Did you analyze how Accenture (ACN) fared in its international operations for the quarter ending August 2024? Given the widespread global presence of this consulting company, scrutinizing the trends in international revenues becomes imperative to assess its financial strength and future growth possibilities.The global economy today is deeply interlinked, making a company's engagement with international markets a critical factor in determining its financial success and growth path. It has become essential fo ...

Group 1 - TD Cowen analyst Bryan Bergin upgraded Accenture plc (ACN) from Hold to Buy, raising the price target from $321 to $400, despite shares falling 1.7% to close at $349.70 [2] - Wolfe Research analyst Doug Leggate upgraded Hess Corporation (HES) from Peer Perform to Outperform with a price target of $150, leading to a 2.3% increase in shares, closing at $133.61 [2] - Morgan Stanley analyst Betsy Graseck upgraded U.S. Bancorp (USB) from Equal-Weight to Overweight, increasing the price target from $54 to $57, with shares gaining 0.4% to close at $45.48 [2] - Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth upgraded Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. (ULCC) from Underperform to Market Perform, although shares fell 0.2% to close at $4.84 [2] - Piper Sandler analyst Stephen Scouten upgraded Amerant Bancorp Inc. (AMTB) from Neutral to Overweight, raising the price target from $26 to $26.5, with shares gaining 0.2% to close at $20.51 [2] Group 2 - Accenture PLC has a consensus price target of $366.9 based on ratings from 22 analysts, with a high target of $445 and a low of $275, indicating a potential upside of 15.27% from the recent average price target of $403.33 [3]

My previous investment thoughts on Accenture (NYSE: ACN ) (published in April this year) were a sell rating, as I believed the demand outlook was bleak. The share price moved as I expected, dropping from ~$332 to as low as ~$278 (my targetI focus on long-term investments while incorporating short-term shorts to uncover alpha opportunities. My investment approach revolves around bottom-up analysis, delving into the fundamental strengths and weaknesses of individual companies. My investment duration is the me ...

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in ACN over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking ...

Key TakeawaysAccenture shares could remain on watchlists after jumping more than 5% Thursday following a stronger-than-expected earnings report from the management consultancy giant, which is benefitting from rising demand for its generative AI services.A recent dip in the stock found support near the 200-day moving average, with Thursday’s gap higher forming a doji—a single candlestick pattern in which the open and close prices are similar, typically reflecting indecision among market participants.Investor ...

Core Insights - Mondelēz International has launched a new platform aimed at enhancing global marketing capabilities through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (gen AI) [1] - The collaboration with Accenture and Publicis Groupe will facilitate the rapid creation of personalized marketing content, including text, images, and videos, to adapt to changing consumer preferences [1][2] - The platform is designed to provide real-time data insights and improve decision-making processes across the company [1][3] Company Overview - Mondelēz International reported net revenues of approximately $36 billion in 2023 and operates in over 150 countries with well-known brands such as Oreo, Cadbury, and Toblerone [6] - The company is a member of the Standard and Poor's 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones Sustainability Index, indicating its significant market presence and commitment to sustainability [6] Partnership Details - Accenture will assist in scaling the new platform through employee training and adoption strategies, leveraging its expertise in digital transformation [1][2] - Publicis Groupe will lead the execution of the platform, focusing on building the gen AI foundation for creative assets [2][3] - Both partners aim to redefine consumer goods marketing by enhancing personalization and improving operational efficiencies [2][3]

Accenture plc (ACN) has reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 results, wherein earnings and revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate.ACN’s earnings (excluding 13 cents from non-recurring items) of $2.8 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate marginally and increased 3% from the year-ago quarter’s actual. Total revenues of $16.4 billion beat the consensus estimate by a slight margin and gained 2.6% on a year-over-year basis.The company’s shares have gained 10.7% which is slightly low ...

I expressed my bullish view on Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN ) in my initiation report published in June 2023, highlighting their long-term growth potential in generative AI and the continuing strength in cloud transformation. They released Q4More than 15 years of professional investment experience in global equities across all sectors. My investment style is fundamental, bottom-up, long-term, and quality growth-oriented. I am seeking companies specializing in niche markets, with strong growth potential, a solid ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For FY '24, Accenture reported revenues of $65 billion, reflecting a 2% growth in local currency, with adjusted EPS growth of 2% to $11.95 [10][23] - The company achieved full fiscal year bookings of $81 billion, representing a 14% growth in local currency [9][22] - Adjusted operating margin expanded by 10 basis points to 15.5% for FY '24 [10][23] - Free cash flow for FY '24 was $8.6 billion, with $7.8 billion returned to shareholders [10][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4, revenue grew 5% in local currency, with consulting revenues at $8.3 billion (up 3% in local currency) and managed services at $8.1 billion (up 7% in local currency) [15][17] - New bookings for Q4 were $20.1 billion, with consulting bookings at $8.6 billion and managed services at $11.6 billion [16][17] - For the full fiscal year, GenAI bookings reached $3 billion, with nearly $900 million in revenue, a significant increase from FY '23 [11][22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue growth in North America was 6% in local currency, driven by public service and industrial sectors [18] - EMEA revenue grew 2% in local currency, led by public service and life sciences, while growth markets saw a 9% increase [18] - Security revenue reached $9 billion, representing a 23% growth [31] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be the reinvention partner for clients, focusing on large-scale transformations and investments in GenAI [9][24] - Accenture's strategy includes enhancing its digital core and leveraging AI to drive productivity and growth [24][26] - The company plans to invest approximately $3 billion in acquisitions for FY '25, with a focus on scaling in growth areas [44][70] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted a cautious macroeconomic environment, with no significant changes in discretionary spending expected [67] - The company anticipates continued growth in cloud services and digital transformation projects [59][24] - Management expressed confidence in the company's positioning for FY '25, with expectations of 3% to 6% revenue growth in local currency [44][45] Other Important Information - Accenture has been recognized for its diversity and inclusion efforts, ranking number one on the FTSE Global Diversity and Inclusion Index [13] - The company completed business optimization actions to reduce structural costs, impacting operating margin and EPS [19][22] Q&A Session Summary Question: How does Accenture view the relationship between ACV and TCV? - Management indicated that the strategy to secure larger deals positions the company better for revenue visibility going into FY '25 [48][52] Question: What is the outlook for cloud migration projects? - Management noted ongoing migration trends, with significant opportunities in high-performance compute applications and modernization efforts [56][59] Question: What is the hiring strategy and geographic focus? - The company plans to hire primarily in India, focusing on technology roles and refreshing its talent pool [61][62] Question: What is the outlook for consulting and discretionary spending? - Management expects low to mid-single digit growth in consulting, reflecting a cautious discretionary spending environment [64][66]

Accenture (ACN) reported $16.41 billion in revenue for the quarter ended August 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 2.6%. EPS of $2.79 for the same period compares to $2.71 a year ago.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.34 billion, representing a surprise of +0.40%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +0.72%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $2.77.While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Stree ...