# 1. Financial Performance ## A. Key Figures * Revenue: $3,793 Mn Q3 FY'26 (+4.8% YoY, +4.2% QoQ CC) · $15 Bn annualized run rate * Operating Margin: 18.6% (including restructuring) · 19.4% adjusted EBIT margin (-13 bps YoY) * EBIT: $704 Mn (18.6% of revenue) · $595 Mn including one-time labor costs * **Net Income:** **$537 Mn** (2% of revenue) · **$455 Mn** including one-time labor costs * ROIC: 39.4% LTM (+277 bps YoY) * Cash Flow: $2.5 Bn operating cash flow LTM · $2.35 Bn free cash flow LTM * **Balance Sheet:** **$3.82 Bn** gross cash · **$3.55 Bn** net cash * Diluted EPS: INR 63.35 LTM (+0.7% YoY) · INR 60.70 excluding new labour code impact ## B. Revenue Growth * **Outperformance in Tight Market:** Delivered strong double-digit annual revenue growth and crossed a major annualized revenue threshold, showcasing resilient demand capture amid constrained macro conditions. * **Sustained Momentum:** QoQ revenue growth reflects consistent execution and pricing discipline, with constant currency performance underscoring operational strength. ## C. Margin Trends * **Mixed Margin Drivers:** Underlying profitability remained stable despite reported margin contraction, supported by software segment gains and forex tailwinds, partially offset by Services segment pressure. * **Restructuring Impact:** Adjusted EBIT margin decline was minimal YoY, with **81 bps** of restructuring costs distorting headline figures; management signals confidence in margin recovery. * **Profitability Tailwinds:** INR depreciation contributed a **40 bps** boost to margins, highlighting currency sensitivity as a near-term positive. ## D. Cash Flow * **Exceptional Cash Conversion:** Operating and free cash flow significantly exceeded net income, with conversion rates above 120%, reflecting strong working capital management and earnings quality. ## E. Balance Sheet * **Fortress Balance Sheet:** Record gross and net cash positions reinforce financial resilience and strategic flexibility for M&A or shareholder returns. * **DSO Expansion:** Total DSO increased modestly QoQ to **81 days**, attributed to seasonal billing patterns in software, not indicative of collection issues. --- # 2. Deal Wins & Bookings ## A. Key Figures * **Net New Bookings:** **$3.0 Bn** (QoQ +17%, YoY +43%) · **$4.0 Bn** LTM * ARR: $1.07 billion (0.6% CC YoY) * **Mega Deal TCV:** **$473 Mn** (5-year term) ## B. Net New Bookings * **Strong Momentum:** Record quarterly bookings reflect robust demand, particularly in **applications, engineering, and R&D services**, which drove the majority of deal value. * **AI as Growth Catalyst:** **AI-led transformation** is a core client priority, with **AI-led legacy modernization** and **GenAI-powered platforms** central to securing large-scale mandates. * **Client Expansion & Penetration:** Added **1 $100M+**, **3 $50M+**, and **15+ $20M+** clients YoY, including displacing entrenched incumbents in competitive software markets. * **Strategic Client Wins:** Secured mandate from a **global food & beverage leader** for **HCL Workload Automation**, leveraging synergies with existing service engagements to drive consolidation and cost efficiency. ## C. ACV & TCV * **Recurring Revenue Strength:** ACV reached a **four-year high**, signaling durable contract quality and long-term revenue visibility, underpinned by data intelligence growth. * **Growth Outlook:** Management expresses confidence in sustaining a **~$5B quarterly bookings run rate**, despite expected TCV volatility. ## D. Mega Deal Activity * **Flagship AI Partnerships:** Won **four largest deals** this quarter via **AI Force 0 Agent platform**, establishing HCLTech as strategic AI partner for transformation programs. * **Transformational Engagements:** Secured **$473M TCV mega deal** with global apparel retailer and multi-domain mandate from **Europe-based food major** to build **greenfield AI-powered IT infrastructure**. * **Platform-Driven Wins:** **HCL Workload Automation** and **UnO (Agentic AI Orchestration)** gained traction with global technology and financial services providers, enabling secure digital banking and mainframe modernization. --- # 3. Segment & Vertical Growth ## A. Key Figures * Services Revenue: $3,379 million (+5% YoY, +1.8% QoQ) · ITBS: +3.8% YoY, +1.5% QoQ · ERS: +10.8% YoY, +3.1% QoQ * Software Revenue: $425 million (+3.1% YoY, +28.1% QoQ) · Advanced AI Revenue: +19.9% * **Geographic Growth (YoY):** **India:** +15.8% · **Europe:** +4.6% · **USA:** +1.5% · **RoW:** +22.1% * **Vertical Growth (QoQ):** **Retail & CPG:** +5.8% · **Public Services:** +3.7% · **Manufacturing:** +4.1% * ROIC: Services: 