above our guidance. Free cash flow represented more than 150% of net income, our highest quarter since Q3 2021," said Jatin Dalal, Chief Financial Officer. "We expect that our improved cost structure, achieved through the successful completion of our NextGen program, will help us sustain our pace of strategic investments in support of profitable growth. Our initial 2025 guidance calls for 3.5% to 6.0% constant currency revenue growth and 20 to 40 basis points of full-year Adjusted Operating Margin expansion." Bookings Bookings in the fourth quarter increased 11% year-over-year. On a trailing-twelve-month basis, bookings increased 3% year-over-year to $27.1 billion, which represented a book-to-bill of approximately 1.4x. During the quarter, Cognizant signed ten large deals, which are deals with total contract value of $100 million or greater. Employee Metrics Voluntary attrition - Tech Services on a trailing-twelve months basis was 15.9% as compared to 13.8% for the period ended December 31, 2023. Total headcount as of December 31, 2024 was 336,800. Return of Capital to Shareholders The Company repurchased 1.8 million shares for $140 million during the fourth quarter under its share repurchase program. As of December 31, 2024, there was $1.2 billion remaining under the share repurchase authorization. In February 2025, the Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.31 per share, a 3% increase year-over-year, for shareholders of record on February 18, 2025. This dividend will be payable on February 26, 2025. First Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Guidance2(all growth rates year-over-year) 1 Constant currency ("CC") revenue growth, Adjusted Operating Margin, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share ("Adjusted Diluted EPS") and free cash flow are not measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. A full reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Margin guidance to the corresponding GAAP measure on a forward-looking basis cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts. See "About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Performance Metrics" for more information and a partial reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure at the end of this release. 2 Guidance as of February 5, 2025 3 A full reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Margin and Adjusted Diluted EPS guidance to the corresponding GAAP measures on a forward-looking basis cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts. See "About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Performance Metrics" for more information and a partial reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures at the end of this release. Select Company, Client and Partnership Announcements Cognizant is building a portfolio of capabilities combined with deep domain expertise to harness and advance an AI-led future. Cognizant's progress has been accelerated through the following recent platform enhancements, partnerships and client wins: Platform Enhancements and Partnerships Client Wins Select Analyst Ratings, Company Recognition and Announcements Conference Call Cognizant will host a conference call on February 5, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern) to discuss the Company's fourth quarter 2024 results. To listen to the conference call, please dial (877) 810-9510 (domestic) or +1 (201) 493-6778 (international) and provide the following conference passcode: "Cognizant Call." The conference call will also be available live on the Investor Relations section of the Cognizant website at http://investors.cognizant.com. An earnings supplement will also be available on the Cognizant website at the time of the conference call. For those who cannot access the live broadcast, a replay will be available. To listen to the replay, please dial (877) 660-6853 (domestically) or +1 (201) 612-7415 (internationally) and enter 13750333 beginning two hours after the end of the call until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern) on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. The replay will also be available at Cognizant's website www.cognizant.com for 60 days following the call. About CognizantCognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) engineers modern businesses. We help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Together, we're improving everyday life. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant. Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which is necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied forward-looking statements relating to our strategy, strategic partnerships and collaborations, competitive position and opportunities in the marketplace, investment in and growth of our business, the pace and magnitude of change and client needs related to generative AI, the effectiveness of our recruiting and talent efforts and related costs, labor market trends, the anticipated amount of capital to be returned to shareholders and our anticipated financial performance, matters related to the Belcan acquisition and other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions, the competitive and rapidly changing nature of the markets we compete in, our ability to successfully use AI-based technologies, the competitive marketplace for talent and its impact on employee recruitment and retention, risks related to our NextGen program and the ultimate benefits of such program, legal, reputational and financial risks resulting from cyberattacks, changes