Core Insights - Accenture plc is a global leader in professional services, specializing in strategy and consulting, technology and operations, and interactive services, with a strong focus on application services, data management, digital transformation, and cybersecurity [1] Price Target Trends - The consensus price target for Accenture's stock has declined from $321.2 a year ago to $289.09 three months ago, and further to $292.5 last month, indicating a more conservative outlook from analysts [2][6] Revenue Performance - Despite the declining price target, Accenture has exceeded Wall Street's expectations for first-quarter revenue, driven by strong demand for its artificial intelligence solutions [3][6] - Analyst Moshe Katri from Wedbush has set a higher price target of $350 for Accenture, reflecting optimism about the company's future prospects [3] Stock Performance and Investor Focus - Accenture's stock has declined by 22% this year, increasing pressure on the company to address investor concerns regarding bookings, guidance, and investments in artificial intelligence [4] - The upcoming first-quarter earnings report on December 18 will be closely monitored for new guidance or strategic initiatives that could impact stock performance [4] Strategic Focus - Accenture continues to innovate and expand its service offerings, particularly in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation, maintaining its position as a key player in the professional services industry [5][6]

Accenture posted stronger-than-expected first-quarter results on Thursday, helped by rising demand for artificial intelligence-led IT services, as clients increasingly turn to automation and machine l... ...

U.S. stocks traded higher this morning, with the Dow Jones index gaining around 400 points on Thursday.The Dow traded up 0.84% to 48,289.58 while the NASDAQ jumped 1.53% to 23,040.25. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 1.09% to 6,794.36.Check This Out: Wall Street’s Most Accurate Analysts Give Their Take On 3 Materials Stocks Delivering High-Dividend YieldsLeading and Lagging SectorsConsumer discretionary shares rose by 1.6% on Thursday.In trading on Thursday, energy stocks fell by 0.8%.Top HeadlineAccenture ( ...

Accenture (NYSE:ACN) Q1 2026 Earnings Call December 18, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsAlexia Quadrani - Head of Investor RelationsAngie Park - CFOJulie Sweet - CEOConference Call ParticipantsDavid Koning - Senior Equity Research AnalystJames Faucette - Equity Research AnalystDarrin Peller - Senior Equity Research AnalystBryan Bergin - Equity Research AnalystKevin McVeigh - Senior Equity Research AnalystTien-tsin Huang - Senior Equity Research AnalystJason Kupferberg - Equity Research AnalystBryan Kea ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the first quarter reached $18.7 billion, growing 5% in local currency, with adjusted EPS growth of 10% compared to the same quarter last year [6][17][20] - Adjusted operating margin expanded by 30 basis points year over year, reaching 17% [7][17] - Free cash flow for the quarter was $1.5 billion, with a cash balance of $9.6 billion at the end of the quarter [21][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New bookings totaled $20.9 billion, representing 12% growth in U.S. dollars and 10% growth in local currency [16][17] - Consulting revenues were $9.4 billion, growing 4% in U.S. dollars and 3% in local currency, while managed services revenues were $9.3 billion, growing 8% in U.S. dollars and 7% in local currency [18] - Advanced AI bookings reached $2.2 billion, nearly doubling from the previous year, with revenue of approximately $1.1 billion [9][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue growth in the Americas was 4% in local currency, with a 6% growth excluding federal business impacts [18][19] - EMEA saw 4% growth in local currency, driven by banking and capital markets, while Asia-Pacific experienced 9% growth, led by Japan and Australia [19] - The demand for reinvention remains strong, with 60% of revenue in Q1 coming from work with top 10 ecosystem partners [11][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled workplace, emphasizing the importance of partnerships and strategic acquisitions to enhance capabilities [5][14] - Recent acquisitions include a 65% stake in DLB Associates, expanding capabilities in the AI data center engineering market [14] - The focus is on embedding advanced AI across various solutions, moving beyond standalone projects to integrated end-to-end solutions [10][34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that clients are prioritizing large-scale transformational programs, with no significant changes in discretionary spending observed [24][66] - The company expects revenue growth for fiscal 2026 to be in the range of 2-5% in local currency, with an inorganic contribution of about 1.5% from acquisitions [37][39] - The outlook for adjusted diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2026 is projected to be between $13.52 and $13.90, reflecting 5-8% growth over the previous fiscal year [38][39] Other Important Information - The company recorded $308 million in business optimization costs related to employee severance, impacting operating margin and EPS [20] - The company continues to invest significantly in talent and technology, with nearly 80,000 AI and data professionals targeted [7][8] Q&A Session Summary Question: Shift in consulting industry's role in AI - Management acknowledged a shift in perception, emphasizing that enterprise AI adoption requires foundational work around data and processes [42][44] Question: Revenue impact of AI partnerships - Management indicated that partnerships are crucial for enterprise adoption and will contribute to revenue as the market evolves [50][51] Question: Sustainability of revenue per head growth - Management confirmed a 7% growth in revenue per person, driven by talent rotation, but expects moderation as new hires are integrated [52][54] Question: Discretionary spending outlook - Management stated that they are not waiting for discretionary spending to return, focusing instead on delivering results despite current market conditions [65][66] Question: Fixed-price work growth potential - Management expressed confidence in the competitive advantage of fixed-price contracts, which have increased significantly, and noted ongoing evolution in commercial models [67][68]

