ExlService (NASDAQ:EXLS) Upgraded at Robert W. Baird

ExlService (NASDAQ:EXLS) was upgraded by analysts at Robert W. Baird from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report issued on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

EXLS has been the topic of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on ExlService from $42.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of ExlService from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Barrington Research set a $43.00 target price on shares of ExlService in a report on Thursday. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price target on shares of ExlService from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $39.00 price target (down from $45.00) on shares of ExlService in a report on Thursday, July 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, ExlService has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $43.50.

ExlService Trading Down 4.5%

ExlService stock opened at $34.36 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.61, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.84. ExlService has a twelve month low of $24.85 and a twelve month high of $45.08. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $28.23 and its 200-day simple moving average is $30.96.

ExlService (NASDAQ:EXLS) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The business services provider reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.53 by $0.05. ExlService had a return on equity of 30.61% and a net margin of 11.17%.The firm had revenue of $570.35 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $557.67 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.48 earnings per share. ExlService’s revenue was up 13.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that ExlService will post 1.8 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other ExlService news, insider Vikas Bhalla sold 12,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.22, for a total value of $362,640.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 153,295 shares in the company, valued at $4,632,574.90. This represents a 7.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Ajay Ayyappan sold 5,093 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.11, for a total value of $148,257.23. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 48,994 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,426,215.34. The trade was a 9.42% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 3.66% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of ExlService

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EXLS. Private Trust Co. NA raised its position in ExlService by 56.2% in the 4th quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 717 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 258 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its stake in ExlService by 15.0% during the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,982 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $84,000 after purchasing an additional 259 shares during the period. Composition Wealth LLC grew its position in ExlService by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Composition Wealth LLC now owns 20,230 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $859,000 after purchasing an additional 314 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its position in ExlService by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 54,274 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $2,390,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC increased its stake in ExlService by 6.3% in the third quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 6,038 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $266,000 after purchasing an additional 358 shares during the period. 92.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More ExlService News

Here are the key news stories impacting ExlService this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raised 2026 outlook: ExlService projects 2026 revenue of approximately $2.39 billion to $2.415 billion, reflecting confidence in continued demand and the expected contribution from iMerit. Management also raised its earnings outlook. ExlService projects 2026 revenue of $2.39B-$2.415B following iMerit deal and raised EPS outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Solid second-quarter performance: Revenue reached about $594.8 million, up from the prior year, and results were characterized as strong enough to support an optimistic outlook for the remainder of 2026. The earnings presentation and call highlighted the company’s growth trajectory and operating momentum. ExlService Holdings 2026 Q2 Results Earnings Call Presentation
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support increased: Needham raised its price target from $40 to $45 and maintained a Buy rating, implying further upside based on the cited $34.36 reference price. Growth-focused coverage also points to ExlService’s revenue, earnings and industry positioning as potential market-beating attributes. Needham raises ExlService price target
• Positive Sentiment: iMerit deal expands capabilities: The acquisition is expected to strengthen ExlService’s data and artificial-intelligence services, while adding to its growth opportunity and supporting the higher revenue forecast. Investors have responded favorably to the combination of the deal and improved guidance. Is ExlService Holdings Undervalued Following Strong Results, Higher Guidance, And The iMerit Deal?
• Neutral Sentiment: EXLS had already surged 17.88% in the prior session and extended a five-day winning streak, increasing the likelihood of short-term profit-taking even though the fundamental news remains favorable. ExlService Soars 17.88%, Wins Hedge Fund Confidence
• Negative Sentiment: A broader market sell-off, including pressure on technology and growth stocks amid an oil-price surge and U.S.-Iran tensions ahead of the Federal Reserve decision, created an unfavorable backdrop for equities. Oil Spikes, Nasdaq 100 Sinks Before Fed

About ExlService

ExlService Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: EXLS) is a global operations management and analytics company that partners with clients in insurance, healthcare, banking, and financial services to drive digital transformation and operational excellence. The firm delivers analytics-driven solutions and business process outsourcing services, including claims adjudication, finance and accounting, data management, and customer service support. ExlService combines domain expertise with advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation technologies to help organizations optimize processes, enhance customer experiences, and manage risk.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in New York City, ExlService has grown through a mix of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, earning recognition for its data analytics capabilities and industry-specific knowledge.