Cognizant Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP (CTSH) filed an SEC Form 8-K — Results of Operations and Financial Condition. Exhibit 99.1 Cognizant Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results 12% year-over-year revenue growth in Financial Services; $1.1 billion deployed on share repurchases • Revenue of $5.5 billion increased 4.5% year-over-year or 4.1% in constant currency 1 • Operating margin of 15.9% increa
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
The most decision-relevant items are the revised 2026 constant-currency revenue growth guidance and the increased full-year 2026 adjusted diluted EPS range, alongside disclosed buyback pace, dividend declaration, and completion of the Astreya acquisition.
Market read
Fresh guidance changes and capital return details can drive estimate revisions and near-term positioning, while bookings softness adds a counter-signal.
What to watch
The filing highlights share repurchases and an acquisition funded partly by revolver debt; traders may want to separate EPS uplift from capital structure effects and watch for any margin pressure from integration or deal timing.
Cognizant Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
Revenue grew 4.5% year-over-year, or 4.1% in constant currency, while GAAP and adjusted operating margins expanded and diluted EPS increased. The full-year constant-currency revenue-growth outlook was revised to 4.0% to 5.5%, adjusted operating-margin guidance was unchanged, and adjusted diluted EPS guidance was increased. Offsetting factors include a 6% year-over-year decline in second-quarter bookings and higher voluntary attrition.
Key metrics
shortened, hover for the filing’s print| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueGAAP | $5.48B | – | 4.5 % |
| Revenue growth in constant currencynon-GAAP | 4.1 % | – | – |
| GAAP Operating MarginGAAP | 15.9 % | – | 30 basis points |
| Adjusted Operating Marginnon-GAAP | 16.0 % | – | 40 basis points |
| GAAP Diluted EPSGAAP | $1.36 | – | 3.8% |
| Adjusted Diluted EPSnon-GAAP | $1.37 | – | 4.6% |
| Trailing-twelve-month bookingsother | $29.1B | – | 5% |
| Trailing-twelve-month book-to-billother | approximately 1.3x | – | – |
| Second quarter bookingsother | – | declined 6% year-over-year | |
| Large deals in the second quarterother | seven large deals | – | – |
| Voluntary Attrition - Tech Servicesother | 13.0% | – | – |
| Total headcountother | 356,700 | a decrease of 900 from March 31, 2026 | an increase of 12,900 from June 30, 2025 |
Third Quarter and Full-Year 2026 Guidance outlook
- RevenueThird quarter revenue is expected to be $5.60 to $5.68 billion, growth of 3.4% to 4.9%, or 3.8% to 5.3% in constant currency. Full-year 2026 revenue is expected to be $22.04 to $22.35 billion, growth of 4.4% to 5.9%, or 4.0% to 5.5% in constant currency.
- NoteFull-year 2026 Adjusted Operating Margin is expected to be approximately 16.0% to 16.2%, or 20 to 40 basis points of expansion.
- NoteFull-year 2026 Adjusted Diluted EPS is expected to be in the range of $5.70 to $5.82, growth of 8% to 10%.
- NoteGuidance as of July 29, 2026.
Capital returns
- The Company repurchased 22.5 million shares for $1,153 million during the second quarter under its share repurchase program.
- The Company repurchased 9.7 million shares through its previously announced $500 million accelerated share repurchase.
- The Company repurchased another 12.8 million shares for $653 million through open market transactions.
- As of June 30, 2026, there was $2.3 billion remaining under the share repurchase authorization.
- In July 2026, the Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.33 per share for shareholders of record on August 18, 2026. This dividend will be payable on August 25, 2026.
- In the first half of 2026, the Company deployed $1.6 billion on share repurchases and $1.3 billion on acquisitions aligned with its AI builder strategy.
What drove it
- Financial Services recorded 12% year-over-year revenue growth and represented the Company's largest and most mature segment.
- Management cited continued organic revenue growth momentum and said second-quarter growth was at the high end of its expectations.
- Management described client demand for AI execution, supported by industry expertise, engineering, infrastructure and data modernization capabilities.
- Recent client and partnership announcements included initiatives with Travelport, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, Channel 4, JG Summit Holdings, Snohomish County Public Utility District, The Andover Companies, Anthropic, Google Cloud, OpenAI, CrowdStrike and ServiceNow.
Concerns
- Bookings in the second quarter declined 6% year-over-year.
- Voluntary Attrition - Tech Services was 13.0% for the period ended June 30, 2026, compared with 12.3% for the period ended March 31, 2026 and 12.6% for the period ended June 30, 2025.
- Full-year 2026 constant-currency revenue growth guidance was revised to 4.0% to 5.5% year-over-year growth.
- The Company borrowed $1.0 billion under its revolving credit facility during the quarter in which it completed the Astreya acquisition.
What to watch
- Third-quarter revenue guidance of $5.60 to $5.68 billion, including constant-currency growth of 3.8% to 5.3%.
- Execution against full-year 2026 revenue guidance of $22.04 to $22.35 billion and constant-currency growth guidance of 4.0% to 5.5%.
- Delivery against full-year 2026 Adjusted Operating Margin guidance of approximately 16.0% to 16.2%.
- Progress in second-quarter booking trends following the reported 6% year-over-year decline.
- Voluntary Attrition - Tech Services and total headcount following the reported increase in attrition and sequential headcount reduction.
- Capital deployment following $1,153 million of second-quarter repurchases, the Astreya acquisition, and $1.0 billion borrowed under the revolving credit facility.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- During the second quarter of 2026, the company completed its acquisition of Astreya for a purchase price of $634 million, including contingent consideration of $25 million, net of cash acquired.
