Applied Digital Corporation vs Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp — how do they compare? Applied Digital Corporation trades at $32.12 (market cap $8.55B), while Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp trades at $57.8 (market cap $26.40B). The key difference: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp is far larger — about 3.1× Applied Digital Corporation's market cap, and Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp pays a 2.25% dividend while Applied Digital Corporation pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| APLD | CTSH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.55B | $26.40B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $49.65 | $86.70 |
52-Week Low | $13.89 | $38.73 |
Enterprise Value | $12.06B | $27.44B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.25% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Digital (APLD) trades at $29.06, down 0.55% on the day, with a bearish technical signal and recent earnings misses. The company reported a net loss of $231.07 million in 2025 despite revenue growth, while analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with a $72.36 price target. Recent news highlights significant AI infrastructure contracts and insider selling activity.
Outlook hinges on execution of its $36 billion AI infrastructure pipeline, but risks include high cash burn, negative margins, and rising debt. The stock offers high growth potential if operational targets are met, yet financial sustainability concerns warrant caution for investors amid volatile sentiment.
CTSH trades at $58.31, up 1.11% today, near its consensus price target of $59.92. The stock shows bullish technical signals with moving averages supporting an uptrend, though oscillators indicate overbought conditions. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates, but revenue beat expectations, and the company maintains strong profitability with a net margin of 10.26%. AI initiatives and financial services growth are key drivers, as highlighted in recent earnings calls (Seeking Alpha, 2026-07-29).
Outlook: CTSH offers value with a P/E of 12.58 and stable cash flows, but faces risks from client spending caution and competitive pressures. Upside potential exists if AI investments yield growth, though macroeconomic headwinds could limit near-term gains. Analysts are mixed, with 43% recommending buy.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Digital provides high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and cloud services. It designs and operates data centers tailored for AI, machine learning, and other intensive digital workloads across North America.
Read more on APLD →Cognizant is a global IT services provider, offering consulting and outsourcing services to some of the world's largest enterprises spanning the financial services, media and communications, healthcare, natural resources, and consumer products industries. Cognizant employs nearly 300,000 people globally, roughly 70% of whom are in India, although the company's headquarters are in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Read more on CTSH →