WNS (NYSE:WNS) Reaches New 1-Year High - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• WNS (Holdings) Limited shares reached a new 52-week high of $75.14 during trading, closing at $74.93 with a trading volume of 200,836 shares.
• Recent research reports downgraded the stock's rating to "hold" from "strong-buy", with Deutsche Bank setting a target price of $76.50.
• WNS reported earnings of $1.02 EPS for the quarter, exceeding estimates and showing a 9.5% year-over-year revenue increase to $339.90 million.

WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE:WNS - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $75.14 and last traded at $74.93, with a volume of 200836 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $74.78.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently commented on WNS. Baird R W cut shares of WNS from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 8th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "hold" rating and set a $76.50 target price (down previously from $80.00) on shares of WNS in a report on Tuesday, July 8th. Barrington Research cut WNS from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on WNS in a report on Thursday, July 17th. They set a "hold" rating and a $76.50 target price for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut WNS from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, July 12th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $68.13.

WNS Stock Performance

The stock's 50 day moving average price is $65.34 and its 200 day moving average price is $61.48. The company has a current ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The company has a market capitalization of $3.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.85, a P/E/G ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.93.

WNS (NYSE:WNS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $1.02 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.05. WNS had a net margin of 12.11% and a return on equity of 23.03%. The company had revenue of $339.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $323.13 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.93 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that WNS will post 3.8 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On WNS

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pzena Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in WNS in the 2nd quarter valued at about $105,134,000. Hhlr Advisors LTD. acquired a new stake in WNS in the 4th quarter valued at about $72,576,000. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in WNS by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,408,501 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $86,609,000 after purchasing an additional 35,074 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in WNS by 3.0% in the 1st quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,405,672 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $86,435,000 after purchasing an additional 41,505 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Westfield Capital Management Co. LP acquired a new stake in WNS in the 1st quarter valued at about $51,712,000. 97.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About WNS

WNS (Holdings) Limited, a business process management (BPM) company, provides data, voice, analytical, and business transformation services worldwide. The company operates through TSLU, MRHP, HCLS, and BFSI segments. It engages in diversified business, including manufacturing, retail, consumer packaged goods, media and entertainment, and telecommunication; travel and leisure, utilities, shipping, and logistics; healthcare and life sciences; banking, financial services, and insurance; and Hi-tech and professional services, as well as procurement.