TEANECK, N.J., May 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (NASDAQ: CTSH), a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, today announced its first quarter 2015 financial results.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20110329/NY67603LOGO

Highlights--First Quarter 2015


    --  First quarter revenue of $2.91 billion was up 20.2% from the year-ago
        period and up 6.2% sequentially.
    --  GAAP diluted EPS was $0.62, up from $0.57 in the year-ago period.
    --  Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.71, up from $0.62 in the year-ago period.
    --  Net headcount addition for the quarter was approximately 6,200.

Revenue for the first quarter of 2015 rose to $2.91 billion, up 20.2% from $2.42 billion in the first quarter of 2014. GAAP net income was $382.9 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, compared to $348.9 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2014. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was $0.71 compared to $0.62 in the first quarter of 2014. GAAP operating margin for the quarter was 17.2%. Non-GAAP operating margin was 19.8%, within the Company's target range of 19-20%. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP operating results and diluted EPS are included at the end of this release.

"The clients we serve are experiencing tremendous change in their businesses and are increasingly turning to Cognizant to navigate that change," said Francisco D'Souza, Chief Executive Officer of Cognizant. "The investments we have made in digital, automation, utility-based delivery models, consulting and industry-specific expertise are clearly paying off. Given how fast the landscape is changing, clients typically don't have the skillsets to manage this transformation in-house and are turning to Cognizant to help them re-architect their core business and organizational models. As a result, we're building deeper relationships with CEOs and boards, CIOs, and business and functional leaders to help them transform their businesses into digital enterprises."

"The Cognizant approach of helping clients from setting strategy, to implementing and maintaining technology, to transforming and running business operations is enabling us to establish greater mindshare and market leadership," said Gordon Coburn, President. "It's evident across all geographies and industries that businesses are being forced to manage growth, innovation and scale while simultaneously managing costs. The shift to a digital enterprise is driving greater demand for our traditional services and solutions as clients find the need to keep pace with the speed and scale of innovation and maintain their competitive advantage."

2015 Outlook--Second Quarter and Full Year

The Company is providing the following guidance:


    --  Second quarter 2015 revenue expected to be at least $3.01 billion.
    --  Second quarter 2015 non-GAAP diluted EPS expected to be at least $0.72.
    --  Fiscal 2015 revenue expected to be at least $12.24 billion, up at least
        19.3% compared to 2014.
    --  Fiscal 2015 non-GAAP diluted EPS expected to be at least $2.93.

"Our strong revenue performance this quarter versus our guidance was driven primarily by organic growth of our core businesses and is a reflection that our strategy and offerings are resonating with our clients," said Karen McLoughlin, Chief Financial Officer. "In addition, we are pleased to increase our full year revenue and EPS guidance to reflect the over-performance during the first quarter."

Conference Call
Cognizant will host a conference call on May 4, 2015 at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern) to discuss the Company's first quarter 2015 results. To listen to the conference call, please dial (877) 810-9510 (domestic) and (201) 493-6778 (international) and provide conference passcode: Cognizant Call.

The conference call will also be webcast via the Cognizant website at http://investors.cognizant.com/. Please access the website at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register and download/install any necessary audio software.

A replay of the conference call will be available by dialing (877) 660-6853 (domestic) or (201) 612-7415 (international) and entering 13606631 from two hours after the end of the call until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern) on Monday, May 18, 2015. The replay will also be available at Cognizant's website http://investors.cognizant.com/ for 60 days following the call.

About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, dedicated to helping the world's leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 100 development and delivery centers worldwide and approximately 217,700 employees as of March 31, 2015, Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding opportunities in the marketplace and our anticipated financial performance, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions and the 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
To supplement our financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, this press release includes the following measures defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission as non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share ("non-GAAP diluted EPS"). These non-GAAP 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 measures used by other companies. In addition, these non-GAAP measures should be read in conjunction with our financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. The reconciliations of Cognizant's GAAP financial measures to the corresponding non-GAAP measures should be carefully evaluated.
With respect to our expectations in the "2015 Outlook - Second Quarter and Full Year" section above, reconciliation of non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance to GAAP diluted EPS guidance cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis due to the high variability and low visibility with respect to net non-operating foreign currency exchange gains or losses which are excluded from the non-GAAP diluted EPS.

We seek to manage the company to a targeted operating margin, excluding stock-based compensation costs and acquisition-related charges, of 19% to 20% of revenues. Acquisition-related charges include, when applicable, amortization of purchased intangible assets included in the depreciation and amortization expense line on our condensed consolidated statements of operations, external deal costs, acquisition-related retention bonuses, integration costs, changes in the fair value of contingent consideration liabilities, charges for impairment of acquired intangible assets and other acquisition-related costs. In addition to excluding stock-based compensation costs and acquisition-related charges, our non-GAAP diluted earnings per share also exclude net non-operating foreign currency exchange gains or losses, inclusive of gains and losses on related foreign exchange forward contracts not designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes. Management believes providing investors with an operating view consistent with how it manages the company provides enhanced transparency into the operating results of the company. For our internal management reporting and budgeting purposes, we use non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision making, to evaluate period-to-period comparisons and for making comparisons of our operating results to those of our competitors. Therefore, it is our belief that the use of non-GAAP financial measures provides a meaningful supplemental measure for investors to evaluate our financial performance. Accordingly, we believe that the presentation of non-GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, 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 measures versus financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP is that non-GAAP measures do not reflect all of the amounts associated with our operating results as determined in accordance with GAAP and exclude costs that are recurring, namely stock-based compensation, acquisition-related charges, including amortization of purchased intangibles, and 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 non-GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share to allow investors to evaluate such non-GAAP financial measures.

- tables to follow -


                                   COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION

                                 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

                                                   (Unaudited)

                                      (In millions, except per share data)


                                                            Three Months Ended
                                                               March 31,
                                                              ---------

                                                    2015                     2014
                                                    ----                     ----

    Revenues                                                $2,911.4                      $2,422.3

    Operating expenses:

    Cost of
     revenues
     (exclusive
     of
     depreciation
     and
     amortization
     expense
     shown
     separately
     below)                                      1,727.2                          1,432.4

    Selling,
     general and
     administrative
     expenses                                      610.8                            485.4

    Depreciation
     and
     amortization
     expense                                        73.1                             44.5
                                                    ----                             ----

    Income from
     operations                                    500.3                            460.0
                                                   -----                            -----

    Other income (expense), net:

    Interest
     income                                         18.0                             13.5

    Interest
     expense                                       (5.0)                               -

    Foreign
     currency
     exchange
     gains
     (losses),
     net                                           (2.2)                           (1.2)

    Other, net                                     (0.5)                             0.9
                                                    ----                              ---

    Total other
     income
     (expense),
     net                                            10.3                             13.2
                                                    ----                             ----

    Income before
     provision
     for income
     taxes                                         510.6                            473.2

    Provision for
     income taxes                                  127.7                            124.3
                                                   -----                            -----

    Net income                                                $382.9                        $348.9
                                                              ======                        ======

    Basic
     earnings per
     share                                                     $0.63                         $0.57
                                                               =====                         =====

    Diluted
     earnings per
     share                                                     $0.62                         $0.57
                                                               =====                         =====

    Weighted
     average
     number of
     common
     shares
     outstanding
     -Basic                                        609.6                            607.7
                                                   =====                            =====

    Weighted
     average
     number of
     common
     shares
     outstanding
     -Diluted                                      613.9                            612.9
                                                   =====                            =====



                                                         COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION

                                                   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

                                                                         (Unaudited)

                                                                        (In millions)


                                                                                          March 31,              December 31,
                                                                                               2015                       2014
                                                                                               ----                       ----

                                                  Assets

    Current assets:

    Cash and cash equivalents                                                                           $1,271.4                  $2,010.1

    Short-term investments                                                                  2,078.4                      1,764.6

    Trade accounts receivable, net of allowances of $31.5 and $36.9,
     respectively                                                                           2,059.9                      1,968.7

    Unbilled accounts receivable                                                              388.2                        324.6

    Deferred income tax assets, net                                                           271.7                        329.7

    Other current assets                                                                      336.9                        352.6
                                                                                              -----                        -----

    Total current assets                                                                    6,406.5                      6,750.3

    Property and equipment, net                                                             1,268.0                      1,247.2

    Goodwill                                                                                2,403.6                      2,413.6

    Intangible assets, net                                                                    928.4                        953.7

    Deferred income tax assets, net                                                           153.3                        144.4

    Other noncurrent assets                                                                   223.6                        209.7
                                                                                              -----                        -----

    Total assets                                                                                       $11,383.4                 $11,718.9
                                                                                                       =========                 =========

                                               Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

    Current liabilities:

    Accounts payable                                                                                      $181.4                    $145.7

    Deferred revenue                                                                          330.9                        224.1

    Short-term debt                                                                           150.0                        700.0

    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities                                          1,221.8                      1,522.3
                                                                                            -------                      -------

    Total current liabilities                                                               1,884.1                      2,592.1

    Deferred revenue, noncurrent                                                               47.3                         81.0

    Deferred income tax liabilities, net                                                      237.3                        251.7

    Long-term debt                                                                            925.0                        937.5

    Other noncurrent liabilities                                                              111.2                        116.4
                                                                                              -----                        -----

    Total liabilities                                                                       3,204.9                      3,978.7
                                                                                            -------                      -------

    Total stockholders' equity                                                              8,178.5                      7,740.2
                                                                                            -------                      -------

    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                                                         $11,383.4                 $11,718.9
                                                                                                       =========                 =========



    Note:
    -----


    The March 31, 2015 and December
     31, 2014 condensed consolidated
     statements of financial position
     reflect a preliminary allocation
     of purchase price for our
     acquisition of TriZetto
     completed on November 20, 2014.
     The finalization of our purchase
     accounting assessment may result
     in changes, which could be
     material, in the valuation of
     assets and liabilities acquired,
     particularly with respect to
     intangible assets. We will
     finalize the purchase price
     allocation as soon as
     practicable within the
     measurement period, but in no
     event later than one year
     following the date of
     acquisition.


