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ExlService Holdings, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 7 raised, 1 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue grew 15.6% year over year: Revenue was $594.8 million, against $514.5 million a year earlier. Six-month revenue was $1,165.1 million, against $1,015.5 million. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose 22.3%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.59, against $0.49 a year earlier. Adjusted measures exclude stock-based compensation and acquisition-related items. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised: Management raised full-year total revenue guidance, which now includes iMerit, and raised adjusted diluted EPS guidance. The CFO linked the change to second-quarter performance and pipeline. Source
  • Healthcare and Life Sciences grew fastest: Healthcare and Life Sciences revenue was $158.0 million, against $129.5 million. Gross margin was 46.9%, against 43.5% a year earlier. Source
  • GAAP operating margin fell: Operating income margin was 14.7%, against 15.8% a year earlier and 16.1% in the first quarter. Income from operations was $87.3 million, against $81.1 million. Source
  • Current borrowings rose to $381.2 million: Current portion of long-term borrowings was $381.2 million at June 30, 2026, against $4.9 million at December 31, 2025. Long-term borrowings were nil, against $293.7 million. Source
  • IMerit acquisition agreed: EXL agreed to acquire iMerit, adding foundation model expertise and technology. The company expects the deal to close on July 31, 2026. Source

“We entered 2026 with strong momentum that accelerated through the first half, delivering second quarter revenue growth of 16% year-on-year and adjusted diluted EPS of 22% year-on-year.”

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rohit Kapoor

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic constant-currency revenue growth SourceFull-year 202613% to 14%Raised from 10% to 12%
Total revenue SourceFull-year 2026$2.390 billion to $2.415 billionRaised from $2.30 billion to $2.33 billion
Reported revenue growth SourceFull-year 202614% to 16%Raised from 10% to 12%
IMerit revenue contribution SourceFull-year 2026$28.0 million to $32.0 millionNew
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull-year 2026$2.25 to $2.29Raised from $2.18 to $2.23
Adjusted diluted EPS growth over 2025 SourceFull-year 202616% to 18%Raised from 12% to 14%
Assumed U.S. dollar to Indian rupee rate SourceFull-year 2026 guidance95.0Raised from 93.0
Assumed U.S. dollar to Philippine peso rate SourceFull-year 2026 guidance61.0Raised from 59.5
Assumed pound sterling to U.S. dollar rate SourceFull-year 2026 guidance1.33Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Organic constant-currency revenue growth guidance raised to 13% to 14% from 10% to 12%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Total revenue guidance raised to $2.390 billion to $2.415 billion from $2.30 billion to $2.33 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance raised to $2.25 to $2.29 from $2.18 to $2.23. Source
  • New guidance: iMerit revenue of $28.0 million to $32.0 million added to full-year guidance. Source
  • New: Agreed to acquire iMerit, adding foundation model expertise and technology. Source
  • New: Bhupender Singh appointed president and head of international growth markets. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue grew 15.6% year over year: Revenue was $594.8 million, against $514.5 million a year earlier. Six-month revenue was $1,165.1 million, against $1,015.5 million. Source
  • GAAP diluted EPS of $0.42: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.42, against $0.40 a year earlier and $0.43 in the first quarter. Net income was $64.5 million, against $66.1 million in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose 22.3%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.59, against $0.49 a year earlier. Adjusted measures exclude stock-based compensation and acquisition-related items. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised: Management raised full-year total revenue guidance, which now includes iMerit, and raised adjusted diluted EPS guidance. The CFO linked the change to second-quarter performance and pipeline. Source

Segments and regions

  • Healthcare and Life Sciences grew fastest: Healthcare and Life Sciences revenue was $158.0 million, against $129.5 million. Gross margin was 46.9%, against 43.5% a year earlier. Source
  • Insurance was the largest segment: Insurance revenue was $197.8 million, against $172.2 million. Gross margin was 34.6%, against 34.8% a year earlier and 37.7% in the first quarter. Source
  • Banking segment margin fell: Banking, Capital Markets and Diversified Industries revenue was $133.9 million, against $121.1 million. Gross margin was 34.8%, against 37.8% a year earlier. Source
  • International Growth Markets revenue rose: International Growth Markets revenue was $105.1 million, against $91.7 million. Gross margin was 35.1%, the same as a year earlier. Source

“Our strong second quarter performance, sustained growth momentum and healthy pipeline give us the confidence to increase our organic full-year revenue growth guidance to 13% to 14%, up from 10% to 12%.”

