Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:CTSH) Price Target Raised to $82.00

Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:CTSH) had its price objective increased by Morgan Stanley from $80.00 to $82.00 in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning, MarketBeat reports. Morgan Stanley currently has an equal weight rating on the information technology service provider’s stock.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the company. William Blair upgraded Cognizant Technology Solutions from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 21st. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $82.00 price objective (up previously from $78.00) on shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $86.00 target price (up from $75.00) on shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $100.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Berenberg Bank set a $107.00 target price on Cognizant Technology Solutions and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $90.78.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Trading Up 0.3%

Shares of NASDAQ CTSH opened at $77.08 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $37.20 billion, a PE ratio of 16.94, a PEG ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a current ratio of 2.34, a quick ratio of 2.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $82.89 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $75.00. Cognizant Technology Solutions has a one year low of $65.15 and a one year high of $90.82.

Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:CTSH) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The information technology service provider reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.32 by $0.03. Cognizant Technology Solutions had a return on equity of 17.17% and a net margin of 10.56%.The company had revenue of $5.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.31 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.21 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Cognizant Technology Solutions has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.560-5.700 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Cognizant Technology Solutions will post 4.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 26th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.33 per share. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 18th. This is a positive change from Cognizant Technology Solutions’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. Cognizant Technology Solutions’s payout ratio is presently 27.25%.

Insider Transactions at Cognizant Technology Solutions

In other Cognizant Technology Solutions news, insider Surya Gummadi sold 1,728 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.06, for a total transaction of $143,527.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 25,641 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,129,741.46. The trade was a 6.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Ravi Kumar Singisetti sold 2,950 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.06, for a total value of $250,927.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 75,209 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,397,277.54. This trade represents a 3.77% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 29,434 shares of company stock valued at $2,460,809. Company insiders own 0.32% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cognizant Technology Solutions

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Cognizant Technology Solutions during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Cognizant Technology Solutions during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions by 165.1% in the 4th quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 342 shares of the information technology service provider’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. Finally, NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its stake in Cognizant Technology Solutions by 71.8% during the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 366 shares of the information technology service provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.44% of the company’s stock.

More Cognizant Technology Solutions News

Here are the key news stories impacting Cognizant Technology Solutions this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and raised FY2026 outlook — Cognizant reported Q4 revenue of $5.33B and EPS $1.35, topped estimates and set FY2026 EPS guidance of $5.56–$5.70, which underpins the market rally. Cognizant tops Q4 forecasts, rebounds on upbeat 2026 guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Record bookings and AI deal momentum — Management cited trailing‑12‑month bookings of $28.4B, 28 large deals in 2025 (including ~$500M “mega‑deals”) and strong AI demand as drivers of revenue visibility. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Bookings
• Positive Sentiment: Partnership to accelerate AI in healthcare and operations — Cognizant teamed with Palantir (Foundry + AIP) to integrate with TriZetto healthcare platforms and enterprise ops, reinforcing the company’s AI‑builder strategy and addressable market. Cognizant partners with Palantir
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns & dividend hike — Management announced ~$1.6B of capital returns for 2026 (including $1B buybacks) and raised the quarterly dividend to $0.33, which supports valuation and buyback‑driven EPS accretion. Cognizant Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price‑target increases — RBC and Morgan Stanley raised price targets (RBC to $88; Morgan Stanley to $82), signaling some sell‑side support for the stock after the results. Price target raises
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 / FY detail available but execution watch remains — Management gave Q1 revenue near $5.4B and reiterated FY revenue growth bands (4–6.5%); useful guidance but investors will watch margin and booking conversion. Cognizant forecasts annual revenue above estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call materials published — Full transcript and slides are available for investors who want to drill into vertical performance, bookings cadence and margin assumptions. Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/bull writeups on valuation — Several pieces (Zacks, others) argue value/growth upside given forward P/E and margin leverage; helpful for longer‑term conviction but not immediate market drivers. Zacks: Why Cognizant is a Top Value Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale disclosed — Director Surya Gummadi sold 1,728 shares at about $83.06; small relative to holdings and buybacks but sometimes watched by investors as a mild negative signal. SEC Filing: Insider Sale

About Cognizant Technology Solutions

Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a global professional services company that provides information technology, consulting and business process services to large enterprises. Its core offerings include digital engineering, application development and maintenance, cloud migration and managed services, data analytics and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and industry-specific solutions. Cognizant works with clients to design and implement technology-enabled transformations that address customer experience, operational efficiency and new product and service delivery.

Founded in the 1990s and headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey, Cognizant has grown into a multinational organization with delivery centers and operations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.