Cognizant (NASDAQ:CTSH) also detracted from overall performance during the quarter, due to management’s cautious commentary related to the demand environment in two of their core customer verticals. Management’s caution about IT spend in Cognizant’s BFS (Banking and Financial Services) segment trace back to the prolonged low interest rate environment along with increased uncertainty in the macro environment—particularly attributed to the “Brexit” vote, which was relatively fresh news at the time of management’s comments. We do not think this weakness has materialized in the near-term, at least to the extent that management was implying. In addition, but not necessarily new, Cognizant has four clients in the HMO (health-maintenance organization) industry, all attempting to merge with or acquire the other. Though the extended timeline of these M&A deals likely pushes out the timing of expected work for Cognizant at each of these four clients, we think Cognizant’s longer-term positioning as a key partner at all four HMOs will continue to allow them to capture wallet share, regardless of M&A outcomes. Near-term, we expect investors to remain skittish around the shares, if only because the investor base has been skittish for years, with the NTM P/E multiple of Cognizant typically vacillating 20%-30% per year. Despite these recent headwinds to topline growth, we think Cognizant maintains a long- term runway for generating attractive organic growth, as the company benefits from the secular shift of IT spend towards digital solutions. The Company maintains excellent financial strength, with nearly $8 billion in borrowing capacity before reaching the average net debt to operating income leverage of the S&P 500—close to 25% of the current market cap.
From Wedgewood Partners' third quarter 2016 shareholder commentary.
