Shares of Wipro Ltd., an India-based information-technology consultant, experienced a significant surge on Friday following the company’s impressive fiscal third-quarter results. This success marks a much-needed turnaround for Wipro, as they had previously struggled to meet earnings expectations. The boost in profitability is attributed to a surge in large deals, providing hope that the IT industry has finally hit a bottom.
Wipro’s Chief Executive, Thierry Delaporte, highlighted the company’s strong deal booking momentum during a seasonally soft quarter. Delaporte stated, “Our large deals recorded a 20-percent year-to-date growth.” This positive news contributed greatly to the current market optimism surrounding Wipro.
Infosys Ltd., another prominent IT consultant, also witnessed a surge in shares, reaching a 13-month high. The company managed to break their disappointing earnings streak, further adding to the positive sentiment encompassing the industry.
In midday trading, Wipro’s U.S.-listed stock saw a remarkable 18.2% increase, pushing it on track for its highest close since May 4, 2022. This surge also marked the largest one-day gain for the stock since October 28, 2008 when it experienced a 22.8% increase.
Delaporte expressed his satisfaction with the early signs of growth within the IT consulting sector. The recent acquisition of Capco business in 2021 has played a vital role in generating double-digit percentage growth in order bookings. Delaporte’s statement shed light on an industry eagerly awaiting a recovery.
Wipro reported net income of INR27.01 billion ($326 million), or INR5.15 per share, for the quarter. This showcased a decline compared to the same period last year when the company recorded INR30.65 billion, or INR5.56 per share. Nevertheless, Wipro’s earnings per share managed to outperform the FactSet consensus of INR5.10.
The strong performance and positive outlook for Wipro have rejuvenated investor confidence in the IT industry. With hopes of continued growth and an increasing demand for IT consulting services, the future appears promising for Wipro and their counterparts in the market.
Infosys Reports 4.4% Drop in Revenue, Beating Expectations
Infosys, a global leader in technology services and consulting, announced a 4.4% decrease in revenue for the quarter, reaching INR222.05 billion ($2.7 billion), which surpassed the FactSet consensus of INR221.50 billion.
Challenging Past Performance Overcome
Having missed EPS and revenue expectations in the previous three quarters, and in six out of the past seven quarters, Infosys witnessed a resurgence in its U.S.-listed shares. The stock rallied 4.8%, following a 4.0% jump on the day before, raising hopes and driving towards their highest closing price since December 5, 2022.
Steadfast Recovery Amidst Losses
The company encountered significant losses over the last three years, particularly on the days of previous earnings reports. The stock experienced a dramatic decline of 6.5% on October 12, 2023, a sharp drop of 8.4% on July 20, and a substantial tumble of 9.8% on April 13.
Encouraging Third-Quarter Results
Despite these difficulties, Infosys managed to report fiscal third-quarter EPS that slipped to 18 cents from 19 cents, but exceeded the FactSet consensus of 17 cents. This positive outcome interrupted a three-quarter streak of bottom-line misses.
Strong Performance Bolstered by Promising Deals
Infosys, alongside fellow technology services provider Wipro, attributed their recent accomplishments to securing significant wins in large deals. Such victories continue to propel the company forward and contribute to their overall growth.
Financial Figures Fall Slightly Short
While Infosys showcased remarkable resilience, revenue only saw a marginal uptick of 0.1%, amounting to $4.66 billion. Unfortunately, this figure fell slightly below the FactSet expectations of $4.71 billion.
Steady Ascent in Stock Prices
Over the last three months, Wipro’s stock has witnessed an exceptional 30.6% rally, while Infosys shares demonstrated a commendable climb of 19.9%. Likewise, the iShares MSCI India ETF INDA experienced a notable rise of 12.6%, and the S&P 500 index SPX witnessed a respectable gain of 9.8%.
