Accenture's AI Momentum Impresses Analysts Despite Early-Stage Rollouts

Core Insights - Accenture Plc has seen a steady increase in client demand over the past nine quarters, with approximately 100 new clients starting AI projects during this time [1] - Despite the growth in AI initiatives, management indicated that most deployments are still in early stages and require significant work before scaling across enterprises [1] Financial Performance - For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Accenture reported earnings of $3.94 per share, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $3.75, and sales of $18.7 billion, slightly above the consensus estimate of $18.523 billion [4] - New bookings for the quarter reached $20.94 billion, reflecting a 12% increase in U.S. dollars and a 10% increase in local currency [4] - Advanced AI new bookings amounted to $2.2 billion for the quarter [4] Analyst Outlook - RBC Capital Markets analyst Daniel R. Perlin raised the price forecast for Accenture from $285 to $295 while maintaining an Outperform rating [2] - Perlin adjusted revenue and EPS estimates for fiscal 2026 to $73.8 billion and $13.87, respectively, and for fiscal 2027 to $77.6 billion and $14.95 [3] - The company now expects fiscal 2026 GAAP EPS in the range of $13.12 to $13.50, compared to the previous forecast of $13.19 to $13.57 [5]