Accenture (NYSE:ACN) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.11 EPS

Key Points

• Accenture beat quarterly expectations: EPS came in at $3.29 versus the $3.18 consensus, while revenue reached $18.68 billion, above estimates of $18.02 billion. Shares rose 3.6% following the results.
• FY 2027 outlook was mixed: EPS guidance of $14.39–$14.81 was broadly in line with expectations, while projected revenue of $76.4–$78.7 billion exceeded consensus at the midpoint; first-quarter revenue guidance was slightly below estimates.
• Shareholder returns and analyst sentiment remain notable: Accenture authorized a $2 billion buyback covering up to 2.4% of shares, but analysts maintain a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $200.52.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN - Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The information technology services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.18 by $0.11, Zacks reports. Accenture had a return on equity of 26.47% and a net margin of 10.66%.The firm had revenue of $18.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.02 billion. Accenture updated its FY 2027 guidance to 14.390-14.810 EPS.

Accenture Trading Up 3.6%

NYSE ACN opened at $183.53 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a current ratio of 1.34. The firm has a market cap of $122.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.66, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.10. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $178.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $173.35. Accenture has a one year low of $118.15 and a one year high of $291.09.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Accenture news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 10,498 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.98, for a total transaction of $1,710,964.04. Following the sale, the general counsel directly owned 17,735 shares in the company, valued at $2,890,450.30. This represents a 37.18% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.02% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have weighed in on ACN. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Accenture from $150.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Dbs Bank lowered shares of Accenture from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Berenberg Bank lowered their price objective on shares of Accenture from $273.00 to $220.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Argus cut their target price on Accenture from $335.00 to $220.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Accenture from $135.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, August 24th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $200.52.

Accenture announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Tuesday, June 23rd that allows the company to buyback $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the information technology services provider to buy up to 2.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically a sign that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Accenture News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Accenture reported fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings per share of $3.29, exceeding the FactSet consensus of $3.18. The earnings beat may support the stock by indicating better-than-expected profitability. Accenture fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Fiscal 2027 revenue guidance of $76.4 billion to $78.7 billion has a midpoint of $77.55 billion, above the $76.5 billion consensus estimate. This suggests management expects continued demand for consulting, technology transformation and artificial-intelligence services. Accenture fiscal 2026 results and guidance
• Positive Sentiment: UBS said Accenture is on track to more than double bookings from emerging alliances, including partnerships involving Nvidia. Strong bookings could improve future revenue visibility and reinforce the company’s AI growth story. Accenture emerging alliances and bookings
• Neutral Sentiment: Fiscal 2027 EPS guidance of $14.39 to $14.81 is centered around $14.60, essentially in line with the roughly $14.62 consensus estimate. The forecast does not imply a significant near-term earnings surprise. Accenture fiscal 2027 EPS guidance
• Negative Sentiment: First-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue guidance of $19.0 billion to $19.6 billion has a midpoint of $19.3 billion, slightly below the $19.4 billion consensus estimate. Investors may view this as a modest sign of near-term growth pressure.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent previews highlighted continuing concerns that AI could disrupt traditional software and consulting spending, even as AI demand creates new opportunities. This “double-edged sword” remains a risk to Accenture’s valuation and growth expectations. Accenture earnings preview and AI risks

Accenture Company Profile

Accenture plc NYSE: ACN is a global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance, modernize operations and respond to technological and market changes. Its services span strategy and consulting, technology, operations, and managed services, with expertise across industries including communications, financial services, health care, public service, retail, manufacturing and resources.

The company provides digital transformation, cloud migration, data and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, systems integration and technology implementation services.

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