UPDATE 1-WNS Holdings seeing uptick in U.S. sales - CEO

* U.S. business getting ahead of Europe in recovery

* Sees profitability improving in the second quarter

MUMBAI Aug 5 (Reuters) - Back-office firm WNS Holdings Ltd (WNS.N) is seeing a pickup in U.S. sales and expects profitability to improve after posting a 53 percent jump in quarterly adjusted net income, beating forecasts.

"We are experiencing an uptick in sales in the U.S.," Chief Executive Neeraj Bhargava told Reuters after announcing the results. "The situation there is positive as the economy is ahead of Europe in terms of recovery."

The New York-listed company said net income was $12.6 million in the June quarter, compared with $8.2 million reported a year ago, while net revenues rose 19.8 percent to $98.5 million.

Reuters Estimates had expected revenues at $95.82 million and net income per American Depositary Share at $0.24 against reported $0.30.

WNS said it expected profitability would improve into the second half of fiscal 2010, helped by more contracts being signed and positive trends in currency movements.

"If the sales and currency environments continue to hold their current levels, we would be well positioned to beat our revenue guidance," Bhargava said.

The company received eight new contracts in April-June, he said.

But it kept revenue guidance unchanged for the full year at $385 million to $390 million.

Bhargava compared with Europe and the UK, the United States was getting to be a place where transactions were happening.

"We would like to increase our exposure to the U.S.," he said.

Unlike software services companies, back-office firms were taking advantage of the slowdown in the economy to help companies cut costs by reducing their cost structures rapidly, he said.

Cognizant Technology Solutions CTSH.BO earlier reported better-than-expected results wrapping up a strong quarter for IT offshoring firms and gave a strong outlook. [ID:nBNG4938]

More companies from different sectors were now outsourcing their operations such as consumer technology and media sectors, Bhargava said.

"We are beginning to expand to these sectors now," he said.

Shares in WNS ended up 3.1 percent on Tuesday at $12.45. (Reporting by Janaki Krishnan; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan)