For the quarter ended September 2023, Cognizant (CTSH Quick QuoteCTSH - Free Report) reported revenue of $4.9 billion, up 0.8% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.16, compared to $1.17 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.10% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.9 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.08, the EPS surprise was +7.41%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Cognizant performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Utilization - Onsite: 89% versus 89.4% estimated by two analysts on average.
• Total Headcount: 346,600 compared to the 345,695 average estimate based on two analysts.
• Utilization - Offshore: 80% compared to the 81.1% average estimate based on two analysts.
• Revenue- Products and Resources: $1.17 billion compared to the $1.16 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +1.9% year over year.
• Revenue- Health Sciences: $1.41 billion versus $1.45 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a 0% change.
• Revenue- Financial services: $1.48 billion compared to the $1.53 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -3% year over year.
• Revenue- Communications, Media and Technology: $847 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $762.81 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8.2%.

View all Key Company Metrics for Cognizant here>>>

Shares of Cognizant have returned -4.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.