The IT sector has been the darling of Indian markets for decades. But the party might be over – at least for now.
Nomura, the international brokerage, just released a sobering note on Indian IT services companies. The firm expects anaemic growth in FY27, with the upcoming Q1 earnings season likely to be sombre.
But here is the interesting part. Nomura is not bearish on the long-term story. In fact, it believes Indian IT firms could eventually expand their addressable market. The near-term pain, however, is real.
Let me break down what Nomura is saying – and what it means for your portfolio.
The Headwinds: Why FY27 Looks Subdued
Nomura identifies a "perfect storm of two key headwinds" hitting Indian IT companies.
First, macro uncertainty. The geopolitical situation in the Middle East is unpredictable. The US is still uncertain about interest rates. Clients are nervous, and nervous clients do not spend.
Second, heightened competition. When tech spending is not growing, IT companies fight harder for every deal. And here is the kicker – the productivity gains from AI are being immediately surrendered to clients. In simple English: IT firms are doing more work for the same money.
Nomura expects no fireworks from the upcoming Q1 earnings season. Weak quarterly growth trends are expected from most large caps.
The firm has lowered its revenue growth estimates by 100-200 basis points for FY27-28.
The Earnings Scorecard – Who Will Hurt the Most?
Nomura has specific predictions for the upcoming quarter:
Wipro: Expected to report the weakest earnings at -1.3% growth – the only large cap in negative territory.
Tech Mahindra: Expected to report stronger growth at 1% – relatively better but still subdued.
Infosys and HCL Tech: Nomura does not expect any changes to their annual guidance.
Wipro's Q2 guidance: The firm expects Wipro to guide -1% to +1% revenue growth for Q2 FY27.
Midcaps vs Large Caps: Nomura expects midcaps to continue posting stronger growth than large caps.
The Long-Term Optimism – Why Nomura Is Not All Gloom
Here is where the story gets interesting.
While Nomura is cautious on the near term, it is actually optimistic about the long-term opportunity for Indian IT.
The fear has been that AI will replace IT services companies. Clients will just use AI models directly, cutting out the middleman.
Nomura believes this fear is overblown.
Here is why. The firm uses the example of Waymo, Google's autonomous vehicle company. Replacing the human driver took enormous efforts in edge case training and data that exists nowhere on the internet.
Similarly, expecting a deployed AI model to run autonomously and displace humans in enterprises is oversimplistic.
In fact, Nomura argues that in a world where digital agents and human workforce coexist, the role of a system integrator becomes even more critical. IT companies will act as orchestrators, guardians of controls, and custodians of enterprise context.
Indian IT firms have an opportunity to expand their addressable market – moving from traditional tech spending into operational spending.
But here is the catch. Currently, we are in a deflationary phase. The productivity gains from AI are being returned to clients upfront. The gains from market expansion will come with a lag.
Nomura's Target Price Changes – What to Buy and Sell
Nomura has made significant changes to its IT coverage:
Downgraded Tech Mahindra to 'Neutral' from 'Buy'.
Lowered target multiples for IT stocks under its coverage by up to 20%.
But it still has clear preferences.
Top picks (Large Caps):
Infosys
Cognizant
Top pick (Midcap):
Coforge
Top pick (Small Cap):
eClerx
The Key Takeaways for Investors
Here is what you need to know:
Near-term pain is real. FY27 will be subdued. Nomura has cut growth estimates by 100-200 bps.
Q1 earnings will be sombre. Wipro could see -1.3% growth. No fireworks expected.
Midcaps will outperform large caps. The growth gap is expected to continue.
But long-term opportunity is intact. AI will eventually expand IT's addressable market, not shrink it.
The deflationary phase is temporary. Productivity gains are being passed to clients now, but market expansion will come later.
Nomura's top picks: Infosys, Cognizant (large caps), Coforge (midcap), eClerx (small cap).
The Bottom Line
Here is a quick summary of Nomura's IT sector view:
What's happening now:
FY27 growth expected to be anaemic
Q1 earnings likely sombre with Wipro leading declines at -1.3%
Revenue growth estimates cut by 100-200 bps for FY27-28
Midcaps to outperform large caps
What's changed:
Nomura downgraded Tech Mahindra to 'Neutral' from 'Buy'
Target multiples cut by up to 20% across coverage
No guidance changes expected for Infosys and HCL Tech
What Nomura likes:
Infosys (large cap)
Cognizant (large cap)
Coforge (midcap)
eClerx (small cap)
The long-term view:
AI fear is overblown – system integrators will become more critical
Addressable market could expand from tech spending to operational spending
Deflationary phase is temporary; market expansion will come with a lag
The simple takeaway:
The IT sector is in a tough spot right now. Nomura expects subdued growth and has cut target multiples. But for patient investors, the long-term opportunity remains intact. Watch the Q1 earnings season closely – and focus on midcaps and Nomura's top picks.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Readers should conduct their own research or consult a SEBI-registered financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Equity investments are subject to market risks, and past performance does not guarantee future results.
