Cognizant's Q4 Profit Jumps 18.7% to $648 Million, Revenue Climbs 5%

• Cognizant reported an 18.7% increase in net income to $648 million in the December quarter, up from $546 million in the year-ago period.
• Q4 2025 revenue reached $5,333 million, a 4.9% year-on-year increase, driven by large deals and strong performance in financial services.
• The company signed a $1 billion "mega deal" in Q4, part of five such deals in 2025, and expects 2026 revenues to be $22.14–22.66 billion.
• Cognizant plans to hire 24,000–25,000 freshers in 2026, focusing on a "broader pyramid" strategy and leveraging AI to decouple revenue growth from headcount.
• The company repurchased $325 million in shares in Q4 and plans to return $1.6 billion to shareholders in 2026 through repurchases and dividends.