Artisan Partners Limited Partnership Reduces Stake in WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE:WNS)

Artisan Partners Limited Partnership reduced its holdings in shares of WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE:WNS - Free Report) by 3.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,049,763 shares of the business services provider's stock after selling 69,067 shares during the quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership owned 4.29% of WNS worth $97,138,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of WNS. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lifted its position in WNS by 26.7% during the fourth quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 1,483,569 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $70,307,000 after purchasing an additional 312,519 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of WNS by 40.5% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 743,343 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $39,182,000 after buying an additional 214,417 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of WNS by 3,523.4% in the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 152,326 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $7,219,000 after buying an additional 148,122 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its holdings in shares of WNS by 2.1% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,898,543 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $258,202,000 after acquiring an additional 99,195 shares during the period. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in WNS by 27.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 415,556 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $19,693,000 after acquiring an additional 88,698 shares during the period. 97.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on WNS shares. Barrington Research upped their price target on shares of WNS from $63.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 26th. Needham & Company LLC upped their target price on shares of WNS from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of WNS from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on WNS from $60.00 to $55.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on WNS from $58.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $62.25.

WNS Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:WNS traded up $4.96 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $66.45. 2,565,559 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 534,783. The company has a current ratio of 1.81, a quick ratio of 1.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The stock has a market cap of $3.07 billion, a PE ratio of 23.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 1.22. The business's fifty day moving average is $59.99 and its two-hundred day moving average is $53.11. WNS has a one year low of $39.85 and a one year high of $70.31.

WNS (NYSE:WNS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The business services provider reported $0.89 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.04 by ($0.15). WNS had a return on equity of 22.25% and a net margin of 10.03%. As a group, analysts predict that WNS will post 3.8 earnings per share for the current year.

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.