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SailPoint (Nasdaq: SAIL), a leader in enterprise security, today announced new integrations between the SailPoint Identity Security Cloud and the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform. The integrations enable shared data and automated workflows across identity and security systems to help organizations improve visibility and response to identity-based threats. The integrations connect SailPoint’s identity governance capabilities with the Falcon platform, including Fal ...

Accenture shares have lost about 22.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 14.3%. What's Next for Accenture? Accenture (ACN) came out with quarterly earnings of $3.94 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.73 per share. This compares to earnings of $3.59 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non- recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +5.63%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this consulting company would post earnin ...

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Financial Performance - Total revenues reached $18.7 billion, a 5% increase in local currency[2] - Adjusted earnings per share increased by 10% to $3.94, excluding a $0.40 per share business optimization impact[3] - Adjusted operating margin increased by 30 bps to 17.0%, excluding a 170 bps business optimization impact[4] - Free cash flow was $1.5 billion[5] Revenue Breakdown - Consulting revenues were $9.4 billion, a 3% increase in local currency[3] - Managed Services revenues were $9.3 billion, a 7% increase in local currency[3] - Americas revenues were $9.1 billion, a 4% increase in local currency[2] - EMEA revenues were $6.9 billion, a 4% increase in local currency[2] - Asia Pacific revenues were $2.7 billion, a 9% increase in local currency[2] - Communications, Media & Technology revenues were $3.1 billion, an 8% increase in local currency[2] - Financial Services revenues were $3.6 billion, a 12% increase in local currency[2] Cash Return and Bookings - $1 billion was paid in dividends and $2.3 billion in share repurchases[5] - New bookings totaled $20.9 billion, reflecting 10% local currency growth, with a book-to-bill ratio of 1.1[5] AI and Ecosystem - Advanced AI bookings were $2.2 billion, with revenues of $1.1 billion, representing YoY growth of 76% and 120% respectively in USD[22] - Over 60% of revenue was driven by the top 10 ecosystem partners in Q1 FY26[11] Fiscal Year 2026 Outlook - Revenue growth in local currency is projected to be between 2% and 5%[8] - Adjusted earnings per share are expected to increase by 5% to 8% over FY25, reaching $13.52 - $13.90[8] - Free cash flow is projected to be between $9.8 billion and $10.5 billion[8] - At least $9.3 billion of cash is expected to be returned to shareholders, a 12% or $1 billion increase over FY25[29]

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