Exhibit 99.1

     
FOR:
  Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation
  500 Glenpointe Centre West
  Teaneck, NJ 07666
CONTACT:
  Gordon Coburn
  Chief Financial Officer
  201-678-2712
For Immediate Release (7:00 AM ET on 10.26.04)
   
  Investors: Kirin Smith/Ian Bailey
  Press: Brian Maddox/Scot Hoffman
  Financial Dynamics
  212-850-5600
  shoffman@fd-us.com

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS REPORTS RECORD THIRD QUARTER
RESULTS; RAISES FULL-YEAR GUIDANCE

Revenue Increases 58%; Net Income Up 63%

Teaneck, NJ – October 26, 2004 – Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (NASDAQ: CTSH), a leading provider of IT services, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2004.

Highlights for the third quarter include:

    Quarterly revenue increased to $155.4 million, up 12% sequentially and 58% from the year ago quarter
 
    Operating margin of 19.9% compared to 19.6% in the year-ago period
 
    Diluted quarterly EPS of $0.18

Revenue for the third quarter increased to $155.4 million, up 12% from $138.7 million in the second quarter of 2004, and up 58% from $98.1 million in the third quarter of 2003. Net income for the third quarter increased to $26.1 million, or $0.18 per diluted share compared to $16.0 million or $0.12 per diluted share (on a split-adjusted basis) in the third quarter of 2003. Operating margin for the quarter increased to 19.9%, compared to 19.6% in the third quarter of 2003. In a separate release issued today, Cognizant also announced a further expansion of its planned India construction program to meet the continuing strong demand for its offshore services from new and existing clients.

“Our strong third-quarter financial results were marked by balanced growth across our key verticals, continued strength in our applications management business, and sustained growth in discretionary development spending,” said Lakshmi Narayanan, President and CEO of Cognizant. “During the quarter we also saw growing demand from existing customers for our infrastructure services capabilities, where Cognizant remotely manages its clients’ mission critical IT infrastructure. Our business-driven services, highly skilled employees, strong execution and solid customer satisfaction reinforce our position among the top providers of offshore IT outsourcing services. Additionally, our ongoing focus on strengthening and deepening our relationships with existing clients while maintaining our strong win rate has further enhanced our competitive position and provides a solid foundation for our continuing success in the future.”

 


 

2004 Outlook
Based on current visibility, the Company is now providing the following updated guidance:

    Fourth quarter 2004 revenue now anticipated to be at least $167 million
 
    Fourth quarter 2004 expected diluted EPS of $0.19
 
    Fiscal 2004 revenue now anticipated to be at least $581 million
 
    Fiscal 2004 expected diluted EPS of $0.68
 
    Total headcount by end of Fiscal 2004 expected to reach 15,000

“In addition to our strong revenue and margin performance during the quarter, we are particularly pleased with our cash flow metrics, including the generation of over $41 million of cash from operations,” said Gordon Coburn, Chief Financial Officer of Cognizant. “Our pipeline of new business remains strong as the interest level and demand from prospective customers continues to increase in both North America and Europe. Additionally, we continue to have significant visibility due to the high level of recurring revenue from our long-term customer relationships. As a result of our ongoing investment in infrastructure and the recruitment and training of our highly skilled staff, we believe that Cognizant is well positioned for strong performance for the remainder of this year and going into 2005.”

Conference Call
Cognizant will host a conference call on October 26th, at 9:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss the Company’s quarterly results. To listen to the call please dial (888) 652-6834 domestic and (706) 679-3288 internationally. The call will also be broadcast live via the Internet at Cognizant’s web site, www.cognizant.com. Please go to the web site at least fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. A replay will be made available on the web site at www.cognizant.com or by calling (800) 642-1687 for domestic callers and (706) 645-9291 for international callers and entering “1330076” from two hours after the end of the call until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on November 2, 2004.

About Cognizant Technology Solutions
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of IT services. Focused on delivering strategic information technology solutions that address the complex business needs of its clients, Cognizant provides applications management, development, integration, and re-engineering, infrastructure management, business process outsourcing, and a number of related services such as enterprise consulting, technology architecture, program management and change management through its onsite/offshore outsourcing model.

Cognizant’s more than 14,000 employees are committed to partnerships that sustain long-term, proven value for customers by delivering high-quality, cost-effective solutions through its development centers in India, and onsite client teams. Cognizant maintains P-CMM and SEI-CMM Level 5 assessments from an independent third-party assessor, was recently named Forbes’ Best Small Company in America for the second consecutive year, and ranked as the top information technology company in BusinessWeek’s Hot Growth Companies. Further information about Cognizant can be found at http://www.cognizant.com.

This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions and the factors discussed in our most recent Form 10-K

 


 

and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cognizant undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

-tables to follow-

 


 

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share data)

                                 
    Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
  September 30,
    2004
  2003
  2004
  2003
Revenues
  $ 155,429     $ 98,111     $ 413,892     $ 257,498  
Revenues -related party
                      2,575  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Total revenues
    155,429       98,111       413,892       260,073  
Cost of revenues
    84,585       52,968       225,153       141,126  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Gross profit
    70,844       45,143       188,739       118,947  
Selling, general and administrative expenses
    35,889       22,861       94,614       59,624  
Depreciation and amortization expense
    4,083       3,008       11,776       8,397  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Income from operations
    30,872       19,274       82,349       50,926  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Other income (expense):
                               
Interest income
    1,267       617       2,922       1,358  
Other income (expense), net
    (252 )     (21 )     (31 )     (120 )
Split-off costs (non tax deductible)
                      (2,010 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Total other income (expense)
    1,015       596       2,891       (772 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Income before provision for income taxes
    31,887       19,870       85,240       50,154  
Provision for income taxes
    (5,835 )     (3,910 )     (15,599 )     (10,514 )
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Net income
  $ 26,052     $ 15,960     $ 69,641     $ 39,640  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Basic earnings per share
  $ 0.20     $ 0.13     $ 0.53     $ 0.32  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Diluted earnings per share
  $ 0.18     $ 0.12     $ 0.49     $ 0.30  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding
    131,747       125,803       130,248       124,063  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
Weighted average number of common and dilutive shares outstanding
    142,721       138,164       141,845       134,212  
 
   
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 

 


 

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (Unaudited)

(In thousands)

                 
    September 30,
  December 31,
    2004
  2003
Assets
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 250,370     $ 194,221  
Investments in short-term bank deposits
    20,021       -  
Trade accounts receivable, net of allowances of $1,261 and $989, respectively
    86,781       52,253  
Unbilled accounts receivable
    16,952       9,543  
Current tax asset
    23,609       14,066  
Other current assets
    14,271       8,414  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total Current Assets
    412,004       278,497  
Property and equipment — net
    70,075       58,438  
Goodwill
    5,603       4,477  
Other Intangible assets — net
    14,627       16,436  
Other assets
    4,533       2,741  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total Assets
  $ 506,842     $ 360,589  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
               
Current Liabilities
               
Accounts payable
  $ 11,739     $ 9,423  
Accrued and other current liabilities
    84,545       53,213  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total Current Liabilities
    96,284       62,636  
Deferred income taxes
    16,449       23,883  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total Liabilities
    112,733       86,519  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Stockholders’ Equity
    394,109       274,070  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
  $ 506,842     $ 360,589  
 
   
 
     
 
 

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