in the regulatory environment, including with respect to immigration, trade and taxes, and the other factors discussed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cognizant undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities law. About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Performance Metrics Non-GAAP Financial MeasuresTo supplement our financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, this press release includes references to the following measures defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission as non-GAAP financial measures: Adjusted Operating Margin, Adjusted Diluted EPS, free cash flow, net cash and constant currency revenue growth. These non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures should be read in conjunction with our financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. The reconciliations of our non-GAAP financial measures to the corresponding GAAP measures should be carefully evaluated. Our non-GAAP financial measures Adjusted Operating Margin and Adjusted Income from Operations excludes unusual items, such as NextGen charges. Our non-GAAP financial measure Adjusted Diluted EPS excludes unusual items, such as NextGen charges, net non-operating foreign currency exchange gains or losses and the tax impact of all the applicable adjustments. The income tax impact of each item excluded from Adjusted Diluted EPS is calculated by applying the statutory rate and local tax regulations in the jurisdiction in which the item was incurred. Free cash flow is defined as cash flows from operating activities net of purchases of property and equipment. Net cash is defined as cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments less short-term and long-term debt. Constant currency revenue growth is defined as revenues for a given period restated at the comparative period's foreign currency exchange rates measured against the comparative period's reported revenues. Management believes providing investors with an operating view consistent with how we manage the Company provides enhanced transparency into our operating results. For our internal management reporting and budgeting purposes, we use various GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making, to evaluate period-to-period comparisons, to determine portions of the compensation for our executive officers and for making comparisons of our operating results to those of our competitors. Accordingly, we believe that the presentation of our non-GAAP measures, which exclude certain costs, when read in conjunction with our reported GAAP results, can provide useful supplemental information to our management and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to our financial condition and results of operations. A limitation of using non-GAAP financial measures versus financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP is that non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect all of the amounts associated with our operating results as determined in accordance with GAAP and may exclude costs that are recurring such as our net non-operating foreign currency exchange gains or losses. In addition, other companies may calculate non-GAAP financial measures differently than us, thereby limiting the usefulness of these non-GAAP financial measures as a comparative tool. We compensate for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from our non-GAAP financial measures to allow investors to evaluate such non-GAAP financial measures. Performance Metrics Bookings are defined as total contract value (or TCV) of new contracts, including new contract sales as well as renewals and expansions of existing contracts. Bookings can vary significantly quarter to quarter depending in part on the timing of the signing of a small number of large contracts. Our book-to-bill ratio is defined as bookings for the trailing twelve months divided by revenue for the same period. Measuring bookings involves the use of estimates and judgments and there are no independent standards or requirements governing the calculation of bookings. The extent and timing of conversion of bookings to revenues may be impacted by, among other factors, the types of services and solutions sold, contract duration, the pace of client spending, actual volumes of services delivered as compared to the volumes anticipated at the time of sale, and contract modifications, including terminations, over the lifetime of a contract. The majority of our contracts are terminable by the client on short notice often without penalty, and some without notice. We do not update our bookings for subsequent terminations, reductions or foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. Information regarding our bookings is not comparable to, nor should it be substituted for, an analysis of our reported revenues. However, management believes that it is a key indicator of potential future revenues and provides a useful indicator of the volume of our business over time. Large deals are defined as deals with a total contract value of $100 million or greater. Investor Relations Contact: Media Contact: Tyler Scott Jeff DeMarrais VP, Investor Relations VP, Corporate Communications +1 551-220-8246 +1 475-223-2298 [email protected] [email protected] - tables to follow - COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) (in millions, except per share data) Three Months EndedDecember 31, Twelve Months EndedDecember 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenues $ 5,082 $ 