45.9% (+117 bps) · Software: 23.1% (+513 bps) ## B. Services Revenue * **Sustained Momentum:** Services delivered solid year-on-year and sequential growth across ITBS and ERS, underpinned by strong demand for digital transformation services. * **AI-Led Differentiation:** Physical AI investments are yielding competitive advantage, with **'Day 1' foundational AI** driving traction in engineering services and integration-led deals. * **Growth Drivers:** Application modernization, data solutions, and large-scale system integration remain core demand catalysts, positioning HCLTech as a preferred partner for end-to-end transformation. * **Leadership Outlook:** Company on track to be the **fastest-growing large-cap services firm for the fourth straight year**, supported by an all-weather portfolio capturing discretionary spend. ## C. Software Revenue * **Stable Performance with AI Upside:** Software revenue showed modest growth, led by seasonality and strength in the **data intelligence portfolio**, including Zeenea and Actian. * **AI Factory Momentum:** Advanced AI revenue grew **9%**, reflecting rising client adoption of **Agentic physical AI** and factory-based deployment models. * **Modernization at Core:** Client wins centered on **Agentic AI Force 0** platform for application and data modernization, extending impact beyond IT to brand experience and business transformation. * **Licensing Dynamics:** Perpetual license demand remains **marginal and seasonal**, with most clients transitioning to subscription models, though select clients continue to be accommodated. ## D. Vertical Performance * **Divergent Trends:** Five of seven verticals posted YoY growth, led by **technology (+4%)** and **financial services (+1%)**, while retail and public services showed strong QoQ rebounds. * **Sector-Specific AI Adoption:** Agentic solutions gaining ground in **telecom, financial services, life sciences, and technology**, particularly in application engineering and migration. * **India as Strategic Growth Hub:** Domestic market identified as high-potential for **high-value, cutting-edge work**, distinct from traditional GCC models. * **Mixed Manufacturing Outlook:** **Aero and defense** showing good traction, but **traditional industrial manufacturing** remains muted, with mobility segment stabilizing but lacking confirmed secular recovery. * **Value Chain Innovation:** Acceleration in **supply chain, billing, commerce, and retail** value streams, with recent mega deal in retail set to ramp in current quarter. --- # 4. AI & Product Innovation ## A. Key Figures * **AI Force Platform:** Deployed in **60 priority accounts** * **AI Factory:** Secured contracts from **two Top 10 technology companies** * **Actian:** Among **top three products by revenue** in portfolio ## B. AI Platform Adoption * **Enterprise-Grade AI Scaling:** AI embedded across all major engagements, with GenAI and agentic AI now standard in deals, driving transformation in software development and data lifecycle management. * **Flagship Platform Momentum:** AI Force deployed in 60 priority accounts; AI Force 0 beta delivering strong results with GA imminent, enabling next-gen digital experiences and service transformation. * **High-Value AI Demand:** Strong traction in Physical AI, AI Factory, and AI Foundry, with growing client capex alignment; contact-center-as-a-service gaining momentum via real-time, omni-channel agentic AI. * **Trusted AI Leadership:** AI Advisory secured multiple large engagements and joined AI Verify Foundation; recognized as a top Physical AI partner during NVIDIA’s CES 2026 keynote. ## C. Product Portfolio * **Strategic Acquisitions Accelerate Data & Telecom Capabilities:** Jaspersoft and Wobby acquisitions enhance Actian’s data analytics and semantic layer, while HPE’s Telco Solutions bolsters IP and engineering pipeline in telecom. * **Custom Silicon Emerges as Key Growth Vector:** Rising demand for edge inferencing chips due to suboptimal GPU performance at edge, creating cross-vertical opportunities in engineering services. * **Product-Led Growth Confirmed:** Actian ranks among the top three revenue-generating products, validating the company’s integrated data and analytics strategy. ## D. Strategic Partnerships * **Hyperscaler & OEM Alliances Deepen:** AI Factory launched joint offerings with Dell, HPE, Cisco, NVIDIA, and cloud hyperscalers; expanded engagements with top tech firms driving Digital Foundation growth. * **Global Co-Innovation Expands:** Launched NVIDIA Physical AI lab in Santa Clara; formed strategic Azure AI partnership with Microsoft to deliver