Chief Financial Officer Maurizio Nicolelli

Products, customers and people

  • NVIDIA fraud and risk integration: EXL integrated with the NVIDIA Transaction Foundation Model to bring fraud detection and risk intelligence to financial institutions. Source
  • Expanded AI and data platform partnerships: Gold status with Databricks, Snowflake Premier Partner status, and OpenAI Services Partner status were announced. EXL also joined the Claude Partner Network. Source
  • Named in data modernization report: EXL was named a Horizon 3 Market Leader in the HFS Horizons Data Modernization and AI, 2026 report. Source
  • Singh named to lead international markets: Bhupender Singh was appointed president and head of international growth markets, a segment with $105.1 million of second-quarter revenue. Source
  • Headcount above 68,000: The company reported over 68,000 employees spanning six continents, against over 67,000 in the first-quarter release. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • GAAP operating margin fell: Operating income margin was 14.7%, against 15.8% a year earlier and 16.1% in the first quarter. Income from operations was $87.3 million, against $81.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin near prior year: Adjusted operating income margin was 19.7%, against 19.6% a year earlier and 20.5% in the first quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.6%, against 21.7%. Source
  • Stock-based compensation rose: Stock-based compensation was $24.6 million, against $16.4 million a year earlier, and is excluded from adjusted measures. Acquisition-related expenses of $1.9 million were also excluded. Source
  • Total gross margin rose year over year: Total gross margin was 38.0%, against 37.7% a year earlier and 38.9% in the first quarter. General and administrative expenses rose to $74.4 million from $59.5 million. Source

“We have very good visibility into the balance of the year and look forward to a solid finish to 2026.”

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rohit Kapoor

Demand and the order book

  • Revenue rose 4.3% sequentially: Revenue increased 4.3% from the first quarter on a reported basis and 4.4% on a constant currency basis. Source
  • Guidance rests on current visibility: Full-year guidance is stated as based on current visibility and on assumed exchange rates for the rupee, peso and pound sterling. Source
  • 17 new clients won: The company won 17 new clients in the second quarter, against 16 in the first quarter. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Current borrowings rose to $381.2 million: Current portion of long-term borrowings was $381.2 million at June 30, 2026, against $4.9 million at December 31, 2025. Long-term borrowings were nil, against $293.7 million. Source
  • Cash and short-term investments declined: Cash and cash equivalents were $126.7 million, against $146.3 million at December 31, 2025. Short-term investments were $157.1 million, against $182.0 million. Source
  • Treasury stock rose: Treasury stock at cost was $1,299.3 million, against $1,117.3 million at December 31, 2025, with 58,356,813 shares held in treasury. Source
  • Receivables grew: Accounts receivable, net was $434.4 million, against $343.1 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • IMerit acquisition agreed: EXL agreed to acquire iMerit, adding foundation model expertise and technology. The company expects the deal to close on July 31, 2026. Source
  • Deal costs excluded from adjusted results: Acquisition-related expenses of $1.9 million for iMerit were excluded from adjusted operating income. A $3.0 million change in contingent consideration fair value was also excluded. Source
  • AI strategy framed as enterprise adoption: The CEO attributed sustained double-digit growth to execution of the data and AI strategy and to helping clients adopt AI across the enterprise. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 July 2026

  • IMerit closing expected July 31: The iMerit acquisition is expected to close on July 31, 2026, and its anticipated revenue is included in full-year guidance. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
New clients won in the quarter Source17

Risks management discussed

  • External: Currency movements lowered reported revenue growth to 15.6% from 15.9% on a constant currency basis. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.