TCS becomes first Indian IT company to cross $100 bn in market-cap

In terms of market capitalisation, TCS has the largest market-cap and is ahead of companies like Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, ITC, Hindustan Unilever

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has become the first Indian $100 billion- dollar company in terms of market capitalisation (market-cap) in the IT pack, after the stock hit a new high on Monday in intra-day trade.

The counter hit a new high of Rs 3,557, up 4.4% in intra-day trade, extending its Friday’s 6.7% surge, as the company reported better-than-expected March quarter earnings in post market hours on Thursday. TCS also announced 1:1 bonus shares i.e. one bonus shares of Rs 1 face value each for every share held in the company to its investors.

Also Read: After 12 quarters, TCS sees double-digit growth in dollar revenue in Q4

The 11% rise in the company’s scrip in past two trading days helped it cross Rs 6.81 trillion ($103 billion) in market-cap at around 10:33 am, the BSE data shows. The rupee was trading at 66.21 against the US dollar.

However, at the end of Monday's trade, the market-cap dipped below $100 billion level (Rs 6.54 trillion) to $ 98.44 billion as the stock erased its entire morning gains to end flat at Rs 3,415. TCS currently accounts for 11% of the total market-cap of the S&P BSE Sensex of Rs 60.81 trillion.

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In terms of market capitalisation, TCS raks ahead of Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, ITC, Hindustan Unilever, HDFC, Maruti Suzuki and Infosys.

In its recent report, analysts at Nomura, however, have maintained a reduce rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,750.

"We retain Reduce as we find valuations expensive at ~20x FY20F and see risk to street expectations of ~double-digit constant currency (CC) revenue growth and flattish margins. Our caution stems from: 1) large segments US/BFSI remaining weak, growing at low- to mid-single digits y-y, with clarity on BFSI still a quarter away amid risks from insourcing at large US Banks," Ashwin Mehta and Rishit Parikh of Nomura said in a recent report.

TCS announces share buyback; Infosys and Wipro may follow

Investors eye a piece of the large cash kitty as growth slows

Barely a week after the US-based software services player Cognizant Technology Solutions, which has several delivery centres in India, announced plans to return $3.4 billion to its shareholders through buyback of shares and dividends, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), too, said its board would be meeting on Monday to consider a buyback plan.

In a statement to stock exchanges on Thursday, TCS said, “We would like to inform you that the board of directors will consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares of the company at its meeting to be held on February 20, 2017.” If approved, this will be TCS’ first buyback since its listing in 2004.

The Street took the news positively, as stocks of domestic information technology (IT) majors - TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and HCL Technologies - were up 1.4-3 per cent on Thursday.

When asked about the company’s capital allocation plans, Rishad Premji, whole-time director and chief strategy officer, Wipro, said, “We did a buyback last year worth Rs 2,500 crore. We have a stated dividend payout ratio policy, which is 40-45 per cent, which we have maintained. We have said that on an annual basis, we actively discuss this within the company and evaluate what makes sense with the cash that the company generates. We are open to evaluating options like buyback, special dividends. It makes sense for the organisation, as we move forward.”

Buybacks are seen as the preferred route over dividends, as they are more tax-efficient. Besides dividend distribution tax at an effective rate of over 20 per cent, dividend income in the hands of all residents, except domestic companies, trusts or funds, also attracts an additional dividend tax of 10 per cent on dividend income over Rs 10 lakh a year. Read more