4,758 $ 19,736 $ 19,353 Operating expenses: Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization expense shown separately below) 3,297 3,081 12,958 12,664 Selling, general and administrative expenses 844 786 3,223 3,252 Restructuring charges 49 40 134 229 Depreciation and amortization expense 141 127 529 519 Income from operations 751 724 2,892 2,689 Other income (expense), net: Interest income 28 34 119 126 Interest expense (19) (11) (54) (41) Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net (18) (1) (19) 2 Other, net (2) 3 — 11 Total other income (expense), net (11) 25 46 98 Income before provision for income taxes 740 749 2,938 2,787 Provision for income taxes (199) (195) (713) (668) Income (loss) from equity method investment 5 4 15 7 Net income $ 546 $ 558 $ 2,240 $ 2,126 Basic earnings per share $ 1.10 $ 1.12 $ 4.52 $ 4.21 Diluted earnings per share $ 1.10 $ 1.11 $ 4.51 $ 4.21 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - Basic 495 500 496 505 Dilutive effect of shares issuable under stock-based compensation plans 1 1 1 — Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - Diluted 496 501 497 505 COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (Unaudited) (in millions, except par values) December 31,2024 December 31,2023 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 2,231 $ 2,621 Short-term investments 12 14 Trade accounts receivable, net 4,059 3,849 Other current assets 1,202 1,022 Total current assets 7,504 7,506 Property and equipment, net 994 1,048 Operating lease assets, net 552 611 Goodwill 6,953 6,085 Intangible assets, net 1,599 1,149 Deferred income tax assets, net 1,248 993 Long-term investments 90 435 Other noncurrent assets 1,026 656 Total assets $ 19,966 $ 18,483 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 340 $ 337 Deferred revenue 450 385 Short-term debt 33 33 Operating lease liabilities 152 153 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 2,610 2,425 Total current liabilities 3,585 3,333 Deferred revenue, noncurrent 30 42 Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent 420 523 Deferred income tax liabilities, net 154 226 Long-term debt 875 606 Long-term income taxes payable — 157 Other noncurrent liabilities 494 369 Total liabilities 5,558 5,256 Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock, $0.10 par value, 15 shares authorized, none issued — — Class A common stock, $0.01 par value, 1,000 shares authorized, 495 and 498 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively 5 5 Additional paid-in capital 13 15 Retained earnings 14,686 13,301 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (296) (94) Total stockholders' equity 14,408 13,227 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 19,966 $ 18,483 COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited) (dollars in millions, except per share amounts) Three Months EndedDecember 31, Twelve Months EndedDecember 31, Guidance 2024 2023 2024 2023 Full Year 2025 (1) GAAP income from operations $ 751 $ 724 $ 2,892 $ 2,689 NextGen charges(a) 49 40 134 229 Adjusted Income From Operations $ 800 $ 764 $ 3,026 $ 2,918 GAAP operating margin 14.8 % 15.2 % 14.7 % 13.9 % NextGen charges 0.9 0.9 0.6 1.2 — % Adjusted Operating Margin 15.7 % 16.1 % 15.3 % 15.1 % 15.5% - 15.7% GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 1.10 $ 1.11 $ 4.51 $ 4.21 Effect of NextGen charges, pre-tax 0.10 0.08 0.27 0.45 $— Non-operating foreign currency exchange (gains) losses, pre-tax(b) 0.04 — 0.04 — (b) Tax effect of above adjustments(c) (0.03) (0.01) (0.07) (0.11) (b) Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 1.21 $ 1.18 $ 4.75 $ 4.55 $4.90 - $5.06 (1) A full reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Margin and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share guidance to the corresponding GAAP measures on a forward-looking basis cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts, as we are unable to provide reconciling information with respect to unusual items, net non-operating foreign currency exchange gains or losses and the tax effects of these adjustments, and such adjustments may be significant. Notes: (a) NextGen charges include: Three Months EndedDecember 31, Twelve months endedDecember 31, (in millions) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Employee separation costs $ 30 $ 22 $ 85 $ 115 Facility exit costs 7 16 36 108 Third party and other costs 12 2 13 6 Total NextGen charges $ 49 $ 40 $ 134 $ 229 The costs related to the NextGen program are reported in "Restructuring charges" in our unaudited consolidated statements of operations. The program concluded on December 31, 2024. (b) Non-operating foreign currency exchange gains and losses, inclusive of gains and losses on related foreign exchange forward contracts not designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes, are reported in "Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net" in our unaudited consolidated statements of operations. Non-operating foreign currency exchange gains and losses are subject to high variability and low visibility and therefore cannot be provided on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable efforts. (c) Presented below are the tax impacts of our non-GAAP adjustment to pre-tax income for the: (in millions) Three Months EndedDecember 31, Twelve Months EndedDecember 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Non-GAAP income tax benefit (expense) related to: NextGen charges $ 13 $ 10 $ 34 $ 59 Foreign currency exchange gains and losses (1) (4) (4) (6) The