EPAM Systems, Inc. (EPAM, Financial) provides outsourced software development to business customers using high-skilled, low-cost employees based mostly in Eastern Europe. EPAM benefits from growing demand for outsourced IT services and is particularly well-suited for the shift in corporate spending toward social, mobile, analytics, and cloud (“SMAC” or digital) technologies that enable businesses to engage more effectively with their customers. EPAM’s competitive differentiation comes from its highly educated workforce in Eastern Europe and Russia, nearly all of whom hold a master’s equivalent university degree in math, science or engineering. In contrast, most India-based competitors predominantly rely upon recent college graduates with limited experience. EPAM’s strong technical capabilities and differentiated talent pool enable the company to work on higher-value client projects with stronger pricing power than peers. The company is supplementing 20%+ organic growth with tuck-in acquisitions that further diversify its geographic reach and customer mix. We believe EPAM will continue gaining share in a growing market, while maintaining stable margins by adding new clients and increasing wallet share within its existing customer base.
From Baron Funds' Global Advantage Fund letter for the fourth quarter 2015.
