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On Thursday, Bernstein analysts adjusted the price target for CGI Group Inc (NYSE:GIB/A:CN) (NYSE: GIB), increasing it to C$144 from the previous C$143, while maintaining an Underperform rating on the stock. Currently trading at $114.54 and near its 52-week high of $118.89, the IT services giant with a $25.83B market cap faces scrutiny over its revised price target. According to InvestingPro data, seven analysts have recently revised their earnings expectations upward for the upcoming period. The revised price target follows CGI Group’s announcement of a restructuring plan which is projected to be more costly than initially expected by the analysts.
Bernstein’s analyst Derric Marcon noted that CGI Group has shown "limited traction in Europe," and the restructuring expenses are higher than previously estimated. This has led to a slight decrease in the firm’s earnings per share (EPS) estimates for CGI Group, excluding the favorable impact of foreign exchange tailwinds. Despite these challenges, InvestingPro analysis shows CGI maintains strong financial health with a "GREAT" overall score and operates with a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35.
The current valuation of CGI Group’s shares is deemed fair by Bernstein, suggesting no immediate upside potential. The analyst stated that a change in the company’s medium-term organic growth prospects or a decrease in the risk premium for CGI, which currently has a weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of 8.5%, could alter this stance. However, at present, there is no apparent reason for such adjustments.
The slight uptick in the price target reflects the inclusion of CGI Group’s last two acquisitions and an updated debt estimate in Bernstein’s discounted cash flow (DCF) model, extended by six months. Despite these factors, the firm’s outlook on CGI Group remains cautious, as indicated by the unchanged Underperform rating.
In other recent news, CGI Inc. reported an impressive performance in its first quarter results, surpassing analyst expectations. The IT services provider posted adjusted earnings per share of C$1.97, significantly exceeding the predicted C$1.40. Revenue was also higher than anticipated, arriving at C$3.79 billion against a forecast of C$2.68 billion.
These recent developments show a year-over-year revenue growth of 5.1% and an earnings before income taxes increase of 12.3% to C$591.7 million. Furthermore, CGI reported bookings for the quarter at C$4.16 billion, indicating a book-to-bill ratio of 109.8%. The company’s backlog stood at C$29.76 billion, or 2.0 times annual revenue.
CGI also generated C$646.4 million in cash from operations during the quarter, representing 17.1% of revenue. The company repurchased 927,599 shares for C$143.2 million under its share buyback program. Lastly, CGI has initiated restructuring actions in Europe, mainly in Germany, to realign its cost structure, incurring C$8.3 million in costs this quarter, with an additional estimated C$42 million expected by Q3 fiscal 2025.
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