Accenture Shares Dip Despite Earnings Beat and Strong Bookings

Core Insights - Accenture reported first-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, with revenue growth at the upper end of guidance and strong new bookings, despite a more than 2% decline in shares intra-day [1] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share for the quarter ended November 30, 2025, were $3.94, surpassing analyst estimates of $3.74 [2] - Revenue reached $18.7 billion, reflecting a 5% growth in local currency and a 6% growth in U.S. dollars year over year, exceeding the consensus forecast of $18.51 billion [2] New Bookings and Demand - New bookings increased by 10% in local currency to $20.9 billion, which included $2.2 billion in advanced AI-related bookings [3] - The company reported 33 clients with quarterly bookings exceeding $100 million each, indicating strong demand across its service offerings [3] Profitability and Cash Flow - Adjusted operating margin expanded by 30 basis points to 17.0% [3] - Free cash flow totaled $1.5 billion, and the company returned $3.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the quarter [3] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2026, Accenture maintained its revenue growth outlook of 2% to 5% in local currency, with an expected range of 3% to 6% when excluding an estimated 1% impact from its U.S. federal business [4] - The company reaffirmed its adjusted earnings guidance of $13.52 to $13.90 per share, aligning broadly with the consensus estimate of $13.77 [4]