unified XDO blueprint; deepened collaboration with SAP and OpenAI, achieving GSI recognition from OpenAI. --- # 5. Talent & Operating Efficiency ## A. Key Figures * Headcount: 226,379 employees (-0.1% QoQ) * LTM Attrition Rate: 12.4% (down QoQ) * **Project Ascend Impact:** **+104 bps** utilization gain · **-80 bps** wage hike · **-45 bps** furlough seasonality · **-26 bps** restructuring * **Full-Year Restructuring Impact:** **-50 bps** margin headwind, with similar Q4 impact expected ## B. Headcount Trends * **Stable Workforce:** Slight headcount reduction amid strategic expansion in high-opportunity markets, particularly India, supported by leadership continuity with Sandeep Kumar Saxena leading the India business. * **AI Talent Upskilling:** Large-scale GenAI training rollout (**38,000+ employees**) and responsible AI upskilling (**600+**) reinforce AI-led service transformation. * **Efficient Talent Acquisition:** **Talent Navigator** now fully scaled, enhancing hiring precision and operational agility across the organization. ## C. Utilization & Attrition * **Improved Utilization:** Project Ascend drove meaningful productivity gains, with **higher utilization** more than offsetting wage pressures and seasonal furloughs. * **Operating Model Modernization:** Organization is being realigned into outcome-focused domains to boost engineering productivity and accelerate AI-powered digital platform delivery. ## D. Restructuring Impact * **Margin Pressure from Restructuring:** ER&D margin decline primarily driven by restructuring costs, with **adjusted margins stabilizing at 6%** despite significant wage and furlough headwinds. * **Clean Exit Targeted:** Full restructuring impact to be absorbed in Q4, aiming for a streamlined cost base and improved operational clarity in the coming fiscal year. --- # 6. Client & Demand Risks ## A. Discretionary Spending * **Selective Deal Discipline:** Management maintains strict deal discipline, walking away from non-strategic opportunities to prioritize long-term economic value. * **Subdued Macro Demand:** Traditional discretionary spending remains slow due to persistent global uncertainties, with manufacturing pressured by **tariff uncertainty** and auto facing U.S./Europe headwinds. * **AI as Growth Offset:** Strong growth momentum in AI infrastructure is emerging as a key demand driver, partially offsetting weakness in legacy discretionary spend. ## B. AI Adoption Pace * **Shift to Transformational AI:** Client AI discussions have evolved from isolated use cases to holistic business process reimagining, signaling maturing strategic intent. * **Foundational Focus Slows Deployment:** Enterprise AI rollouts are deliberate, prioritizing data readiness and cloud migration, which delays near-term spend despite high engagement. * **Limited Current Monetization:** AI-related revenue remains **very small**, reflecting early-stage adoption despite broadening client conversations across services. ## C. Labor Regulation * **Contained Regulatory Impact:** Labor law changes will have only a **10–20 bps** recurring impact on margins, with the one-off cost already absorbed in the P&L. * **Forward Caution:** Any new regulatory clarifications could alter the outlook, though no material increase beyond **10–20 bps** is currently anticipated. --- # 7. Guidance & Outlook ## A. Key Figures * Services Revenue Guidance: 4.75% to 5.25% constant currency (FY26) * **Company-Level Revenue Guidance:** **4%–4.5%** constant currency (FY26) * **EBIT Margin Guidance:** **17%–18%** (FY26, including restructuring, excluding labour code impact) ## B. Revenue Forecast * **Upside Ex-Deal:** Raised services guidance reflects strong deal momentum; full-year outlook excludes **three recent acquisitions** (HPE Telco, Jaspersoft, Wobby), implying potential upside. * **Q4 Volatility:** Q4 services forecast includes a **5% scenario range**, with lower-end decline risk despite robust prior deal wins, signaling execution and macro sensitivity. ## C. Margin Expectations * **Guidance on Track:** Full-year EBIT margin target remains intact, absorbing restructuring costs while excluding **one-time labour code impact**. * **FY27 Preview:** Initial margin outlook for FY27 points to a potential recovery toward the **18%–19% range**, with formal guidance expected in April. ## D. FY27 Prospects * **Phased Modernization Trend:** Client adoption follows a pilot-evaluate-scale pattern, driving **sustainable, incremental growth** across verticals. * **Clarity Ahead:** FY27 growth trajectory will be assessed post-FY26 results, with updated guidance expected in **April**.