Accenture PLC $ACN Holdings Raised by NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC

Key Points

• NorthCrest Asset Management increased its Accenture stake by 18% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 83,145 shares valued at approximately $15.25 million. Institutional investors collectively own 75.14% of ACN.
• Accenture exceeded quarterly expectations with EPS of $3.29 and revenue of $18.68 billion, while revenue rose 6.2% year over year. The company also authorized a $2 billion share buyback and raised its quarterly dividend to $1.71 per share.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed, with a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $219.15. Two executives sold shares under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans, though insiders own just 0.02% of the company.

NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its holdings in shares of Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN - Free Report) by 18.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 83,145 shares of the information technology services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 12,703 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC's holdings in Accenture were worth $15,246,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of ACN. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Accenture by 4.5% in the 1st quarter. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,354 shares of the information technology services provider's stock valued at $269,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the period. City National Bank of Florida MSD lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 5.8% during the 4th quarter. City National Bank of Florida MSD now owns 1,073 shares of the information technology services provider's stock worth $288,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 38.0% during the 1st quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank now owns 218 shares of the information technology services provider's stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. GS Investments Inc. boosted its position in Accenture by 0.5% during the first quarter. GS Investments Inc. now owns 12,415 shares of the information technology services provider's stock valued at $2,462,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Camelot Portfolios LLC boosted its position in Accenture by 1.4% during the second quarter. Camelot Portfolios LLC now owns 4,526 shares of the information technology services provider's stock valued at $563,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.14% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at Accenture

In related news, COO Catherine Hogan sold 1,320 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total transaction of $264,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 12,556 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,511,200. This trade represents a 9.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 10,498 shares of the company's stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the general counsel directly owned 17,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,890,450.30. The trade was a 37.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.02% of the company's stock.

Accenture Stock Performance

ACN opened at $214.86 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $143.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $185.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $173.65. Accenture PLC has a 52-week low of $118.15 and a 52-week high of $291.09.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 1st. The information technology services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.18 by $0.11. Accenture had a net margin of 11.28% and a return on equity of 26.53%. The business had revenue of $18.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.03 EPS. Accenture's revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Accenture has set its FY 2027 guidance at 14.390-14.810 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Accenture PLC will post 14.68 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Accenture declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, June 23rd that authorizes the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the information technology services provider to buy up to 2.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Share repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Accenture Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.71 per share. This represents a $6.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 13th. This is a positive change from Accenture's previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. Accenture's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.08%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on ACN shares. William Blair lowered shares of Accenture from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Accenture from $175.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. DA Davidson reduced their price objective on shares of Accenture from $275.00 to $175.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $179.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $175.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Accenture has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $219.15.

Accenture News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Accenture acquired Sagacity Solutions to strengthen Accenture Song’s AI-powered customer intelligence capabilities in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The deal supports the company’s strategy of expanding AI-driven services and could contribute to future growth. Accenture Acquires Sagacity Solutions to Scale AI-Driven Customer Intelligence Across Accenture Song’s UK & Ireland Operations
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage highlights Accenture’s quarterly revenue and EPS beats, along with fiscal 2027 guidance for 3%–6% revenue growth. Management expects at least $11 billion of free cash flow and plans to return more than $9.5 billion through dividends and share repurchases, supporting the investment case. Accenture: Market Sentiment Resets, But The Valuation Remains Deeply Discounted
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and value-focused research outlets have emphasized ACN’s relatively low forward valuation and robust free-cash-flow yield. This perception that the shares remain discounted after the recent rally is helping attract buyers. Accenture Is a Top-Ranked Value Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Accenture’s inclusion among recent dividend raisers reinforces confidence in its cash-generation capacity and adds to the appeal for income-oriented investors. Three Stocks Raise Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Call-option volume was roughly 3.5 times its average level, signaling heightened bullish positioning or speculative interest. Options activity can support near-term momentum but does not necessarily reflect changes in Accenture’s underlying business.
• Negative Sentiment: Accenture’s chief operating officer reportedly sold approximately $264,000 of company stock. The transaction is relatively small compared with the company’s market value, limiting its significance, but insider selling can weigh modestly on sentiment. Accenture COO Sells Stock

Accenture 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ACN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.