- The Company borrowed $1.0 billion under its revolving credit facility during the second quarter of 2026.
Analysis
Cognizant reported second-quarter revenue of $5,481 million, up 4.5 % year-over-year, with constant-currency revenue growth of 4.1 %. Management characterized organic revenue growth as being at the high end of its expectations. Financial Services delivered 12% year-over-year revenue growth, which management identified as a second consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in its largest and most mature segment.
Profitability improved on both reported bases. GAAP Operating Margin was 15.9 %, versus 15.6 % in the prior-year quarter, and Adjusted Operating Margin was 16.0 %, versus 15.6 %. GAAP Diluted EPS rose to $1.36 from $1.31, while Adjusted Diluted EPS rose to $1.37 from $1.31. The release attributes the performance to disciplined execution and operational rigor while the Company continues funding growth investments.
Bookings provided a mixed demand signal. Trailing-twelve-month bookings increased 5% year-over-year to $29.1 billion and represented a book-to-bill of approximately 1.3x. However, second-quarter bookings declined 6% year-over-year, despite including seven large deals. Voluntary Attrition - Tech Services increased to 13.0%, and total headcount was 356,700, down 900 from March 31, 2026 and up 12,900 from June 30, 2025.
Capital deployment was substantial. Cognizant repurchased 22.5 million shares for $1,153 million in the second quarter and had $2.3 billion remaining under its authorization as of June 30, 2026. The Company also completed the Astreya acquisition for a purchase price of $634 million, including contingent consideration of $25 million, net of cash acquired, while borrowing $1.0 billion under its revolving credit facility. It declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.33 per share in July 2026.
Guidance calls for third-quarter revenue of $5.60 to $5.68 billion and full-year revenue of $22.04 to $22.35 billion. Full-year constant-currency revenue growth guidance was revised to 4.0% to 5.5%, while Adjusted Operating Margin guidance remained approximately 16.0% to 16.2%. The Company increased full-year Adjusted Diluted EPS guidance to $5.70 to $5.82. The central reported issues for the remainder of 2026 are conversion of AI-related client activity into bookings and revenue, margin delivery within the unchanged adjusted-margin outlook, and the trajectory of bookings and attrition.
Management, verbatim
Our organic revenue growth momentum continued in the second quarter and was at the high end of our expectations.
Ravi Kumar S, Chief Executive Officer
We are confident our strategy is resonating with clients, as reflected in a second consecutive quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth in Financial Services, our largest and most mature segment.
Ravi Kumar S, Chief Executive Officer
Our second quarter results reflect disciplined execution and the resilience of our operating model. We delivered 4.1% constant currency revenue growth and 40 basis points of adjusted operating margin expansion year-over-year, despite a complex environment.
Jatin Dalal, Chief Financial Officer
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- Revenue by business segment and geography, including segment revenue and segment-specific growth rates, was referenced but not included in the provided filing text.
- Gross profit and gross margin.
- GAAP operating income and adjusted operating income.
- GAAP net income and adjusted net income.
- Operating cash flow and free cash flow.
- Cash balance, total debt balance, and net debt.
- Third-quarter gross-margin, operating-expense, and tax-rate guidance.
- Full-year gross-margin, operating-expense, and tax-rate guidance.
- Prior guidance was not provided, so comparison of actual results with prior guidance is unavailable.
- Prior-quarter revenue, operating-margin, and diluted-EPS figures.
- A reported second-quarter bookings dollar value.
Written by an AI language model from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure is checked against the filing text, and a metric the filing does not print, or whose value, prior period and change do not add up, is dropped from the metrics. The model can still misread a table, in the metrics or in the text, so check a number in the filing before you rely on it. Consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.
Background
This is a Form 8-K with Exhibit 99.1 covering Cognizant’s Q2 2026 results, capital allocation, and updated Q3 and full-year 2026 guidance.
Ticker impact
Cognizant reported Q2 2026 results and revised 2026 constant-currency revenue growth guidance to 4.0% to 5.5%, plus raised 2026 adjusted EPS to $5.70 to $5.82.
Likely positive bias for the next session and into earnings-follow-through, with upside capped if bookings softness (Q2 bookings down 6% YoY) offsets the raised EPS outlook.
The filing includes fresh, quantified guidance changes (revenue growth range and adjusted EPS range) and concrete capital deployment (ASR/open-market buybacks, dividend timing, and Astreya acquisition completion), which are direct inputs to valuation and forward estimates.
Market effects
Reinforces demand narrative for AI-led enterprise execution in IT services, with Financial Services showing double-digit YoY growth and margin resilience.
Primarily US-listed large-cap IT services sentiment; limited direct regional spillover beyond US tech/IT services complex.
Global delivery and client modernization themes may influence broader AI services peers’ near-term guidance expectations, though this is company-specific.
Counterpoint
Bookings in Q2 declined 6% YoY despite trailing-12-month bookings rising 5%, which could signal a near-term demand slowdown that may pressure future quarters even with raised EPS guidance.
Key entities
- companyCognizant Technology Solutions Corp
Nasdaq-listed IT services provider reporting Q2 2026 results and updated 2026 guidance.
- acquired_companyAstreya
Acquisition completed in Q2 2026 for $634 million purchase price plus $25 million contingent consideration, funded partly with $1.0 billion revolver borrowing.
- client_partnerTravelport
Client where Cognizant is working on an AI transformation deploying Anthropic’s Claude to modernize software build/test/maintenance.
- client_partnerChannel 4
Selected by Channel 4 to transform advertising campaign delivery operations and enhance its campaign operations hub.
