Wall Street analysts expect Accenture (ACN) to post quarterly earnings of $2.84 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates a year-over-year increase of 2.5%. Revenues are expected to be $16.58 billion, up 4.9% from the year-ago quarter.Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted downward by 0.3% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.Prior to a company's earnings rel ...

HOUSTON, March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SkillGigs, a pioneering AI-driven talent marketplace, and Accenture (NYSE: ACN), a global leader in technology and consulting services, today announced a strategic reseller partnership to deliver cutting-edge Total Talent Management and Recruiting solutions to enterprises worldwide. This collaboration enables Accenture to integrate and resell SkillGigs' industry-leading platform, empowering organizations to optimize workforce management, accelerate hiring efficiency, ...

For many, or most, of us, it's smart to aim for average returns, because they're rather powerful and they can be simple to achieve -- by socking money away in one or more low-fee, broad-market index funds such as one that tracks the S&P 500.If you're looking for above-average returns, you might want to devote a portion of your portfolio to growth stocks. Here's a look at several promising ones. The case for average, and above-average, growthFirst, though, let's set the scene. Know that over many decades, th ...

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Company Performance - Accenture (ACN) closed at $384.84, reflecting a -1.38% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's loss of 0.43% [1] - Over the past month, Accenture's shares have increased by 8.66%, outperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 0.32% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.6% [1] Upcoming Earnings - Accenture's earnings report is anticipated on March 20, 2025, with an expected EPS of $2.84, indicating a 2.53% increase from the same quarter last year [2] - The consensus estimate projects revenue of $16.62 billion, reflecting a 5.21% rise from the equivalent quarter last year [2] Full Year Projections - For the full year, earnings are projected at $12.73 per share and revenue at $68.72 billion, representing increases of +6.53% and +5.9% respectively from the prior year [3] - Recent analyst estimate revisions indicate a favorable outlook on the company's business health and profitability [3] Analyst Ratings - The Zacks Rank system, which assesses estimate changes, currently ranks Accenture at 3 (Hold) [5] - Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has increased by 0.3% [5] Valuation Metrics - Accenture is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 30.66, which is higher than the industry's average Forward P/E of 28.78 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 3.46, compared to the Computers - IT Services industry's average PEG ratio of 2.53 [6] Industry Context - The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector, currently holding a Zacks Industry Rank of 71, placing it in the top 29% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Group 1 - Accenture is ending its global diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals due to changes in the U.S. political and legal landscape [1][5] - The company is "sunsetting" its diversity goals established in 2017, which have largely been achieved, and will no longer use DEI targets to assess staff performance [2][6] - Career development programs for specific demographic groups are being wound down, with a shift towards investing in core career development programs [3] Group 2 - CEO Julie Sweet emphasized that the evolving landscape in the U.S. and recent executive orders are influencing these changes [5] - Accenture maintains its commitment to a merit-based workplace and continues to support Employee Resource Groups and Networks that are open to all employees [6][8] - The announcement aligns with a trend where several major companies, including Amazon, Google, and Meta, have revised or dropped their DEI policies over the past year [9]

Core Points - Accenture has decided to eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals, following pressure from conservative groups and recent political changes in the United States [1][4][5] - The company will also discontinue its career development programs aimed at specific demographic groups, as stated in an internal memo from CEO Julie Sweet [2][8] - DEI policies will no longer be utilized to assess employee performance, reflecting a shift in the company's internal policies and compliance with new executive orders [3][4] Company Actions - Accenture will begin "sunsetting" its 2017 diversity goals, indicating a significant policy shift [1][3] - The company will cease submitting data to external diversity surveys, further distancing itself from previous DEI commitments [7] - Accenture plans to evaluate its external partnerships related to diversity as part of a broader refresh of its talent strategy [9] Workforce Composition - As per the latest annual report, women make up 48% of Accenture's workforce and hold 30% of managing director roles, aligning with the company's previous diversity goals [10]

