WESTPORT, Conn., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant Corporation (NYSE: CZT)
today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a systematic stock
repurchase program to buy up to 10 million shares, or six percent, of the
company's outstanding common stock.  Stock purchases are scheduled to begin
immediately.  Cognizant had approximately 162.2 million shares of common stock
outstanding on September 30, 1997.
    "This second stock repurchase program of 1997 clearly demonstrates
Cognizant's commitment to enhance shareholder value," said Victoria R. Fash,
Cognizant's executive vice president and chief financial officer.  "We have
reduced the net number of Cognizant shares outstanding by purchasing
8.5 million shares so far in 1997.  This additional authorization will
continue to offset any employee stock option exercises that may occur."
    Shares acquired through the repurchase program will be open-market
purchases in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-18.
    Based in Westport, Conn., Cognizant Corporation integrates information and
technology to create business insight.  Principal operating units are: IMS,
which offers global information solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare
industries, and Nielsen Media Research, the leader in audience measurement for
electronic media.  Cognizant also is the largest shareholder of Gartner Group,
the premier provider of research and advisory services to the information
technology industry.
    This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-
looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Although Cognizant believes the
expectations contained in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it
can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.  This
information may involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the forward-looking statements.  Factors which could
cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to,
factors detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

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