Lazard Asset Management LLC Decreases Holdings in WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE:WNS)

Lazard Asset Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE:WNS) by 15.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 133,255 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 23,822 shares during the quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC’s holdings in WNS were worth $6,732,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of WNS. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund purchased a new position in shares of WNS during the first quarter valued at approximately $1,102,000. Seven Eight Capital LP purchased a new stake in shares of WNS during the first quarter valued at $1,205,000. Summit Creek Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of WNS by 0.6% in the first quarter. Summit Creek Advisors LLC now owns 310,168 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $15,673,000 after purchasing an additional 1,773 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its stake in WNS by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,768,209 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $89,317,000 after buying an additional 11,933 shares during the period. Finally, Westfield Capital Management Co. LP lifted its holdings in WNS by 12.2% during the 1st quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP now owns 1,170,420 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $59,141,000 after buying an additional 127,605 shares in the last quarter. 97.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

WNS Stock Performance

Shares of WNS stock opened at $58.04 on Monday. WNS has a one year low of $39.85 and a one year high of $74.54. The company has a market capitalization of $2.77 billion and a PE ratio of 20.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a current ratio of 1.71. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $53.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $54.60.

WNS (NYSE:WNS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 18th. The business services provider reported $0.93 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.02. WNS had a net margin of 10.52% and a return on equity of 21.60%. The firm had revenue of $312.40 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $310.49 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.76 EPS. WNS’s revenue was down 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that WNS will post 3.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on WNS. StockNews.com downgraded shares of WNS from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 2nd. Citigroup lowered their target price on WNS from $80.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 22nd. Barrington Research raised their price target on WNS from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of WNS from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC raised their target price on shares of WNS from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 19th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, WNS presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $64.57.

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.