Lazard Asset Management LLC Boosts Holdings in ExlService Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXLS)

Lazard Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of ExlService Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXLS - Free Report) by 165.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 76,312 shares of the business services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 47,593 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC's holdings in ExlService were worth $3,385,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EXLS. Ethic Inc. acquired a new position in shares of ExlService in the fourth quarter worth about $256,000. Deutsche Bank AG raised its position in shares of ExlService by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 175,050 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $7,769,000 after acquiring an additional 955 shares during the period. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main acquired a new position in shares of ExlService in the fourth quarter worth about $99,000. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in shares of ExlService by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 19,943 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $885,000 after acquiring an additional 958 shares during the period. Finally, Brevan Howard Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of ExlService in the fourth quarter worth about $1,019,000. 92.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at ExlService

In other news, EVP Anita Mahon sold 10,558 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.92, for a total value of $484,823.36. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 94,443 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,336,822.56. This represents a 10.06% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Ajay Ayyappan sold 1,865 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.32, for a total transaction of $90,116.80. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 40,986 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,980,443.52. This trade represents a 4.35% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 52,003 shares of company stock valued at $2,420,678. Corporate insiders own 4.04% of the company's stock.

ExlService Price Performance

NASDAQ EXLS traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $45.85. 126,534 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,035,732. ExlService Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $28.59 and a 52-week high of $52.43. The company has a market capitalization of $7.46 billion, a PE ratio of 40.21, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 3.02 and a quick ratio of 3.02. The firm's 50-day moving average is $45.67 and its 200-day moving average is $46.58.

ExlService (NASDAQ:EXLS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The business services provider reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.03. ExlService had a net margin of 10.61% and a return on equity of 23.23%. The company had revenue of $501.02 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $489.66 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.38 EPS. ExlService's revenue was up 14.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that ExlService Holdings, Inc. will post 1.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Needham & Company LLC upped their price objective on shares of ExlService from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of ExlService from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of ExlService from $48.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of ExlService from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $52.33.

ExlService Company Profile

ExlService Holdings, Inc operates as a data analytics, and digital operations and solutions company in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Insurance, Healthcare, Analytics, and Emerging Business segments. It also provides digital operations and solutions and analytics-driven services, such as claims processing, premium and benefit administration, agency management, account reconciliation, policy research, underwriting support, new business acquisition, policy servicing, premium audit, surveys, billing and collection, commercial and residential survey, and customer service using digital technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced automation; digital customer acquisition services using a software-as-a-service delivery model through LifePRO and LISS platforms; subrogation services; and Subrosource software platform, an end-to-end subrogation platform.