effective tax rate related to non-operating foreign currency exchange gains and losses varies depending on the jurisdictions in which such income and expenses are generated and the statutory rates applicable in those jurisdictions. As such, the income tax effect of non-operating foreign currency exchange gains and losses shown in the above table may not appear proportionate to the net pre-tax foreign currency exchange gains and losses reported in our unaudited consolidated statements of operations. Reconciliations of Net Cash (Unaudited) (in millions) December 31, 2024 December 31, 2023 Cash and unrestricted cash equivalents $ 2,231 $ 2,621 Short-term investments 12 14 Less: Short-term debt 33 33 Long-term debt 875 606 Net cash $ 1,335 $ 1,996 The above tables serve to reconcile the Non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. Refer to the "About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Performance Metrics" section of our press release for further information on the use of these Non-GAAP measures. COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION Revenue by Business Segment and Geography (Unaudited) (dollars in millions) Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 Year over Year $ % of total % Change ConstantCurrency% Change (a) Revenues by Segment: Health Sciences $ 1,541 30.3 % 10.4 % 10.4 % Financial Services 1,435 28.2 % 2.9 % 2.8 % Products and Resources (b) 1,295 25.5 % 11.3 % 11.3 % Communications, Media and Technology 811 16.0 % 0.9 % 0.4 % Total Revenues (b) $ 5,082 6.8 % 6.7 % Revenues by Geography: North America (b) $ 3,822 75.2 % 8.3 % 8.4 % United Kingdom 445 8.8 % (0.7) % (3.1) % Continental Europe 494 9.7 % 5.1 % 5.6 % Europe - Total 939 18.5 % 2.3 % 1.3 % Rest of World 321 6.3 % 3.5 % 3.9 % Total Revenues (b) $ 5,082 6.8 % 6.7 % Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024 Year over Year $ % of total % Change ConstantCurrency% Change (a) Revenues by Segment: Health Sciences $ 5,932 30.1 % 4.5 % 4.5 % Financial Services 5,753 29.1 % (1.0) % (1.1) % Products and Resources (c) 4,782 24.2 % 3.3 % 3.2 % Communications, Media and Technology 3,269 16.6 % 0.8 % 0.5 % Total Revenues (c) $ 19,736 2.0 % 1.9 % Revenues by Geography: North America (c) $ 14,698 74.5 % 3.0 % 3.1 % United Kingdom 1,827 9.2 % (3.1) % (5.1) % Continental Europe 1,932 9.8 % 1.2 % 0.9 % Europe - Total 3,759 19.0 % (0.9) % (2.1) % Rest of World 1,279 6.5 % (1.3) % — % Total Revenues (c) $ 19,736 2.0 % 1.9 % Notes: (a) Constant currency revenue growth is not a measure of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. See "About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Performance Metrics" section of our press release for further information. (b) For the three months ended December 31, 2024, recently completed acquisitions contributed approximately 450 basis points to overall revenue growth, including approximately 1,600 basis points of growth to our Products and Resources segment, primarily in North America. (c) For the year ended December 31, 2024, recently completed acquisitions contributed approximately 200 basis points to overall revenue growth, including approximately 600 basis points of growth to our Products and Resources segment, primarily in North America. COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) (in millions) Three Months Ended December 31, Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 546 $ 558 $ 2,240 $ 2,126 Adjustments for non-cash income and expenses 40 71 394 393 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of businesses acquired 334 108 (510) (189) Net cash provided by operating activities 920 737 2,124 2,330 Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of property and equipment (83) (78) (297) (317) Net maturities of investments 4 246 266 395 Payments for business combinations, net of cash acquired — — (1,615) (409) Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (79) 168 (1,646) (331) Cash flows from financing activities: Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans 14 14 63 71 Repurchases of common stock (154) (313) (605) (1,064) Net change in term loan borrowings and earnout obligations and and finance leases (12) (10) (73) (25) Proceeds from borrowing under the revolving credit facility — — 600 — Repayment of notes outstanding under the revolving credit facility (300) — (300) — Dividends paid (150) (146) (600) (591) Net cash (used in) financing activities (602) (455) (915) (1,609) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents (21) 63 (49) 33 Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents 218 513 (486) 423 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 2,013 2,204 2,717 2,294 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 2,231 $ 2,717 $ 2,231 $ 2,717 SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION (in millions) Three Months Ended December 31, Stock Repurchases under Board of Directors' authorized stock repurchase program: 2024 2023 Number of shares repurchased 1.8 4.2 Remaining authorized balance as of December 31, 2024 $ 1,237 Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow Non-GAAP Financial Measure (in millions) Three Months Ended December 31, Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 920 $ 737 $ 2,124 $ 2,330 Purchases of property and equipment (83) (78) (297) (317) Free cash flow $ 837 $ 659 $ 1,827 $ 2,013 SOURCE Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation

Cognizant Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results

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