Profit in the fiscal first quarter was $28.9 million, as compared to $32.0 million in Q1 of last year and $14.5 million in the previous quarter. Year-over-year, profit decreased as a result of lower revenue, higher SG&A expenses, an increase in net interest expense, and a higher effective tax rate. These headwinds were partially offset by reductions in share-based compensation expense, amortization of intangibles, and favorable currency movements. Sequentially, Q1 profit increased as a result of a $30.9 million intangible asset impairment recorded in Q4 of last year, and a reduction in expenses associated with our ADS program termination and transition to voluntarily reporting on US domestic issuer forms. These benefits were partially offset by lower revenue, higher share-based compensation expense, higher SG&A expenses, an increase in net interest expense, a higher effective tax rate, and unfavorable currency movements.
Adjusted net income (ANI)* in Q1 was $44.0 million, as compared to $51.1 million in Q1 of last year and $53.9 million in the previous quarter. Explanations for the ANI* movements on a year-over-year and sequential basis are the same as described for GAAP profit above with the exception of amortization of intangible expenses, share-based compensation expense, impairment of intangible assets, costs associated with ADS program termination and transition to voluntarily reporting on US domestic issuer forms, acquisition-related items, and associated tax impacts which are excluded from ANI*.
From a balance sheet perspective, WNS ended Q1 with $301.5 million in cash and investments and $301.5 million in debt. In the quarter, the company generated $21.4 million in cash from operations, incurred $10.7 million in capital expenditures, and repaid $10.5 million in debt. WNS also repurchased 1,643,731 ordinary shares at an average price of $51.24, impacting Q1 cash by $78.0 million. First quarter days sales outstanding were 36 days, as compared to 34 days reported in Q1 of last year and 33 days in the previous quarter.
“Our first quarter results were largely in line with company expectations and highlight some of the opportunities and challenges in our business today. Demand for digitally-led business transformation and cost reduction continues to be robust, including larger deals and a strengthening pipeline. At the same time, we continue to see headwinds from declining client volumes, particularly in the travel vertical, and reduced demand for project-based work,” said Keshav Murugesh, WNS’ Chief Executive Officer. “WNS is confident that our strategic growth initiatives are well underway, and that successful execution through the remainder of this year will position the company well entering fiscal 2026. In addition, we remain committed to investing ahead of the curve in technology-enabled offerings leveraging AI and GenAI, improving our access to capital, and opportunistically repurchasing stock.”
Fiscal 2025 Guidance
WNS is updating guidance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, as follows:
| • | | Revenue less repair payments* is expected to be between $1,290 million and $1,354 million, up from $1,284.3 million in fiscal 2024. Guidance assumes an average GBP to USD exchange rate of 1.28 for the remainder of fiscal 2025. |
| • | | ANI* is expected to range between $203 million and $215 million versus $218.0 million in fiscal 2024. Guidance assumes an average USD to INR exchange rate of 83.4 for the remainder of fiscal 2025. |
| • | | Based on a diluted share count of 45.9 million shares, the company expects fiscal 2025 adjusted diluted earnings per share* to be in the range of $4.42 to $4.68 versus $4.42 in fiscal 2024. |
“The company has updated our forecast for fiscal 2025 based on current visibility levels and exchange rates,” said Sanjay Puria, WNS’ Chief Financial Officer. “Our guidance for the full year reflects growth in revenue less repair payments* of 0% to 5% on both a reported* and constant currency* basis. For the year, we continue to expect capital expenditures of up to $65 million.”
Conference Call
WNS will host a conference call on July 18, 2024, at 8:00 am (Eastern) to discuss the company’s quarterly results. To access the call in “listen-only” mode, please join live via the company’s investor relations website at ir.wns.com. For call participants, please register using this online form to receive your dial-in number and unique PIN/passcode which can be used to access the call. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the company website at ir.wns.com.
About WNS
WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS) is a leading Business Process Management (BPM) company. WNS combines deep industry knowledge with technology, analytics, and process expertise to co-create innovative, digitally led transformational solutions with over 600 clients across various industries. WNS delivers an entire spectrum of BPM solutions including industry-specific offerings, customer experience services, finance and accounting, human resources, procurement, and research and analytics to re-imagine the digital future of businesses. As of June 30, 2024, WNS had 60,513 professionals across 64 delivery centers worldwide including facilities in Canada, China, Costa Rica, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For more information, visit www.wns.com.
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