Xponance Inc. Grows Stock Holdings in Cognizant Technology Solutions Co. (NASDAQ:CTSH)

Xponance Inc. raised its stake in Cognizant Technology Solutions Co. (NASDAQ:CTSH) by 3.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 70,777 shares of the information technology service provider’s stock after buying an additional 2,181 shares during the period. Xponance Inc.’s holdings in Cognizant Technology Solutions were worth $5,443,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Trust Co. of Vermont lifted its position in shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions by 188.4% in the 4th quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 447 shares of the information technology service provider’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 292 shares during the period. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions in the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Spire Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions by 74.7% in the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 477 shares of the information technology service provider’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 204 shares during the period. Finally, Morton Brown Family Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions in the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. 92.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on CTSH shares. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions from $93.00 to $88.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions from $88.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 12th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $83.71.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Stock Up 0.1 %

NASDAQ:CTSH opened at $79.66 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.66, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.12. Cognizant Technology Solutions Co. has a 1-year low of $63.79 and a 1-year high of $90.82. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $82.61 and its 200-day moving average price is $79.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 2.09 and a quick ratio of 2.09.

Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:CTSH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The information technology service provider reported $1.21 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.09. Cognizant Technology Solutions had a net margin of 11.35% and a return on equity of 16.78%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Cognizant Technology Solutions Co. will post 4.98 EPS for the current year.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were paid a $0.31 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.56%. This is a positive change from Cognizant Technology Solutions’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. Cognizant Technology Solutions’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.49%.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Profile

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, a professional services company, provides consulting and technology, and outsourcing services in North America, Europe, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Financial Services, Health Sciences, Products and Resources, and Communications, Media and Technology.