Core Viewpoint - Accenture is experiencing strong operational and financial momentum, emerging as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, which raises questions about the sustainability of its stock price rally as it approaches its 52-week high [1]. Company Overview - Accenture employs 799,000 people across more than 120 countries, positioning itself as a global leader in professional services, particularly in digital transformation, cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity, automation, and AI [3]. - The company has shifted towards high-tech and value-added offerings, contributing to higher margins and overall growth [4]. Financial Performance - In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Accenture reported a 9% year-over-year revenue increase and a 16% rise in earnings per share (EPS) [4]. - Management has raised its full-year revenue growth guidance for 2025 to between 4% and 7%, up from a 1% increase in the previous year [6]. - The projected EPS for 2025 is between $12.43 and $12.79, reflecting an 11% increase from 2024's EPS of $11.44 [6][8]. - Free cash flow is expected to rise to between $8.8 billion and $9.5 billion in 2025, compared to $8.6 billion in 2024 [8]. Dividend Policy - Accenture has increased its dividend by 15% to a new quarterly rate of $1.48 per share, resulting in a modest dividend yield of 1.5% [7]. Market Position and Competition - Accenture faces competition from traditional consulting firms and major tech players like IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle, which also offer AI implementation solutions [12][13]. - The IT services and digital transformation market remains highly competitive, which could impact Accenture's growth [11]. Valuation Considerations - Accenture's stock trades at approximately 30 times its consensus 2025 EPS, placing it at the upper end of its peer group's valuation range [13].

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Core Insights - Accenture (ACN) shares have increased by 17% over the past six months, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 Composite's 12.5% rise [1][4] - The company's stock price closed at $378.4, which is 2.4% below its 52-week high of $387.5, and is trading above its 50-day moving average, indicating bullish investor sentiment [4][5] GenAI Market Position - The GenAI market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 37.6% from 2025 to 2030, with Accenture's partnerships with OpenAI and others enhancing its position in this market [9] - Accenture's collaboration with OpenAI has led to the integration of advanced AI models into its tools, improving predictive analytics and customer experience, as demonstrated in its work with Vodafone [10] - The company achieved $3 billion in GenAI-related bookings in fiscal 2024, with $1.2 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, showcasing its financial capacity to dominate the GenAI field [11] Financial Health - In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Accenture's current ratio was 1.47, below the industry average of 1.73, but it increased by 33.6% from the previous quarter and 10.5% year-over-year, indicating a strong liquidity position [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Accenture's fiscal 2025 revenues is $68.6 billion, reflecting a 5.8% year-over-year growth, while fiscal 2026 revenues are estimated at $73 billion, suggesting a 6.4% growth [14] Earnings Outlook - The consensus estimate for fiscal 2025 earnings is $12.7 per share, indicating a 6.2% year-over-year rise, with fiscal 2026 earnings estimated at $13.7 per share, hinting at 7.7% growth [15] Market Challenges - The saturated ERP market is impacting Accenture's demand, as clients are tightening budgets and freezing new projects, which may lead to a shift towards maintenance mode for its services [16] - The company laid off 19,000 employees in 2023, indicating a willingness to downsize in response to macroeconomic uncertainties, which could hinder its ability to secure new ERP and digitization projects [17] Acquisition Strategy - Accenture's asset-light business model allows for significant acquisitions, with $6.6 billion spent on 46 strategic acquisitions in fiscal 2024, aimed at enhancing its AI services [19] - There is a risk of overpayment or poor acquisitions in the current turbulent AI market, which could impact the company's performance [20] Investment Perspective - Accenture is well-positioned to benefit from the growing GenAI market, with strong liquidity and favorable revenue and earnings prospects making it a long-term investment candidate [21] - However, the challenges posed by the saturated ERP market and the risks associated with frequent acquisitions suggest that investors should be cautious before buying the stock [22]