                        COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION

                      Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

                                        (Unaudited)

                          (In millions, except per share amounts)


                                              Three Months Ended
                                                 March 31,
                                                ---------

                                           2015                     2014
                                           ----                     ----

    GAAP income from
     operations                                    $500.3                       $460.0

    Add: Stock-based
     compensation
     expense (a)                           45.8                            35.8

    Add: Acquisition-
     related charges
     (b)                                   30.7                             8.0
                                           ----                             ---

    Non-GAAP income
     from operations                               $576.8                       $503.8
                                                   ======                       ======


    GAAP operating
     margin                               17.2%                          19.0%

    Effect of above
     adjustments to
     income from
     operations                            2.6%                           1.8%
                                            ---                             ---

    Non-GAAP
     operating margin                     19.8%                          20.8%
                                           ====                            ====


    GAAP diluted
     earnings per
     share                                          $0.62                        $0.57

    Effect of above
     operating
     adjustments, net
     of tax                                0.09                            0.05

    Effect of non-
     operating
     foreign currency
     exchange gains
     (losses), net of
     tax (c)                                  -                              -

    Non-GAAP diluted
     earnings per
     share                                          $0.71                        $0.62
                                                    =====                        =====


    Notes:
    ------


    (a)                       For the three months ended March
                              31, 2015, the $45.8 million
                              adjustment to exclude stock-
                              based compensation from income
                              from operations includes $9.4
                              million, which was reported in
                              cost of revenues and $36.4
                              million, which was reported in
                              selling, general and
                              administrative expenses in our
                              unaudited condensed consolidated
                              statements of operations.


                             For the three months ended March
                              31, 2014, the $35.8 million
                              adjustment to exclude stock-
                              based compensation from income
                              from operations includes $6.3
                              million, which was reported in
                              cost of revenues and $29.5
                              million, which was reported in
                              selling, general and
                              administrative expenses in our
                              unaudited condensed consolidated
                              statements of operations.


    (b)                       Acquisition-related charges
                              include the following when
                              applicable: amortization of
                              acquired intangible assets,
                              external deal costs, acquisition-
                              related retention payments,
                              changes in the fair value of
                              contingent consideration
                              liabilities, integration costs
                              and other acquisition-related
                              costs.


    (c)                       Non-operating foreign currency
                              exchange gains and losses are
                              inclusive of gains and losses on
                              related foreign exchange forward
                              contracts not designated as
                              hedging instruments for
                              accounting purposes. Per share
                              impacts for the periods presented
                              rounds to zero.




    The above tables serve to reconcile the Non-GAAP
     financial measures to comparable GAAP measures. Please
     refer to the "About Non-GAAP Financial Measures"
     section of our press release for further information
     on the use of these Non-GAAP measures.


                                   COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION

                                      Schedule of Supplemental Information

                                                  (Unaudited)

                                                 (In millions)


                                                 Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
                                                ---------------------------------

                                                                                              Growth %
                                                                                               -------

                                         $               % of total               Sequential       Year over
                                                                                                     Year
                                       ---               ----------               ----------       ---------

    Revenues by Segment:

    Financial Services                        $1,161.1                                  39.9%                 3.6%         13.4%

    Healthcare                       879.1                                 30.2%                        13.8%       42.7%

    Manufacturing/Retail/Logistics   548.9                                 18.9%                         2.7%        7.2%

    Other                            322.3                                 11.1%                         2.6%       19.0%

    Total Revenues                            $2,911.4                                                   6.2%       20.2%
                                              ========                                                    ===         ====


    Revenues by Geography:

    North America                             $2,292.0                                  78.7%                 7.4%         24.8%

    United Kingdom                   285.1                                  9.8%                         2.3%        2.7%

    Rest of Europe                   190.8                                  6.6%                       (2.9)%      (0.9)%
                                     -----                                                              -----        -----

    Europe - Total                   475.9                                 16.3%                         0.2%        1.2%

    Rest of World                    143.5                                  4.9%                         7.6%       23.7%

    Total Revenues                            $2,911.4                                                   6.2%       20.2%
                                              ========                                                    ===         ====

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110329/NY67603LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cognizant-announces-first-quarter-2015-results-300076388.html

SOURCE Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation